I'm just starting to look into buying a new digital camera (Gotta go railfanning ya know!) and I'm a bit overwhelmed. So many choices!
I thought it might be helpful if I asked you all a question or three first though.
Tell me, what kind of camera did you get?
What do you like about it?
What don't you like about it?
Well, Phillip you're going to get lots of conflicting views here I suspect. FWIW I love my Olympus 4mp C750 UZ . It has all the usual stuff like macro, self-timer etc plus:
it uses AA batteries; auto and manual capability; powerful enough optical zoom [ 10X] for landscape photos; good in-camera colour and white balance control enabling it to cope well with artificial light [ e.g. I can add a touch of blue for a better outdoors feel]; separate and adjustable sharpness, contrast and saturation controls; handy f8 for depth of field [I wish it could go higher, but the results are good anyway]; various quality and resolution settings.
Mike
P.S. It's a bit bulky, and the menus can be a little hard to follow at first. Not enough to put me off it, though.
Modelling the UK in 00, and New England - MEC, B&M, D&H and Guilford - in H0
What I did before I go my camera, I went to Circuit City and asked them about digital cameras. I went to them like I didn't know anything about them. I asked about all the different features and differences between brands and models within the same brand. I also went to Wolf Camera and asked some of the same questions. I also let them know what types of pictures I wanted to take with the camera and specifics I wanted with a camera.
It was vvery informative. I ended up getting a FUJIFILM, FinePix A900. I works well. It has a lot of features and it does what I want it to do.
Craig
Hi, Phil!
I recently (about 4 months ago) bought a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT (SLR). It it truly an awesome camera. 8 mp, 18-55 mm zoom lens (about 3x), and it does about everything but put out the cat (and I'm not real sure it can't do that - I just might not have found the setting for it... ).
Let's see - what do I like about it?
What don't I like about it?
I had (still have) a Canon Powershot A230, which is a good 3.2mp camera, but which lacked an optical zoom. It took pretty good pictures, but in the same format as the standard computer monitor (1600x1200 or 1.3333 ratio).
Bottom line? Go with as good a camera as you can (barely) afford. Shop around for pricing on whatever you choose. I bought mine online, through Amazon.com. I've found them to be very reliable. Got a pretty good deal, too.
Happy hunting.
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Gary M. Collins gmcrailgNOSPAM@gmail.com
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"Common Sense, Ain't!" -- G. M. Collins
http://fhn.site90.net
Philip,
I went with a Nikon D-50. Last September I decided to make the jump from 35mm. What I like about this camera is the ability to do point and shoot, or to go totally manual. If I am in a moving car, I can take continuous photos.
Try General discussion(Model Railroader)-Digital Camera selection for MRR photos. I am a former Canon owner and was heading that way. I was nice to compare the cameras and know what I was looking for. Kits/Ritz Cameras had classes that came with the camera. It allowed both Larry and I to take them. The main thing that I needed was what does that crazy icon mean?
Sorry, I would have linked it but I am not sure how to do that. Have fun studying for your purchase.
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
this site dpriewview.com is probably the best site to review and understand the differences in cameras. Goes through every digital camera from the smallest to top of the line professional quality. There are forums on there, full reviews, readers pics, everything to help you make the best decision.
http://dpreview.com/
Alex
gear-jammer wrote:Philip,I went with a Nikon D-50. Last September I decided to make the jump from 35mm. What I like about this camera is the ability to do point and shoot, or to go totally manual. If I am in a moving car, I can take continuous photos.Sue
Ditto
After many years of Nikon FM and FM2's I made the jump and I don't regret it. Real time photography is where it's at. And the Nikon battery puts the Everready Bunny to shame!
Fergie
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5959
If one could roll back the hands of time... They would be waiting for the next train into the future. A. H. Francey 1921-2007
I have a Nikon Coolpix 3200 and it is a great camera and be had for next to nothing these days. I do all my website work and layout pictures with it. While it may not take magazine quality photos , it does take nice pictures and is super simple to use.
Here are some N Scale examples.
My 2 cents , Mike
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” -- John Lennon
youngengineer wrote:this site dpriewview.com is probably the best site to review and understand the differences in cameras. Goes through every digital camera from the smallest to top of the line professional quality. There are forums on there, full reviews, readers pics, everything to help you make the best decision. http://dpreview.com/
I also found this site to be very helpful: http://www.steves-digicams.com/
I use a Canon Power Shot G5 5.0 megapixel camera. One of these days I'll learn how to use more than the "Auto" feature when taking pictures.
Don Z.
Research; it's not just for geeks.
Not exactly what you asked, but pertinent all the same.
My camera (Olympus C4000Z) doesn't rock.
The glass is ok, the sensor does a nice job except in low light, where it's noisy, the menus are functional, its not too big or heavy, self timer, auto gets it right at least 75% of the time, full manual when needed, one handed operation easy, macro mode, it doesn't eat batteries as fast as some, it can use 12 VDC in while in the studio or car, or Lithiums, or AAs, an important point for me, since once you pass Colorado Springs, there's not another fancy battery store till you get to Salt Lake City.
My camera setup rocks though, because its a complete package.
Padded case, watertight enough to get it into my backpack if I get surprised before the camera drowns.
Wallet with 4 extra smart cards in it, for a total of 600 pictures before a data dump is required, at max ,save RAW files or Tiffs.
Lightweight tabletop tripod that fits in the case.
6 sets of NiMH rechargables, and two small, light, very fast rechargers that run on 110 VAC or 12 VDC.
Photoshop on the PC harddrive, and a file system that's a breeze to back up.
It's not just the camera, unless all you like is pressing buttons, and don't care about seeing your images, cropping, sizing, and polishing your pictures, and displaying your pictures for others.
Its sort of like the audio chain in recording music, one weak link in the chain makes the whole piece sound bad.
In photography, you have to put together a total system to get your from where the picture begins, to where it ends up, and those can be different for any two people.
The camera and your lenses are a big piece of any system, but if you put all your planning and resources into just the camera, without any thought into precisely what you plan to do with those pictures, and what all else you need to make that happen, I don't think you're going to be happy with the "system" you end up being forced to use.
My camera rocks because it is unique. Although there are many like her, she is the only one like her, because she is mine. OOPS! Wrong flashback.
Back in the old celluloid days, I used a Canon AE-1 and developed, processed and printed myself. But when the price of silver took the price (and fun) out of it, I just used one of those disposable 35mms from Wally World. I finally went digital a couple of years ago. I musta been a boob for waiting so long. I ended up getting a Kodak Easyshare Z700. It's very easy to use; has auto light/color correction; goes up to 4.1 mp; came with an easy to use software bundle. The only thing I don't like is the lag time like others have mentioned with their cameras, especially with action shots. Its size is comfortable in big hands, like mine. My next camera will have a higher f-Stop, this helps with your depth of field, so more of the picture (from front to back) is in focus.
For quality model railroad pictures, though, the ONE thing that makes the REAL difference, is a good tripod. That way, you can slow the shutter speed down to use ambient light instead of flash.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Super Macro...
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
pcarrell wrote: I'm just starting to look into buying a new digital camera (Gotta go railfanning ya know!) and I'm a bit overwhelmed. So many choices!I thought it might be helpful if I asked you all a question or three first though.Tell me, what kind of camera did you get?What do you like about it?What don't you like about it?
Tell me, what kind of camera did you get?What do you like about it?What don't you like about it?
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet