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Thread: Digital Camera

  1. #1
    Ultimate Member ShadeZeRO's Avatar
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    Digital Camera

    hello

    I'm about to go and pick up a new digi cam for me...just wonderin whats a good one...

    Budget $350-400

    Want:
    High quality pics (5.0MP+)
    Decent amount of zoom
    Lots of features
    compact

    right now im leaning towards the Sony Cyber-Shot
    MP (DSC-P200)
    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1099391725734

    Any other suggestions?

    Also, the Lumix
    http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Panas...oductDetail.do
    Last edited by ShadeZeRO; 05-14-2005 at 02:31 PM.

  2. #2
    PC Aficionado MJCfromCT's Avatar
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    I'd second that camera...but good luck finding a printer that will take advantage of your 7 MP images. I have a Sony DSC-W1, and before that I had a Cybershot 2.1MP camera, i've got nothing but positive things to say about their cameras.

  3. #3
    Ultimate Member ShadeZeRO's Avatar
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    yeah...ill look into the printer next round...we do have a photo printer, but its one of those "All-In-One" type printers...with the scanner and all that....

    its by HP, and i think it does like 4800x? resolution...

  4. #4
    Ultimate Member ShadeZeRO's Avatar
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    Yep, i baught the DSC-P200...

    $359, great price for what you get...I love it too, compact and sharp...easy to use and what not...got a 512mb Memory Stick Pro to go with it.

  5. #5
    Ultimate Member Billforce's Avatar
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    Very little is understood in regards to digital camera CCD's. The relative size of the CCD ( in essence the same as film) in area is just as if not more important than megapixels. The MP wars started by camera companies to sell their product was primary based upon hyperbole and not substance, i.e. there is little reason if any to have a digicam more than 5 megapixels unless you want to PRINT photo's larger than 16 X 20 inches. There is NO distinguishable difference between a 6 MP or 8 MP print up to 16 X 20 inches. The megapixel race brought out the small 1/4 inch CCD's, crammed with pixels so they could sell cameras based soley on MP's.
    ALL of the high end cameras used by professionals have larger CCD's with fewer megapixels but BETTER resolution aka: the Nikon D2h professional camera that sells for $2,500. and is 4.2 MP's. from a 2/3 inch CCD. The Kodak professional cameras SLC's series use a CCD the same size as 35 mm film, 1" X 1 1/2" CCD, which will render a print of 60 X 40 inches. A larger CCD used by Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus high end point and shoot cameras utilize a 1/1.8 CCD or .555 inch CCD. A half inch 5 MP camera will outperform an 8 MP on a 1/3 inch CCD.

    Larger megapixels, unless you crop excessively is a total waste and does NOTHING for the final resolution of the image.

    If you want the best resolution in a Point & Shoot camera, look for one with 5 to 7 MP's and a 1/1.8 inch CCD. Most of the manufactures have them available, like the new Olympus 7 MP, Sony and of course Canon, Fuji and Nikon. First of all, most of the CCD's are produced by SONY for Nikon, Olympus etc., Canon makes their own (CMOS CCD) and Fuji utilizes a different MP pattern for their CCD'd and claim superiority MP to MP.

    I am partial to Fuji, Nikon an Olympus because of the build quality of the camera case itself. My Olympus 4 MP has a solid metal black case and excellent quality build. The Fuji maxi telephoto cameras like the 7000 are quality built as is the Panasonic Lumix but ONLY in the higher series. FZ5 etc....their more economical cameras are the same as everybody elses cheap cameras.
    The next factor is the actual lens itself, the better cameras all have high quality, all glass lenses. If you really want to see the difference, go to www.imaging-resources.com/comparometer and see the results for yourselves.
    "Never corner something that's meaner than you are"

  6. #6
    Member Prushka's Avatar
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    Looks good to me.

    Been looking at Nikon d70 slr sensors, because we have several Nikon 35mm lenses.

  7. #7
    Ultimate Member Billforce's Avatar
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    An obvious sensible choice. Nikon, all in all makes arguably the best lens in the world and they will work in the new D70s camera but will be a little restricted because of the sensor size. 2/3 inch CCD when the lens were designed for 1 X 1 1/2" film, the digital uses a portion of the actual lens image...that's why the 1.5 to 1 factor when using a digital. Even the old EXCELLENT manual focus Nikkor lens can be used in the digi cameras. Wish I could talk myself into one of the new Fuji S3 or Kodak full size sensor cameras that utilize Nikkor lenses but $5,000. is a lot of change.
    "Never corner something that's meaner than you are"

  8. #8
    Ultimate Member Billforce's Avatar
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    Re: Digital Camera

    [QUOTE]Originally posted by ShadeZeRO
    [B]hello

    I'm about to go and pick up a new digi cam for me...just wonderin whats a good one...

    Budget $350-400

    Want:
    High quality pics (5.0MP+)
    Decent amount of zoom
    Lots of features
    compact

    Check out the new Olympus MJu 800. .555 inch CCD, 8 MP, 3X zoom and quality build. The only small point and shoot with a 1/ 1.8 CCD.

    A couple of shots from my Olympus with the 1/1.8 CCD.
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    "Never corner something that's meaner than you are"

  9. #9
    Ultimate Member Billforce's Avatar
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    Another closer view
    Attached Images Attached Images
    "Never corner something that's meaner than you are"

  10. #10
    Ultimate Member omega31's Avatar
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    I'll have to second Billforce's statements about the megapixel myth. I did double my megapixel count when going from my Fuji S602 to Nikon D70, but that is not as important as going to a larger sensor and non-toy zooms, not to mention far quicker response times even with my slowest lens than any point and shoot.

    The Sony DSC-P200 did rate well:
    http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/P200/P200A.HTM

  11. #11
    Banned zybch's Avatar
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    The optics are another area where there is some confusion. I sell lots of 3.2MP Canons over significantly more expensive 5MP ones from other manufacturers.
    Its not hard to demonstrate to clients who have been told to get a 5mp camera, how much better images from a good 32mp camera are.
    The cheaper camera is able to deliver superior images than a more expensive one simply because the relationship between the 3 main things, sensor size and resolution and the optics used is far more finely tuned than the majority of the 5mp cameras they look at are.
    That being said, a well tuned 5mp camera is fantastic and can beat the pants off a 7-8mp camera a lot of the time.

    People are just like sheep. They get it in their heads that the higher the MP the better the camera without ever asking a professional or someone in the know.

    Hows this for a zoom camera:
    http://www.tomshardware.com/business...yrocam_wmv.zip

  12. #12
    Member Prushka's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Billforce
    An obvious sensible choice. Nikon, all in all makes arguably the best lens in the world and they will work in the new D70s camera but will be a little restricted because of the sensor size. 2/3 inch CCD when the lens were designed for 1 X 1 1/2" film, the digital uses a portion of the actual lens image...that's why the 1.5 to 1 factor when using a digital. Even the old EXCELLENT manual focus Nikkor lens can be used in the digi cameras. Wish I could talk myself into one of the new Fuji S3 or Kodak full size sensor cameras that utilize Nikkor lenses but $5,000. is a lot of change.

    Had to run earlier
    Good to know

    Have you anything saved in raw vs. jpeg that you could post
    Those pics. are misleading as jpeg's
    If there to large, maybe you could crop a segment

  13. #13
    Member Prushka's Avatar
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    Zybch...looks very clean/sharp

    omega31...so how do you like the Nikon D70

    Some good info. here at a glance
    http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/glossary/

    This diagram shows the typical sensor sizes compared to 35mm film. The sensor sizes of digital SLRs are typically 40% to 100% of the surface of 35mm film. Digital compact cameras have substantially smaller sensors offering a similar number of pixels. As a consequence, the pixels are much smaller, which is a key reason for the image quality difference, especially in terms of noise and dynamic range.
    http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glos...r_Sizes_01.htm
    Last edited by Prushka; 05-15-2005 at 02:24 AM.

  14. #14
    Senior Member millwork's Avatar
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    Originally posted by MJCfromCT
    ...but good luck finding a printer that will take advantage of your 7 MP images.
    Here's a great printer...9600X2400 Dpi with 1,856 nozel print head etc. etc. AND, it's a great price at NewEgg Too. The rebate expires on 05/31/05. I have the little brother iP3000 - Excellent for my needs and ended up being just about $50.00 delivered to my door. Luckily, I have access to a lab for larger than 8 X 10 printing...only a few times a year.

    They make bigger and better printers (larger print area etc.) for two or three times the price Or More. But for the average person, this is Outstanding. Jump in here, any time, zybch.

    The DSC P200 is a fine camera. There's others to look at, but they've already been mentioned. There is a $70.00 rebate if you choose a Canon printer and camera.

    About megapixels...many serious photographers do most of the cropping with software and not when taking the picture. Much like with film, the tighter you crop the lower the resolution. You don't need to use the best quality mode...in fact, cameras default to a medium-quality setting. Methinks bigger is better just in case you need to crop out more than 10% of the frame. But, as has been mentioned, resolution is not the highest priority.

    I would agree that sensor size, interpolation and optics are just as, if not more important than resolution. See Billforce's & zybch's comments. Lens wise, it's hard to beat Carl Zeiss (Sony's lenses), Nikor, Canon and Fujinon. Many cameras by Yashica/Kyrocera, Olympus, Minolta and Pentax have good lenes also. I've never used a Panasonic so can't comment about the Lumix. Here's the best site I've found for camera reviews.


    John B.
    Last edited by millwork; 05-15-2005 at 07:43 AM.

  15. #15
    Ultimate Member ShadeZeRO's Avatar
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    well, i cropped a picture, and made it smaller...went from like 45inches to 6 inches in width...

    it looses alot of quality i think when u shrink it...but, the origional is very nice.
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