Beginner's Choice of Digital Camera

[Peetie Wheatstraw]

Years ago I bought a cheapo Digital Concepts camera for $15 - 10 rebate. Didn't even have a flash. Still works, but it's more a toy than a cam.

I'm strapped for cash, but I've got $150 in Sears gift cards. Figger I'll buy myself a real beginners digcam for Xmas.

What's good? What's bad? I once asked an Office Max sales guy about their display of maybe 20 cams and got blank, blank stares.

It's just me and my crazy dawg here. Do any beginners cams (bc's) have something more sophisticated than 2 and 10 second shutter delays?

I assume they all have software that'll allow USB 2.0 downloads to .jpg files and the like ...

The only bc's I've seen with as much as 1 yr warranty are Canon.

Sears has Canon PowerShot A560 7mp for $150. Anybody know anything about that make/model? Know of anything better for comparable $?

Thx, Peetie

[JoeSpareBedroom]

You're asking for a huge amount of information, and it's unlikely anyone is going to write a book for you when there's already so much information on the web.

Start here:

Take a look at some of the Olympus Stylus models. Some are inexpensive, and there's also a way to get a great deal on them, as well as other Olympus models: Buy a refurbished unit FROM OLYMPUS, via eBay.

Example:

This is the seller's profile:

[ransley]

Digital Camea Review or

rates cameras. Actualy they just tested the new Fuji. If you want a deal I think is the best Hammacher Schlemmer offers lifetime warranty on what they sell and they sell Fuji. I dont know the model but Fuji often rates better than the competion, they have the best sensor I feel, and good optics. I think they have a fuji for 150 at HS. I only recomend HS because digicams break easily and the extra warrantys you buy are a rip off, I just ruined my camera lcd screen and its not worth the money to fix it. Call HS find out the model and go to dpreview to see its full review, you wont go wrong, I am likely getting a fuji from HS when I get a new camera.

[Cshenk]

"Peetie Wheatstraw" wrote

I think thats the same model I have. It looks just like mine but I can't check as it's in one of the many boxes not yet unpacked after our move back to the states.

I think you will be happy with it. Its a little bit 'fancy' in that it has lots of added features but it also will work in a simpler 'point and click' which the really high end units don't do as easy.

2 drawbacks but as far as i know, all digitals have the same problem and it's a matter of degree. 1- not much memory at all so you really need an addon card. You'll also lose any stored pictures in the camera's own memory when you slide the new card in. This model takes the less expensive cards and sears will have them. You don't need a huge card but I did so it cost me about 75$ I think. You can probably get away witht he smallest one and I think those were 25$ or so? You can store something like 4 pictures at the higher resolutions without the addon card. You can get the card later after trying the camera out. You should be allowed to try it out at sears and see how many pics at the resolution you find useful, will fit. You'll need 2 AA batteries. They might require you provide them to try the camera out . 2- Eats batteries fast. To attempt to save them, it autoshuts off. I think that can be turned off if it starts to be a problem. Sometimes the batteries die when the lens is extended and you cant retract it til you put in fresh batteries. It seems to slowly leach batteries even when turned off? If you plan to use it alot, you may find it 'cheaper' to get some rechargable batteries and a small recharger. We have a recharger that cost us about 25$ but it does AA, C, and D cells plus the 9V rectangle ones. You might be able to find a simpler unit for just AA cells for 10$. Maybe Craigslist.com and a hunt of your area will turn up a freebie

[Malcolm Hoar]

Most of the Canon's and Nikon's are pretty decent. The A560 can be had for less -- Dell have it currently at $124; Buydig.com at $134 with free shipping and probably no tax depending on where you live. Maybe Sears will match?

Lots of good info and reviews available here:

With most cameras you should plan on buying an extra (larger) memory card. With many, you should plan on an extra battery too. A few models have really long battery life but I've normally found it better to work with two batteries -- put a new battery in and charge the old one. Then you always have one fully charged battery on hand.

[HeyBub]

On the WinXP and WinVista newsgroups there is universal ragging about the unbelievably crappy software that comes with Hewlitt-Packard cameras (and just about everything else HP sells), principally the incompatibility their software has with the operating system and other functions.

If getting your pictures OUT of your camera and INTO the computer is important, bear in mind that you may have problems attempting to use HP software to do it.

[salty]

Not needed. Connect you camera via USB to the PC and WinXP will automagically find it and treat it just like it's another hard drive. Drag the files from the card in the camera to your hard drive. I would never install any crapware that comes free with a camera.

[Cshenk]

"HeyBub" wrote

Naw, if I am right and it's the same unit I have, when you plug it in to the USB port, XP thinks it just gained a removable hard-drive. You can just copy stuff over from it.

I know it doesnt have all the fancy features, but this one is an easy beginner type which works well for it's price. I do not work for Canon or anything, just a happy owner. There were some cheaper ones but being camera 'dumb' most were just too hard to figure out. The price was right and the ease was right. It can also do a sort of moving picture video and i think it can trap sound as well but I havent played with that feature.

[S. Barker]

check the red tag specials at walmart. I just bought a nikon coolpix L4 for $75.

s

[IGot2P]

Following are three URLs of reviews for that exact camera:

Happy reading,

Don

[Peetie Wheatstraw]

I've -got- the software that came with my HP 4215 printer/etc installed. It's not useless, but it has been damned problematical.

I'm still running Win 2000, swore off OS's that report hardware profiles, etc years ago. I figger I'll have to install the vendor's (i.e. Canon) software or a freeware/shareware product (if available).

HP and GE and any cheapo cam vendors are currently not in my sights.

Thx. Peetie

[Puddin' Man]

Is indeed helpful.

I took a peek. Refurb with 3 mo. warranty. I'd rather plunk down a few more $ ...

Thanks, Peetie

"Well, there's two trains runnin'. Ain't neither one goin' my way. One run at midnight, the other run just before day." - from "Still A Fool", Muddy Waters, maybe 1949

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Yeah, that's an important factor to weigh. I decided to take my chances, and I saved a lot of money. Took 3 weeks to actually win an auction, though. There were lots of morons bidding the prices up to a level higher than the best legitimate deals on NEW cameras. I finally got mine on Halloween. I think the dumb bidders were in a candy coma. Nice quiet night on eBay.

[Puddin' Man]

I'll check it out. Thanks.

Peetie

"Well, there's two trains runnin'. Ain't neither one goin' my way. One run at midnight, the other run just before day." - from "Still A Fool", Muddy Waters, maybe 1949

[Malcolm Hoar]

It's a pretty basic camera but that was great deal at $75!

[Malcolm Hoar]

Here are some good recommendations covering the spectrum from $130 to $8000:

Rockwell is kind of opinionated but this is a pretty sensible (although not exhaustive) list of good buys. He'll wisely steer you away from ebay and other scam rich sources.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Buying a refurb from the original manufacturer isn't a scam.

[Malcolm Hoar]

I didn't say it was. However, I do maintain that ebay is a scam rich source. And even opening an ebay account exposes one to some of that nonsense. I can safely discard all of the email that refers to my ebay account for the simple reason that I don't have one. If I actually had an account there I'd have to sort out the genuine from all of the scams. And I get many of them each and every day!

[Puddin' Man]

Good idea, I shoulda thought of.

They only match to retail B&M's or B&M's web sites with Sears web site, near as I can tell.

A 1gb SD card is maybe $10-15. I'll sort out the battery stuff later.

Thanks, Peetie

"Well, there's two trains runnin'. Ain't neither one goin' my way. One run at midnight, the other run just before day." - from "Still A Fool", Muddy Waters, maybe 1949

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Check

for prices before you make your final purchase. Excellent service, if you ever need it.