Good quality digital camera?

[CTO]

I am looking at the Olympus Myu Range, goes underwater to 10m, shock proof 100kgs (OK I need to loose 4 before I sit on it) and is a great little camera.

 

Can't afford it

[dddave]

I like cameras that take AA batteries which can be purchased virtually anywhere and don't tie you to a charger. The disadvantage is that it makes the cameras a bit bulkier.

Try the camera out in the store and pay attention to how much "shutter lag" it has: that is the time between when you push the button and when it actually takes the picture, some are worse than others. Also, notice how long the flash takes to recycle for the next shot.

Do the controls feel comfortable in your hands, is the zoom control convenient.

Some cameras have an optical viewer as well as the lcd screen. This can be very useful in situations where there is strong backlight which washes out the lcd. It can also help when your batteries are low and you want to conserve power, you can turn the lcd off.

Make sure the retailer throws in a decent size memory card, at least 1Gb.

If buying in a country other than your home, try to get one with an international warranty.

[drogon]

Thanks a lot for your answers a,d your technical advices.

 

I am looking for a camera which allowd me to take "good quality pictures" both outdoor and indoor but I am not going to put 1K euros in a camera.

 

-> will make the girlfriend and me happy when she comes in 2 months.

 

Having not lived in my home country for at least 5 years warranties are usually the last thing I rely on. (had too many bad suprises with them)

[The_Munchmaster]

What kind of photographer are you?

I thought Drogons opening line would have given you a hint. :smirk:

 

"I know nothing about photography"

 

[The_Munchmaster]

....On the other hand, if you will be viewing them on your computer screen or having them printed onto A5 paper, then 4-5 MP would be fine,....

You might well be right but in reality I don't think there is much point talking about 4 or 5 MP as I'd be surprised if any of the major manufacturers make a 4 or 5 MP camera any more.

 

Actually Canon have one model at 5 MP but it's a cheapy. After that they have a few models at 7.1 MP but the majority are 8 or 10 MP.

 

[drogon]

Hum quite true, thanks munchie; all I know about photography is playboy.

:grin:

 

But since then the only photos I have are from my girlfriend -> I like her photos both fully clothed and without clothes

:grin:

Videos are nice too but sorry no porn video

(although she could make a fortune filming her sex scenes)

[gene1944]

I bought the Fuji F50fd last November and I love it. I have taken about 2,200 pix in the 4 months I've owned it. It is easy to use and sets up quickly for shots. Batteries last a long time. It has 12MB pixels but that really isn't that impressive unless you plan on taking poster shots. Two of my friends bought the same camera here in Bangkok based on my recommendation.

 

Best tips here are to determine what kind of photos you primarily plan to take, check out camera features/opinions on the web and then get some hands on experience with each camera you consider before buying.

 

I bought my camera on Amazon in the USA and got a 2GB memory card also. The camera store in BKK was $125 more expensive and offered only a 1 GB card.

[torrenova]

I bought a Canon IXUS 50 when it was the top model about 4 years ago and even though it has only 4MP it is fine for everyday photos. Had an IXUS 40 before that.

 

They are light, almost foolproof, very durable and I don't find the battery life an issue as you can always carry a spare. They will do 150 photos no problem on a 4 year old battery.

 

If I needed a new one that is what I would get, a newer Canon IXUS. No need for the top of the range but some have image stabilisation now and some larger video formats. That would be good. After that you pay exponentially for very little extra performance.

 

In Thailand I'd expect to pay perhaps Bt12k to Bt16k for one.

[CTO]

I use a Fuji as well, very happy with it, I have two actually, a pocket for the wife, and a slightly more serious one for me.

 

My mum likes the Fji as it has settings that do the thinking for you, like "Beach" "Party" Etc, that's good help if you don't know.

 

Agree with dddave, AA batteries are good, however the battery life in the Fuji is pretty good.

 

Some people also get interested in the memory type, SD Vs XD, may be worth while,

 

Since your post I went looking at Amazon at the Olympus I dream for, but I now don't want it

 

HOWEVER this link was good

 

http://www.digicamera.com/reviews/

 

Read the revues on Amazon as well

[jonjon058]

Okay, went to the camera shop today and tried out the Canons. Much less delay than my current digital camera but some, and despite the anti-shaking claim you still have to try to hold it still during the shot.

 

Then I tried the Fuji Finepix F40 and fell in love with it. Very fast and hardly any blurring even when I was swinging the camera while snapping photos. I have read that this camera is great under low light, and seems to be true. The Canons need more light or the delay is noticable and therefore the blurring. The Canon with the flash still wasn't as fast as Fuji without. The Fuji wasn't too bulky so I can easily carry it around with me, and price was less than $200. Bought it on the spot.