Need to buy a Digital Camera

[chickenhead]

Hi Fellas

I want to buy an inexpensive Digital Camera. I need it for posting pictures to Ebay, but I'm sure I will end up using it for the odd snapshot here and there, but do not intend on using this for any real photography.

Can anyone make any recommendations?

[Dave Schwartz]

My wife, who ran a successful eBay consignment business until she moved to online books about a year ago, used to hold 100+ auctions per week.

I can tell you what is important in a camera (she could do it better but she's not a poster here).

Two issues:

1. Optical zoom of at least 8:1.
Digital zoom has absolutely no value.

2. Ability to take close-up shots (i.e. within 8 inches or so).
You need this for high detail items like jewelry (inscriptions, for example), art, china, collectibles and basically anything where the condition of the item can be considered "flawed" if the finish isn't perfect. (cracks, markings, etc.)

Most cameras will just not allow you to focus up that close.

She has had good success with the Kodak Easy Share Z7590. Costco sells one similar now:
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11036022&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=

Expect to pay $350 or more for such a camera as cheaper cameras will usually just not fulfill the two requirements mentioned above.


Hope this helps.

Dave

[GaryG]

Digital cam will make you a celebrity in Poland.

[chickenhead]

Digital cam will make you a celebrity in Poland.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[chickenhead]

1. Optical zoom of at least 8:1.

Ouch. I was hoping that I could get by with 3:1, moving much above that does start to jack up the price a bit. I'm going to borrow a friends 3:1 just to see what it looks like. I have no doubt you are correct, I've just got to do a little cost/benefit analysis here.

[Stevie Belmont]

I reccomend a Fuji A 350. This is a 5.2 megapixel camera. It's small and takes a great pic. Has a 3x optical zoom that is pretty good. Uses X D picture card technology which is fast. Price range from 150 to 250. Fuji makes one of the best lenses on the market. Fuji has nother model, think its the A 345 that is a 4.1 megapixels, but for the exta money...5.2 is well worth it. This is my 2nd Fuji camera. Circuit City should have them in stock. But if it's just ebay, 3.2 will work fine. You should be able to get a camera for ebay thats bewtween 135-200 with no problem. Check out the link.

http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/catOid/-13062/N/20013061+20013062+40001034/link/ref/rpem/ccd/categorylist.do

[JustRalph]

Canon!

[OTM Al]

I have a Canon and it is a very nice product. Optical zoom should be the biggest concern though. You don't need tons of megapixels, 3.2 looks pretty good, but 10x optical zoom is pretty much a must. The digital zoom doesn't remotely compare

[pandy]

I've had several digital cameras, including Olympus, an expensive Sony, and a Fuji S5100, which I use now. Fuji takes a very clear image for the money. The Sony I had was a bit better, but it sold for $700, and the Fuji camera I have now was half the price. For your purposes, you actually don't have to spend more than $150.00 if you don't want to. You'll be pleasantly suprised at the quality. Just don't get some weak brand. Sony, Canon, Fuji, Nikon, Olympus all make very good digital cameras at all price ranges.

[DJofSD]

Stay away from the HP's -- they're P.O.S.

I bought my son a Canon 410. From the little I've handled it, it seems like a winner.

[chickenhead]

I didn't know HP even made cameras, but from my experience at work with some of their computer lines its pretty much a given that I won't be buying any consumer products from them anytime soon. Junk!

[Doc]

I had a Sony for three years, it worked fine, and then the viewfinder went black. I called their Customer Service dept. and they sent a postage-paid label for me to send it back for repairs. Well, they didn't charge me for the repairs but the camera wasn't fixed, either. I was so ticked off that I decided to switch to another brand. I work at a newspaper and I asked one of the photographers what brand (s) I should consider, and the recommendations were a.) Canon and b.) Olympus. I haven't bought one yet, but those are the two brands I'm researching. I paid $350 for the Sony, and I'm definitely not going to spend that much for my next camera. I just use it for family stuff, occasional E-Bay items, pictures at the racetrack, etc. so I don't need a super high-tech gadget.

Doc

[Dave Schwartz]

Chickenhead,

I didn't know HP even made cameras, but from my experience at work with some of their computer lines its pretty much a given that I won't be buying any consumer products from them anytime soon. Junk!

I cannot agree about their stuff being junk. However, I do agree that when you have a problem, dealing with them is a hopeless cause.

If it wasn't for Costco, I'd stay away.

Beth had an HP camera that worked great. When it failed we returned it to Costco for a full refund and bought the Kodak online from Costco.


Dave

[GameTheory]

Canon makes the best and most reliable cameras and printers, IMO. I don't think I've ever had a single problem with a Canon product. We've got a very nice Canon digital (one the "Powershot" line) -- love it...

[AwolAtPA]

the Sony FD88 uses a floppy disk to store your pictures. The convenience of being able to take pictures and drop the floppy into ANY system with a 3 1/2 floppy drive is (to me) a major issue.

FD88 has 1.3 megaPixels with a 16x (sixteen) zoom. You can store an 'email' version which I used once for a friend that did an Ebay auction. It also has a MACRO setting for close up shots. A movie (as mpeg) with sound can also be taken by the FD88.

Since the FD88 is almost antique, you could probably get one for around a hundred dollars. Oh, be sure you get a battery charger with the sale and a new battery can cost nearly fifty bucks unless you find a discount place online. However, I am still using my original battery which will fill five (5) floppys with low density setting that takes good hobby/email type of pictures. Yes, the density can be changed to the 1.3 meg and then you might get five pictures. A movie can be as short as 15 seconds but one floppy is maxed out by about one minute.

I have had mine for over four years and have not been tempted to replace it with any of the new toys. Yes, originally it cost near a thousand, just like the new toys.

duane

[Dave Schwartz]

The convenience of being able to take pictures and drop the floppy into ANY system with a 3 1/2 floppy drive is (to me) a major issue.

I don't have any floppy drivs any more.

[JustRalph]

almost nobody uses floppy's anymore.........and you are happy with 1.3 megapixels? I bet you are looking around for a new phonograph needle in your spare time? Get Real............

[DJofSD]

What's a floppy?

[chickenhead]

Do any of them use USB memory yet? They probably don't like the idea as I'm sure they make a fabulous markup on their little memory cards, but I am sure those are going to go away pretty soon, like all proprietary less useful gadgets of that sort.

[Stevie Belmont]

Floppy Disk..lol...now thats funny. 1.3 megapixels......LOL...thats even funnier. This is what you call a stone age digital camera.