Digital Cameras

[pixelfrog]

Hi All,

I'm finally gonna get a digital camera, but not quite sure what kind yet. Can anyone recommend a good hiking/backpacking digital camera that can take the trail and is 3 megapixels? Also I will want to boost the memory up quite a bit.

Thanks in Advance!

Paul

[tibber]

but I'm a "zoomer" 18x... and yes, I even own a Mazda... zoom, zoom, zoom

Mother Nature provides the picture, I just try to take it and do it justice.

[joebartels]

Unfortunately even the Canon SX 10 w/ it's 20x zoom is just bringing in distortion closer to you. If you look at the pixels close up in an original sized 18x photo you'll see it's blurred. Hence it's impossible for the end result to be miraculous. Basically you desire an element out the range of... never mind it's hopeless your heart is set on it, just buy it

[RedRoxx44]

I dunno, my marmot pic ( or is that a marten and what it the difference??) is an almost full zoom on the Sony dsc-h50 then I cropped it and I think it's pretty clear. I had the G-10 with me for a day hike after the back pack and missed out on two elk cows playing some distance away in a meadow. Of course it's stellar in what it does do. Uh, and I'm referring to my Wind Rivers album. I am sure if you were to blow up that pic for printing it would be somewhat pixelated, but I agree with Angela, I like to zoom too. Just too lazy to bring the big lenses for the DSLR.

Reminds me I need to fire up the photo printer and print a new crop of stuff for around the house soon from the past year's hikes. Gonna be hard choosing which ones.

[joebartels]

As I said, if your heart is set on it then buy it. Everybody has their own preferences and reasonings ;)

[Grasshopper]

..but I think the G10 in the "near" price range is better. The larger sensor on the Canon is the key, easier to pocket too Heck it turned Hanks trips into masterpieces, he gets several excellent shots often.

Hank turned his trips into masterpieces, the camera is just his tool

For me it really has turned-out to be 70% Canon & 30% me!

[te_wa]

i just purchased the newest of the Panasonic Lumic DMC line - the ZS3 (LX3 in europe)

so that being said, i now have a Canon A590is for sale.
protective soft case ($6)
aftermarket 52mm macro lens ($30)
sanyo eneloop charger with 4 nimh rechargable AA batteries ($27)
camera body (currently $289 at amazon)

will sell the kit for $175 shipped

camera is in very good condition with no flaws, comes with stock canon memory card, 32mh

pm for details, paypal or cash

[Grasshopper]

Look what just came out: The new Panasonic FZ38 point and shoot. It looks pretty cool!!! and it's around $400 which isn't bad.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0907/09072 ... p?from=rss

I'm just now reading the details but wanted to share it with some of you camera buffs to see if you had any opinion.

Angela, this "Panasonic FZ38" point and shoot is the new camera you are now using, correct? Now that you have had some outing with it, just curious in your satisfaction factor, pros and cons compared to your last Panasonic.

[cathymocha]

Me too.

[tibber]

Look what just came out: The new Panasonic FZ38 point and shoot. It looks pretty cool!!! and it's around $400 which isn't bad.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0907/09072 ... p?from=rss

I'm just now reading the details but wanted to share it with some of you camera buffs to see if you had any opinion.

Angela, this "Panasonic FZ38" point and shoot is the new camera you are now using, correct? Now that you have had some outing with it, just curious in your satisfaction factor, pros and cons compared to your last Panasonic.

Me too.

The FZ38 is the other than USA version so I have the FZ35 that I got hot off the production line.

First of all, it has a longer angle lens 27-480 mm than the FZ20 lens 38mm-420mm.
Second, 18x OPTICAL zoom... yee haw!

It turns on quicker.

The image stabilization is stronger :wlift: as well due to the newly developed Power OIS (whatever that is exactly) so you get twice the shake suppression capability.
Also: For beginners, Intelligent Auto Mode activates seven detection and correction functions simultaneously (POWER O.I.S., Face Detection AF/AE, Face Recognition, AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector, Intelligent Exposure) to optimize camera settings.
The Quick AF system helps keep focus on the subject while the camera is in recording mode even before pressing the shutter button halfway. This improves the chances of getting the shot because the focus is always near the subject and AF time is minimized. You can activate all of these useful, convenient shooting-assist functions by simply selecting iA mode.

The LCD screen is also larger at 2.7" and a wide viewing angle which means you can show your pictures better. Also, the Auto Power LCD function automatically adjusts the backlight brightness according to the ambient light intensity.

It is lighter and smaller.

You can now zoom in and out while shooting a movie.
The movie quality seems exceptional plus you can shoot in HD. You should see the videos I took as Kat's truck, Silver, was managing the road back from Devil's Bridge and the movie from the drive to West Fork as we drove through controlled-burn smoke going down into the Canyon. Plus, the speakers are now on top of the camera so wind noise is substantially reduced. It records in Dolby Stereo. Oh, and I like the dedicated button just for turning on or off to record a movie.

It has lots of other additional features that I'm still working with including face recognition and different scene modes. This weekend I was working with the High Dynamic setting... still trying to figure out when and where best to use that setting.

The slide show function even has music. :whistle:

I'm still learning but I am very pleased with my purchase. The battery also lasts longer and the battery, though proprietary, is cheaper.

Oh, I also got one heck of a 3-yr warranty that basically covers everything :stretch: for the camera. It is not with Panasonic but with a private company... interestingly based out of Montana. :bigth:

Cons: me. Ha!
But the usual cons are too many functions. It would be nice if there were video tutorials on how, when & where to use certain functions to achieve desired results. I'll have to see if such a thing exists.

Sincerely,

Tibber-Mode HAZ

[cathymocha]

Thanks Tibber...useful info for me.
Learning all over again how to work a camera (are they still called cameras?). I used a Nikon in the 70's and early 80's that I loved. It's around here somewhere, but want to try a good digital camera that isn't too far beyond me.

[Grasshopper]

The FZ38 is the other than USA version so I have the FZ35 that I got hot off the production line.

I'm still learning but I am very pleased with my purchase.

Thank you! The feedback on your recent photosets since this new purchase would certainly seem to confirm your satisfaction

[nobert15]

This looks pretty exciting for the point and shoot crowd

http://www.pcworld.com/article/186045/c ... rises.html

One of the new TransferJet cameras is also equipped with GPS geotagging features, as well as an internal compass to register the direction of each shot; in addition, the GPS functionality automatically updates the camera's clock when you travel between time zones.

The GPS-capable Cyber-shot HX5V has a 10X-optical-zoom lens (25mm to 250mm) and a 3-inch LCD screen, and it offers the company's low-light-optimized Exmor-R CMOS sensor, G Lens, and Bionz image processor. It also shoots 1980-by-1080-resolution HD video in AVCHD format, captured at 17 megabits per second and 60 interlaced fields per second (60i).

On top of that, the 10-megapixel Cyber-shot HX5V is one of two new Sony cameras with a revamped Intelligent Sweep Panorama mode, which the company says improves on the one-touch Sweep Panorama feature introduced in last year's models. The feature now detects moving subjects in the shot and adjusts capture speed automatically, ideally resulting in a smoother panoramic image.

Also new in the HX5V is an in-camera high dynamic range (HDR) mode, which takes photos in rapid-fire succession at different exposure settings and overlays them to create an image with greater dynamic range.

[joebartels]

Auto HDR and compass directions, that's the first I've heard! Hope that compass is faster than on GPS units

One of the things I noticed viewing tibbers movies is that her camera focuses while zooming in movie mode. A major plus IMO.

[imike]

has there been a review/discussion on the new E.V.I.L. Cameras... Am I just overlooking it?

[chumley]

Just saw a video clip from NBC News last night. BriWi interviewed Annie Liebovitz:

BriWi: ... her interesting answer to what she tells people who want to know what kind of camera they should buy.
Liebovitz: ...the iPhone. That is the snapshot camera of today ... I'm still learning how to use mine here ... it's so accessible and easy.

video here (for the time being): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619//vp ... 0#45314750

I will say that I am overly impressed with the camera in the new 4S. 8mp, built-in HDR, geocoding. Really impressive results. I really only use my lumix now for it's waterproof/shockproof features and some of the extra custom stuff I can do with night-time photos.

[hippiepunkpirate]

@chumley
The video doesn't really get into any of the details of it, but something as convenient as an iphone is really all most people need, especially with the photo quality that is basically on-par with most point-and-shoots, and extra features that you really don't have on a typical (or reasonably priced) point-and-shoot. Most people only use a camera to capture random moments, save them on their computer, post them online (HAZ, facebook, or whatever), and maybe get a few 4x6 prints from Walmart every once in a while. I think the iphone is now capable of handling those tasks, and it's damn cell phone (and much more). My only problem with iphones (and smartphones in general) is that they are way too delicate for someone like me, who has tendency to break phones. The initial cost to get a smart phone with Verizon's "new every two plan" isn't bad, but when I break it, the replacement cost is just too much for me right now, but I totally see the upside of their convenience and the shear number of tasks they can do well. Being a dSLR shooter, an iphone would not be a reasonable substitute for my camera, especially when trying to achieve fine art quality photography, not just snapshots of a cute moment or whatever.

[AZLumberjack]

My recent Go-To camera has been the Canon S5 that has seen a lot of heavy use over the last 4 years. This was my 4th Canon camera since 1965 (and I still have the previous 3) and I have yet to find one that hasn't worked to its fullest abilities. Lately I have been salivating over the Canon SX-40 and I have been waiting for the pricing to reach my acceptance level.

I went out today and purchased the camera for $365.00 (normally $429.99) at Best Buy and can't wait to get it out and prove its worth. I plan on using all of its 12.1mp and can only hope for the right opportunity to reach out with that 35X zoom capabilities.

My S5 will be offered for sale for $200 including a lens adapter for 58mm options, a 58mm sun hood, and a 4gb SDHC memory card. If interested, PM me for more info.

[Grasshopper]

Lately I have been salivating over the Canon SX-40 and I have been waiting for the pricing to reach my acceptance level.
I went out today and purchased the camera for $365.00 (normally $429.99) at Best Buy

Good deal..Congrats and Merry Christmas Jack!

[Trishness]

I'm an Olympus gal! But it is time to retire my 7 year old, 4 megapixel (that's right folks FOUR megapixel) Camedia C-765 that's been dropped on numerous trails, subjected to both freezing temps and blazing heat, in sandstorms, thunderstorms and general trail tantrums, dunked once in the Escalante River (this particular time I was cursin" and cussin" worse words than "pumpkin"!!!) and even survived a 5 foot slip and fall off slick rock attached to me.......my ankle did not do as well however.

So I asked Santa for an Olympus SZ-10, 14 megapixel for Christmas. It's got an 18X optical/5X digital zoom and all the things I really want in a point and shoot. We'll see how good I've been this year And yes I did buy a waterproof bag for any future water hikes.

[JoelHazelton]

I'm asking Santa for a Canon 5D MKII, Canon 16-35mm, Singh-Ray LB Polarizer, 27' iMac and Photoshop CS6. Are you there, Santa?