Digital Cameras

[Graham]

I know this topic was posted recently, but that one referred to the low end digital cameras, I need to replace my Yashica 35mm two of the lenses for which have jammed (iris gummed up).
The options are..
New lenses for the Yashica
New compact (APS?) camera
New digital camera.

My preference is for the digital option, what do you think?
If yo agree digital is the way to go then .........
what make
what resolution (pixel qty)
which model

Your thoughts please..

G

[BBA]

Can the lenses be repaired?, Maybe under warrentee?

Sure seems a waste to replace an expensive camera for a minor problem with lenses.

[Graham]

BBA,
Certainly not under warranty, they are about 20 years old ( yes I am that old). Have had no luck trying to find a repairer, guess the cost would be prohibitive too. Perhaps I am just looking for justification to buy a digital one.
One other thing I could try is to get some other (cheaper) lenses, and adaptor rings.

G

[BBA]

I wonder what Yashica would say? Are they still in business? Must have a web site.

Anyway, there are many really good digital cameras out, and I like the Sony cameras that use floppy disk medium...they are so easy, native jpg format on the floppy.

But for high res...the Ricoh line is about the best feature for the buck you will find. I like 3.3M Pixel or better ( 1792 x 1200 resolution...very nice pictures in dark, etc... )

[This message has been edited by BBA (edited 11-19-2000).]

[Richard_Cranium72]

Popular Science sometimes in the last couple of months said

" The resolution of the Best digital camera pales in comparison to even a throw away camera. The maximum amount of information available to even a 3.3megapixel camera is much less."

Get a Popular Photography magazine and look in the advertising section(50% of the book) I buy good quality lenses for about $125-165US. Names like Takumar come to mind.

IF you just gotta have a digital, I drool over the Sony DS-505 something camera. It comes with a Carl Zeiss lens, huh a huh , slurp.. Oh excuse me for dripping... http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

you know the old photo-bug saying "**** in, **** out" so the Zeiss lens eliminates one of the craps there http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif
http://64.14.40.97/explore_products/productinfo.jsp

"Precision optics, an extra-large image sensor and advanced electronics make the DSC-F505 a standout in the digital still category. An optical wonder, the Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar lens uses a unique lens coating to minimize the reflections that can dull image contrast and degrade detail"

Review-->> Sony DSC-F505V Digital Camera
A 3.3 megapixel sensor in the original F505 body yields 2.6 effective megapixels, coupled with a razor-sharp lens! http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/F505V/F505VFL.HTM

Here's a quote that sums up my feeling and experience,sadly about pixels.
" there's more to choosing a digicam than counting the pixels! "

Reading user reviews, the main complaint is the memory stick must be Sony.
So have a laptop nearby to download into, or -->>

Sony MVC-CD1000
Sony packs a 156 megabyte CD-R into a 2 megapixel Mavica. http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/CD1K/CD1KA.HTM

The first review I read said the camera holds 1500 Pictures and that the little CD-R will play on all modern CD-ROM's

lotsa luck
DrVette

[Graham]

BBA, Believe it or not I hadnt thought of the web !!, I will look for Yashica (they were part of contax).
How many good resolution pics can you get on a floppy, dont see any point in taking low res shots, I can always crop or compress them later, cant do much if the original is poor. Floppies would be very cheap and easily available.
Haven't seen ricoh digital cameras advertised her at all, in fact dont recall seeing anything about ricoh recently, I will look.

G

[Richard_Cranium72]

Q. How many good resolution pics can you get on a floppy

A. Zero

You can get three or four @ High Resolution, but these cameras don't cut the mustard as far as printable photos, (IMHO)

[This message has been edited by Richard_Cranium72 (edited 11-20-2000).]

[Roy]

I've been shopping for a while now, and still have not found exactly what I want ~ 2 megapixel (minimum), 10X optical zoom, TTL viewfinder, and huge storage at a fair price. The Sony CD1000 is attractive but too expensive, and the CDR is delicate. The 510MB CF-II/IBM MicroDrive is neat but the 10X cameras don't use it. I'll accept an LCD viewfinder ~ anything to escape a viewscreen that eats power and washes out in sunlight.

I keep going back to Digital Camera Resource (http://www.dcresource.com) for up to date info and opinions.

[WillieC]

We own the Sony DSC-S70 and are VERY pleased with it. My wife was a professional photographer, contracted MS, and was unable to continue using her Nicon cameras (too heavy). Yes, floppies are cheap and memory sticks are expensive. Maybe. Memory sticks don't crash. A 68 meg stick is currently about $80. How much would 65 High Density floppies cost? I can carry two 68 meg sticks in a gum wrapper. How would you like to carry 130 floppies around? You would get about three to four high res pictures on a floppy. You can get 48 or so on one 68 meg memory stick. IMHO, there's no contest.

[Richard_Cranium72]

The term "High-Resolution" Pictures is an opinion, I guess..

I don't feel that the floppy cameras with the 1.44mb discs are true high resolution cameras.

These are documentation type cameras, my 2 yr old Casio has a 8mb memory and it only holds 16 'High Resolution' pics.

These pics are totally CRAPPY, especially if you've been a shutter-bug for a while.
You'll be sorely disappointed with the results of these 1.3 megapixel cameras.

[BBA]

Right...the sony floppy models produce a 640x480 16 bpp jpg picture format. They look better than you would think, and 32K ea.

The Ricoh at almost 1800x1200 32BPP was awesome for digital pictures...so I liked it, but the USB drive data cable is kinda picky. But, the camera has optical zoom, and macro...so it works all around. Plus it's only around $450

[Graham]

First, thanks everyone for your input, experience is worth more than anything else in matters like these, and there is no other source I can think of to get so many responses so quickly, to quote from some other post "sysopt rocks".
I will try to respond to all with this message.

DrVette, I do understand the limitations of digital vs. analogue (or whatever the normal film is). I used to think I was some sort of photographer, but age wisens, I have only had one print enlarged from the normal print size, so I guess I will have to concede that I only take 'snaps'. However I probably will get some cheap(er) lenses to fit the Yashica at a later date, maybe I can get some adaptors for my fathers canon lenses.
I am thinking forward to our Florida visit in early 2001, if I take all the lenses, body and flash its a serious weight, APS and digital are nice and light, and digital has the advantage of being readily tranferred to the PC. The Sony CD1000 is £1199 here ($1716), well outside my budget, the DSC550 is £700 ($999) just about affordable.

Roy, as I mentioned above, the CD1000 is toooo much, sounds nice though. Cameras that take CFII will take the IBM drive, a serious consideration but again, ridiculous prices here £266 ($380), might influence the camera I buy, (future proofing), rules out the Ricoh though, shame.

WillieC, The Sony looks good, dont want to get boring here but memory sticks (64M) are £129 ($184), seeing some trend here??

BBA, last but not least, I had a look at the Ricoh RDC7, very nice, lots of facilities, maybe too many if thats possible for a gadget freak. Here we go with price again, you say about $450 !!, how about £690 $986(high street, cant find many places on the web for cameras), all I can say is get me two for the price of one. How much is the next one up (rdc-1700)it will take CFII, therefore the IBM microdrive?
While I was in the shop, I looked at the Canon Digital Ixus, gorgeous, small, solid, crafted, no plastic, to quote a mag "sexy", it just feels right (£500, $715).
I think I will buy a digital camera, possibly the Ricoh, or the Canon (just 'cos I love it), but, and here is the crunch, I will get it in the States when I arrive (good deal camera shops addresses in Fla. welcome), given the discrepancy in prices I can't afford not to. The cost of memory modules is a factor, for a two week visit I guess I might take getting on for 100 shots, that equates to a lot of memory and a large cost, makes the IBM drive look very good in meg per buck/quid.
Once again thanks for all the info, writing this tome has crystlised my thoughts a lot, and I have got a sort of game plan, which involves waiting, not an easy thing for me I want it now!..

Graham

[Richard_Cranium72]

Graham, where do ya live for things to be so very much higher, I don't remember a "quid"
?

Also, where in Fla are you planning to visit ?

Several members either live in Fla or rather nearby, they might to assist in an exact location of stores of interest..

Another thought, are you friends with anyone here, like are you gonna visit someone in particular in Florida ?

If so, maybe, just maybe you can get them to purchase the camera prior to your arrival..

Keep in mind that sunrises in Florida can be anything from mundane to mindboggling, if you don't have a great camera, just buy a Fuji throw-away from Wal-Mart when you get here. I've blow up pictures to an 8x10 from the 2x3" pics from one with great results..

let us hear from you..

DrVette

[jad1097]

I spent many mornings watching the sun rise on SE Florida beaches and it is a must see when you go there. Perhaps that is what I will do Christmas morning while I am down there.

[Graham]

DrVette, A quid is a pound stirling.
Hard to believe 'aint' it, I live in the good 'ol UK, Blighty etc, sometimes called (by international businesses), 'treasure island'. We pay more for everything, (cars, clothes, washing powder, cd's, garden furniture, you name it), than the rest of europe, and especially the USA. As a general rule, what you pay in dollars, we pay in pounds. On the radio today they quoted Calvin Klein boxers, £18 here, £13 europe, £11 US, mind you, I think even £11 is ridiculous. Sounds like I am pleading poverty, not true, it just really annoys me.
I am doing the usual, y'know, Disney and the rest, with family, so Orlando, Kissimmee, possibly St Petersberg, could take a trip though, your fuel is cheaper too.
We do have friends in the US, they spend 3mths/year in Fla. , so I will contact them.
I have been to Florida before, stayed with some (other) friends in Selma Alabama, and travelled down by car to Orlando overnight, saw some of the wonderfull sunrises, I do envy you your country.

Thanks

G