Choosing a digital camera

Hero of Excellence · **Joined:** 23rd Nov, 2008 **Posts:** 674

Don't need anything flash (arf!), just a day to day camera for capturing pleasant memories preferably for under a ton*.

My old one (which has stopped working) was a Kodak DX6340. Only took decent photos in the brightest sunlight, and everything was a bit grainy. I'm sure the tech in it is long surpassed by better stuff.

* One hundred Pounds Sterling, not weight.

myp · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:57

We've got this one, and it's brilliant. Slightly over your budget, though.

MrD · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 2139

A Kodak Easyshare DX6340? I've got the same camera right now, and I think it's groovy. You'd only be getting grain out of it if you're taking indoor shots in very poor light without a flash. Are you sure the lens is clean and such?

You're going to get similar results with almost all digital cameras under those conditions. EEEEEXCEPT a camera from the Fujifilm F series, I'm told.

Hero of Excellence · **Joined:** 23rd Nov, 2008 **Posts:** 674

What specs should I look for in general? :?:

Well, apart from supporting SD cards, but that's quite obvious.

I suspect 6 megapixels would be the bare minimum these days...

MrD · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 2139

Quote:

Well, apart from supporting SD cards, but that's quite obvious. ;)

Obvious...? Because you had a Kodak which took SD cards, right?

Hugh · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2009 5:09

Eight million pixies is a rough minimum these days. You can buy one for around £100.

Here is a one:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/p ... 590869.htm

AceAceBaby · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2009 8:52

The fewer megapixels over six the better, when it comes to compact digital sensors. That mushy noise you see at iso200+ is all thanks to the megapixel war. Sometimes less is more. You'll never* get a compact camera that can take good indoor shots without flash or long tripod exposure, though.

My suggestion would be:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-PowerShot ... 503&sr=8-1

It's a very capable little camera, and it also supports full manual control. You might not be bothered about that, but it can sometimes help to force a camera to take shots it would otherwise sniff at in automatic modes.

*never say never, I know.

kalmar · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:47

myp wrote:

We've got this one, and it's brilliant. Slightly over your budget, though.

I got the IXUS 70, which I think was 100 quid exactly at the time but appears to be 120 on Amazon now. They're very compact, easy to use and take good photos, you can easily toggle the flash off and on and it works well indoors without the flash too. (you get much warmer and more natural photos, just have to be careful about motion blur).

I don't use it on the highest resolution either..

Dudley · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 8679

Yeah, the 80 is bizarrely cheaper now. I have a 70, my mother has an 80, they're both equally acesticks.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38614

When I was selling Digi Cams (god, 4 years ago now) the IXUS 500 and it's successors were always, always the best camera, in picture quality, build quality and speed (and sales

)

Dudley · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 8679

It was borrowing James' ancient Ixus somethinglikethat when we were on holiday that made me go to WalMart and buy the 70 (Or SD1000 as it is in the US)

RuySan · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 3542

i have a Canon Powershot A620 for almost 3 years and its lovely.

Why are the ixus better than the powershot's?

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38614

ixus usually have the aluminium case and more manual functions. Plus, they look cool

RuySan · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 3542

i like mine because it has a detachable lcd. It's good when you want to take photos of funny looking people without them noticing

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38614

I used to sell those swively screen canons to vain looking types for self-portraits

RuySan · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 3542

they're also good when you want to take pictures close to the ground.

Hero of Excellence · **Joined:** 23rd Nov, 2008 **Posts:** 674

MrD wrote:

Obvious...? Because you had a Kodak which took SD cards, right?

Well, I thought the SD card was the cheapest type of memory card? Plus it helps that I have a few lying around.

MrD: I'm sure the camera would've held out for a bit longer, had I not lent it to my mum to wreck by jamming the zoom mechanism through clumsiness. Bah.

Anyway, thanks for giving me enough advice to digest for a bit guys. :hug:

I'll let you know what I eventually purchase.

KovacsC · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:28

Hero of Excellence wrote:

MrD wrote:

Obvious...? Because you had a Kodak which took SD cards, right?

Well, I thought the SD card was the cheapest type of memory card? Plus it helps that I have a few lying around.

MrD: I'm sure the camera would've held out for a bit longer, had I not lent it to my mum to wreck by jamming the zoom mechanism through clumsiness. Bah.

Anyway, thanks for giving me enough advice to digest for a bit guys. :hug:

I'll let you know what I eventually purchase.

But you don;t want cheap SD cards you want quick SD cards, right?

Hero of Excellence · **Joined:** 23rd Nov, 2008 **Posts:** 674

Kovacs Caprios wrote:

But you don;t want cheap SD cards you want quick SD cards, right?

Yes...

I know there's cheapo bootleg ones about and I try and avoid.

AceAceBaby · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2009 2:27

Sandisk Ultra IIs are cheap these days, I think.

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product ... _id=103778
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product ... _id=103778

KovacsC · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:52

Hero of Excellence wrote:

Kovacs Caprios wrote:

But you don;t want cheap SD cards you want quick SD cards, right?

Yes...

I know there's cheapo bootleg ones about and I try and avoid.

No i was not talking about bootleg ones.

Not for a better phase there are standard ones and fast ones.

The fast ones are for cameras etc.

JohnCoffey · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2009 13:38

I've got a wonderful Sony. And it is wonderful apart from the fact is uses their gay memory cards.

Hero of Excellence · **Joined:** 23rd Nov, 2008 **Posts:** 674

Kovacs Caprios wrote:

No i was not talking about bootleg ones.

Not for a better phase there are standard ones and fast ones.

The fast ones are for cameras etc.

Ah, the SDHC? So they're not just higher capacity, but faster too?

kalmar · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2009 13:03

Which one are you getting then?

Actually this reminds me, I have an old digital camera cluttering the place up - if anyone wants it PM me.

It's an Fuji Finepix, 2.3 mpix, uses smartmedia cards and needs a new battery.

AceAceBaby · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2009 13:05

What am I, chopped liver?
I'll stick to making stupid jokes in help request topics.

KovacsC · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2009 13:06

Hero of Excellence wrote:

Kovacs Caprios wrote:

No i was not talking about bootleg ones.

Not for a better phase there are standard ones and fast ones.

The fast ones are for cameras etc.

Ah, the SDHC? So they're not just higher capacity, but faster too?

I think they are different.

Sandisk do Normal, Ultra and Extreme.

Normal have a 5mb/sec read and write.
Ultra have a 10mb/sec read & write.
Extreme have a 20mb/sec read & write.

According to play.com anyway

itsallwater · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2009 15:02

For cheap Digital cameras I would look at morgancomputers.co.uk.

I've had a couple and they've been fine.

Da5e · **Posted:** Tue Jan 13, 2009 23:55

I just bought a Fuji Finepix S5700; am I an idiot?

itsallwater · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2009 0:00

Davydd Grimm wrote:

I just bought a Fuji Finepix S5700; am I an idiot?

Does it take pictures? Then no.

Da5e · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2009 0:03

It does. And it has about a million things to adjust in the menu, and I haven't got a clue what any of them do.

I took this, though:

Attachment:

DSCF0057.JPG

Dimrill · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2009 0:04

Knobs!

Da5e · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2009 0:07

We in the industry call them 'transports'.

Which, to be honest, just makes it funnier.

AceAceBaby · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2009 2:52

Looks fine

myp · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2009 8:43

If you squint at it, that picture looks like an ancient martian city.

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Choosing a digital camera

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