For those planning to buy a digital camera for Christmas, though

[Redstone]

it might be kinda late, a few pointers from a pro, in order of importance:

1) Do not buy a camera that does not have a viewfinder! Digital cameras are more susceptible to blurring of the image by vibration than film cameras are, and holding the camera away from your face to compose the shot on the LCD screen is not the most stable way to hold the camera. You want one you can hold against your face while using the viewfinder, which minimizes shaking.

2) Only buy a camera that uses CompactFlash memory cards. SD cards and the like are much more susceptible to damage, not only because they're so thin, but more important, because their electrical contacts are on the outside, where they are more susceptible to damage or shorting. (Those tiny cards are a helluva lot easier to lose, as well.)

3) Try to find one that uses AA batteries; that way if you use rechargeable NiMH AA batteries and they crap out, you can stick a set of AA alkaline ones from the drugstore in the camera in a pinch.

Hope this helps.

Redstone

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear Redstone.....

OK.....my new Nikon D50 does have a viewfinder...good!

But the memory card is an SD type..... :shrug:

And it does take a specialized battery. But we bought two of them, plus a charger....

And did I mention: I LOVE MY NEW CAMERA?

I know you loved my card....done with that camera, had I followed your instructions, I would NOT have gotten....

Jus' sayin!

And you know I love ya!



:loveya: :hug:

[Redstone]

2. The D50 uses SD cards? I thought all the DSLRs used CF.

If they don't, they should. Sure you don't have both kinds of slots?

But hey, I said it was in order of importance. And Item 1 is an order of magnitude more important thatn the others. I cringe when I see people holding digital cameras out at arm's length, and then wondering why they end up with fuzzy pictures.

Redstone

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. I believe that this has only the slot for SD......

At least that's what the owner's manual says.....:shrug:

[Redstone]

9. It's a really nice little camera. And I say "little" approvingly;

I have an old Canon film camera that I bring with me when I don't feel like hauling the Big Iron around, and it's great to have the small form factor and minimal weight.

And I get to focus it myself!

Redstone

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. Nooooo. That camera is no good. Send it to me

right away.

Your karma will increase.


Mine will go down, but, hey, that is hardly your concern, is it?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. ROFLMAO!

Sorry, Charlie! You know damn well that this camera is awesome! And besides, it was a birthday present from my husband.....neener neener!


:rofl:

[Dangerously Amused]

4. Thank you Redstone.

This information is very helpful as I am looking for a digital camera. I am very old school, having only a 20 year old Contax and my cell phone camera, and appreciably zero knowledge about the new digital stuff. I'm going to have to do my homework before laying the money out. But this helps, so did some info O.Rex posted about a month ago.

[Schema Thing]

7. A further point on batteries

The AA battery advice is well taken. Another consideration re: batteries, would be to buy Canon, because Canon uses CMOS chip technology, and CMOS chips are MUCH more power efficient. The images are second to none as well.

[Redstone]

8. The CMOS really DOES use an astonishingly smaller amount of juice.

Even though it's a bit softer than a CCD. I haven't found the softness to be a big problem for most work, but on macro-scale product photography it can be troubling. I use a Canon most of the time, but a Nikon for critical product work.

Redstone

[Straight Shooter]

10. Off topic, have you seen CalPeggy's "more sunset pics" thread?

It's on DU tonight, Redstone. You gotta love this pic number 2:



And thanks for the digi-camera tips. Maybe next year :)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. My dear Straight Shooter!

Thank you for the shameless plug!

I truly do appreciate it........:hug:

[Redstone]

12. Whoa, yes. She's good, isn't she?

That's a particulary nice one. Silhouettes, strings of lights, and the horizon all there.

I continue to be impressed.

Redstone

[Straight Shooter]

13. She's very good, and getting better all the time.

Yes, that photo has all the elements in just the right place. I especially like the touch of those people fishing at the left-hand side.

[derby378]

14. MemorySticks are pretty damn good, too...

The only cameras I know of that use them are Sony models, but I've never had a lick of trouble with them.

[northzax]

15. make sure you budget for batteries, though

them things are not cheap, over the long run. When I wore my discman on the metro, I went through two-three bucks of batteries a week, now with my iPod, I spend nothing on batteries. in 18 months, the darn thing will basically pay for itself. I've also been on the losing end of dying proprietary batteries in cameras, it's amazing how often people forget their chargers on trips (and it's one more thing to carry)

[Oeditpus Rex]

16. Does this mean you're not giving me this for Christmas?

The Canon EOS-1D Mark II N.

Drool.

[Redstone]

18. Sorry to have to tell you this, but I'm probably giving myself that

before the end of the year.

My accountant insists, so blame him.

Redstone

[Oeditpus Rex]

20. Then can I borrow your accountant?

He gives good advice. :thumbsup:

Maybe he'd insist I get this, too:



Canon EF 400 mm f/2.8 IS USM



I don't ask for much. Really.

[Redstone]

21. That, I don't have. I do have the 100-400 L zoom with the stabilizer.

And the 2X converter, so on the 10D I have an effective 1320mm lens at full choke.

Redstone

[Oeditpus Rex]

23. What kinda speed you get with that?

With and without the converter.

I shoot (or, I would be shooting) a lot of sports/action, so speed is of the essence. Gotta have that big 2.8 glass.

Unfortunately, that also spells "gla$$."

[Redstone]

25. With the converter, it's f/11, so no autofocus, but the stabilizer works.

So no, it's not going to do it for you to shoot sports.

Yes, f/2.8 at 400mm is Big Glass indeed. That's the one that goes for about twnety grand, right? or is that the 600mm?

Redstone

[Oeditpus Rex]

27. The 400 2.8's about $7,000-$8,000

I think the 600 f/4's about the same.

[Redstone]

28. There's one of them that's $23,000, I think...

Wait one, while I check B & H...OK, the 600 is $7,199; can't find the 1200mm that I think is f/5.6, I think that's the one I was thinking of.

That's some BIG glass. and it's fluorite glass to boot. the 100-400 only has one fluorite element, and it's the better part of two grand.

And now they have a 24-300mm zoom lens? This madness MUST stop!

Redstone

[Oeditpus Rex]

29. I don't trust zooms that rack that far

There's just too much glass in 'em. They're gonna go soft at telephoto or pincushion at wide angle, or both. Besides, they're slow.

I have one zoom — a Canon 35-105 f/3.5-4. I use it as my "normal" lens instead of the standard 50 mm. It has 4:1 close focus, which is nice once in awhile.

[Redstone]

30. Well, the high-range zooms may not be the sharpest things around,

but I'm thinking hard about putting one in my "go bag" (currently the 10D, the 28-70L, and the 460 flash) that I always keep ready for when I hear the sirens or the LifeStar.

That kind of range would be real handy, and certainly sharp enough for newspaper pix.

Redstone

[Oeditpus Rex]

31. I took the big bag a lot

when I didn't know what I was getting into — like a fire or something — but if I didn't feel like lugging all that around, I took the 35-105 and the 300 f/2.8. Hardly ever wanted for anything else.

You're spot on about newspaper shots. By the time you knock it down to 150-180 DPI and print it on newsprint, you can't see much sharpness anyway.

[tuvor]

17. FWIW, I use the SD cards in my Palm and cameras all the time.

In and out, in and out. Never had a problem in over two years of no special treatment.

Also, although I've never lost an SD card, I'm not so sure that Compact Flash cards are significantly more difficult to lose.

The other points are great, though. Thanks.

[tuvor]

19. The lady who sold my wife her camera also suggested...

to purchase from a manufacturer who also manufactures the lenses. (She got a Pentax, and is very happy with it.)

I guess it just makes for a more cohesive unit.

Oh, and one more thing. Sony, while their products are generally of high quality, have a terrible reputation when it comes to customer service. At least that was the word when I owned a Clie PDA three years ago.

[Redstone]

22. I'll never buy another Sony product. After that CD-spyware flap, how could

you trust them?

Redstone

[Call Me Wesley]

24. Ack.

I need one. I'm still using my old baby.

[Redstone]

26. Hey, I still use a Century Graphic, too!

And a 1963 Pentax H3V.

That old iron is too good to retire.

Redstone