Greetings All! I would be most grateful for any advice/pointers as to the best digital camera to buy for max £200 (318 euros) my christmas present from the love of my life....so I would like to get the best available,and I am sure with your help I will.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,
quote:Originally posted by ivnj: The HP 715 with 3.3mp about $350 is much better but being discontinued and the 720 not quite available yet ewverywhere!
thanks! ivnj for your response,I am not very well informed as to the ins and outs of digital photography (more of an SLR man) but time marches on and I must adapt as this is my first venture into digital!
First of all, it really depends how serious of a photographer you are.... If you are an average person taking the average kid shots with the mutt, you do not need a 3.3 pixel camera... A camera with 1.3 or 2 pixels will do you just fine..My first camera was a Sony Mavica..horrible camera-terrible quality prints....The second was a Kodak 215 with 1.3 pixels...Really quality prints, easy to use, and easy on the pocket book ( you can get one on E-bay now for about $125 )...That is what I recomment... Now, if you want one with a lot of bells , I HIGHLY recomment the Kodak DC4800..I just brought one and they are fantastic...It is a 3.1 pixel , with lots of settings for various effects ( super great B&W pics)..It is a model that could almost be called a professional camera...It has been dropped from production because Kodak wanted to stay in the average camera market...I got mine on E-bay for $305, and considered it a good deal... I am a former newspaper photographer and do my own printing (using a HP Photosmart printer)and there is no way I'll ever get back into the chemical way of printing...Digital is here to staY.. Any major maker of camera is going to be good...Its really a mater of what suits your needs...Have fun...Don
Posts: 2258 | Location: Naples, Florida, United States | Registered: 06-03-02
Thank you all for your postshttp://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/i/bell.g,[img]if[/img ] with the help of the Pool I am really looking foreward to Christmas Day.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,
TREE: Gonna half to disagree with ya....That little Kodak with 1.3 pixels will print out beautiful , clear, detailed prints....up to about 5x6"...with a good printer of course...I use a HP Photosmart - a fantastic printer...
Posts: 2258 | Location: Naples, Florida, United States | Registered: 06-03-02
donrent...thanks for the good advise. If I buy a HP Photosmart printer what should I expect to come with it? Does it scan also? I have never had a printer. Is yours the 7350 or the 7550 model? I really wanted to get something that scans. Just buy a cheap scanner as well?
About the Kodak DC4800 camera. How long ago did they stop making them? What extras do I need to be sure and have with it? A Kodak Easyshare camera with dock is selling here for $399. Dop you know anything about this one?
Posts: 1190 | Location: Spenard, Alaska, home of the Spamtones | Registered: 06-03-02
OOOOOOk, heres go: The Photosmart printer is just that-strickly a printer-it is, in my opinion the best jetink printer on the market... You can get a good scanner for under a 100or so bucks.. I use a Paperport Visioneer and am quite satified with it....A very useful piece of equipment... Model 7350 will print out the same quality prin6ts as the 7550...The difference being the 7550 uses two cartriages and 5 colors vs. a 3 color (plus black) on the 7350...Thus, the 7550 is going to be more costly ink wise... BUT, yes there is a diff in the color prints...The 7550 being more natural..The 7550 also has the little screen where you can edit the images right on the printer..( BOTH of these printers do not have to be connected to a computer to print what ever you want.) Two years I took my 1000 Photosmart (with my 215 camera) to Orlando for my 45th HS reunion...(thats where Johnny Velo pic was takes)...and did prints right in my room without my computer... I need a new printer at work and it will be the 7550...I feel it is worth the extra bucks for the little bells and whistels...(ya know, ring a dings)... OOOOOkkk- the 4800.... They stopped making it about a year ago..Orginally it was about 800 + retail... I brought mine used (hardly) on the net for 305.oo...I got an extra battery with it plus a 2X telephoto lense... What ever camera you buy, do not get one that uses the AA batteries.. Only get one like the 4800 camera uses...That was the main drawback to the Kodak 315... Also, always have an estra battery..
The models that Kodak has now do not compare to the 4800.. The 4800 has a plug in cable for recharging that does the same thing as the dock... Whewwww, this is long isn"t it... Don't get me wrong...There are a lot of camera just as good , if not better than a Kodak...I just know about Kodaks... Most of your images will be (should be) taken on the 1.pixels settings...especially for transmitting over the web... For serious printing you will use the higher pixels... Well Kiddo, you know my address...if there are any other question- just "ring my bell" Don
Posts: 2258 | Location: Naples, Florida, United States | Registered: 06-03-02
First time I've looked at this section. Fascinating stuff.
I've been using a Sony Mavica like your first one, donrent. Yes, horrible resolution (approx. 0.5 megapixels) but it does fit in the pocket, take 300-ish shots or 30 minutes of video with sound, or any mixture. The "processing box" through which you run off the photos onto a normal floppy disk also allows you to grab still pictures from TV or video, which can be fun. So it has its uses.
I'm starting to look for a higher-resolution camera, being dissatisfied with the quality of the Sony's pictures. I've seen advice that for e-mail 1 megapixel is OK, 2 mp for small prints and progressively up for bigger prints.
I don't want to buy one (again) and find that in two years it's at the rubbish end of the scale. I've been thinking of going for 3 mp. My question is, do you think prices are likely to fall over the next few months as they so often do as new things become widely popular, or will they stay at roughly present levels?
Posts: 744 | Location: Surrey, England | Registered: 06-03-02
Hi Elwood.... OKKK...heres my opinions... Granted, a few years back, before you could turn around, your new computer or camera was out dated, but now I believe its a different story... The camera I have now ( Kodak DC 4800), I believe is all the camera I will ever need..---any more would just muddy up the waters and confuse me more.. There comes a limit that one should realize and stop there... As you stated , 1 pixel is all you need for e-mailing...My 3.3 max pixel is what I will use for prints... I do not expect that my camera will ever be at the rubbish end of the scale... I really could care less if a 100 mega pixel camera comes on the market, I would have no use for it. (as a matter of fact, it allready is, used by the government that is ).. Prices no doubt will fall...Thats natural as more and more are sold....Where you can really save is buying like I did and get a discontinued model...My 4800 was about 800 buckos when first brought out on the market...Got it for #305, and no doubt 250 will be the going price on e-bay soon....I seriously think that "new" prices are hitting the market "normal" pricing...You are NOT going to find a great quality camera on the market for 39.99.. The main thing is knowing what and how you want to use a camera for and study the different makes-thats what I did, and am very satified with the results... As with everything...when it comes to quality picture taking and printing, you are only as good as the weakest link in your system...In other words, don't spare and try and save 5 bucks on your printer.... Good luck, let me know your results...Don
Posts: 2258 | Location: Naples, Florida, United States | Registered: 06-03-02
Thank you, donrent. There's a lot there to digest. For the moment, though, I have another problem. I have a couple of chipped teeth to be attended to, and knowing how good my dentist is at charging, I'd better wait and see if I can still afford a camera afterwards!
Unless I can find a special price somewhere, my preferred option of 3 megapixels will exceed redder's original limit of £200.
Posts: 744 | Location: Surrey, England | Registered: 06-03-02
Allow me to draw your attention to the May 2003 edition of Digital Camera Shopper, which has a feature comparing ten "entry-level" cameras at £200. Regrettably the magazine is a bit pricey at £4.99.
I would also suggest you pick up a catalogue from Jessops, if there is a branch near you. It lists the features of a large number of cameras. Your choice, of course, depends on the uses you have in mind for your camera and what features you rate as important. That is, if you haven't got your Christmas present yet!
Posts: 744 | Location: Surrey, England | Registered: 06-03-02
Horses for courses, I guess. It depends what's important to you. My requirement was for a good snapshot camera which must be small and pocketable. I chose an Olympus Mju-300 (Stylus 300 in North America). 3.2 megapixels and essentially a "point and shoot" camera.
I don't often print my pictures and my Canon S300 inkjet is good enough when I do. 3.2 mp will give me ample resolution for pleasing prints.
I bought it on the Net at some 20% discount over shop price, and about 50% discount on a 64Mb card to supplement the supplied 16Mb.
The camera got a very good review in the magazine I mentioned, and so far (1 day) I'm very pleased with it. I've posted about the discount place in the Shopping category.
Thanks for your advice. It means I have made a considered purchase instead of buying the first one that seemed suitable.
Posts: 744 | Location: Surrey, England | Registered: 06-03-02
If I can ever figure out all the buttons on the Koday DC4800, the next question is how to use filters with it. Has anyone found a way? I thought maybe make something to fit over the lens housing and use the Cokin filter system, since they are basically only colored pieces of glass and just drop into the holder. Anyone have a good idea?
Posts: 1190 | Location: Spenard, Alaska, home of the Spamtones | Registered: 06-03-02
Just take your CF or Memory Stick or Floppy or Zip to COSTCO and they'll make 4x6 great prints from your digital camera media mentioned above for .19 cents a print. Or Walmart is .48 cents for a 4x6 print. Ritz and Wolf Camera are .50 cents but only 3x5. Anyhow beats doing it your self by the time U get the paper and ink and everything + too time consuming.
ivnj
Posts: 2957 | Location: Chicago USA | Registered: 08-17-02
