Hiking - Digital Camera

Well, let me a dissenting voice here, and plug Oly. I just finished a
long trip with backpack to UK (not to climb mountains, but to do a lot
of rail riding, hoofing around cities, etc.) and I brought a little Oly
560. Ran forever on two rechargeable CR-V3's, or as backups, AA NiMh's.
Upwards of 300 shots per battery with the former, with lcd used
primarily in a quick view mode; about 150 high res shots with NiMh's,
which I used after I went through my CR-V3's (didn't bring its charger
along). At 3.2 megapix some glorious photos under many different
conditions, helped by a little tripod. Given that you have some good
money to spend, I would not rule out taking a look at one of the Oly
Stylus models, which have recently been upgraded. Pretty weather-proof,
use AA batteries, etc. and the sliding front makes them extremely
'pocketable'. They do use xD cards, but the prices are coming down.

!p^&c88%B! wrote:
I intend on buying a light weight camera to mostly be used while hiking or
backpacking. However it also will double as a general use camera for family
outings, dog shows, Christmas dinners etc. I can afford between $600 and
$900 Cdn (about $45 American) - seriously between about $400 and $700
American.

Whatever I buy, it has got to have a genuine point and snap ability. My
wife has little patience with reading manuals, adjusting settings etc.

I am considering the Sony DSC V1 - about $700.00 Cdn at Future Shop but am
concerned about a couple of things. The first is battery life. Taking
really long extension cords wherever I go is not always easy. The second is
cost of a decent sized (512 kb) memory sticks. There may be other things
I'm not considering.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Perry.

"James Silverton" wrote in message
...
I had rather similar criteria and I settled on the Nikon 3200 which
has mostly proved very satisfactory. One aspect that was important to
me was small size and the 3200 (unlike the 4100) will fit in a shirt
pocket tho' I usually use a case. It's macro capability is important
to me; it will focus to 1.6 inches (4cm). It has an optical viewfinder
but it is not too accurate in close-ups when the LCD is really needed.
The only problem there is that the LCD tends to wash out in bright
sunlight.

I don't notice that with the 3100. Mind, I tend to shield the LCD with my
hand when viewing anyway.

I also find the camera's ability to use readily available AA batteries
as well as NiMHs rather useful in an emergency. There are a remarkable
number of canned modes, in fact more than I can remember. Close-up and
flash control are very easy to use without going thro' the scene mode
menu which is rather useful since I don't usually have the manual
readily available. The camera has a small internal memory but needs
the SD memory cards that have to be bought as extras. A 256Mb card
was not too expensive and transfer to my computer has worked very
well.

I like AA batteries on the basis that I change my digital cameras
occasionally and having to buy a new set of batteries for each camera would
restrict my freedom to change cameras a little. With something that takes AA
batteries, I can simply use the same batteries in the next camera. I did
this when I changed from my first Olympus digital to my second Olympus
digital to my first Nikon digital. My 995 took 2CR5 batteries or Nikon's own
battery, which was a little annoying. My 3100 takes AA batteries.

Actually, Nikon had a good idea with the 995 being able to take 2CR5 or its
own rechargable battery. Oddly enough, I'd have preferred to have had
something like the 775 with a 2CR5/enel1 battery than to end up with AA and
enel1 (as I have both a 995 and a 3100). There're advantages both ways.

I'm quite interested by the Canon S1 but the fact it takes 4 AA batteries is
a turn off for me. Nikon doesn't make an equivalent camera. They have the
8mp camera with an 8 times zoom lens. That's not very interesting for me
though. I came to the conclusion that 3mp is all I really want/need. Now if
Canon made the S1 to take the enel1/2cr5...

--
Yours

Zebedee

(Claiming asylum in an attempt
to escape paying his debts to
Dougal and Florence)

"Ron G" wrote in message
...
Well, let me a dissenting voice here, and plug Oly. I just finished a
long trip with backpack to UK (not to climb mountains, but to do a lot
of rail riding, hoofing around cities, etc.) and I brought a little Oly
560. Ran forever on two rechargeable CR-V3's, or as backups, AA NiMh's.
Upwards of 300 shots per battery with the former, with lcd used
primarily in a quick view mode; about 150 high res shots with NiMh's,
which I used after I went through my CR-V3's (didn't bring its charger
along). At 3.2 megapix some glorious photos under many different
conditions, helped by a little tripod. Given that you have some good
money to spend, I would not rule out taking a look at one of the Oly
Stylus models, which have recently been upgraded. Pretty weather-proof,
use AA batteries, etc. and the sliding front makes them extremely
'pocketable'. They do use xD cards, but the prices are coming down.

I've heard it's possible to get an XD card jammed in the slot. My local
camera retailer had that problem. A customer put the card in, in the shop,
and it jammed. They had to send the camera back to Olympus to get it fixed.

--
Yours

Zebedee

(Claiming asylum in an attempt
to escape paying his debts to
Dougal and Florence)

I'm new to buying the memory cards .. I need some Smart Media cards;
preferably 256MB or more.
What's a good place to buy these as far as price goes? online?
thanks,
mel

the SD memory cards that have to be bought as extras. A 256Mb card
was not too expensive and transfer to my computer has worked very
well.

"mm" wrote in message
...
I'm new to buying the memory cards .. I need some Smart Media cards;
preferably 256MB or more.
What's a good place to buy these as far as price goes? online?
thanks,
mel

I don't believe Smart Media cards were ever mass-marketed in sizes greater
than 128mb. Certainly 128 is the biggest I've seen.

There were some 256mb cards but not many. Plans were afoot to bring out a
512 but then Olympus and Fuji junked the SM standard in favour of XD (which
they'll also junk). IMHO SD and CF are the only cards worth bothering with.

--
Yours

Zebedee

(Claiming asylum in an attempt
to escape paying his debts to
Dougal and Florence)

As you can see you do have a great deal of choice Oly's Canon's Nikon's

I'd like to add 2 more Fuji's and Polaroid x530

Mind you, I haven't seen the x530 yet :-)

I rate Fuji's - the menu options are a doddle (always important when out in
the hills) With my lite weight (weight really is very important while
backpacking) Fuji I can switch from still image to playback to video mode
just by turning one dial at the top of the camera. Ever ready seems the key
descriptor.

Besides, having tried video with zoom OR video with sound my preference is
for video with zoom especially for scenic panoramas. Always important out
in the hills

Let's know what you decide to buy - maybe even post a few pics?

Good luck

das B

ps - take a clear plastic bag with you. Remembering these beauts (the
cameras I mean) are electronic and are probably adverse to standing in water
:-) My choice is a plain old transparent plastic bag - lo cost and no
messing with clips, buckles or belts :-

dB

"Zebedee" wrote in message
...
"Ron G" wrote in message
...
Well, let me a dissenting voice here, and plug Oly. I just finished a
long trip with backpack to UK (not to climb mountains, but to do a lot
of rail riding, hoofing around cities, etc.) and I brought a little Oly
560. Ran forever on two rechargeable CR-V3's, or as backups, AA NiMh's.
Upwards of 300 shots per battery with the former, with lcd used
primarily in a quick view mode; about 150 high res shots with NiMh's,
which I used after I went through my CR-V3's (didn't bring its charger
along). At 3.2 megapix some glorious photos under many different
conditions, helped by a little tripod. Given that you have some good
money to spend, I would not rule out taking a look at one of the Oly
Stylus models, which have recently been upgraded. Pretty weather-proof,
use AA batteries, etc. and the sliding front makes them extremely
'pocketable'. They do use xD cards, but the prices are coming down.

I've heard it's possible to get an XD card jammed in the slot. My local
camera retailer had that problem. A customer put the card in, in the shop,
and it jammed. They had to send the camera back to Olympus to get it
fixed.

--
Yours

Zebedee

(Claiming asylum in an attempt
to escape paying his debts to
Dougal and Florence)

But those cards won't work with an Olympus that uses SmartMedia cards ...
will they??
mel

IMHO SD and CF are the only cards worth bothering with.
Zebedee

"mm" wrote in message
news
But those cards won't work with an Olympus that uses SmartMedia cards ...
will they??
mel

Nope. They won't - that was a posting for new camera buyers to think about,

I doubt 256mb SM cards are still available. No where I look stocks more than
128mb.

--
Yours

Zebedee

(Claiming asylum in an attempt
to escape paying his debts to
Dougal and Florence)

Check out http://www.newegg.com or http://www.zipzoomfly.com. The prices
are very good. Both are reputable online companies and offer free shipping.
I think it is the FedEx 3-4 day saver option. If you want to see their
ratings, go to http://www.resellerratings.com.

Jeff


"mm" wrote in message
...
I'm new to buying the memory cards .. I need some Smart Media cards;
preferably 256MB or more.
What's a good place to buy these as far as price goes? online?
thanks,
mel

the SD memory cards that have to be bought as extras. A 256Mb card
was not too expensive and transfer to my computer has worked very
well.

"mm" wrote in message
...
I'm new to buying the memory cards .. I need some Smart Media cards;
preferably 256MB or more.
What's a good place to buy these as far as price goes? online?
thanks,
mel

the SD memory cards that have to be bought as extras. A 256Mb
card
was not too expensive and transfer to my computer has worked very
well.


I checked the local consumer magazine, Checkbook, before buying my
camera in March of this year. The best price in the Washington DC area
was Photo Craft in Fairfax, VA. They were not quite as low as the
very lowest on the Internet but quite competitive. The same applied to
memory cards and I bought both there.

Jim.