What Digital Camera for X-Mas?

[MacAztec]

I am looking to get a digital camera for christmas, and I was wondering what you guys recommend. I want something with a good zoom, nice clear photos, good color accuracy, and good exposure balances.

I was thinking maybe the Nikon CoolPix 4300, or the Olympus D-560. I know the Olympus C-740/750 has an awesome 10x, zoom. What do you guys think about that?

I am looking for cameras in the <400$ range

[Kid Red]

My Canon Powershot Elph s400 had by far the best photo color and clarity with any camera in it's size and price range. There's a website that reviewed just about every digital camera and showed sample photos taken with each camera, that's how I saw good examples of the S400. It also takes avi's, and does panoramic photos.

[pinto32]

Although they dont have the largest optical zooms (3X) and dont have all of the manual controls that some people like, the Canon Digital Elph series is amazing! Excellent picture quality, and incredibly small size make these very impressive cameras. My 4 Megapixel S400 has been well worth the $470 I payed for it back in June. But again, not everyone is willing to sacrifice features for size, so I would say to check out cnet.com They have an excellent buying guide and comprehensive reviews on a pretty good cross-section of the digicam market.

[LethalWolfe]

What's your budget and what size (physical size) camera are you looking for?

It can get indepth and technical, but dpreview.com (http://www.dpreview.com) is a great place to research cameras.


Lethal

[crap freakboy]

Its "Christmas"

[Ambrose Chapel]

the Canon PowerShot A70 is great, and they have a new A80 with 4mps.

check this site for reviews and such:

http://www.dcresource.com

[tazo]

Originally posted by crap freakboy
Its "Christmas"

Not to go offtopic, but Xmas is an acceptable synonym for Christmas:
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/xmasabbr.htm

[GregUofMN]

I bought the HP Photosmart 850 (4.1MP, 8x opt zoom, 7x dig zoom, 56 total zoom) from Sam's Club for $332 in July. My coworker just bought the HP Photosmart 945 (5.3MP, 8x opt zoom, 7x dig zoom, 56 total zoom) from buydig.com for $459 2 1/2 weeks ago. As Mac lovers, we both love how easy it was to pick up and use. The menus are simple and direct. I love the classic design as well. If you're looking for a camera to take great snap shots, use for school, etc there is no better camera. If you're looking for professional use, then obviously go with a digital SLR. But then your looking at the $5000 or more price range.


I originally bought an Olympus C-750 and hated it. At the time it was about $100 more and the menus were confusing as hell.



I compared prices on bizrate.com (http://www.bizrate.com) before purchasing.

[GregUofMN]

I bought the HP Photosmart 850 (4.1MP, 8x opt zoom, 7x dig zoom, 56 total zoom) from Sam's Club for $332 in July. My coworker just bought the HP Photosmart 945 (5.3MP, 8x opt zoom, 7x dig zoom, 56 total zoom) from buydig.com for $459 2 1/2 weeks ago. As Mac lovers, we both love how easy it was to pick up and use. The menus are simple and direct. I love the classic design as well. If you're looking for a camera to take great snap shots, use for school, etc there is no better camera. If you're looking for professional use, then obviously go with a digital SLR. But then your looking at the $5000 or more price range.


I originally bought an Olympus C-750 and hated it. At the time it was about $100 more and the menus were confusing as hell.



I compared prices on bizrate.com (http://www.bizrate.com) before purchasing.

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by GregUofMN
I bought the HP Photosmart 850 (4.1MP, 8x opt zoom, 7x dig zoom, 56 total zoom) from Sam's Club for $332 in July. My coworker just bought the HP Photosmart 945 (5.3MP, 8x opt zoom, 7x dig zoom, 56 total zoom) from buydig.com for $459 2 1/2 weeks ago. As Mac lovers, we both love how easy it was to pick up and use. The menus are simple and direct. I love the classic design as well. If you're looking for a camera to take great snap shots, use for school, etc there is no better camera. If you're looking for professional use, then obviously go with a digital SLR. But then your looking at the $5000 or more price range.


I originally bought an Olympus C-750 and hated it. At the time it was about $100 more and the menus were confusing as hell.



I compared prices on bizrate.com (http://www.bizrate.com) before purchasing.

Just an FYI, Canon's 300D (I think that is the correct model number) is a digital SLR for under a grand. It's geared for the enthusiast<sp?> or prosumer. You can get a pro level D-SLR for around $1.5k and up.


Lethal

[gwuMACaddict]

Originally posted by MacAztec

I was thinking maybe the Nikon CoolPix 4300, or the Olympus D-560. I know the Olympus C-740/750 has an awesome 10x, zoom. What do you guys think about that?



try to get the old nikon 4500 coolpix. i use this as my 'point ans shoot' and it is FANTASTIC. swivel body makes taking pictures so easy and the interface is realy intuitive. plus nikon is known for its fantastic macro capabilities, if youre in to that. definitely nikon coolpix4500- might run you a little more than 400, but not much

[bousozoku]

Originally posted by LethalWolfe
Just an FYI, Canon's 300D (I think that is the correct model number) is a digital SLR for under a grand. It's geared for the enthusiast<sp?> or prosumer. You can get a pro level D-SLR for around $1.5k and up.


Lethal

You mean Canon's Digital Rebel, right? $899 for the body only and $999 with the zoom lens.

MacAztec:

Obviously, the big zoom is a good thing since you can't buy it later. You don't want screw-on extensions. I've had two Olympus digital cameras and don't think I'll choose anything else. However, the xD memory cards in the consumer cameras are harder to find and more expensive. Memory cards which are included rarely let you take more than a few shots. Figure that into your price as well as rechargeable batteries and a charger.

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by bousozoku
You mean Canon's Digital Rebel, right? $899 for the body only and $999 with the zoom lens.



Yeah, the EOS-300D aka Digital Rebel.


Lethal

[tazo]

Originally posted by GregUofMN
If you're looking for a camera to take great snap shots, use for school, etc there is no better camera. If you're looking for professional use, then obviously go with a digital SLR. But then your looking at the $5000 or more price range.

I don't know when the last time you looked at the dslr market was, but right now you can get a 6.3mp digital slr from Canon, called the digital rebel for 999 with an 18-55 lense....Plus it takes all of Canon's EF-mount lenses. Digital slr's are no longer 5k anymore...hell even a supernice D100 from Nikon is 1499 sans lenses :p

-tazo

[Macette]

Canon S400. it's a beautiful camera. really solid, very crisp photos.

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by tazo
I don't know when the last time you looked at the dslr market was, but right now you can get a 6.3mp digital slr from Canon, called the digital rebel for 999 with an 18-55 lense....Plus it takes all of Canon's EF-mount lenses. Digital slr's are no longer 5k anymore...hell even a supernice D100 from Nikon is 1499 sans lenses :p

-tazo


Thanx for the info Tazo. Welcome to 4 posts ago. :p ;)


Lethal

[tazo]

heh I rarely read a whole thread when I reply, usually only a bit down to see whats already been posted -- unfortunately didnt see bous's post or others on the 300D until after I had posted ;) It doesnt hurt to get more info tho :)

Here is an indepth review of the 300D, or Digital Rebel, by imo the best digital camera review website: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos300d/

That will tell you everything, and I mean everything, you might want to know about the 300D :) On a personal note, the camera is extremely light, much lighter and smaller than the D100 or Canon 10D, it also feels right in the hands, with a comfortable grip.

But I digress....Just more information for your consumption :)

-tazo

[FuzzyBallz]

Originally posted by tazo
Not to go offtopic, but Xmas is an acceptable synonym for Christmas:
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/xmasabbr.htm

Yes, and some idiots think calling San Francisco Frisco is cool. If people would rather call Christmas X-Mas, they might as well call Jesus JC... Mmm... that sounds all right... hehehe

Back on topic. Aside from dpreview.com, there's also steves-digicams.com, another very in-depth digital camera and accessories review site. I would pick up either the Canon S400, or the new A80 w/ swivel view finder. Say it with me, Canon!

And btw people, his price range is $400, so digital SLRs shouldn't even be brought up.

[gwuMACaddict]

Originally posted by FuzzyBallz

And btw people, his price range is $400, so digital SLRs shouldn't even be brought up.

thanks for saying what i was thinkin' ;)

everyone seems to be talking cannon. i still stand behind my point and shoot nikon coolpix4500, but a lot of my friends have digital cannon elphs and love them. plus they're great for sneaking in to concerts ;) and the megapixel is ok... imho unless youre going to do pro editing i dont think a consumer needs more than 3.

[Inkmonkey]

Excuse my camera-ignorance but does anyone here have any experience with Kodak digital cameras?
I've been thinking about the DX6490 as a purchase. But if there's something better IN THE SAME PRICE RANGE - I'd be willing to check it out.

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by FuzzyBallz
Yes, and some idiots think calling San Francisco Frisco is cool. If people would rather call Christmas X-Mas, they might as well call Jesus JC... Mmm... that sounds all right... hehehe

Back on topic. Aside from dpreview.com, there's also steves-digicams.com, another very in-depth digital camera and accessories review site. I would pick up either the Canon S400, or the new A80 w/ swivel view finder. Say it with me, Canon!

And btw people, his price range is $400, so digital SLRs shouldn't even be brought up.


I don't think anyone was recommending a D-SLR, but just correcting some mis-informantion regarding them.


Lethal

[macncheese]

Started out with a Pentax Optio 330.
Very small made it fit in any pocket but it made the buttons hard to press,
very fragile (broke 3 times),
took nice pictures
sucky proprietary battery

moved up to a HP 450. Once you've had a big zoom you wont go back! yes it significantly larger than the pentax but all the buttons are in good places, feels nice in your hand, AA batteries. Im really happy with it accept for NO MANUAL FOCUS. Kinda makes it hard to take focus on certain things if you're trying to be really artistic.

The things that I'd recommend be your decision makers would be:
1. zoom (just think about how hard it is to frame something in a $5 disposable camera sometimes and think about doing that in your $400 camera)
2. batteries (i hate being tied into someone propritary battery)
3. extras (does it comes with rechargables and a charger?)

i wouldnt sweat the media type or the megapixels.

[bousozoku]

Originally posted by gwuMACaddict

... i still stand behind my point and shoot nikon coolpix4500
...


Of course, you stand behind it. It's much harder to take photos from in front of it. :p

Nikon make better than average consumer cameras; they would be my second choice for brand behind Olympus, with Canon a third.

[zagato27]

Originally posted by Inkmonkey
Excuse my camera-ignorance but does anyone here have any experience with Kodak digital cameras?
I've been thinking about the DX6490 as a purchase. But if there's something better IN THE SAME PRICE RANGE - I'd be willing to check it out.

I've been looking for a digital camera for home use. Have seen reviews of the Canon S50 and they have been glowing. Great build quality and typical Canon picture quality. The only thing I have seen expressed is "red eye" issue. The camera also comes with a 32 meg card inclueded...nice. Took the family, ie wife, out to look at DC's at Circuit City and Best Buy today. Didn't expect to actually get my hands on a Canon S50 but Circuit City surprised me and had one. Handsome camera, seems well made, controls may not be all that intuitive. One thing I didn't like was the sliding lens cover. Seems like it would be very easy to break. While at CC the salesman showed us the Kodak DX6490. Impressions: 10x optical zoom......very impressive considering that the Canon had only a 3x optical; absolutely HUGE LCD compared to all other DCs; controls seemed to be pretty user friendly; camera bodys felt very good in the hand. Camera wise and manufacturer wise I've always thought that Canon was on the top level with Kodak much lower but I'm rethinking that. Seen some articles that state that Kodak is putting a lot of $ and research into digital and I think that this camera shows it. I'm impressed. My wife actually liked this camera better because of the large LCD and also it was a bit bigger and felt right when holding it. Couple of other things going for it: the software that comes with it does have OS X compatibility. But there are some cons: propriatary battery, and also I believe that the pictures are limited to JPEG no RAW or TIFF. Guess that means that you lose a little bit each time you open and save a pic. Also heard that there is a AC power cord but it won't recharge the battery, just power it up. It does come with a dock that will recharge and connect to a Mac. Believe that his is USB but unsure as to whether it is 1.1 or 2.0.

Check out this link for a full review and pic gallery. I'm just checking it out now. Conclusion: I know that the Canon S50 will produce good pics but the lens cover is flimsy in my opinion, the LCD is not as big as the Kodak and controls are perhaps not as intuitive as the Kodak. Also the Kodak just seems to feel better in the hand. After actually seeing both cameras I'm thinking Kodak right now. I can't believe that I'm saying that.

Here's that link to a full review. Hope it helps. This is confusing territory here. Lots of good stuff seperated by small things.

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/kodak/dx6490-review

[zagato27]

Just a bit more info to totally confuse you and make your/our decision tougher. Just been going back and forth between DC sites and reviews and came across a review of a Fuji S7000. This thing has specs that are awesome! 6 megapixel; 6x optical zoom, takes 4 AA's, JPEG and Raw, accepts filters and extenders; ergonomics are raved about; looks like a real camera with the appropriate grip instead of a bar of soap. $599 no tax, free shipping. Hmmmm, I'm thinking about this one.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/s7000.html

http://dcresource.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=779213/found=1/ut=0c5e711d2547d8a3

[absolut_mac]

Originally posted by zagato27
Just a bit more info to totally confuse you and make your/our decision tougher. Just been going back and forth between DC sites and reviews and came across a review of a Fuji S7000. This thing has specs that are awesome! 6 megapixel; 6x optical zoom, takes 4 AA's, JPEG and Raw, accepts filters and extenders; ergonomics are raved about; looks like a real camera with the appropriate grip instead of a bar of soap. $599 no tax, free shipping. Hmmmm, I'm thinking about this one.

I have the Nikon CoolPix 4500 and I'm very happy with it. Main advantage is awesome macro and incredibly good image quality with realisitic colors. Main disadvantage is shutter lag and poor auto focus in low light situations.

www.steves-digicams.com

www.dcresource.com

www.dpreview.com

In addition to the above three I would add this guys reviews from Epinions. A good layout of the cameras features, and both positive and negative features.

http://www.epinions.com/user-howard_creech

Happy shopping :)

[MacRAND]

Originally posted by MacAztec
I am looking to get a digital camera <400$ range for Christmas, and I was wondering what you guys recommend. I want something with a good zoom, nice clear photos, good color accuracy, and good exposure balances. As a serious amateur photographer since 1965, I'm extremely impressed by the KODAK EasyShare DX6490 in the under $500 range and I recommend it highly, but the Canon, Nikon and others championed in this thread are also very good.
But, you have only to read the excellent review posted by zagato27 to understand my recommendation, which I have partially posted below:

"Kodak EasyShare DX6490 performed -- it's a great ultra zoom camera for beginners and amateurs. The 6490 also supports an external flash, which is unusual for a camera in this class. The large (and high resolution) LCD display was a nice touch, as was the way the LCD and EVF brighten in low light conditions. The photo quality was good, but not excellent, due to muddy details and softness. Redeye and purple fringing were also seen, but neither was horrible. The camera has average performance in most areas, except for playback mode, where it really screams."

Reasoning: My first digital camera several years back, is a Kodak 4800 (now discontinued). What I DO LIKE about the new Kodak EasyShare DX6490 are the several things that I came to NOT like in my camera - Kodak was listening to us and has made substantial improvements and reduced the price! :)
Compared to my 3x optical zoom, the new Professional quality 10X Optical Zoom Lens (38-380 mm equivalent for 35mm) is awesome, the much larger size of the LCD, an external flash, and the movie mode with sound are great.
NOTE: To play a video file, you need Apple QuickTime Player 6.0 or later.
Stock memory chips shipped in all Digital Cameras (DC) are almost throw away size (8-16mb), get a 128mb to 256mb immediately - very cheap now.
Night shots are much improved (fewer digital artifacts), which bring it more in line with Nikon lighting quality.

Caution: The KodakEasyShare software is compatible with Jaguar - Mac OS X 10.2.x, but the Panther version won't be ready until about Christmas. Download at:
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=130/1466&pq-locale=en_US
No worries, your Mac should automatically dowload photo images using the fast USB 2.0 cable into iPhoto, and you can use iPhoto, or Adobe Photoshop or Elements to take out any redeye or make any other image modifications.
A proprietary battery is not really a problem, for years I've used an extra battery and charger I bought from Kodak to keep me well powered. The internal Flash can be a big drain on that tiny battery, so this camera's External Flash capability is a real plus. :D

Single Lens Reflex (SLR) was an appropriate issue to bring up in this thread because of the giant leap in quality and capability of an SLR compared to any BOX digital camera AND because the Canon Rebel with zoom lens has broken the $1000 barrier! Those two factors are an awesome combination NOW.
Five to 7 years ago, the technology now available in the Canon Rebel SLR for $999 could not have been purchased even for $25,000; just look historically at the high-end digital cameras sold by Kodak & Nikon over this time period. Today the prosumer Canon Rebel compares very favorably to other SLR DC, including those sold by Nikon, Canon, Fuji and Pentax!

A photographer's natural preference for an SLR camera (all of them) is that you see through the lens(TTL) of the camera exactly what the photograph is going to look like when snapped. "Hole" viewers in BOX cameras (film or DC) ONLY approximate, and even the best LCD is hard to read in under normal daylight and other compromising conditions. Plus, an SLR allows interchangeable lenses and filters, a BOX does not.:(
Until now, PRICE of a digital SLR has been prohibitive. No more! :p
Pros and serious consumers (prosumers) want and need SLR. And now that the Canon Rebel SLR is available for under $1000 with a good zoom lens, there are going to be a lot of very happy prosumers this Christmas. ;)

What I haven't told you is my natural prejudice towards Pentax auto light/focus SLR cameras since 1965, and that I also have a medium format Pentax 645 with 3 quality lenses which can now be used with an adapter ring on the new Pentax digital SLR body for $1500.

So, do I get a Canon Rebel w/zoom lens or the new Pentax DC body ONLY at a 50% premium?
:confused:
And you thought your decision is hard. (I really like the new Kodak, shhhh!) ;)

[Gpig89]

Canon G3 Powershot

[Huked on Fonick]

i have the fujifilm finepix s5000 it comes with a 10x 3.1 actual megapixels 6 assumed megapixels.....its only 300 dollars the pictures i get from it are crisp with good colour (white is kinda poor). just as good as one for some of the cannons and nikons being mentioned(my school has those but i prefer my fuji to them) its a great cameria and its dirt cheep for 400 dollars i got his thing plus 512meg memory cardso ican take over 300 6mp pictures damn uc ant beat that and it hasa 10x zoom lense (37-370) the interface is really nice to and the light sensor is really good oh and the macro good but i dont use it much

[Inkmonkey]

Hey, zagato27! Buy a camera yet?

I'm still leaning toward the Kodak DX6490 but I haven't pulled the trigger.

If anyone else has some experiences or advice to share - please do.

[GeeYouEye]

If you don't mind the slow TIFF writing speed, the Sony Mavica CD-400 or 500 is quite nice. But it has the picture of any digital camera I've ever seen (the 400 second only to the 500), and the media is dirt cheap; $20 for a 35-pack of 210 MB mini-CD-Rs at CompUSA. It's not quite as cheap at retail as you're looking for, but there are some cheaper ones on eBay or refurbished, and the cost of media really makes up for the initial outlay.

[Inkmonkey]

Can somebody tell me what the term "macro" means in digital camera terms?
Also, why is it important?

[tazo]

Originally posted by Inkmonkey
Can somebody tell me what the term "macro" means in digital camera terms?
Also, why is it important?

macro is loosely defined as "close-up" photography by the major camera manufacturers, although "...the true definition of macro photography (also known as "photomacrography") is production of an image that is the same size (or larger) on the film plane as it is in real life (lifesize). Thus, if you photograph an insect that is 2 centimeters long at 1:1 (lifesize), it will take up 2 centimeters of space on the film plane (negative/positive film or digital sensor). (http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/mp-e-65.shtml)"

Macro is important if you wish to achieve close-up types of shots of objects, such as in this photo of mine:
[object measures an inch or so across)

http://www.boycottbuymusic.com/photo/gallery/image/28.jpg

If you have no desire to get such shots frequently, than obviously a good macro ability will not be extremely important to you.

Hope that helps :)

-tazo

[Inkmonkey]

Thanks Tazo!

So how do I tell if the camera has a good macro ability? How is it listed in the camera specs?

[tazo]

Well first off image quality will always be subjective. What looks good to me or the next guy will look different in your eyes.

Generally however, for macro-type shots, you would want a lense with as small as possible a focusing distance. Often you will see this noted as .x feet, and so on and so forth. This is generally the norm for an average consumer camera lense. However if one is dedicated to macro photography, usually they would want to invest into a dedicated macro lense. Which would obviously have a far smaller focusing distance.

Hope that helps!

-tazo

[zagato27]

Originally posted by Inkmonkey
Hey, zagato27! Buy a camera yet?

I'm still leaning toward the Kodak DX6490 but I haven't pulled the trigger.

If anyone else has some experiences or advice to share - please do.

Inkmonkey, nope not yet. Just got back from a trip and am still mulling the Kodak DX6490 and/or the Fuji 5000 and 7000. The 5000 is about $400 and the 7000 is $600. 3mp vs 6mp, 10x vs 6x (I think). Like the looks and feel of both Kodak and Fuji. Like a real camera as opposed to the "soap bricks" of other digital cameras. Ruled out the Canon S50. Know it's had great reviews but didn't like it's feel, controls, and the sliding lens cover just looks like it's gonna break.

I do like the Fuji's in that they take regular batteries or rechargeables and NOT proprietary battery like the Kodak. My wife really wants to "buy" American. I'm more interested in getting the best. Will try and do some more investigating and perhaps hands on tomorrow @ Best Buy.

[superbovine]

http://www.dpreview.com/

this site has the down a dirty reviews on most digital cameras. even has sample of pictures takening by the camera, and good explanation of features and how it will impact your pictures. It gets a little techincal at times, but you wanna get your money worth if you are about to drop $400.

also something nice to look at is their digital film(flash card) speed test. it shows by brand which are the fastest memory cards. if you take a lot of picture, 1 less second delay between picture can mean all the difference in anonyance. ie you don't want to be waiting for the camera to writing the pics on a slow flash card.

Originally posted by MacAztec
I am looking to get a digital camera for christmas, and I was wondering what you guys recommend. I want something with a good zoom, nice clear photos, good color accuracy, and good exposure balances.

I was thinking maybe the Nikon CoolPix 4300, or the Olympus D-560. I know the Olympus C-740/750 has an awesome 10x, zoom. What do you guys think about that?

I am looking for cameras in the <400$ range

[suneun]

It hasn't really been mentioned, but I have the sony dsc-p72. It's low-end ($300 when i bought it in june).

It broke. The lens motor seems to be a little messed up, so now it refuses to focus. While parts is covered for the first three months, labor is $170 to fix. Yuck. So I warn you, Sony hasn't been very helpful about this camera problem.

Before this one, I had an Olympus camera that lasted me close to 4 years. Yey, olympus.

[MacRAND]

Originally posted by zagato27
... am still mulling the Kodak DX6490 and/or the Fuji 5000 and 7000. The 5000 is about $400 and the
7000 is $600. 3mp vs 6mp, 10x vs 6x (I think).
Like the looks and feel of both Kodak and Fuji.
Ruled out the Canon S50.
I do like the Fuji's in that they take regular batteries or rechargeables and NOT proprietary battery like the Kodak. My wife really wants to "buy" American. I'm more interested in getting the best. You have come up with some good choices. The Fuji cameras S5000 and S7000 are excellent.
But, the Kodak with the larger LCD screen is really hard to beat at under $500, and includes its own Dock. Frankly, you appear to have selected the best 3 digital cameras in the $400-600 price range.

BeachCamera
"As requested, here is your discounted price for
Kodak EASYSHARE DX-6490
DIGITAL CAMERA and DOCK 6000 Bundle
Sugg. Retail price: $499.00
Discounted price: $469.00 :D
Please click on the following link to view the product complete information
http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/Product.asp?dp=1&sku=KDDX6490

I really love the way Kodak kept faith with their Mac customers by providing ungrades on their camera's firmware on my Kodak DC4800 over a year after I got it. Plenty of accessories and stuff @ SALE prices online monthly, which I have taken advantage of. Customers feel loved and appreciated by Kodak.
If BEST BUY doesn't have a complete selection, check out your largest local Camera Store and call ahead to find out exactly what they have in stock - important at Christmas time.
:)
Also, think of "macro" as how close you can get the lens to an object, like a flower, and be in focus. If the lens is a zoom, then it can make a big difference whether you set it at telephoto (3 ft.) or wideangle (4 inches), so experiment.
When you check out Kodak & Fuji at the camera store, ask the salesman to show you how "macro" works.

KODAK EXTRAS:
Kodak may have proprietary batteries but they are far superior to the Fuji, which are only NiCad (memory problems) or are throw away non-rechargeable batteries
KODAK EASYSHARE Li-ion Rechargeable Battery (KLIC 5000 or KLIC 5001),
Includes: KODAK EASYSHARE Camera Dock 6000 and
Optional: KODAK EASYSHARE Printer Dock 6000
image file format:
• still: JPEG/EXIF v2.2; (Mac friendly, including OS X software)
• movie: Apple Quicktime
interface: USB 2.0 compatible,
lens protection: lens cap tethered to camera body

The Fuji image file format is AVI and mpeg, PC orientation :( NOT as Mac Friendly as Kodak

[zagato27]

Originally posted by zagato27
Inkmonkey, nope not yet. Just got back from a trip and am still mulling the Kodak DX6490 and/or the Fuji 5000 and 7000. The 5000 is about $400 and the 7000 is $600. 3mp vs 6mp, 10x vs 6x (I think). Like the looks and feel of both Kodak and Fuji. Like a real camera as opposed to the "soap bricks" of other digital cameras. Ruled out the Canon S50. Know it's had great reviews but didn't like it's feel, controls, and the sliding lens cover just looks like it's gonna break.

I do like the Fuji's in that they take regular batteries or rechargeables and NOT proprietary battery like the Kodak. My wife really wants to "buy" American. I'm more interested in getting the best. Will try and do some more investigating and perhaps hands on tomorrow @ Best Buy.

Just getting ready to order the Fuji s5000. Went to Best Buy today and checked out the S5000 and s7000 and Kodak. S5000 was the winner. Great feel, 10x zoom, features galore, great reviews, great price. I'd really like to get the s7000 as it is a 6mp but it is also about $250 more. The Kodak just didn't seem as well built or ergonomic. Just didn't like i'ts controls But it did have a very big/nice LCD. All in all, the S5000 has everything I need (perhaps not "want) and is a bit more economical. Plus I'll be purchasing a 256mg xD card for ~$90 add that to the cost of the S5000 ~ 320 and I think I'm getting a great deal. Well gotta go and start burning the numbers off my plastic.

[zagato27]

This isn't my thread BUT I've been adding my 2 cents and finally made the jump. I just ordered the Fuji S5000 and a 256 xD card this evening. The Fuji was $316 and the card was $92, so for $400 I think I'm ready to go. Can't wait to start sharpening my photographic skills. Hmmm, guess my printing and software skills will have to be honed too. For the moment I don't have any photo software, guess I'll be using iPhoto. Yeah, everything I've heard is that it is very elemental but will have to suffice until I can get a photo program like Photoshop (the lite/cheap version). Any recommendations?

MacAztec, wish you the best in your decision. Could have gone either way for me regarding the Fuji S5000/S7000 or the Kodak. Price, features, and "feel" were all important to me and think that the S5000 had them all. Cheers

[MacRAND]

Originally posted by zagato27
...finally made the jump. I just ordered the Fuji S5000 and a 256 xD card this evening. The Fuji was $316 and the card was $92, so for $400 I think I'm ready to go. Can't wait to start sharpening my photographic skills.
Could have gone either way for me regarding the Fuji S5000/S7000 or the Kodak. Price, features, and "feel" were all important to me and think that the S5000 had them all. Cheers Congratulations! Good decision from good choices. :)
You probably won't miss the extra megapixels unless a pro. File size can be such a bother, especially when sharing by email. You will have lots of digital fun.

[krimson]

I have the CP4300 (got mine for $320 just after it came out) , and I love it, I traded up from the CP885. The 4300 was rock solid, until i put it next to my Ionic Breeze... fragged the imager, but it was under warranty, and Nikon fixed it right away.
The 4300 has great manual settings and the movie mode is pretty good, except there's no sound recording.

[Dave00]

Agree DPReview.com is a must-see. Several notes on what people have written previously:

(1) Be careful with Fuji finepix. The megapixel listing is VERY misleading. The "six megapixels", if you read the fine print, is actually 3MP with interpolation - not near the same quality as true 6MP. That's not to say they make a bad camera. Just misleading on the megapixels.

(2) I've had Olympus and Canon cameras. The lenses on the Olympus have been the gold standard for years; Canon is pretty darn close. Overall, I think the canons are better digital cameras, however. I own an S400, which I love. Only two drawbacks - delay to taking a shot (which is near universal on consumer-level digital cams) and poor performance in low light. They have a great panorama feature which allows you to stitch together photos to make one super-wide shot.

(3) The Basic things to consider:
- Optical zoom. Digital zoom is just cropping, not worth all that much.
- Battery. I love the proprietary batt on the S400 - takes ~100 shots after a 3h charge. Use AA's, like on the canon Axx series, and you just eat through them in no time.
- Megapixels. You'll see varying rec's on this, but I think 2MP is adequate up to 8x10 - so long as you don't crop. The higher MP is especially useful on those cropped shots that often cinch a great picture. Crop out half the photo (very typical) and your 2MP pic becomes 1MP, which becomes grainy at higher mag.
- Zoom. Higher zoom = less need to crop = less need for higher resolution. Keep in mind that at heavy zoom (>4x) you'll have to have a very steady hand or it blurs.
- Size. Smaller cams are easier to keep with you which makes them much better for candid shots. Bigger cams have more features, often a better flash, and thus tend to be better for planned/posed shots.
- There's just no substitute for trying out a camera before you buy - in the store, or try using a friend's cam.

Dave

[MacRAND]

WELL, I finally got to put my hands on all the digital cameras we have been discussing, but only by hitting several large camera stores...and COSTCO. Here are my rather biased impressions.

Kodak 6490 was $469 ($30 off) at COSTCO and the best Digital Camera (DC) they offered (lots of Canons, no Fujis). It has an excellent, large rechargeable battery, the 2.2" external LCD is huge and bright, and I loved the size, weight, feel and design. It was so much fun to play with, I didn't want to give it back to the nice salesman. It uses SD memory chips which come in high-speed like CompactFlash, only smaller. I want one, Santa! __Please....

Fuji S7000 and S5000 fall either side of the Kodak in price, but have throw away batteries that got eaten up just by my using them in the store. One really neat thing about the S7000 is that by pushing a button, the camera places a matrix of graph lines on the screen to help align the picture (horizon) so you (I) don't take the picture lopsided (which can always be corrected in Photoshop, hee, hee); this is a feature available in Nikon SLR level cameras, and is not available with the Kodak 6490.
Both Fuji DC are a solid build and no one can be faulted for buying either one of these excellent cameras, or the Kodak.

Canon Rebel SLR @ $999 with lens. Great buy for the price.

Kodak 14n SLR body only $5,000. Heavy, rugged, and very high-end. Not fun! :eek: That's right, all that technology crammed into a large, heavy body was sure professional, but un-fun. Lens extra, a lot extra.

Pentax istD (digital SLR) $1,699 and worth every penny. Fast auto-focus, clear, sharp, bright lens, nice small size, fast series of images downloaded to a 40x high speed CompactFlash chip, backward compatible with older Pentax auto-focus lenses (ah, therein lies my bias; I'm a Pentax 35mm and 645 man). For me it was pure heaven, and fun!

I also like Canon products, but the Pentax istD beat the hell out of the Rebel for quality, hands down. Which isn't entirely fair, since the higher priced Canon SLR digitals are more comparable in quality and price.

But frankly, before I spend a couple of grand on a digital SLR, I love the features, design, and convenience of the compact Kodak 6490. And, it comes with a free docking station and recharger!
Santa, I've been real good this year, really I have. ;) Ask my sister! No, that wasn't being BAD, not exactly.
Okay, I'll leave cookies, cheese, cold-cuts and
reales kaltes Bier... Cerveza fría verdadera... yes, Tuborg Gold in the bottle.
How about a cold kosher dill pickle? A snack for the reindeer?

M E R R Y

C H R I S T M A S

:cool:

[zagato27]

Kodak 6490 was $469 ($30 off) at COSTCO and the best Digital Camera (DC) they offered (lots of Canons, no Fujis). It has an excellent, large rechargeable battery, the 2.2" external LCD is huge and bright, and I loved the size, weight, feel and design. It was so much fun to play with, I didn't want to give it back to the nice salesman. It uses SD memory chips which come in high-speed like CompactFlash, only smaller. I want one, Santa! __Please....

Fuji S7000 and S5000 fall either side of the Kodak in price, but have throw away batteries that got eaten up just by my using them in the store. One really neat thing about the S7000 is that by pushing a button, the camera places a matrix of graph lines on the screen to help align the picture (horizon) so you (I) don't take the picture lopsided (which can always be corrected in Photoshop, hee, hee); this is a feature available in Nikon SLR level cameras, and is not available with the Kodak 6490.
Both Fuji DC are a solid build and no one can be faulted for buying either one of these excellent cameras, or the Kodak.

Kodak 6490. And, it comes with a free docking station and recharger!
[I]Santa, I've been real good this year, really I have. ;) Ask my sister! No, that wasn't being BAD, not exactly.
Okay, I'll leave cookies, cheese, cold-cuts and
reales kaltes Bier... Cerveza fría verdadera... yes, Tuborg Gold in the bottle.
How about a cold kosher dill pickle? A snack for the reindeer?

M E R R Y

C H R I S T M A S

:cool: [/B]

I finally got my Fuji S5000. Had a chance Xmas morning to snap some pictures of the kids opening presents and am amazed at the color and crispness of the pictures. WOW! This camera has so many features it's going to take a while to get them all down. However, it makes it easy too by just setting to auto and snapping away. I've seen comments about this camera and it's claim to be 6mp. Yes, if you read the fine print you'll see where it is actually a 3.1mp but can interpolate to 6mp. Not quite the same as a "true" 6mp camera. You should see the pictures!

One of the reasons I preferred the Fuji over the Kodak was the proprietary rechargeable battery on the Kodak and also it's docking station. First, I like the idea of being able to buy some rechargeable NiMH batteries ($17 Digital Concept recharger and 4x NiMH @ Wally World) and have them with me. Plus, if I'm stuck out in the boonies I can stop at any store and get some fresh AA's and pop them in. Try that with the Kodak. As to the docking station. I consider that as wasted desk space. Hook up the USB cable to the Mac and go to iPhoto and the pictures are transferred very quickly. Disconnect and you're done. As to the memory medium. I've read where the xD card that the Fuji uses actually writes faster than the other medium. Also heard that the xD card will soon come out with 1g card. Lastly, as to the grid pattern you found on the Fuji s7000, that too is a feature of the s5000. There's a great forum that deals just with the s5000 with lots of info

http://www.majgaj.com/s5000/

Good luck with your choice. Digital photography is pretty cool. Whichever way you choose you'll be happy.

[KMC]

:) jUST GOT A S7000,WOULD RECOMEND,USES 2 CARD,XD,1GBMICRODRIVECARD,GOOD PHOTO,S FROM XD CARD COST£300