Re: Photopost Pictures/cameras page 1

Rattlesnake Gal

02-15-2004, 03:42 PM

Thank you Mee'N'Mac, Rusty Bear and Throttleman for all the excellent photo/camera/scanner advice! It is very valuable to get feed back from people who use digital as opposed to the sales person that is trying to make money off you.
Photography has been an interest of mine for as far back as I can remember, so maybe it is time to start seriously looking at converting to digital.
Thanks again!
Rattlesnake Gal

Re: Photopost Pictures/cameras page 1

Mee'n'Mac

02-15-2004, 12:14 AM

"I am sure digital shots are easier to manipulate than scanning actual photos. Is it worth changing over or just stick with what I have? Does anyone have input about film vs digital?"

. If you're into photography as a hobby then by all means get a digi-cam. Under most conditions the results of a good digi-cam can rival 35 mm film and as has been said you get the instant review capability rather than waiting for film development. If you like to tweak your photo's then the software available to do a 'digital darkroom' gives you more capability, more easily, than a traditional wet process darkroom. Indeed this has gotten me back into my old hobby. My old SLR is now only used because I can't pry the S404 I gave to "Mee" out of her hands ! Presently I'm trying to decide whether it'll be a DSLR (D-Rebel, N70) or Minolta's A1 (?A2?) later this year. In either case a digi-cam beats scanning for convenience if not in absolute quality under the best conditions (with slides and a negative scanner). A perfectionist might want to stay with slides but for the rest of us digital is the way to go.

p.s. - if you're interested check out www.dpreview.com , the best digicam and related stuff site there is IMHO.

Throttleman

02-15-2004, 01:56 PM

Along with dpreview.com, another helpful resource is:
http://www.steves-digicams.com
The site consists of detailed reviews plus sample photos from virtually every digital camera produced.

Jeff Furber

02-16-2004, 05:29 PM

I got a digital camera about a year ago,after doing lots of looking and reading reviews.
I bought a Olympus C-720 3.0, as it fit a number of ny requirements, price and very important was "feel" or how it fits into your hand and ease of use and of course quality. I did buy the extended warranty. I also bought two extra cards (128megs) each as we were going to a wedding.

I believe that you first should examine just what your needs are and what you are going to do with the pictures, just printing them out or will they be put into a program like PhotoShop7. Are you going to download them into a PC?
Then go to every photo shop you can and try out the camera's. Once you have a particular brand you like, purchace or borrow a card and ask to see if they will let you shoot a few pictures to see how they come out. Any reputable place should do this.
Talk to your friends and see what they have for dig camera's and get there opinions too.
I have borrowed my friends very $$$ dig Nikon and the big dollar cameras do take sharper and better pictures but at the increased cost of the camera.
Depending on ones needs there are some very good dig camera's on the market.
Thanks to all the forum folks who gave us those great camera web sites.

Rattlesnake Gal

02-16-2004, 06:59 PM

All the feedback about the cameras has been invaluable. So glad I asked about them. Thanks again everyone! Glad that I am not in a hurry to buy. It sounds like research is the key.
Jeff, you will have to keep us posted on what you find out about your ancestors and Wolfeboro!

Re: Photopost Pictures/cameras page 1

Island Al

02-14-2004, 09:54 AM

FWIW Kodak has stopped making film cameras and is the second leader in digital camera sales. Also just introduced 6 new models to aim for the number one position.
Before you go into it, please talk with several people who now use digital and get a wide range of ideas. Cameras run from 150 to several thousand and depending on what you want you take pictures of and how you may use in future will determine what you should get. Many of the "traditional camera" shops are deep into digital as well. example Ritz camera has a wide range of models (don't work there but did just upgrade with them.)
The greatest thing I love about digital camera, is that I can take many, many pictures and only print the ones I want. Just keep clicking and pick out the best ones. Kids expressions change second by second and with film you take one or two and stop. With digital, take 10 or 50 and pick 1 or 2, no extra cost.

Rattlesnake Gal

02-15-2004, 07:59 PM

Island Al,
Thanks for the advice! I am so glad that I asked for input from the forum. Who better to give it than real people who are using the products. Now for the fun of figuring out what I want and to convince my husband that we really NEED another camera! I have two. A Minolta X700, (20+ years old)which I never have when I want it and a Cannon Elf that I carry all the time - tired of missing impromptu shots.
Thanks again,
Rattlesnake Gal

Island Al

02-15-2004, 09:19 PM

The key is sitting down and deciding what you want to take pic's of. Just scenery or action (boats moving, kids moving) each has different needs.
How bid do you want to make prints? Do you, or would you crop (select just part of the picture for printing) you pictures. The bigger the print or the smaller the piece of the whole picture you want, the more megapixels you want to start with.(6.3 MP)
I had a 2.3 MP and just moved to the SLR Cannon Digital Rebel because I hated the shutter lag with the point and shot model (shutter lag is time span between when you push the button and when the picture is actually taken // most point and shots are 1 to 2 seconds). I have now pics of snowmobiles in the air and was able to take 4 shots in quick sequence as he was moving rapidly by.
I note that you have a Cannon ELF, do not know if that uses interchangable lenes or not, but the Digital Rebel does, check to see it reusable???. It can be fully automatic or you can take as much control as you like. Only down side is $1,000, (much better than other digital SLR's.)