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Across the Fence:  What kind of digital camera do you have?  |
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Leezard
True Blue Farmgirl
950 Posts
Elizabeth
Novi
MI
USA
950 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 30 2008 : 10:11:31 AM
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I haven't noticed this asked here before and didn't se it come up in a search so fill me in ladies  I'm thinking about buying a new digital camera with some of my stimulus money but I'm not sure what exactly I'm looking for...I don't want something too fancy but I would like something that has a good zoom, a good screen and will take quality pictures. So let me know what kind you have as well as what you like and don't like about it.
http://ruby--slippers.blogspot.com/
www.leezard.etsy.com |
Edited by - Leezard on Apr 30 2008 10:13:20 AM |
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Peanut
True Blue Farmgirl
603 Posts
Jennifer
Waverly
Virginia
USA
603 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2008 : 10:23:57 AM
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I have a Sony Cybershot 7.2 megapixels. It also takes short movies.
I like the zoom, but sometimes I'm really far away from something and wish I had one of those huge pro-zoom lenses.
My blog: http://thecottonwife.wordpress.com/
"John Deere. We stand behind everything we sell. Except the manure spreader." |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2008 : 11:14:28 AM
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| I just bought a Canon Rebel xti. They are coming out with a new one later this spring, but this model is supposed to be essentially just as good. It's 10 megapixels and you can use it as a fully automatic point and shoot, or you can adjust all the settings yourself. I haven't been using it long enough to tell you much about specific features, but I like it. I had a cheap digital camera before this one and it simply didn't work. The software wouldn't work with my computer, the batteries died after just a few minutes of use, the customer service was lousy. The Rebel xti works the way it says it will, and the manual is actually useful and easy to read. |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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Prairie Princess
True Blue Farmgirl
1075 Posts
Jodi
Washington
USA
1075 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2008 : 11:49:21 AM
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I can't remember exactly what model my camera is (not a huge electronics person, lol), but it's a 6 megapixel HP camera. The picture quality is great, I love it, but it's had some 'technical' problems, and so I wouldn't recommend getting an HP. The lense doesn't always close when I turn it off, sometimes the shutter goes haywire and won't stop clicking, etc.
~Jodi
"Women are like teabags...you never know how strong they are until they get into hot water." Eleanor Roosevelt |
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kydeere40744
True Blue Farmgirl
1132 Posts
Jessica
Kentucky
USA
1132 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2008 : 12:12:26 PM
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Hey there Elizabeth. I love photography - I'm a shutterbug that's for sure! I currently have a Sony A100 with two lens (18-75mm and 75-300mm) mainly because the lens also worked with my film camera that I had, which was a Minolta. It is great with low light situations because of the anti-shake. I've done a lot of concert photography with it. I also have a micro zoom/wide lens attachment to take even more upclose shots of flowers, etc. It's a lot to carry around and sony is always changing what they have.
If you want a simple camera, there are a lot to chose from. Some prefer Canon, some Nikon, some Olympus, etc. It is really based on the individual style and situation. There are a lot of things to look into. I recommend going to a store that sells cameras and test them out there at the store. Bring a friend along too to test them out. Another thing to look into is the mb. I recommend having 6 or more mb for a camera if you plan to print out photos to enlarge them for other uses. Then again, I have an Olympus point and shoot camera that is a little over 3 mb and it does great with photos up to 8x10.
Don't forget to read online reviews of cameras. You can go to Amazon.com and get true customer reviews that purchased the camera from amazon. There are various computer websites that provide reviews as well. A few useful & reliable websites:
http://www.dpreview.com/ (click on buying guide and it can provide cameras based on your specifications)
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/
http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/
I highly recommend testing out the camera, take a couple of photos to see what the photos look like on the screen with the different zoom options. Just because a point and shoot has a high digital zoom does it equal quality. You will notice that there will be a lot of camera shake.
Something else to look into is the type of memory card it holds & batteries. I recommend rechargeable batteries or batteries that are specially made for digital cameras. They will last longer. With memory cards, the camera usually comes with a very small card that will hold a handful of photos. When you buy a camera, get a card. The bigger the GB on the card, the more photos you can hold. I always recommend at least a 2GB and get at least two because you never know.
Finally - always back up your photos onto cds or get prints made of your photos and if the place you get them printed at, get a cd through them. It's usually a couple of dollars, but well worth it.
Also - just because the item is brand spanking new, doesn't mean it is the best quality overall. Some folks will buy the "newest" technology because it is hot on the market. Usually if you see something that has been out for a few years, you can get information on experiences...plus it is a lot cheaper than fresh on the market. I remember when digital cameras first started out, they were several hundred and several thousand dollars, but now those cameras are very affordable.
I know that this is a lot of info, but if you need anything else, don't hesitate to email me. I don't mind a bit to help.
~Jessica in Kentucky & Farmgirl Sisterhood #137~
Be sure to visit my blog & Crafty Clipart for some of my photographs:
http://bluegrassprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftyclipart.com |
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Leezard
True Blue Farmgirl
950 Posts
Elizabeth
Novi
MI
USA
950 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2008 : 12:32:16 PM
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What great suggestions! Thank you for all of your help ladies! Now I've got a lot more checking around to do...lol
Jessica, could you tell me what kinds of things I'm looking for to take quality pictures? I generally know what megapixles and such are but I'm not certain what kinds of numbers (megapixles, zoom options, etc.) make for a quality camera.
http://ruby--slippers.blogspot.com/
www.leezard.etsy.com |
Edited by - Leezard on Apr 30 2008 12:37:10 PM |
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kydeere40744
True Blue Farmgirl
1132 Posts
Jessica
Kentucky
USA
1132 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2008 : 2:49:31 PM
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Elizabeth - don't mind a bit to help. Mainly to take quality photos, first you need to know your subject. Some cameras have the auto settings (they preset the shutter speed/aperature, etc for you) for different things. Here are the common ones:
- Sports (usually is a running man)
- Floral/upclose (usually is a flower)
- All over landscape - you want to see everything without blur - (usually is mountain)
- People (usually has person's profile)
- Dark time (usually is a star or something indicating dark)
- Direct sunlight (usually has a sun)
From my experience, I would get something that has the sport/fast, people/portrait, and the flower. The sport/fast setting is excellent for low light settings and to capture action, whether it is a child's ballgame, horses running, etc. The people/portraits helps correct the color balance and has the person's face in focus and the background blurred. The flower will allow you to get upclose shots of flowers, insects, fabrics, etc.
For the megapixels, get something at least 6 or above. Basically, the bigger the megapixel, the larger the file will be and the larger the photo you will be able to print without losing quality. However - remember that the larger the file is on your camera, the more room it takes up on your computer. I have an external hard drive that is 300 gigabytes to hold all my photos. It is extremely handy and it cost a little more than $100, but well worth it.
Zoom options - for the digital SLR camera (like the Sony A100), on the lens, you can go pretty low and pretty high up to around 300 or even more. The lower the number, the wider the shot you can get. The higher the number, the more upclose you can get. Real world example....for a family reunion photo of say 10-15 people. You would want to use a lower number zoom (say 18mm) to be upclose and take everyone's photo rather than the bigger zoom (300mm) where you would have to back up really far away to get everyone in the photo. For a sporting event or to take photos of an animal further away, you would want the higher number zoom (300mm) because you can get upclose to the action without being really upclose. Perfect for photos of birds in your feeders, etc. For a regular point and shoot, I've used up to 12x, but with it, the higher the number, the more camera shake you will get and your photos may still come out blurry.
Make sure to hold the camera - is it too heavy, does it fit the size of your hand properly (sometimes cameras can be too big or too small for your fingers). Is it easy to navigate the features? A very useful feature that comes with most cameras is the self timer. This is very handy to have so that you can jump into the photos with your family, say around Christmas photos.
Oh - I forgot to mention to price compare. You would be totally amazed by how much money you can save by doing this. You can do a google search for RetailMeNot and that website can provide you with coupon codes for various websites as well. Check with your friends too and see their photos and what kind of camera you use.
Oh - and someone mentioned about movies. Some cameras have them, some don't. My olympus has that feature, but for some reason has no sound for them. I have no clue why. Something to remember though, those movies eat up memory on your memory card. But they can be fun keepsakes to have to remember how someone talked or looked.
I've got some worksheets, etc that I've done in the past for beginning classes in photography for the 4H kids and homemakers and other groups here. I don't mind emailing them if you would like. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. :) I know that a few others will probably could give you some more information and personal experiences as well. I need to ask Wilma what she just bought recently for her photos.
~Jessica in Kentucky & Farmgirl Sisterhood #137~
Be sure to visit my blog & Crafty Clipart for some of my photographs:
http://bluegrassprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftyclipart.com |
Edited by - kydeere40744 on Apr 30 2008 2:50:26 PM |
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handyam
True Blue Farmgirl
394 Posts
Ada Mae
Greensburg
KY.
USA
394 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2008 : 7:46:02 PM
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I have a Kodak Easy Share C643. Great camera. It's small and easy to carry.
I also have a Kodak Easy Share P850. It is a bigger, bulkier camera, but makes great far-off shots. I usually take both on a trip with me--the only trouble is that I end up with duplicate pictures. I need to figure out a system so that won't happen.
www.adasadorableaprons.blogspot.com
This is the day that the Lord has made. |
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Leezard
True Blue Farmgirl
950 Posts
Elizabeth
Novi
MI
USA
950 Posts |
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herbquilter
True Blue Farmgirl
891 Posts
Kristine
Bonney Lake
Wa
USA
891 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2008 : 10:39:24 AM
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I just love you farmgirls...so much information & talent to share.
Really appreciate it!!!
Blessings,
Kristine ~ Mother of Many, MRET & Wellness Coach
Farmgirl Sister #97
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Tammy Claxton
True Blue Farmgirl
1559 Posts
Tammy
Glen Burnie
Maryland
USA
1559 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2008 : 5:32:03 PM
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I have a Kodak Easy Share cw330. I've had mine for 3 years now with the docking station for printing pics and it's still going strong!
Crafty Bay Farmgirl Chapter
"A friend is someone who does things that count, but never stops to count them"
Farmgirl #152
http://countryintheburbs.blogspot.com/ |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2008 : 7:14:47 PM
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I have some cool photos to share with you, but I can't find my transfer cord that links the camera to the computer. I always think seeing how the pictures come out helps too.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
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Leezard
True Blue Farmgirl
950 Posts
Elizabeth
Novi
MI
USA
950 Posts |
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kydeere40744
True Blue Farmgirl
1132 Posts
Jessica
Kentucky
USA
1132 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 08:07:56 AM
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You are very welcome Elizabeth. Just let me know if you ever need anything else. :)
Julie - I think you will enjoy the Sony camera. I've had good experiences with mine so far and I've had it for a couple of years.
~Jessica in Kentucky & Farmgirl Sisterhood #137~
Be sure to visit my blog & Crafty Clipart for some of my photographs:
http://bluegrassprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftyclipart.com |
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Maryjane Lee
True Blue Farmgirl
2195 Posts
Maryjane
CA
USA
2195 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 10:05:51 AM
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I have a PINK Cannon Power Shot SD1100 IS - 8.0. It does everything! Talked about it over on my blog. I got it a month ago and love it! Good luck finding a camera!
Hugs, Maryjane Lee
Farmgirl Sister #44
http://thebeehivecottage.blogspot.com
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4316 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4316 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2008 : 04:40:24 AM
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We have a Canon Rebel EOS. Great camera. Could use a closeup lense. Maybe when we get rich. Anyways, it takes great pictures.
Michele |
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Across the Fence: What kind of digital camera do you have? |
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What kind of digital camera do you have?
