Whee! Digital cameras, oh my!

Jennie@ifish · 05-01-2001, 08:25 AM

For all my hard work on ifish, and for recovering some of my costs, Bill is going to help me buy a digital camera for ifish! This will mean great fish pics!
However, I have been shopping for one for two years, and I can't come up with what I need!
I want to be able to take quick great pics of fish for the web, but I also want to be able to take pictures of my hummingbirds, and other outdoors pics for printing, framing, etc. So this means a good digital camera, with zoom, and telephoto capablities.
I would like a 3.1 pixel, with at least a 3x zoom.
Prices vary so much, and I don't know if I want to go Sony, although they are great, because of the special stuff, propietary that you need.
I want to be able to use plain old rechargeable batteries, instead of the special ones you can't just buy anywhere.
Anyone good at all this? I sure could use some techno help!?

I am so excited! I have waited SO long for this!
Jen

Gone Fishin · 05-01-2001, 09:02 AM

Hey Jen,

I'm having a blast with my digital, an HP 315.
It's a 2.1MP with a 2.5 zoom.
I looked around awhile, and with the features, price and PICTURE QUALITY, I think it's hard to beat.

Then, my sweet wife got me some other lenses that you can attach for telephoto, close-ups, wide angle and a POLORIZED FILTER for those on the water shots!

Pretty cool!

[ 05-01-2001: Message edited by: Gone Fishin ]

local_hooker · 05-01-2001, 09:05 AM

Great post I'm in the same boat.

05-01-2001, 09:17 AM

Sony Mavica series. You can NOT beat
the "film" being a floppy disk and
the other features. I run a fiber
optics crew in Oregon. 16 of my
crew have them. Buy the long life
battery, it's worth it. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ 05-01-2001: Message edited by: ****** ]

Predator Dawg · 05-01-2001, 09:40 AM

Ditto on the Mavica. I walked into Costco one day and they had them there with the 14x zoom and steady shot, rechargeable battery and drops the jpeg right onto a standard floppy. Couldn't pass it up. It will also shoot 5 second mpegs wich is way cool. They are a little bigger, but absolutely no complaints from me.

Jennie@ifish · 05-01-2001, 09:43 AM

I was already leaning towards the mavica.
Which model? Our freddies has a 80. Is that OK?
Jen

05-01-2001, 09:49 AM

Jen,

It depends on the zoom and pixel resolution
you desire. These are the primary differences
as you move up the product line.
http://www.sonystyle.com/digitalimag...tal_camera.htm

FISHRUS · 05-01-2001, 10:11 AM

I love my Sony Mavica! It is the best and I love using the floppy disks. So many more pictures you can take with it,than a smart card.

05-01-2001, 10:24 AM

Jennie, while you're at Fred Meyer go ahead and pick up some chocalate chips and walnuts too. I think you're going to need them soon. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Stew

Predator Dawg · 05-01-2001, 12:08 PM

Jen,

I don't know the product 'line' that well. Mine is the FD91 and it ran $750 at Costco.

Hope that helps.

Steve

craigzilla · 05-01-2001, 12:58 PM

Hey Jennie- About those digital Mavicas- I would think about that cause you can't store but a few pictures at high resolution on a floppy disk. You will end up with boxes and boxes of the damn things!! it'll be like buying film again. I purchased a Toshiba PDRM 50 last year 3.1 megapixels, and found the uploading to my computer quite easy. It cost about $600 it has a 2X digital zoom and which shoots about a 22mm to 105mm frame. Fun thing, upgrade your smart memory card to 64K and you can shoot high quality pics for about a week!!

boater · 05-01-2001, 05:58 PM

i have been shopping for one to, everyone i talked to said to get one with batteries you can buy at any store, AA`s or whatever.

Jennie@ifish · 05-01-2001, 06:12 PM

I am seriously considering the Olympus Digital Camera D-490 at $449.99.
I like Sony products really well. I know, however, what it is like to have a floppy library! Impossible. But then, it is nice to have a floppy to give to people right there and then.
Sony's pictures are beautiful, crisp, nice quality. How bout Olympus? Anyone have one? Picture quality can vary SO much!
It is between the Olympus D490 , (2.1 megapixel) with a smart reader to go in my usb port. And they do take rechargeable anytype batteries, and the MVC-FD75 Digital Mavica Camera.
This sony model doesn't do mpgs, which I thought would be cool for catching fish fights in action. The Olympus does.
Of course, there is the MVC Mavica MVC FD85 at a local store for 479, with only a 6x zoom, that does do Mpg.

What do you think? HELP!

Jen

boater · 05-01-2001, 06:18 PM

personaly, i decided to wait till the end of the year for the next generation digital cameras.......

Jennie@ifish · 05-01-2001, 06:22 PM

Ive been doing that for two years... If you do that, you'll just keep waiting, the way technology is changing...

boater · 05-01-2001, 06:31 PM

i know but i am going to wait, also i want a waterproof camera, the last time i looked at them none of them were waterproof and i just hate to sink that much money in somthing that takes one splash or some rain to wreck it.

Killertraylor · 05-01-2001, 07:45 PM

Hi Jennie. I have the Olympus D-460 which is the 1.3 megapixel version of what you are looking at. It is really simple to use, takes great pictures and comes with good software to download the pics onto the computer. If I were you I'd log on to cnet.com to check out all the digital cameras. I seem to recall them rating a Kodak 2.1 megapixel as one of the best - took better pictures than some 3.3 megapixel cameras. Also - you can save hundreds of dollars over Fred Meyer by buying from a reputable internet seller like the ones listed on cnet. I got my Olympus for $279 when all the big Portland electronics stores were still selling them for $399. Good Luck!

Propwash · 05-01-2001, 08:11 PM

jennie, I have a Sont Mavica digital camera and have taken some fine pics of some hummingbirds and they came out really good. AS for the floppy discs , I have been putting all the disc pictures onto a cd. It holds over 50 of the floppys. I then erase them and reuse them. I like my camera, and it suits me just fine. My son has a different one and it has a special reader with it and it also works great. His is a lot smaller than mine.It is Olympus Good Luck on your new camera, whatever it is.

First Bite · 05-01-2001, 08:26 PM

Jen
My vote goes with the Sony Mavica too. The nice thing about having floppies is that you can plug them into any computer and take a look. Some of the pictures on my web site were taken with the Mavica. The prices have come down quite a bit over the past couple of years so it's a good time to buy.
Mark

www.firstcastjigs.com

Smily · 05-01-2001, 08:44 PM

Hey Jen,
We bought the D-490 for our company and it was only $349 Someplace in town. That was luck. They sold out in the weekend and got a rain check, Two weeks later they scored!! Here's a mail order place to check out and do a search on Olympus D 490. There asking $334.00 Plus about $20.00 gor shipping. Some say free Usb Reader. I know 2 people with that Camera and Are Quite Happy with it!! http://www.pricewatch.com/

Another Place to look at is:
www.Zdnet.com
Do the Same Search there or which ever Camera your interested in for the Best Price.
By for now,
[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Smily [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Steelheadman · 05-01-2001, 09:44 PM

The Kodak DC265 zoom camera works great. Can get rechargable batteries. The pictures are stored on a mini disc. It is easy to use and load pictures. It was a bit pricey.

Fuzzybutt & Angel · 05-01-2001, 10:59 PM

Jennie,
I go along with the Sony Mavica! I took all the pictures on our website with one that a friend lent to us. It had great zoom in and out, low resolutions which meant that I could take at least 20 pictures at a time, then either save them to my computer, a website, or keep them on disc. Another great plus was that pictures were easy to take, you could veiw them through the window at the back of the camera after you had taken the picture, and if you didn't like it, you could delete it then and there and take another of the same subject. Batteries were easy to recharge too. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Angel
Silent Approach Jigs

parker · 05-01-2001, 11:04 PM

Jennie,

I was sort in the same boat. I wanted to buy a 3.1MP camera, but was having a hard time deciding between the Nikon CoolPix 990, Olympus C-3030, and the Cannon PowerShot G1.

First off, you *must* look at this review site. By far, the best there is:
http://www.dpreview.com/

You can do side by side reviews of any and all cameras.

I settled for the Cannon PowerShot G1. Got it at a reputable on-line dealer for $800.

Need to do serious macro work? You can get the lense adapter and macros lense at:
http://www.lensmateonline.com/G1start.html

smilesforu · 05-01-2001, 11:38 PM

Jen I have a old kodak dc120 and it takes great pictures. The big problem I have with it is the transfer from the camera to the comp. Mom has the Sony Mavica fd90 and I am jealous....It is such a nice camera and the floppy is just awsome for transferring pictures. It does the mini movies too.....not to useful in my opinion. On most of the digital cameras you can select the picture quality so you don't use as much space if its not needed. Staples matches the price from the internet so do you pricing homework first and go buy one from the store.
I would Personally buy the sony after seeing it in action.
Tight Lines

Jennie@ifish · 05-02-2001, 04:53 AM

I have a Kodak DC 150 on load from the ISP that I work for.
It does take OK pics, but the software and transfer is S L O W!
Is that the problem you have, Marty?
Yeah, I am thinking the movie thing is prob a feature I don't need. Heck, if you want a movie cam, like Bev and Dot said, buy a digital cam. There ARE digi cams that do stills for 649ish. But they are too big to take along fishing.
The cannon elph is supposed to be good.
ARGH..
I think I am going to go to town and buy a sony mav.
That's all there is to it.
Or an Olympus???? argh...
I'm going to go read some final review.
But I think the Sony mav is my pic.
Jen

Pitch Pocket · 05-02-2001, 08:18 AM

One word. Nikon
Other word: Sandisk

Best, fastest

Jennie@ifish · 05-02-2001, 08:40 AM

One word
SPENDY!
Another
OUTAMYBUDGET!

Jennie@ifish · 05-02-2001, 08:50 AM

The ONLY thing that bugs me about the mavs is that they are only 1.3 megapixels. I want to go 2.1 or higher.
When you go higher, they don't do the floppy anymore.
Seems a waste to go 1.3 when everything newer is 2.1 to 3.3.
Ha geesh!

parker · 05-02-2001, 09:03 AM

Jennie,

You can't go wrong with an Olympus. I had one of the older point n shoot models (D350L - I think) and was a fantastic camera until I took it swimming [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] My friend as the more advanced C-3030, but that's starting to get on the high-end of the low-end cameras. It's a fantastic 3.1 mp camera. SmartMedia or CompactFlash is the way go to. Forget that whole stupid floppy thing - it's technology of the past that should have died out years ago.

Make sure the camera has built in USB, and you're set. Toss in a 128MB SM card, and you can take pictures until you're blue in the face.

If your camera takes regular AA batteries, make sure you get the rechargeable NiMh1.6MHA batteries. This cameras love to eat batteries. Get two sets and be sure to carry the extra set at all times.

Personally, I like the CompactFlash technology, much better then SM. That's why I chose the G1. $98 got me a 128MB CF card. Now, that's cheap. Will only hold 74 super-high res images or 8 minutes worth of 15 ffp video (at 30 second clips). Since the G1 has built in USB, you just plug it in to your computer (PowerMac G3, in this case) and away you go.

In any case, I'd recommend an Olympus. You will not be disappointed.

Some places, like Target or Circuit City, will let you try out the camera for 24 hours. I dunno if you have any of those in your area, but you *really* should try out the camera first before you buy it. All cameras are different, and take different photos, so it's really important to get your paws on one before buying it. If not, you really take the risk of buying something you won't like.

SSPey · 05-02-2001, 09:17 PM

more than satisfied with the Olympus 490Z. excellent camera, easy to use (very intuitive), takes super great pix

I'm no expert but thoroughly satisfied

smilesforu · 05-02-2001, 11:09 PM

Yup that is the problem I have...hate the waiting to transfer thing. Spoiled after borrowing moms. I have two sets of identical lenses for my camera so I can take some different shots. Unfortunately I got the same set of lenses two Christmas's in a row. I would love to get a mini dv camcorder Sony makes after talking to Scott. Trying to decide if I can swallow the price tag.

aye fsh · 05-03-2001, 07:28 AM

Jen,
Probably more info than you need, but....

Check out Hylas.com, another opinion.

I have an olympus d-360l 1.3 megapixel that uses the smart media card. been very happy with the quality of the pictures (except night shots!) and a 32 mb card has been sufficient for me.(costco had them for $55, great price) can fit 60 or so 350k jpegs (1280 x 960 res.) on a 32 mb card. I can also take pics as a 3.5 mb tiff file. The mavica that I've seen saves 35 k jpeg on a floppy, you can increase the resolution but then you can only fit about 4 pics on a disk. If you have the means, jumping up to the 490 zoom would be well worth it. I got my camera from a friend doing web design, he "needed" to upgrade to the 490 for the ability to do quicktime movies, plus the OPTICAL zoom capability. Digital zoom is a crock. Beware, when you are looking at the respective cameras take into consideration the "xtras" you will need; storage media, media reader, rechargeable batteries, battery recharger, camera case, etc. Just the things I've listed are going to get up to $150. Ha-ha, tricked ya', didn't they? Then you need a cd burner to put the pics on when you fill up your hard drive. It's all worth it though. Went to disneyland during christmas armed with a 8, 32 and a borrowed 64 mb card, ended up with about 240 pics. Figure the film and processing costs on that batch alone would run at least 75 - 80 bucks. Good luck in your seach and look real hard at the olympus products.

[ 05-03-2001: Message edited by: aye fsh ]

Jennie@ifish · 05-07-2001, 08:58 AM

I did it. I bought a Nikon coolpix 950.
Now... if only I can learn to use it?
Learning curve?
I'm still wondering if I should have gone mavica, but I wanted more than 1.3
The sony 75 was beautiful, but out of my price range, really.
I figure for the price I got it, I will need to buy a 64 mg card and a sandisk.
I have questions about the sandisk though.
What is it, and why do I need it?
Jen