Digital Camera Help

[Billo]

I know stuff all about digital cameras .....i need to get a new one , planning on spending around $400 .
Can anyone guide me in the right direction ?

Main use = Fishy Snaps .

[Zeeke]

i use a nikon d70 as my main camera.. alot more then your after.. but..

Dug (Doug) is a camera guru.. and he's put up a few posts about the new range of Samsung Cameras that are waterproof.... which would be ideal for basic fishing photos.. think they are around 4mp or so.. and still small and easy to use.. might be work lookin into

Tim

[Zeeke]

Wasnt a samsung.. but found a Olympus which is splash proof

http://www.olympusimaging.com.au/servlet/ContentServer?productpage=Overview&cid=1085553154819&pagename=Olympus%2FPage%2FProducts&context=Products%2CDigital+Cameras%2CPremium+Choic e%2CMju+Mini&productId=1095744604999&sectionId=1085025989222

Tim

[Zeeke]

Just reading the latest dick smith catalogue, they have that digital camera with the optional waterproof case as a freebie for $368.. the case is valued at $179

Tim

[Kiktz]

Billo
Talk to boss lady, Our camera is a Konica Minolta and the pics it takes are sh1t hot
One of those weekly bloody newsletter thingys there are i think 399 or 299
which is cheap and very cheap for the quality of pic you get
Great features on it to boot

[Billo]

Thanks guys ,
Kiktz , ...where are those prices quoted from ( which store )


Tim , couldn't get anything with that link ????can't even get onto Olympus site .

i Looked up DS's and found the Olympus MJU Mini at that price which is already splash proof , but no casing ...???
Is this the one you were referring to ?

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/42c38a9d050fe9622740c0a87f9c072f/Product/View/XG4743

I am assuming 4 megapixels decent ....as for zoom , this has 4 x digital , how does that compare with the money i am looking at ? If i look for better zoom and more options am i gonna lose out on the pixels ?

yes , the splash proof casing is a bonus for the boat !!!!

[Zeeke]

thats the camera i was linking ya to.. the catalogue mentions a free waterproof case.. so its waterproof to 3 meters.. not just splash proof

good looking camera.. 4mp is more then enough for fishing photos..

Tim

[blaze]

how many pixels are the phone cameras

[Billo]

Cheers Tim , waterprrof to 3 metres sounds bloody appealing.
I might actually check that out tomorrow ...knowing my luck it is an end of financial year BONUS and ends today :-/

Will soon find out ...

Not after anything fancy , just a decent camera that will take a nice crisp photo ...

[aquarius]

Billo make sure you get at least 3x OPTICAL ZOOM.......I owned an olympus C-450 zoom up until last week #(another story >:()
Got some top quality photos from this camera.
Prices have gone down alot so it may be in your price range now.
Cheers #Brent

[Billo]

I have just had the 'digital' versus 'optical ' zoom explained to me ...
Digital zoom - care factor ' ZERO ' as i wioll be downloading on the pc and can do what ever the heck i want with it then ,.....but optical zoom , i am not sure of the requirement
I would believe 2 x optical zoom would be more then enough for fishing shots as they will all be in a close proximity ...but i guess if i were to take shots of whales ....or fish jumping ....how would the 2x zoom do there ? would it fullfill ?

When would you need to step up to 3 or 4 x Optical zoom ?

Canon / Sony / Kodak all have cameras with over 4mp and 3 x or more optical zoom for the price range ( $400 or under )
I have heard Kodak DIGITAL seem to have more returns then other makes ....can anyone shed light onto the good and bad makes ?

[Zeeke]

Unless you own a real camera (SLR) then.. Zoom is a gimmick.. it does work.. but.. not a main function.. for 99.9% of your photos.. you wont even use it.. you can try and take photos of whales ... or fish jumping.. but i think you'll find.. ALOT of digital cameras do not have the speed required to take quick shots.. the shutter speed just isnt there...

as for the returns.. wouldnt have a clue.. check ebay tho.. they go pretty cheap.. doesnt matter what brand it is..

Tim

[Billo]

Got a half decent SLR with telecopic lense / standard and wide angle if i want to go and get playfull . Got some AWESOME sunset pictures using a few filters up the whitsundays a few months back, shot em from the top of Hamilton island ...still gotta get them turned into digital ....absolutely MAGIC shots ,....the colours were amazing

I rang DSE , and the said you get that waterproof housing by sending the reciept to Olympus and they send it out.
Rang around a few stores and the comments were very similar ....for something durable and can handle a few knocks and splashes , i will not beat that camera/ quality for that price ....looks like you may have put me on a winner mate . Will scope it out further this weekend .

cheers mate [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[gunna]

Zeeke has mentioned shutter speed. #Just check the lag time from when you press the button to when it takes the photo. #The Fuji I have been using for ages is very good - almost like your 35mm. #But I bought a kodak last week and I am surprised how slow it is. #Press the button and wait wait wait click. Some brands are better than others in that regard.

And when you decide - go to www.dpreview and see if there ore owners opinions on that particular one.

[Billo]

damn good site there Gunna ....a lot of info to absorb though .

[Volvo]

:)Mentioned it on a past topic that i own a Fujifinepix S3000 which takes marvelous pics but Shites me sumthin awfull re Shutter lag...And Shutter lag you dont want with a camera if your about taking fishing photos or anything that may want to move even to the point of blinking..
Not tellin anyone which Camera to buy but do yourself a favour and check out how bad its shutter lag is..Wont take long before it shites ya so much you will be lookin for a different Camera making it a much costlier excercise in the end ;)...
You pay fer what you get ey ;)..
Cheers

[Volvo]

Okay here's one i just plucked out of another Forum lol, thought it may give a laugh to some of you keen Photographers :)..

I thought this was funny, it's a joke so take it as that. nothing more enjoy

The Browns were unable to conceive children, and decided to use a
surrogate father to start their family.

On the day the proxy father was to arrive, Mr. Brown kissed his wife and
said, "I'm off. The man should be here soon."

Half an hour later, just by chance, a door-to-door baby photographer rang
the doorbell, hoping to make a sale. "Good morning madam. I've come
to......"

"Oh, no need to explain. I've been expecting you," Mrs. Brown cut in.

"Really?" the photographer asked. "Well, good! I've made a specialty of
babies."

"That's what my husband and I had hoped. Please come in and have a seat."

After a moment she asked, blushing, "Well, where do we start?"

"Leave everything to me. I usually try two in the bathtub, one on the couch
and perhaps a couple on the bed. Sometimes the living room floor is fun
too....you can really spread out!"

"Bathtub, living room floor? No wonder it didn't work for Harry and me!"

"Well, madam, none of us can guarantee a good one every time. But if we try
several different positions and I shoot from six or seven angles, I'm sure
you'll be pleased with the results."

"My, my, that's a lot of ....of.....!!" gasped Mrs. Brown.

"Madam, in my line of work, a man must take his time. I'd love to be in and
out in five minutes, but you'd be disappointed with that, I'm sure."

"Don't I know it," Mrs. Brown muttered. The photographer opened his
briefcase and pulled out a portfolio of his baby pictures. "This was done
on the top of a bus."

"Oh my god!!" Mrs. Brown exclaimed, tugging at her handkerchief.

"And these twins turned out exceptionally well, when you consider their
mother was so difficult to work with."

"She was difficult?" asked Mrs. Brown faintly.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I finally had to take her to the park to get the job
done right. People were crowding around four and five deep, pushing to get
a good look."

"Four and five deep?" asked Mrs. Brown, eyes widened in amazement.

"Yes", the photographer said. "And for more than three hours, too. The
mother was constantly squealing and yelling; I could hardly concentrate!

Then darkness approached and I began to rush my shots. Finally, when the
squirrels began nibbling on my equipment, I just packed it all in.

" Mrs. Brown leaned forward. "You mean they actually chewed on
your...um...equipment?"

"That's right. Well, madam, if you're ready, I'll set up my tripod so that
we can get to work"

"Tripod???!!"

"Oh yes, I have to use a tripod to rest my Canon on. It's much too big for
me to hold for very long.......

Madam?............. Madam?...........Good Lord, she's fainted....!"

-------------------------

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

billo, forget digital zoom, optical is the important feature. optical zoom via lense design brings your image closer, digital only enlarges each pixel, making for a more grainy, less defined photograph. physically move closer or further away to fit your image in the view finder, better results that way. olympus offers great cameras and yes, with the splash proof, rubber seals etc as well as underwater housings. i own mju 400 and mju mini, both great for the boat, and also the mud,bush etc. my mju 400 has been submerged 12 inches underwater for 2 mins after a freak wave jumped in my work boat,and has not looked at faultering and not even a sign of internal water penetration. just be aware for printing results that digital cameras don't capture a true 6 by 4 inch shot, with the actual image captured being slightly wider than 4 inches...( therefore when you get your good fishy shots printed in the 6 by 4 form, you will find that you will lose your hairline or fishes fins etc if they are close to the top or bottom boundaries on your viewfinder), just remember to leave a little space, top or bottom!
mju mini is smaller than mju 400 (same base features), and very cheap at present, but is harder to hold still because of its tiny size. probably a better design for a woman's hand, does have a tendancy to slip from my fingers quite often. does come with a splash proof housing, which is not totally trustworthy for underwater work from my experience.
cheers, john.

[caloundra]

#But I bought a kodak last week and I am surprised how slow it is. #Press the button and wait wait wait click. Some brands are better than others in that regard.


gunna
don't know which model you have but try pressing the button 1/2 down, then when you are ready to take the pic press the button fully and the pic will take straight away ;)
works with my kodak camera. I've had mine for nearly 2 years with no problems. and the program that comes with it is very easy to use

Daniel

[dnej]

Go for a Fuji 5500, SLR style, a beaut camera. Talk to Kev on this site, he knows his stuff, in this area. Be careful, you want optical zoom, rather than digital.
Harvey Norman, sometimes have great deals on these. There was one advertised on this site som time back.
David

[wiseguy67]

Olympus C50 with PT-014 underwater case good for 40 meters. C50 $1000 new and the case goes for about the same, bit less if you shop around though i think both camera and housing have been replaced with newer models. I have had a few yrs of quality picture taking with the set up both above and below water. I use this camera for diving as well as anything on the water. Used camera goes for about $400-600 clams. The 5mil pixels gives semi pro photos. many useful effects and such, 10 digital zoom good for viewing on computer later but lower quality developing. I got a great close up on a brown snake the other day using the dig zoom mind you iwas only 1 metre away. Underwater good shots though the Nikon coolpix 5000 is better, I am thinking of changing over to Nikon D70 or D100 for full pro shots. Its really about what you plan to do with your pics and how much you want to spend. I have a back up Olympus C50 may part with for a good price if interested.
Good luck and keep shooting. digital is truely the way to go.
Check out www.picassa.com for excellent space saving and other free useful features.

[griz066]

Got a Fuji 5500 slr 4mp 10x optical zoom $479 from the good guys in toowoomba and I see harvey norman have now got them cheaper. Great pics great camera here is the link
http://www.fujifilm.com.au/digital/cameras/camera.asp?id=24

[Gutsy]

If you are just taking pics to put on your computer get a digital camera with at least 3mp, 3x optical and purchase a decent size sd card like 128mg or something. As mentioned look for something with waterproof case and slimline.

Cheers.

Marcel.

[dnej]

Harvey Norman, would do a better deal ,on Fuji 5500,but advertised for $ 499, product code 79017. Wont be sorry you go for this one.
David

[wiseguy67]

www.picasa.com free site to store pictures great for keeping the pc uncluttered.