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Need help selecting digital camera



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 26th 08, 02:31 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
Dave Boland[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 7
Default Need help selecting digital camera

Newsgroup,

I need to get a digital camera to replace the Polorid 600, and would
appreciate any help. Some information about the camera use to help
guide the comments:

* The camera will be used mostly for documentation of things like
scope traces, printed circuit traces, control panel pictures, and some
field test items that may be in bright sun. Light levels run from
normal room lighting to bright sun. Speed from stationary, to
oscilloscope display, to moderately fast moving (1/30s to 1/250s
typically).

* Users of the camera vary between no photography experience, to a
fair amount of experience. That said, the camera should be as simple
to use as possible because I don't want people spending time tweaking
settings.

* Picture size is typically 5 in. by 7 in. some are larger.

* Budget is limited and I would like to stay at $100 (U.S.) or less.

* Features that seem important a
- Easy to use is number 1, which includes controls and menus.
- Very good quality pictures (focus, exposure, color) important.
- Very reliable.
- Easy to use in the sun. I like viewfinders for this, but...
- Optical zoom of 3 to 1 or better.
- Batteries that can be obtained at 'mart's is a must.
- Easy to down-load to P.C. or printer, and quickly.
- Macro would be nice for close-ups of circuit card failures.
- Manual controls would be nice, at least for some of us.

Some cameras that I'm considering are the ones that will be on sale
for black Friday. They a
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...83 2852010904
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...16 2793659556
Nikon Coolpix L18 Digital Camera - $99.99 at Ritz
Olympus Stylus 760 Digital Camera - $99.99 at Ritz
Kodak EasyShare C913 9MP 2.5" LCD With Free Canon Photo Printer,
$79.99 at Staples
Casio EX-Z9 8.1MP Digital Camera - $99.99 at K-Mart (Thur. only)
Kodak EasyShare MX1063 10MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Zoom - $89.00 Target

Thanks for any serious suggestions.
Dave


  #2  
Old November 26th 08, 02:33 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
whisky-dave
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 559
Default Need help selecting digital camera


"Dave Boland" wrote in message
...
Newsgroup,

I need to get a digital camera to replace the Polorid 600, and would
appreciate any help. Some information about the camera use to help guide
the comments:

* The camera will be used mostly for documentation of things like scope
traces, printed circuit traces, control panel pictures, and some field
test items that may be in bright sun. Light levels run from normal room
lighting to bright sun. Speed from stationary, to oscilloscope display,
to moderately fast moving (1/30s to 1/250s typically).


I can't offer any real recommendations but from taking pictures of scopes
traces
you'll need a camera with a good and easy focus at short distances of around
50cm or so.
So check how easy/good the macro function is.
We have brought LCD scopes that have built in USB ports for direct printing
and saving
the trace as an image file.
I brought a canon G10 last week, haven't used it much yet, but did get a
reasonable picture
of a blown op-amp. easier to manually focus than my old S70 but I'd still
prefer
a good olde fashion focusing ring around the lens and a sturdy tripod.


  #3  
Old November 26th 08, 11:08 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
Alan Browne
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 12,640
Default Need help selecting digital camera

Dave Boland wrote:
Newsgroup,

I need to get a digital camera to replace the Polorid 600, and would
appreciate any help. Some information about the camera use to help
guide the comments:


* Picture size is typically 5 in. by 7 in. some are larger.

* Budget is limited and I would like to stay at $100 (U.S.) or less.

* Features that seem important a - Easy to use is number 1, which
includes controls and menus. - Very good quality pictures (focus,
exposure, color) important. - Very reliable. - Easy to use in the
sun. I like viewfinders for this, but... - Optical zoom of 3 to 1 or
better. - Batteries that can be obtained at 'mart's is a must. - Easy
to down-load to P.C. or printer, and quickly. - Macro would be nice
for close-ups of circuit card failures. - Manual controls would be
nice, at least for some of us.


Nikon Coolpix L18 Digital Camera - $99.99 at Ritz Olympus Stylus 760
Digital Camera - $99.99 at Ritz Kodak EasyShare C913 9MP 2.5" LCD
With Free Canon Photo Printer, $79.99 at Staples Casio EX-Z9 8.1MP
Digital Camera - $99.99 at K-Mart (Thur. only) Kodak EasyShare MX1063
10MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Zoom - $89.00 Target

Thanks for any serious suggestions.


www.dpreview.com is a very good place for you to winnow your choices.

For good prints at 5x7 and reasonable at 8x10 consider a camera with
about 300 dpi potential output:

5 x 300 = 1500
7 x 300 = 2100 X

= ~ 3 Mpixels.

So any 4 or 5 Mpix camera that otherwise meets your needs should suffice.

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.
  #4  
Old November 26th 08, 11:28 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
Tony Cooper
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,748
Default Need help selecting digital camera

On Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:08:02 -0500, Alan Browne
wrote:

Dave Boland wrote:
Newsgroup,

I need to get a digital camera to replace the Polorid 600, and would
appreciate any help. Some information about the camera use to help
guide the comments:


* Picture size is typically 5 in. by 7 in. some are larger.

* Budget is limited and I would like to stay at $100 (U.S.) or less.

* Features that seem important a - Easy to use is number 1, which
includes controls and menus. - Very good quality pictures (focus,
exposure, color) important. - Very reliable. - Easy to use in the
sun. I like viewfinders for this, but... - Optical zoom of 3 to 1 or
better. - Batteries that can be obtained at 'mart's is a must. - Easy
to down-load to P.C. or printer, and quickly. - Macro would be nice
for close-ups of circuit card failures. - Manual controls would be
nice, at least for some of us.


Nikon Coolpix L18 Digital Camera - $99.99 at Ritz Olympus Stylus 760
Digital Camera - $99.99 at Ritz Kodak EasyShare C913 9MP 2.5" LCD
With Free Canon Photo Printer, $79.99 at Staples Casio EX-Z9 8.1MP
Digital Camera - $99.99 at K-Mart (Thur. only) Kodak EasyShare MX1063
10MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Zoom - $89.00 Target

Thanks for any serious suggestions.


www.dpreview.com is a very good place for you to winnow your choices.

For good prints at 5x7 and reasonable at 8x10 consider a camera with
about 300 dpi potential output:

5 x 300 = 1500
7 x 300 = 2100 X

= ~ 3 Mpixels.

So any 4 or 5 Mpix camera that otherwise meets your needs should suffice.


Looking at his conditions, I would rule out the Casio because it
doesn't use AA batteries. The Olympus is not rated well at all. Of
that group, the Nikon is the most likely to produce good "macro"
photos. I'd go with the Coolpix L18.


--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
  #5  
Old November 27th 08, 12:08 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
McPhotos
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Need help selecting digital camera

Alan Browne wrote:
Dave Boland wrote:
Newsgroup,

I need to get a digital camera to replace the Polorid 600, and would
appreciate any help. Some information about the camera use to help
guide the comments:


* Picture size is typically 5 in. by 7 in. some are larger.

* Budget is limited and I would like to stay at $100 (U.S.) or less.

* Features that seem important a - Easy to use is number 1, which
includes controls and menus. - Very good quality pictures (focus,
exposure, color) important. - Very reliable. - Easy to use in the
sun. I like viewfinders for this, but... - Optical zoom of 3 to 1 or
better. - Batteries that can be obtained at 'mart's is a must. - Easy
to down-load to P.C. or printer, and quickly. - Macro would be nice
for close-ups of circuit card failures. - Manual controls would be
nice, at least for some of us.


Nikon Coolpix L18 Digital Camera - $99.99 at Ritz Olympus Stylus 760
Digital Camera - $99.99 at Ritz Kodak EasyShare C913 9MP 2.5" LCD
With Free Canon Photo Printer, $79.99 at Staples Casio EX-Z9 8.1MP
Digital Camera - $99.99 at K-Mart (Thur. only) Kodak EasyShare MX1063
10MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Zoom - $89.00 Target

Thanks for any serious suggestions.


www.dpreview.com is a very good place for you to winnow your choices.

For good prints at 5x7 and reasonable at 8x10 consider a camera with
about 300 dpi potential output:


Cameras do not have dpi output. Digital images are composed of pixels,
hence, ppi, not dpi. I know you are capable of making this distinction,
so just do it instead of arguing how unimportant it is to you. It may be
important to some who are trying to learn digital processing.


--
lsmft

Coach: "Are you just ignorant, or merely apathetic?"
Player: "Coach, I don't know, and I don't care."
  #6  
Old November 27th 08, 12:38 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
Alan Browne
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 12,640
Default Need help selecting digital camera

McPhotos wrote:
Alan Browne wrote:


www.dpreview.com is a very good place for you to winnow your
choices.

For good prints at 5x7 and reasonable at 8x10 consider a camera
with about 300 dpi potential output:

5 x 300 = 1500
7 x 300 = 2100 X

= ~ 3 Mpixels.

So any 4 or 5 Mpix camera that otherwise meets your needs should
suffice.


Cameras do not have dpi output. Digital images are composed of
pixels,


Please read more carefully next time.

The tie in is his desire for 7x5 prints and the arithmetic provided (and
restored above) makes the link clear enough.

Take your annon-nym and blow.

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.
  #7  
Old November 27th 08, 01:00 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
John McWilliams
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,945
Default Need help selecting digital camera

Alan Browne wrote:
McPhotos wrote:
Alan Browne wrote:


www.dpreview.com is a very good place for you to winnow your
choices.

For good prints at 5x7 and reasonable at 8x10 consider a camera
with about 300 dpi potential output:

5 x 300 = 1500
7 x 300 = 2100 X

= ~ 3 Mpixels.

So any 4 or 5 Mpix camera that otherwise meets your needs should
suffice.


Cameras do not have dpi output. Digital images are composed of
pixels,


Please read more carefully next time.


You simply don't get it, or you're too arrogant to admit you're wrong.
Neither is becoming.

The tie in is his desire for 7x5 prints and the arithmetic provided (and
restored above) makes the link clear enough.


The conclusion is all right, but you're confused on dots and pixels;
always have been.

Take your annon-nym and blow.


My bad on the latter; am trying new newsfeeds, and normally sign in
full, as you know. In the case of intransigents, I sometimes use the
dismissive "lsmft".

--
John McWilliams



  #8  
Old November 27th 08, 01:08 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
Alan Browne
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 12,640
Default Need help selecting digital camera

John McWilliams wrote:
Alan Browne wrote:
McPhotos wrote:
Alan Browne wrote:


www.dpreview.com is a very good place for you to winnow your
choices.

For good prints at 5x7 and reasonable at 8x10 consider a camera
with about 300 dpi potential output:

5 x 300 = 1500
7 x 300 = 2100 X

= ~ 3 Mpixels.

So any 4 or 5 Mpix camera that otherwise meets your needs should
suffice.

Cameras do not have dpi output. Digital images are composed of
pixels,


Please read more carefully next time.


You simply don't get it, or you're too arrogant to admit you're wrong.
Neither is becoming.


Please read below very carefully.

The tie in is his desire for 7x5 prints and the arithmetic provided
(and restored above) makes the link clear enough.


The conclusion is all right, but you're confused on dots and pixels;
always have been.


Not at all. I am not confused. Merely redacting what is of little use
to the OP.

Rather than being anally precise about terms, I focused on what seems to
be important to the OP ... somebody who probably is not all that
interested in what happens between the shutter click and the printer.
And that's what I refer to: how well will the sensor translate to the
printer. Explaining all the interim crap in the middle is of no value
to anyone, least of all this OP.


So, John, at due risk of falling in your killfile,

F U C K O F F

O N T H I S I S S U E.


Cheers,
Alan.

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.
  #9  
Old November 27th 08, 01:12 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
dj_nme[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 295
Default Need help selecting digital camera

McPhotos wrote:
Alan Browne wrote:

snip for brevity
For good prints at 5x7 and reasonable at 8x10 consider a camera with
about 300 dpi potential output:

text erased by "McPhotos"

5 x 300 = 1500
7 x 300 = 2100 X

= ~ 3 Mpixels.

So any 4 or 5 Mpix camera that otherwise meets your needs should suffice.

/text erased by "McPhotos"

Cameras do not have dpi output. Digital images are composed of pixels,
hence, ppi, not dpi. I know you are capable of making this distinction,
so just do it instead of arguing how unimportant it is to you. It may be
important to some who are trying to learn digital processing.


It's pretty darn obvious what Alan Browne intended, the fact that DPI
was confused for PPI is really neither here nor there.
I would only suggest that slightly more resolution is ideal, especially
if you want to crop off extra image detail that isn't relevant to your
intended final image and that 6MP or 8MP would be a better idea.
I'm also not sure that there are many new cameras which are made with
less than 10MP anyway.

I feel that the most important bit these days is to see how easy the
controls are to manipulate and how easy it is to navigate to alter the
settings to your liking.
This can only be done by actually going to a real shop and testing for
yourself.

  #10  
Old November 28th 08, 03:17 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
Dave Boland[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 7
Default Need help selecting digital camera

Dave Boland wrote:
Newsgroup,

I need to get a digital camera to replace the Polorid 600, and would
appreciate any help. Some information about the camera use to help
guide the comments:

* The camera will be used mostly for documentation of things like scope
traces, printed circuit traces, control panel pictures, and some field
test items that may be in bright sun. Light levels run from normal room
lighting to bright sun. Speed from stationary, to oscilloscope display,
to moderately fast moving (1/30s to 1/250s typically).

* Users of the camera vary between no photography experience, to a fair
amount of experience. That said, the camera should be as simple to use
as possible because I don't want people spending time tweaking settings.

* Picture size is typically 5 in. by 7 in. some are larger.

* Budget is limited and I would like to stay at $100 (U.S.) or less.

* Features that seem important a
- Easy to use is number 1, which includes controls and menus.
- Very good quality pictures (focus, exposure, color) important.
- Very reliable.
- Easy to use in the sun. I like viewfinders for this, but...
- Optical zoom of 3 to 1 or better.
- Batteries that can be obtained at 'mart's is a must.
- Easy to down-load to P.C. or printer, and quickly.
- Macro would be nice for close-ups of circuit card failures.
- Manual controls would be nice, at least for some of us.

Some cameras that I'm considering are the ones that will be on sale for
black Friday. They a
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...83 2852010904

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...16 2793659556

Nikon Coolpix L18 Digital Camera - $99.99 at Ritz
Olympus Stylus 760 Digital Camera - $99.99 at Ritz
Kodak EasyShare C913 9MP 2.5" LCD With Free Canon Photo Printer, $79.99
at Staples
Casio EX-Z9 8.1MP Digital Camera - $99.99 at K-Mart (Thur. only)
Kodak EasyShare MX1063 10MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Zoom - $89.00 Target

Thanks for any serious suggestions.
Dave



Thanks for all the responses. Some have been very helpful. I regret
the anger that it caused some, but that is life. To clear up one
thing, I do understand analog scopes very well. My concern was that
the readers of this forum would not. I agree, capturing a trace is
challenging. Currently I do it with my Nikon film camera, but it is a
pain to have to get the film developed because it takes time. A
digital would be good, but I also agree that it is wise to take my
time and investigate the cameras before I buy.

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving (U.S.).

Dave,
 




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