Hi, having recently gone through the process of buying a digital camera: a)Digital zoom is definately useless. Far better to do your digital zooming at a later date on your computer.
b)Memory. You can do video (perceived frame rate on my camera, 2-5 fps) which gives an "ok" video stream, but it chews memory big time. 128 meg is the minimum size - in my view. Remember, you have to store one day's worth (or perhaps 2) of trigger happy action on the card. c)Lens quality is crucial. - good optical zoom is important. d)examine the other electronic equipment in your posessions. Some like to have all panasonic equipment, or other manufacturer. It may be posible to get a memory type that is compatible with some other device in your posessions. e)grab a knoppix CD. go into the store, boot their computer up on knoppix, and see if it reads your proposed camera. f)NiMH batteries work fine. As with all rechargeable batteries, never leave them in a discharged state. g)I paid $700 about 4 months ago for my camera, and got 3 Mega pixels. - Which can be printed out on various services (frogprint) which is similar in quality to photographic. Then I spent more money on rechargeables & 128 Meg Stick. h)With digital cameras, you take many more photos. Thus, you are more likely to capture the special moment. If you capture the special moment (taking photo of kids is not easy) subtle graininess in the picture is irrelevant. i)mega pixels. 3 is "ok". I suspect that now you can get cameras with heaps more. Derek. ================================ On Sat, 28 Feb 2004, Jason Greenwood wrote: > Hi All, > > No offense,\ but I'm in the trade Volker and I must disagree with your > assertions, see below: > > Volker Kuhlmann wrote: > >>The Canon A series work good with gphoto2. > > > > > > Anything which needs gphoto instead of just working like a disk drive is > > a PITA. > > MOST cameras require GPhoto or a card reader, rarely do they use the > standard USB Mass Storage Protocol. Besides, for $44 you can have one of > our 7 in 1 Card Reader/Writers that works at USB 2.0 Speeds and can stay > plugged into your system instead of having to futz about with > plugging/unplugging the camera all the time. > > >>Get good lenses, NiMH batteries, & compact flash (preferably CF2) > >>storage. > > > > > > Ack. Unfortunately, standard batteries seem to be replaced with that > > awful lithium-ion rubbish leaving no choice afterwards. Want a spare > > battery? No problem. That's $150, thanks... > > Wrong, very wrong. Check out our battery prices online, even for > InfoLithium. > > > > > Getting all those features you listed in $400-600 is unrealistic. > Again, wrong. > > If > > you get them at all, they'd have to be rock-bottom I-hate-to-say > > quality. > Again, wrong: > Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P72 - NZD$519.00 > Nikon Coolpix 4300 Digital Camera - NZD$655.00 > Canon PowerShot A60 Digital Camera - NZD$395.00 > Canon PowerShot A70 Digital Camera - NZD$498.00 > Canon PowerShot A80 Digital Camera - NZD$671.00 > > Those are not no-name, cheapy ass Digital Zoom models from some unknown > supplier either. > > 256MB memory (kind of minimum you'd want) starts at $140 for > > CF. From a photographic point of view, the picture quality of most > > $1000-1500 digicams is rubbish (read consumer Oct 03 onwards for > > comparisons). I don't want to know what the story is at 1/3 of that > > price. > > You've been out of the loop for a while haven't you? > > Cheers > > Jason > > > -- Derek Smithies Ph.D. This PC runs pine on linux for email IndraNet Technologies Ltd. If you find a virus apparently from me, it has Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] forged the e-mail headers on someone else's machine ph +64 3 365 6485 Please do not notify me when (apparently) receiving a Web: http://www.indranet-technologies.com/ windows virus from me......
