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New Digital Camera (buying advice)
Thawmus
+JackfaceRegistered User regular
+JackfaceRegistered User regular
So, I need a new camera. That is to say, I need a camera. I have a webcam and a camera phone, but neither of them are worth anything at all. I don't have any recent pictures of myself at all. The last one I have is from a year ago, when I was at a wedding, holding up a roll of bills. Needless to say, I need some good pictures of myself.
I took a few photography classes when I was in college, and I did very well in them. So I know how to do all the stuff I would want to do, it's the camera. I haven't owned a camera for nearly a decade (which is pathetic), so I really don't know what the best brands are, etc.
I do like taking terrible videos of storms now and then, with my cellphone. So a camera that can do some video wouldn't be bad either.
I took a few photography classes when I was in college, and I did very well in them. So I know how to do all the stuff I would want to do, it's the camera. I haven't owned a camera for nearly a decade (which is pathetic), so I really don't know what the best brands are, etc.
I do like taking terrible videos of storms now and then, with my cellphone. So a camera that can do some video wouldn't be bad either.
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I'd say anything in the 100-150 range, though I could probably swing 200.
I don't really know on features. Decent zoom and maybe video. Video's not a dealbreaker.
If it takes microSD, that'd be nice. I've got more microSD devices than I can count.
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=16347
I've been a Canon junkie past few years and I have zero complaints.
But I don't own a Pomeranian to take pictures of...
Question on the first one: I saw a few comments about poor battery life. Is it really that bad? How long does it last?
And what are the benefits of the second one, compared to the first? I really couldn't tell.
It's a little bit pricier than what you mentioned, but you can probably find it on sale somewhere or get a model that's a step down.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9252211&type=product&id=1218068778550
It's a Kodak, and I don't know what those are like in the digital camera market these days. Those and Fujis are looking awfully cheap for what they do.
I currently play with a Canon DSLR (Rebel XT, somewhat dated by this point) and with its battery (which is a Li-Ion battery pack about the physical size of 2 AAs), I charge like once every four or five times I take it out. I'm not using flash at all, but I'm taking close to 300 shots each time I go out.
So, I wouldn't be overly concerned about battery life on Canon cameras. I would push you to any model that accepts AA over any model that has a proprietary Li-Ion battery though, unless we're talking about DSLRs. Almost any point & shoot camera with a Li-Ion battery is a huge pain in the ass to swap batteries on in the field. AAs are always super easy and super fast. Also, much cheaper, and you can carry a few spare sets easily.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Kodak sucks and Fuji used to have this one model with an amazing high ISO mode in it, but I haven't heard of anything really good from them for a good while in general now. If you're not gonna go Canon, go Nikon or Olympus or Pentax.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
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The A590-IS also supports that open source CHDK firmware replacement. I know that sounds scary but it isn't: literally you just add some files to the root of your SD card, and then write-protect the card -- and no permanent modification is made to your camera. Remove the SD card and not even Canon can tell you ever used CHDK. The camera only runs the firmware if it detects the SD card is write-protected. It can then save photos on the write-protected card with no problem.
CHDK is a bit of a pain to use, but it unlocks a bunch of big-camera features on your little $100 camera. If you have a motionless subject, you can even do exposure bracketing that saves raws (CRW files) which you can combine into HDR photos. Only problem is, you'll quickly see why Canon never enabled that feature on the stock firmware: the camera isn't fast, at all. It's "click . . . click . . . click" instead of "c-c-click."
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I really wanted something that used an SD card, or failing that, a microSD card, because a lot of my other devices use them.
So I got this: http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/digital_cameras/z/finepix_z33wp/index.html
I used it last night to video record a hailstorm outside my house, and took some self-portraits with the face recognition. Pretty cool camera. And it's waterproof up to 10 feet, so they give you instructions on how to wash the camera. Yes, wash the camera. I don't have to worry about thumbprints on it at all. I washed some of mine off initially, and the camera works fine. Which I think is an awesome feature.
Thanks guys!
Not to mention the unanimous agreement that AA batteries is the best choice for cameras at this price range and the Fuji has a proprietary battery pack..
Oh, where to start?
First off, saying, "This isn't meant to come off as a flame", and then flaming me, doesn't mean you're not flaming me. Just want to make sure you understand that. So, now, I'm pissed off.
Secondly, I'm wondering why you think I didn't take anyone's advice, when someone did say that the Fuji's were pretty good. And why exactly did I have to take someone's advice here on a particular camera? I'm curious how your world works, where you ask for advice, and are therefore required to take any specific suggestions they give. I asked for advice, I got it, and it was utilized. That's what I needed, and that's what I got.
Third, do you really think this is the only forum I asked for advice on this?
Fourth, those people did put a lot of time into that. Kinda why I thanked them for their help.
Last but not least, when I went to the store last night, I looked over the Canons and Olympus cameras. I did not like the feel of the Powershot. Nor was there one in my price range. I looked at the Olympus, but they had none there that used an SD card. Deal-breaker. The gal suggested the Sonys and whatnot, and I didn't want them, for the same reason. I came back to the Kodak, but the only ones they had were pink. No. So then I spied the Fuji's, remembered that someone here had said Fuji's Finepix were pretty good cameras, and the Waterproof/Weatherproof pretty much won me over, because I like fishing, swimming, and stormchasing.
In summary, I got the camera I wanted, and it works well. I took the advice of people here, on other forums, friends, family, etc. I ended up with what was available, that suited me best.
Kindly shove it up your ass.
EDIT: Oh, and batteries? It's pretty unanimous everywhere else that alkaline batteries get consumed faster than pizza in a college dorm, by these cameras, and that the lithium batteries that come with the cameras last a lot longer. After fucking around with mine all night last night, video recording a hail storm in the middle of the night, and taking random photos throughout the day today, I still have a full battery. Winner-Lithium.