Chaps,

Thinking of buying a digital stills camera.

Prefered features:-

SLR body?

Superb print quality up to A4 ish.
Decent zoom (optical)
Up to £500/£600.
Timer

Anything else useful you can think of?

Been thinking about Fujifilm S5000, but wasn't overly impressed with writeup on "dpreview.com"

Any recommendations/suggestions?

Thanks

ATB

Simon

I've been saving for a Sony Cybershot DSC717. We have one at work which I've borrowed a few times and got great results. Can post an example if you like but the file size is pretty big!

Chris

Chris,

Would like to see an example please.

Thanks

ATB

Simon

I use a Nikon Coolpix 990, but the pix are too big to post on here at original resolution (and it is only a 3.34 megapixel). They no longer make it, but if I were looking now I would seriously consider the new Canon (EOS 300D). It is 6.3 megapixels and takes standard EOS lenses (many SLR bodied digicams need special lenses). This cam costs about £800 but probably get it cheaper if you shop around. Alternatively if you aren't bothered about the 'SLR' aspect then the Nikon Coolpix range is hard to fault and the Fuji Finepix have a very good reputation.

[Edited on 22/10/03 by StuartA]

I'll dig something out later and post a link. Should point out that it's not an SLR just in case you had your hopes up

http://products.sony.co.uk/productdetail.asp?id=8_60_2153

Chris

lots of pixels and lots of money are not necessarily needed for the average user.

A decent 2m pixel camera is great for most purposes.

It really depends on what you want it for.

A good lens is more important than lots of pixels. Shots I have taken at race track look small - cos the lens is only 2x.

having said all that mine is 4m at present


atb

steve

btw - when we had pics taken of a machine I designed a couple months back, it was with a 17m pixel camera. It was an attatchment to the back of a hasselblad (sp?) type camera.

Put some pics from Ultimate Street Car at Santa Pod last year up at chrisw.net/cybershot. They are straight off the camera - no photoshopping but beware - they are 1.5MB each!!

Chris

If you are looking at paying seriouse dosh for a digi camera. See if you can get a friend to pick one up in the US for you.

They tend to be $=£ Which is a big saving at the moment.

I picked up a Sony Mavica in Florida this year (Writes straight to 8cm cd's 5 meg pix (?)) for approx £250. The nice asian gentleman even thru in some re-writable cd's, a bag and a UK power lead!

Last I looked this camera was £600 in the UK!!!

Just my tuppence,
Ian

I've just got a Pentax Optio S, and I'm well pleased with it, the picture quality is great (A4 doesn't show any distinct pixels) and the colour accuracy is about a million times better than the Kodak I had before. Plus, one of the best things about it is it's size, significantly smaller than a packet of fags.

If you want crazy quality levels, at work there is a medium format camera with a digital back, it's got a 6 megapixel ccd, but it moves through 4 positions, giving 24 megapixels! The price? IIRC it's over £10000 worth.

Kingr

if you want to be sick on pricing, try comparing with the USA version of currys and comet


www.bestbuy.com


www.circuitcity.com


and also

www.target.com


atb

steve

No comment for fear of interpretation as smugness.

quote:

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Originally posted by Alan B
No comment for fear of interpretation as smugness.

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Only trouble with buying in the States, is the guarantee if you are not a regular visitor.

The big companies should be an international guarantee.

I bought a JVC camcorder in the US a few years ago and the service centre darn sarf fixed it no questions.

Ian

Depends which state Steve....some have no sales tax...

quote:

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Originally posted by stephen_gusterson

quote:

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Originally posted by Alan B
No comment for fear of interpretation as smugness.

---

ya coulda mentioned that its + 8% approx state tax, to make it sound a little less of a bargain
Im off to Chicago next week, so might be time for a camera change, you never know



atb

steve

[Edited on 20/10/03 by stephen_gusterson]

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I think i was paying 6.5% sales tax in Florida, is that right Alan? one thing i did find was Hard drives were more expensive than at home and my video camera was the same price ish.... but my credit cards took a spanking on clothes, trainers and other stuff for the kids......
Best prices i have found in the uk have been through www.kelkoo.com saved £400 on our Telly.

Tim,

6.5% is about average. It varies from county to county. Mine is 7% the next county is 6%....

Guess where I buy big ticket items?....

As for cameras, I use a FujiFilm Finepix S602Zoom, I think it's 6 megapixel. It doesn't belong to me, but I want one excellent pictures, SLR package (but not action), think it takes SLR lenses..

it has an amazing macro mode, I use it to check soldering on surface mount chips.

Here's an example:

http://www.leetfighter.com/~jon/smt/IOpener%20mod%20-%20DIP%20switches%202.jpg

looks fiddly. some small stuff.

Ever chipped a PS2?

*shudder*

couldn't see straight for the rest of the day.

U got an I-Op too then?

Chris

quote:

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Originally posted by blueshift
Here's an example:

http://www.leetfighter.com/~jon/smt/IOpener%20mod%20-%20DIP%20switches%202.jpg

---

Well, done it, just bought a Fujifilm S7000.

Will put up some car pics over the weekend.

ATB

Simon

I use my old and trusty Olympus Z-2000 - only 2.1Mp. It got a cracking review at the time I bought it - from the states. 3~4 years ago - then it was £1000 over here. Got it from States for £550 inc taxes!

I'm due for a new one - but I see some pictures of the new camera's and mine is more of a camera than a cam-media. It allows light balancing, ISO 400 settings... macro mode - Shutter/Aperture priority. Also Spot focussing which is very handy!

All my pictures on the site are took with it in lowest resolution - you can't buy them anymore but the lens and kit is still top notch. Standard jpeg file in low res is 55k - hi-res 8Mb (but this mode is awesome!!! A4 with no jaggies AT ALL!

When all said and done - a crap photographer will take crap photo's, no matter how good his camera!

bugger - beat me too it, brought a S5000 the other day, superb camera that takes great phot's.