[HM] Digital camera

[Duane Murphy]

--- At Wed, 27 Nov 2002 20:40:22 -0800, Jane Sprando wrote:

>My family wants to give me a digital camera for Christmas, but I know
>nothing about them.
>
>I need your comments and opinions on what a good camera have/not have.
>Thanks.

I have been reading the recommendations on the list and I have a few of
my own opinions that I would like to share.

Digital camera technology is changing rapidly. Buying an older camera may
be a bit cheaper but its old technology. By something new.

2 Megapixel will not do an 8x10. You can get a 5x7, but the on-line photo
sites will not allow you to do an 8x10. 

2 Megapixel cameras are currently reasonably inexpensive. I have a 3
megapixel Pentax Optio 330. I mostly use the 2 megapixel setting because
it allows me to take more photos on the cartridge and I usually dont need
that kind of resolution.

Another advantage of the 3 megapixel setting is zooming. You can take a
picture of something far away at 3M using the lens zoom but not the
digital zoom. Dont ever use the digital zoom!. Then bring the picture
into a photo program like photoshop and zoom as much as you like where
you can control it.

While you might be lucky to find a camera that uses AA (or other standard
batteries) I wouldnt worry too much about it. Buy 1 or 2 extra batteries
and a charger. This has not been a problem for me.

Memory cartridges are cheap and getting cheaper. Compact flash appears to
be winning out over the other two popular formats and can be used for
other things. Buy the biggest cartridge you can reasonably afford but
watch the price curve. That is see where the megabytes per buck changes
over and dont go (too hight) above the low point.

The biggest annoyance in the camera is the shutter delay. It will be
frustrating at first and then just annoying as you get used to it. It
does make instant one-time-only action shots virtually impossible.

I could never go back to a view finder. I find the LCD display to be a
great feature. It allows me to see much more reasonably what will
eventually become a photograph.

The best thing about digital cameras is that you can take as many
pictures as you want cause they're free! If you dont like the picture
take another or two or ten. Who cares just delete them if you dont like
them. That's another reason to get the biggest memory you can afford.

What ever you decide, I'm quite sure you'll have fun. Having a digital
camera as resparked my interest in photography. Gotta love that instant
gratification.

Good luck,
 ...Duane