Digital Camera About This Page:

[obsessedwiththemouse]

Looking to buy a new digital camera. I haven't had much luck with Kodak.... but I know many people like them. My questions..
What cameras are suggested?
What kind of camera do you have and what do you like/dislike about it?

You get the idea of what I am looking for....

[Kareiiso]

I have a Kodak C340 P&S digital camera. The one thing that drives us crazy is the dial, which selects the mode BUT is also the on/off switch. Kodak has redesigned other models, such as the C613 I bought for DD. It has the same dial to select the mode, but there is a separate on/off button.

I've been please with our camera so far. I do think it eats batteries. We've used rechargable AA's primarily, and have tried the Lithium AA, but I wonder if the NiMH battery pack would last longer.

I love watching the demos on QVC. There are new cameras out there that detect SMILES!

[LizardCop]

Here's a sticky thread at the top of this forum with what kind of camera we have, and what we like/dislike about them...

What Kind of Still Camera?

[obsessedwiththemouse]

Originally Posted by LizardCop

Here's a sticky thread at the top of this forum with what kind of camera we have, and what we like/dislike about them...

What Kind of Still Camera?

Awesome! Thank you both so much. I'll check out this sticky.

[Tonichelle]

not to bump this up - but it'd be easier for us to suggest which cameras would be good if you gave background on what you are look to do. Are you looking for snapshots? What was it about Kodak that didn't agree with you? What type of camera experience do you have? etc...

I personally feel you can't go wrong with canon, but I was raised on that and only that so I am completely biased.

[obsessedwiththemouse]

I want to just be able to take good pictures. I want a good zoom and large number of megapixels but not a huge camera. I want to be able to capture action shots. I would like options of color change, special features so to speak. I am not huge in to photography so I really don't know what else to mention. The Kodak's I've had have broken, constantly. I think I am finished with them. My dad has a Canon and loves it. I don't even know what to look for when buying one. The last Kodak I had was an Easy share 700(could be wrong). 12 megapixles and 10 x optical zoom. I like the pictures it took but it was a big camera and after 1 DIsney trip, broke....forever. What should I look for specs wise??

[LizardCop]

Originally Posted by obsessedwiththemouse

I want to just be able to take good pictures.

This is possible with most any of the cameras on the market today, they are set up so anyone can take good photos if you just follow a few basic rules.

I want a good zoom and large number of megapixels but not a huge camera.

This is where you might start conflicting with size versus zoom. There aren't very many high zoom cameras that aren't a little bulky. Why do you need the high zoom, and how high a zoom do you want? They make good pocket cameras in 4X and 5X zooms, which will do what the "average" picture taking person needs. If you're looking for the 10X to 15X zooms, it's going to be a larger camera, at least as big as this one

The last Kodak I had was an Easy share 700(could be wrong). 12 megapixles and 10 x optical zoom. I like the pictures it took but it was a big camera

if not larger. High zoom is going to mean a larger camera, they haven't figured out how to add the necessary glass into the lens and make them pocket size yet.

We are a "high" zoom family, I have long lenses for my DSLR and Jan has her Fuji 5200 with the 10X zoom. But, we both have pocket cameras for "normal" everyday use, I just bought her a new pocket camera, pretty much made with her in mind. It's the Olympus Stylus 1030SW, shock proof (made to be dropped 6.6 feet), waterproof (submersible to 33 feet), freeze proof (to 14F), and crushproof (220 lbs). Pretty much made for our lifestyle and her use It's only a 3X zoom, but it's what she wanted and she it!

I want to be able to capture action shots.

All cameras manufactured now for consumer use have special modes, and one of those modes is action shots. Where most users have action shot problems is in low light situations, action shot modes usually set the camera shutter speed much higher than normal and in low light situations the picture comes out very dark, sometimes too dark to see.

I would like options of color change,

This is something you would do in your photo editing program. Most of the newer cameras only allow sepia toning or black and white option in camera.

I am not huge in to photography so I really don't know what else to mention.

You really need to figure out what you will be primarily using the camera for and then look at what's available to do that. A lot of people make a big deal about megapixels, but unless you're going to be making photos larger than 8 by 10, anything over 5MP to 7MP isn't going to make that big of a difference to the average person. Do you want big zoom (and the inherent problems with steadying the camera to reduce camera shake) or do you want pocket size to carry anywhere/all the time and shoot whatever happens.

The Kodak's I've had have broken, constantly. I think I am finished with them. My dad has a Canon and loves it. I don't even know what to look for when buying one.

First, don't shy away from a camera brand based on what happened 2 or 5 or 10 years ago. Have you owned any other brand of camera? Or have you only owned Kodak's and they broke. If you're as hard on them and I am sometimes, it might not be the brand of camera, but how it's used/abused.

How did they break? Did they just stop working, were they dropped, gotten wet????

My current pocket camera is a Kodak Z1275, 12MP 5X zoom and it's a good little camera. It has a couple of issues I'm not thrilled about, but it's still a good camera. What I like about it is that I can put it in my pocket (after removing metallic objects like knives and money so I don't tear it up) and pull it out when I need to and take pictures of family and friends. I'm a cop, and I use this one a lot on the job for quick shots of evidence, crime scenes, etc...

My other "smaller" camera is a Canon A640, 10MP and 4X zoom. It broke on my December trip to WDW, stopped working right in the middle of a parade. But I liked that camera and sent it to Canon to have it fixed, cost me $100 but it was worth it. It also has a couple of issues I'm not thrilled about, but I it anyway. BTW, this camera broke because I carried it in a fanny pack, along with an off duty handgun, handcuffs, PDA, and other assorted items and the metallic items banged against the camera causing minor denting and jarring. Canon determined that this "abuse" caused the delicate lens mechanism to fail, so it wasn't covered under warranty

My "big" camera is an Olympus E-500 DSLR. It's only 8MP, but with the 3 lenses I have for it, I can pretty much do what I want with it. But, it's not gonna fit in my pocket and it's not light. When we're at WDW without the baby, I've usually got it hung around my neck all the time. If the baby's with us, I put the longest lens on it and it's in the bottom of her stroller until I want/need it. That's primarily because when she's with us, I've got her attached to me somewhere, either carrying her or she got my hand...

The last Kodak I had was an Easy share 700(could be wrong). 12 megapixles and 10 x optical zoom. I like the pictures it took but it was a big camera and after 1 DIsney trip, broke....forever.

Kodak's take good pictures. So do Samsung's, Canon's, Olympus' and most any other brand name.

What should I look for specs wise??

That will depend on how you plan to use it and what you are looking for. Go to a local camera store (Best Buy Circuit City, Office Max, etc) and look, touch, and play with what's there. Then go back home and get on the internet and research the cameras you liked the most, there are many sites out there that have run these cameras through their paces and you can read their reviews. One of those sites is Steve's Digicams - Main Menu Just scroll down to reviews and select the megapixels of the camera, then look for the model. Not only do they go through all the features of the camera, but they also do a wrap up in the end, good and bad.

We can all give you our take on what you need or don't need, but it's going to be our opinion based on how we do things. It's kinda like which car is better, Chevy or Ford, everyone's going to have an opinion but you'll need to make your own decision.

You need to research and find the camera you want for what you think you'll be doing with it. And that may not be real easy with the number of cameras, special features, and pricing out there today....

[Tonichelle]

Originally Posted by LizardCop

It's kinda like which car is better, Chevy or Ford....

Duh, FORD.