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#1
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Digital zoom camera & lots of selection questions
I've been combing the newsgroups and reviews for information on a good zoom
digital camera. The more I look, the more confused I get. I can't afford to buy two separate cameras to get the features I want, so I have to trade-off some of my wants. I have a Canon G1 now and the other day I used a friend's Kodak zoom camera and I really am hooked on zoom cameras now. But....the Kodak isn't on my wish list. I've been disappointed in not having more wide angle and a longer zoom in my Canon, but it is still a good camera which I will continue to use. I thought maybe the Canon Pro1, because I am familiar with Canon, but the reviews and reading the user's forum on Canon sort of convinced me that it wasn't for me. And there are features on "my" Canon that I really take issue with. But I love that swivel LCD screen with adjustable brightness control that I have now. I very seldom use the viewfinder because the LCD swivels. Then I started reading about the Panasonic FZ20. I'm really impressed with the zoom length on it, but it's not wide angle and it seems users are having issues with using it in low light. I do use my camera quite a bit in low light. The FZ20 is considerably cheaper which is a plus, but maybe it's better to pay more now for a camera that will satisfy my needs for a longer period of time. But the FZ20 might be an acceptable trade-off with that long zoom. The reviews talk about a small sensor and picture noise because of it which scares me. The other two cameras that mainly interest me are the Konica/Minolta A2, which I really am leaning towards, but the mixed reviews of soft pictures is a main concern. I'd have to give up the long zoom of the Z20 for the wide angle on the Minolta. I wish I could have both wide angle to mega telephoto! And there is the Nikon Coolpix 8800 that sounds interesting. I don't use the higher ISO speeds on my Canon, but if I had a telephoto lens I think having the higher ISO option on the Minolta would be really nice. The Nikon has some nice features and I've always thought Nikons took good pictures. Things I would like in a digital camera are better color accuracy than my Canon, to be able to screw a protective filter on the lens without having to add a bulky adapter to do so, being able to take low light pictures, a feature to minimize camera shake, spot metering, less purple fringing than the Canon, vivid photos, etc. I also want there to be less time between the time I push the shutter and the picture is actually taken. I will be taking pictures of wild life too, which doesn't wait for the camera to catch up. I want auto and manual options. I also want to be able to save the pictures in different formats as I mostly use RAW now versus JPEG. I guess this last wouldn't be the deciding factor on whether I bought a certain camera or not, but it would be nice. Rechargeable batteries would be great, but not a deciding option either. I know that the other choice is DSLR, but I'd rather be more compact than that. I don't know if I would be able to use lenses I already have on a DSLR camera or not. I do have 3 older lenses, flash, teleconverter, etc. for Pentax 35mm. I suppose the DSLR have to have self focusing lenses which means I would have to buy everything new anyway. I'm completely dumb about DSLR, but it seems like it would be out of my price range and I don't want to have to lug around a large camera bag full of lenses and equipment. So, back to deciding on which camera I want. Out of the group of cameras I have selected does anyone have any negative/positive comments, or do you use any two of these cameras that would give me a good comparison of your opinion? Reading the reviews is so confusing. I'm back and forth between cameras and I wonder if all the cameras would take good enough pictures that it doesn't really matter what I buy. I take pictures of landscapes, people, wildlife, sunsets, etc., just a large variety of objects that I need a versatile camera for. Thanks for any comments on these cameras, or maybe I should of included some more cameras in this group - but at least 5MP. ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
#2
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Lou wrote:
[] Out of the group of cameras I have selected does anyone have any negative/positive comments, or do you use any two of these cameras that would give me a good comparison of your opinion? I have posted here in the past about my experiences upgrading to a Minolta A2 from a Nikon 5700. The result, I sent the Minolta back. The Panasonic FZ20 is (IMHO) the best long stabilised zoom camera out there right now, although some say the Canon S1 IS takes better movies. That doesn't bother me. Other cameras I can access are the Nikon 8400 (24mm wide-angle) and the Nikon 990. My advice is to set aims, set a budget, and go and try the cameras for yourself. Usablility is very important. For example (1), can you use the camera when you have gloves on because it's cold; (2) can you operate the camera in the dark, by feel alone, for those Northern Lights shots? Cheers, David |
#3
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"David J Taylor" wrote in message ... Lou wrote: [] Out of the group of cameras I have selected does anyone have any negative/positive comments, or do you use any two of these cameras that would give me a good comparison of your opinion? I have posted here in the past about my experiences upgrading to a Minolta A2 from a Nikon 5700. The result, I sent the Minolta back. The Panasonic FZ20 is (IMHO) the best long stabilised zoom camera out there right now, although some say the Canon S1 IS takes better movies. That doesn't bother me. Other cameras I can access are the Nikon 8400 (24mm wide-angle) and the Nikon 990. My advice is to set aims, set a budget, and go and try the cameras for yourself. Usablility is very important. For example (1), can you use the camera when you have gloves on because it's cold; (2) can you operate the camera in the dark, by feel alone, for those Northern Lights shots? Cheers, David I can't access old messages to see what you have said in the past about Minolta A2 cameras. The messages over about 5 days old say that they are no longer available on the server. But, I've about ruled out the A2 camera anyway now as I've read too many user comments about soft pictures and the camera locking up and having to be rebooted. I've had my Canon G1 refuse to focus a few times, but never has it completely locked up. I bought the G1 when it first came out and have been using it for the last few years. There are some issues I don't like about it, but it has lots of good points too. I really would consider the Canon Pro1 if some of those features had been changed because there wouldn't be such a steep learning curve with a new camera. Maybe I should wait for Canon to come out with a new camera. Your comment about using the camera in the dark or with gloves makes me realize how familiar I am with my Canon. I looked at some cameras today and they were so foreign looking to me, but none that I would consider buying anyway as they were low end cameras. I really think I would be happier with a more feature oriented camera. I started out with 35mm years ago and have been taking pictures forever. The digital camera has opened up a whole new world to me and I take it practically everywhere I go. I want user-friendly, but definitely more than point and shoot. I could care less about taking movies with it as I have a decent camcorder for that purpose. I want to take sharp vivid detailed pictures from a distance as well as the normal distance range. I don't know if 8 megapixels is necessary or not, 5 would probably be plenty and would be a smaller picture file to store. But a larger megapixel would allow for more cropping, however, maybe a larger zoom wouldn't require as much cropping. The Nikon 8800 sounds like a great camera, but no final review that I can find. What scares me about it is that users are commenting about how long it takes to write a picture to the card. Do you have any helpful comments on your Nikon camera use? Do they take really sharp pictures and how is the zoom? How about purple fringing because my Canon does much more of that than my friends that have Olympus cameras? I don't know how I feel about Panasonic for a camera. My first camcorder was a Panasonic and was quite expensive and it started malfunctioning about 3 months after I got it. The first thing to go was being able to use it outside, then gradually other things quit. I think it only had a 90 day warranty. I don't think I ever used over a dozen VCR tapes in it which is a high cost for a $1100 camera. I keep "Panasonic" in memory when I think about buying that FZ20. I have a Sony Digital 8 older generation camcorder now that I just love, but the Sony digital cameras don't seem to get that good of reviews, so I never considered buying one. I thought I would choose a camera I wanted now and wait until a new generation is introduced and buy my choice then when the price has fallen a little. Even waiting 2 or 3 months makes a difference in price. ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
#4
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Lou wrote:
[] The Nikon 8800 sounds like a great camera, but no final review that I can find. What scares me about it is that users are commenting about how long it takes to write a picture to the card. Do you have any helpful comments on your Nikon camera use? Do they take really sharp pictures and how is the zoom? How about purple fringing because my Canon does much more of that than my friends that have Olympus cameras? I don't use RAW so the time to write to the card is not a factor. The Normal quality JPEG is quite adequate for that I do. The Nikon cameras I have used give no cause for complaint about image quality, and the Panasonic with its Leica lens is good as well. Purple fringing can easily be removed now using Paint Shop Pro version 9 (just out), so it too is no longer an issue. Probably the best image quality is from the Nikon 8400. The one feature I would like is a zoom ring rather than push buttons, though. It's difficult to get the framing just as you want it. I don't know how I feel about Panasonic for a camera. [] The name sounds like TV or Hi-Fi, I agree. At least the lens comes from Leica! Can tell you more about reliability in a few months, but at least the user forums aren't littered with people complaining... [] I thought I would choose a camera I wanted now and wait until a new generation is introduced and buy my choice then when the price has fallen a little. Even waiting 2 or 3 months makes a difference in price. Like anything "digital", there will always be a better, newer, cheaper whatever model out in a few months. Using your logic, you could buy the previous generation of camera now at a very favourable price - another alternative! Enjoy your decision-making! Cheers, David |
#5
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I realize I'm a little behind times here, but I couldn't imagine life without
my Olympus C-3040Z (3.3MP). It's been my constant companion for the past three years and I've shot literally tens of thousands of photos with it. If I had to do it over again tomorrow, I'd still buy it. It goes everywhere with me and I've shot just about anything and everything that moves or doesn't. The only things I would change if I could is the optical zoom and the macro focus. The zoom is 3x and the macro can't handle anything closer than 8 inches. Good luck and happy hunting! LaRue |
#6
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Thanks for your input. I haven't bought a camera yet. I looked at some
more cameras today but they didn't have a couple I wanted to look at. However, looking at the cameras made me realize that some of them come in sizes that are just completely unacceptable to me. I fell in love with an Olympus C7000 and now I'll have to go look up a review on it. I have a feeling that it is so small that it won't rate very well. I really wanted more than 5x optical zoom, but we'll see. I still want to physically see a Canon Pro 1 and Panasonic FZ20. The nice thing about already having a camera is not having to be in any hurry to buy one. I have friends that have Olympus cameras that take fantastic pictures. "LARUEPJ" wrote in message ... I realize I'm a little behind times here, but I couldn't imagine life without my Olympus C-3040Z (3.3MP). It's been my constant companion for the past three years and I've shot literally tens of thousands of photos with it. If I had to do it over again tomorrow, I'd still buy it. It goes everywhere with me and I've shot just about anything and everything that moves or doesn't. The only things I would change if I could is the optical zoom and the macro focus. The zoom is 3x and the macro can't handle anything closer than 8 inches. Good luck and happy hunting! LaRue ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
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