Digital Cameras?

Dave8812

Dave8812

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I am looking to buy a new digital camera. I want at least 4.0 Megapixels, preferably 5 or more. I know that I've seen some pretty high quality pics of everyones Bimmers, so I need some input from you guys. What kind do you own, which is your favorite? Maybe some pros and cons about them. I've been looking at these two models:

Kodak Easyshare Z7590
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H1

But having no prior knowledge about digital cameras, I have no idea what is going to be a good buy. My price limit is about $500, so nothing over that. Any suggestions, good/bad expieriences that you all could share? Thanks in advance.[wiggle]
 
Tom

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I have a Nikon CoolPix 4300. It's pretty good, but kinda slow and not very good for night time pictures. Maybe I'm just using it improperly. [???1]
 
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epj3

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Tom that seems pretty typical of nikon.

Kodak's are very fast, but I DEFINITELY think you should look in to a canon...

The kodak you listed has a slow autofocus, and the images come out VERY soft.
http://www.bmwchannel.com/eric/BMW Stuff/100_0009.JPG
That image was taken with the 6490 (4 megapixel version of the same camera) - the new one will look pretty much the same, just a higher resolution.

Here's a review on the sony:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydsch1/
Click the pull down menu to "Samples". Personally, with samples like those, I wouldn't buy that camera. There is purpling around the edges of bright surfaces, and the autofocus doesn't seem to work all that great. (Purpling is very bad in this image, http://img2.dpreview.com/gallery/sonydsch1_samples/dsc00069.jpg and this one, http://img2.dpreview.com/gallery/sonydsch1_samples/dsc00080.jpg)

Personally - I would buy a canon - BUT, in that price range, I think you're better off with the sony than the kodak.
 
MrElussive

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That Sony is a good camera and Sony digicams typically have pretty good flashes (for night time shooting). I am no digicam expert but Cnet.com is a good site to checkout reviews for digital cameras, although they are a bit too critical for my taste - but I guess that's a good thing.
 
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epj3

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Dave8812 said:
Ya, I need something that takes good pictures at night, and is pretty fast for sports/action shots.
Click to expand...
You'd have to read his site (dpreview.com), But sony has always been good at nightime shooting - both still camera's and camcorders.
 
jrt67ss350

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I agree with Eric - I don't think you can go wrong with a Canon digicam. I have a 3 year old Powershot A70 3.2 megapixel, and my mom has a Powershot SD300 4.0 megapixel. Both take beautiful pictures. The SD300 is much smaller and takes comparable quality pictures. You won't find any Canon with such serious problems like the color distortion with high contrast surfaces like in the Sony samples above.

Kodaks may be fast, but they take very "soft" pictures just like Eric said above.
 
Auslander RML

Auslander RML

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I just recently picked up a Kodak 6490, which is okay, but hindight is 20/20. The 10x zoom is rare in a 'point and shoot', but there is no manual focus, and like Eric said, autofocus is slow and does not like to work in low light. For the price, I am still pleased with my Kodak. Canon has a BIG reputation. I have a friend in digital arts who just picked up a digital Rebel EOS... [pray]

Knowing what I know now, I would look at someting like this...
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1419159&CatId=0
 
Dave8812

Dave8812

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Thanks for the input. I am leaning a little more towards the Canon now, but I'm still not quite sure. I think the faster focus and overall picture-taking speed is going to be more important to me. I also like the features on the Sony DCS-H1 and the Canon Power Shot S2 IS where I can adjust the shutter speed and apature and stuff like that. I guess I'll read a few more reviews, and I'm stopping by Best Buy tomorrow to see what they have to say. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks again.
 
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epj3

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Auslander RML said:
I just recently picked up a Kodak 6490, which is okay, but hindight is 20/20. The 10x zoom is rare in a 'point and shoot', but there is no manual focus, and like Eric said, autofocus is slow and does not like to work in low light. For the price, I am still pleased with my Kodak. Canon has a BIG reputation. I have a friend in digital arts who just picked up a digital Rebel EOS... [pray]

Knowing what I know now, I would look at someting like this...
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1419159&CatId=0
Click to expand...
Plus I doubt you paid the $500 I paid for the 6490 - if I would've been able to get it for $200 - $300, what they go for now-a-days, I would've kept it.

Dave - the big thing is buy whatever camera feels best to you. By the time you resize the images, and edit them a bit (sharpen and etc.), most normal people would never know the difference.
 
Dave8812

Dave8812

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Thanks for all the help guys! I went for the Canon Power Shot S2 IS. Just about everyone I talked to reccomended the Canon over the Sony. Its a great digicam and should serve my purposes quite well. Thanks to Auslander RML for reccomending it to me. Here's a pic for you guys... I used the panoramic mode and combining software. The picture is of my front yard view. Its really big, so sorry. Enjoy!
 
foomonkey525i

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That's a lovely view.

Congrats on the purchase, and I hope you'll be happy with it. I think you will be. I've liked Canons for a while now. I have a Rebel 35mm that has worked very well for me, and my dad and I have D10s, which are fantastic, although those aren't really what you were looking for.

My mom has a smaller one, A## I believe (not sure what the number is), that seems to be a good little camera.

Anyway, even though this comes a bit late, I would have suggested going with a Canon.
 
Stitch

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I bought my best friend a Kodak 4.0 megaPixel digital camera for Christmas gift last yr. Bought a Kodak, because they got the J.D. Power Award last yr. Everything was great except didn't work under the freezing point, even trying my best to warm it up w/ my body. My minolta never did that to me.
 
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