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Need a new digital camera

stubeeef

stubeeef

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Aug 10, 2004
2,715
4
Ok I hope I'm in the right forum.

I am looking at a new dig camera cause my mom wants mine (old canon s30 works great).

I really like video capability when I need it (3 small children) and don't want to buy a dv camcorder, I want one do-it-all unit.

I have looked at everything from the slim sony t-33 to the canon S2 IS (which I like) but am weary from shopping. Can I get one of you guys/gals to help me narrow it down, or tell me to wait cause you are aware of one coming soon that will be better. If I would buy today, probably get the Canon S2 IS even though I want a smaller form factor. I really only need 3mp but want continuous video shooting mode too and small form factor with quick recovery on flash pics and a min of 3 optical zoom. And a partridge in a pear tree! :p

If you have bought the canon or sony please let me know what you think, if you have something like I want and like it, let me in on it! THANKS!
 
I have an Olympus CAMEDIA D-535 3.2 MegaPixel 12x Seemless Zoom.

I think it was around $170 at walmart when I got it. It uses xD picture cards, but I just use the 16MB internal cause I only take a few things and then dump them on my HD. It takes really good quality pictures (better than my 4MP Cannon) and I'd get it again if I had to. It takes movies (without sound though :( ) right to quicktime, so they work great on my Mac and PC.

Something to consider. :)
 
Hello, I have a Canon A75 (3.2mp) and I really enjoy it. It does have a movie mode but I'm not sure on the time limit (20-25 seconds) per clip.
I'm sure the unit you are looking at is better in specs. but this was an upgrade of a camera for myself and a great move to get it. I'm sure you would be happy with the Canon but one never knows ;)
 
Kt's 2 cents:
I was looking at Canon cameras because of AA batteries and the experience I've had with other canon products.
So, I researched and researched yada yada yada
For my price, the camera I was looking at could only take 30 second clips! Major BOO!
So, I googled some more and ended up getting a Kodak CX7430. I love it! 4 Megapixels, 2xAA batteries (it doesn't eat them either!), and unlimited movie length straight to .mov. The quality of said video is not bad, either!
I got it for $170 from Circuit city. (I _hate_ that store, but they had the best price.)
It has 3x opitcal Zoom, and the flash shots don't take forever.

I hope you enjoy your new digi cam, whichever one you choose to get!
 
Oooh one more mention, although I never prioritized the movie mode thing, the Minolta Dimage X series, which is *very* compact, has the ability to do movies for the full memory card length. :)
 
For what it's worth, I just got my first digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix 5700 off ebay for $350 and I am very impressed with it. It takes amazing pictures and has a movie mode (60 seconds). You can also use external flashes, and external lenses with it (only a few, but hey, you can do it). All in all, one of the best purchases I've ever made. Oh yeah, it is 5 megapixels and has an 8x optical zoom.
 
mkrishnan said:
Just out of curiousity, Katie, why AAs, as opposed to rechargeable Li-Ion?
Click to expand...


There are rechargable AAs that I will buy in the next few weeks (just need some cash)
but the main thing is that I wanted to be able to get new batteries in a snap if I needed to.
I am going to Vienna with my symphony in march (only ten more months! *napoleon dynamite voice* "yessssss") and realized "hey.. umm.. eurpoean outlets are different than american ones! Crazy!" (yeah, it wasn't a big realization, but being dramatic and dumb about my technology is what makes me, me)
So, I'll take my rechargable AAs with me, when they die, throw them in my viola case, and get AAs from the Corner Mart. I know that AAs exist in Vienna and the Czech republic if I somehow go through 20 batteries in ten days, I'll be able to grab a pair so I don't miss a photographic moment, like me flashing gang symbols with Thomas Klestil, the president of Austria or break dancing with the Czech president, Václav Klaus. (I love google.)
...or maybe me in line at the grand opening of apple store vienna, while missing a rehearsal. Hehe.

OK, so that's my nerdly I-bought-my-camera-11-months-in-advance-for-a-trip explanation of AA batteries versus rechargable.
 
thanks kta,the Kodak CX7430 has a lot I was looking for, very interesting and a good price. Looking in to the minolta next. :)

edit: the minolta has some great features too, like night movie mode. Those are 2 excellent choices that will make it harder. I am only interested in cameras with a continuous video shooting mode and pretty much with atleast 640x480.

Thanks and keep them coming! :)

edit2, just saw that the minolta dimage z10 has silent movies but the z2 is very nice with a higher resolution movie mode! darn it I require sound.
 
katie ta achoo said:
, like me flashing gang symbols with Thomas Klestil, the president of Austria or break dancing with the Czech president, Václav Klaus. (I love google.)
...or maybe me in line at the grand opening of apple store vienna, while missing a rehearsal. Hehe.

OK, so that's my nerdly I-bought-my-camera-11-months-in-advance-for-a-trip explanation of AA batteries versus rechargable.
Click to expand...

I hate to disappoint you but Thomas Klestil passed away last year. Heinz Fischer, is our new HBP (Herr Bundespresident).
Beria
 
might make more sense to get a reasonably priced digital camcorder? most cameras that combine features don't do either the camera feature or the camcorder feature justice.
 
gwuMACaddict said:
might make more sense to get a reasonably priced digital camcorder? most cameras that combine features don't do either the camera feature or the camcorder feature justice.
Click to expand...

I know, it is just convenience that makes me want a one body product. I can live with lower grade movies better than bad stills, so I am more interested in the dig cams with mov modes and sound for those occassions I need a video camera (less than 10x a year).
 
beria said:
I hate to disappoint you but Thomas Klestil passed away last year. Heinz Fischer, is our new HBP (Herr Bundespresident).
Beria
Click to expand...
Ahh! That means google lied to me!
Noooo!
*saddened*
 
stubeeef said:
I know, it is just convenience that makes me want a one body product. I can live with lower grade movies better than bad stills, so I am more interested in the dig cams with mov modes and sound for those occassions I need a video camera (less than 10x a year).
Click to expand...

I cannot recall now (of course) but I recall hearing/reading somewhere that these were very good at stills as well. It is a sort of all-in-one device w/ voice recorder, etc etc, but a 2MP camera too, and I remember reading it was good.

Direct recording of 30fps MPEG4 video with....okay nevermind. Look if you feel inclined but as I was reading I just noticed only 320x240 res on the MPEG4 and only a 2.5x digital zoom, zero opitcal :(
Oh well, better luck elsewhere. They do sell digi cams too, might want to check those on the site as yet another option.
 
efoto said:
I cannot recall now (of course) but I recall hearing/reading somewhere that these were very good at stills as well. It is a sort of all-in-one device w/ voice recorder, etc etc, but a 2MP camera too, and I remember reading it was good.

Direct recording of 30fps MPEG4 video with....okay nevermind. Look if you feel inclined but as I was reading I just noticed only 320x240 res on the MPEG4 and only a 2.5x digital zoom, zero opitcal :(
Oh well, better luck elsewhere. They do sell digi cams too, might want to check those on the site as yet another option.
Click to expand...

Ya, you can tell how the field narrows when good video and good form factor and great stills meets. Thanks I did check them out, if the mp's were higher I would be more interested, and who knows maybe that is in the works soon.
 
stubeeef said:
Ya, you can tell how the field narrows when good video and good form factor and great stills meets. Thanks I did check them out, if the mp's were higher I would be more interested, and who knows maybe that is in the works soon.
Click to expand...

Those are the ultra-small form-factor ones from Panasonic. I am sure there are others that have higher MP both for the video and the still captures, probably just a little bit bigger.
Depending on what you do more of I think a video capture device w/ still support might yield better product for you than a still capture w/ video support.

If you have not read here already, CNet Reviews can be a good resource for general product reviews.
 
efoto said:
Those are the ultra-small form-factor ones from Panasonic. I am sure there are others that have higher MP both for the video and the still captures, probably just a little bit bigger.
Depending on what you do more of I think a video capture device w/ still support might yield better product for you than a still capture w/ video support.

If you have not read here already, CNet Reviews can be a good resource for general product reviews.
Click to expand...


thanks i usually goto zdnet - pretty much exactly the same.

Unless more personal reviews come in, narrowing down to Canon S2 IS, Canon PowerShot SD200, and Kodak CX7430.
canon S2 IS
canon sd200
Kodak CX7430
 
stubeeef said:
thanks i usually goto zdnet - pretty much exactly the same.

Unless more personal reviews come in, narrowing down to Canon S2 IS, Canon PowerShot SD200, and Kodak CX7430.
canon S2 IS
canon sd200
Kodak CX7430
Click to expand...
Yeah. I'm in the market for a camera, and have basically the same requirements as you. What is swaying me towards the Canon S2 IS is the combination of continuous movie to the capacity of the memory card, and the image stabiliser. I will probably get one of these as soon as they come out in June, for a trip to New Zealand later that month.
 
efoto said:
Those are the ultra-small form-factor ones from Panasonic. I am sure there are others that have higher MP both for the video and the still captures, probably just a little bit bigger.
Depending on what you do more of I think a video capture device w/ still support might yield better product for you than a still capture w/ video support.

If you have not read here already, CNet Reviews can be a good resource for general product reviews.
Click to expand...


If you have shaky hands at all, an ultra-small camera is NOT GOOD. It will magnify every miniscule movement of your hand.
I have a Pentax OptioS 3.2 MP camera (fits in the altoids tin, :D) and It took me forever to be able to hold it still without getting complete blur.
I still have problems with it, on those rare occasions I break out the camera.
 
The

The Cannon Powershot A510 is a great choice easy to use functions scrool whell no advanced digital options also has 3.2 megapixels and can take soind movies for howeverlong you want depending on your memory size.


***The only problem that i have had with this camera is that it only came with 16mb of memmory*** :D
 
mkrishnan said:
Oooh one more mention, although I never prioritized the movie mode thing, the Minolta Dimage X series, which is *very* compact, has the ability to do movies for the full memory card length. :)
Click to expand...

The camera I posted can do videos straight to .mov for the full memory card as well.
 
ITASOR said:
The camera I posted can do videos straight to .mov for the full memory card as well.
Click to expand...


Pretty much all consumer-;level Digi cams do movie mode. Some do in MPEG, others in AVI, MOV, yada yada yada.

I can only think of a few cameras that have a weird movie mode, and that is 30=second clips because of the chips.

If you want to be heavily movie-mode, you might think about the Pentax OptioMX4. It's more video camera than still camera. Pretty groovy. :D 10x optical zoom, too.
 
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