O/T new camera question

[Les Henson]

I'm having a few problems with the camera I use tomake threads for the tech archive.

Poor close-up pictures (they get blurred easily)

As the batteries deplete, the camera goes through the motions of taking and storing the picture, and I can even download it to my pc. But from then on, I can't see the image, and just get a warning saying that there's no preview available, and there's no way I have managed to access it. Right click tells me the size etc of the picture, but it remains inaccessible. I only get a low battery warning when it's too late if you know what I mean?

I need a camera that will take pictures as close as possibly 100mm, that either has a longer battery life, or at least warns me if the image isn't stored properly.

My present camera is HP Photosmart - M407. 4.1 MP 18 x zoom. On the lens surround it also says Auto focus 3 x optical zoom 6.0 mm - 18.0 mm.

I replaced the timing belt on a Freelander 1.8i today and took around 70 pictures as I did it. 5 are lost due to weak battery, and a few are too far out of focus to be used.

Could anyone recommend a camera that would be more suitable? Say, with a budget of £200.

Thanks.

Les.

[western]

My Canon A70 it was my 10 year long service award from work is good, it has a Macro setting for very close up, 3.2 megapixel & 10x digital zoom,all the pictures I've put up on this forum & my photobucket links have been taken with it, comes complete with the software to download to PC.

Edited November 16, 2006 by western

[dasterdly]

I'm having a few problems with the camera I use tomake threads for the tech archive.

Poor close-up pictures (they get blurred easily)

As the batteries deplete, the camera goes through the motions of taking and storing the picture, and I can even download it to my pc. But from then on, I can't see the image, and just get a warning saying that there's no preview available, and there's no way I have managed to access it. Right click tells me the size etc of the picture, but it remains inaccessible. I only get a low battery warning when it's too late if you know what I mean?

I need a camera that will take pictures as close as possibly 100mm, that either has a longer battery life, or at least warns me if the image isn't stored properly.

My present camera is HP Photosmart - M407. 4.1 MP 18 x zoom. On the lens surround it also says Auto focus 3 x optical zoom 6.0 mm - 18.0 mm.

I replaced the timing belt on a Freelander 1.8i today and took around 70 pictures as I did it. 5 are lost due to weak battery, and a few are too far out of focus to be used.

Could anyone recommend a camera that would be more suitable? Say, with a budget of £200.

Thanks.

Les.

evening,

your camera has a macro mode, which will enable you to get very close to the subject material, from checking the specs :Min Focus Range: 50 cm - Macro Focus Range: 10-80cm

if the flash is being used, standard batteries never last long, and re-chargeable batteries will last far longer.

tripods will almost elimate blurry pictures, it may have to close to focus, if you wernt in macro mode.

hope this helps.

Cheers...

[BogMonster]

Depends on whether you want photos just for on here, or a good camera for everything and spend a bit more. I just changed my compact 4MP Olympus (which used to suffer most of the same problems you describe, though it could take good pics in decent light) to a full size superzoom Fuji, and the difference in low light performance is like night and day.

Also worth looking for one with an anti-shake (also called image stabiliser) function, there is a new Canon out which has this for a bit over £300, I'll have a look later and check the model name.

Edited to add: optical zoom is MUCH better than digital zoom which reduces quality quite a lot!

[BogMonster]

Canon Powershot S3 IS is the one I was thinking about, details here.

Very good write up in Digital Camera Shopper in July 06, 12x optical zoom with image stabilisation and 6 megapixels. I nearly got one myself and the only reason I didn't was because I really wanted a manual zoom ring like on a "proper" camera, the Fuji had it and the Canon didn't.

I always get mine from Park Cameras they do mail order I think, but offer tonnes of good advice (at least in the shop) and may be worth a call to talk about what there is at around the £200 mark if you don't want to go for the S3. The only other thing I'd say is get one from a camera manufacturer rather than an everything including the kitchen sink manufacturer - i.e. Casio/HP. Anything from Canon, Fuji, Olympus, Pentax etc would be my choice.

[Warthog]

One of these in my view, small, good optics and made by Canon The ebay prices are a little cheaper, due to them being catalogue returns. But i know 2 people whom have had no problems. Gotta remember that on Ebay they are £100 under retail....

Have used the 4mb and 5mb earlier version of this series. They shoot great in macro and the functions are all geared to enhance the camera very well.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CANON-PowerShot-iXUS...1QQcmdZViewItem

[SiWhite]

I've recently bought a Sony DSC T-10, which is absolutely awesome.

7.2 mega-whotsits, great video capacity, very nicely made and lovely to look at.

I also got a Sony waterproof case for it - very Landy friendly!

Cost was about £300 with a 1GB storage card - which is a lot of capacity but good for the video.

Highly recommended - I always but Sony kit if I can.

[darthdicky]

I'd go for a Canon Ixus if I was looking for a compact one, seem to come very well recommended and I'm very pleased with all the Canon stuff I've got.

Si's Sony looks good if you want a slimmer pocket type one.

Richard

[white90]

I've a Canon Powershot S70

good pics easy to get on to pc and good at close up.

Like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-S70-Powershot-...1QQcmdZViewItem

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

FUJI F810

12 million megapixels (via a Fuji tweak system) and good video, close up macro mode, image stabiliser system with a 1GB XD Card

Software for PC a delight and easy to use, nice looking HUGE rear screen and viewfinder funaction as well

Long battery life and 101% pleased with it

Nige

[white90]

sensor with 6.3 million effective pixels.

is the sensor Orange Per chance?

http://www.photoxels.com/cameras_compact.html

[pugwash]

we bought an Olympus mini Miu about 12 months ago and it takes astoundingly good pictures. It cost about £130 and has outshot my digital SLR a couple of times- colours are realistic and the clarity is excellent- it works very well indeed in low light levels and has a really good screen on the back. It is also weatherproof and has survived a few rainforests. If i was buying another one i wouldn't even bother looking at anything else i am so happy with it!

[dottythe90]

Like Bogmonster I recently purchased a Fuji (S9500), as finally, reasonably priced digital cameras have arrived that can do pretty much all that my old film SLR could. I was also pleasantly surprised by the movie mode as the results are as good (if not better under some conditions) as a digital video camera.

For snaps, we also have a 5MP Kodak Easyshare V550, which for its size (easily carried in a pocket) produces stunning results.

[BogMonster]

Like Bogmonster I recently purchased a Fuji (S9500), as finally, reasonably priced digital cameras have arrived that can do pretty much all that my old film SLR could. I was also pleasantly surprised by the movie mode as the results are as good (if not better under some conditions) as a digital video camera.

For snaps, we also have a 5MP Kodak Easyshare V550, which for its size (easily carried in a pocket) produces stunning results.

I was amazed at the video mode on my S9500, used it for the first time on the Autocar launch and have some good clips of Freelanders splashing through the surf B) bit hungry on the memory card though, about 7 min on a 512MB card but at least it can do continuous video not like the cheaper ones which usually give you about 20 sec maximum. Only thing I wish it had is the image stabiliser but I can live without that for taking photos in my bedroom garage

[dottythe90]

I was amazed at the video mode on my S9500, used it for the first time on the Autocar launch and have some good clips of Freelanders splashing through the surf B) bit hungry on the memory card though, about 7 min on a 512MB card but at least it can do continuous video not like the cheaper ones which usually give you about 20 sec maximum. Only thing I wish it had is the image stabiliser but I can live without that for taking photos in my bedroom garage

Yeah, know what you mean. I have a 1Gb XD card and can get 15mins on it. Another big advantage is it records the video in AVI format, not Quicktime. Our Kodak does (inferior) movie clips in Quicktime format which Nero seems to have serious problems digesting - it either crashes or the sound disappears.

[Anglo-Frenchman]

I use digital cameras for work and have got through three in the past 12 months. Whichever one you choose try to go for optical zoom rather than digital which is not a real zoom at all and simply pixilates.

[simonr]

Chaps, this is Les we are talking about!

How about a nice Kodak Instamatic. Digital in so far as it only takes one finger to operate. Even my slightly dead granny could take half decent photos with one - so you'll be like David Bailyowyer with one!

I have an Olympus 2020 compact and an Olympus E330 digi SLR. I'm actually very impressed with both. I would pay more attention to the optics than the claimed number of pixels. I had a pentax compact which was higher resolution than either of the Olympus's - but it took terrible photos because the lens was made from recycled beer bottles. Sarah's Sony camera, about the same money, lower resolution, Leica Lens - fantastic photos!

Si

[Turbocharger]

How much would I be looking at paying for decent manual control over aperture and exposure lengths?

Les - I used my mobile phone camera for all my holiday snaps and for capturing details of defects and vandalism at work - at 3.2MP it's more than adequate, and I have to reduce the quality to make the photos useable (on the net or into reports). Seems churlish to spend more on a better camera, only to reduce them back down again... There again, I could be a camera luddite.

[Guest MJG]

Chaps, this is Les we are talking about!

How about a nice Kodak Instamatic.

Si

Not an instamatic but I've just got one of these:-

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jht..._requestid=2738

It has a high quality Schneider lens and takes great pics. The zoom is only 5.8 optical but the lens goes down to 24mm at the wide angle setting, could be useful for those engine bay shots!!. If zoom had been really important to me I would have gone with the Fuji S9500 as recommended by Stephen above.... bit more expensive but it is a very nice camera too.

I am very happy with my new aquisition - currently at a great price as you can see as it is obviously about to be updated/replaced.

I got min on Amazon for £7 less than Kodak direct as above.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/o/ASIN/B000BD80NA/...2509872-0003623

Lastly if you can get your hands on one the Sony Cybershot DSC H-1 is a very nice camera too. This is also About to be or has been replaced so was avialable too recently at a very good price.

[Paul64]

I have had a Sony cyber-shot 3.2 megapixel for a few years now. It has been a very reliable camera and has given great results. It has travelled everywhere with me and taken some hard knocks. Still working great.