Digtial Camera - Suggestions?

I have the DSC-P92 and love it. It uses regular AA battery's (comes with regarable ones which is nice, but of course it also accepts regular AA batts). I can also record as much video as I want (with sound) provided the space on the mem card. At any rate, I love it. To be honest, if your not an intense photo person, I dont think it matters that much. If your just an average joe taking pictures, they are all close enough that it wont matter. If your particular and can tell between minor differences, then do some research.

I strongly suggest a Cannon or Sony. My Sony (DSC-P71, 3.2 mega pixels) takes awesome pics (though it is a little touchy with inside use), and is tough as hell. As for supplies, there are off brands for every sony accessory that I've ever looked for. This includes their awesome info-lithium battery packs and memory sticks. Heck at the Wal Mart near me a 128 meg (old style) Lexar brand stick costs less than the Kodak SD, MMC and the Fuji card, that I must add is also proprietary, all 128 megs). Plus if you look at what you really get with a Sony camera the price isn't all that bad.

Cannon is what I suggest if you want to go with an SLR. I've just briefly used the digital rebel and its really nice. Plus its hard to beat its price, that I think is right about $700 now.

One more thing that I'm going to mention, any time that you upgrade, there is a good chance that you will need to get all new stuff for the new device. Its not just a problem for Sony products.

^The Digital Rebel is really nice but probably sold out since the prices were cut big time (if they didn't cut production completely, I'm not sure) when they released a new model, the Digital Rebel XT, for $1000, the original price of the regular model. The XT brings a few new features and bumps the MP's up to 8.0

*** Edited 4/23/2005 11:06:50 PM UTC by RamblinWreck***

The original Digital Rebel is still in production. Both the Wal Mart and Sams club near me just started selling it. Now while neither of those places make the best choices in deciding what they sell, I don't think they are dumb enough to start carrying a product that has recently gone out of production.

Got a PowerShot based on a strong recommendation from a great friend. As someone who was never really *into* photography, it's opened my eyes...the size and durability cannot be beat...and now I see 1G cards at Sam's Club for 70 bucks!

Digital, really, is the only way to go for anyone who's NOT a professional....IMO.

bill, erases twice as many pics as he keeps...;)

Wow, here's a blast from the past.

I JUST retired that good old Olympus 3040Z I referenced on the first page (in January of 2002!) Worked like a champ, but it was finally time to upgrade it. The new winner? A Canon PowerShot S70.

Man, back in 2002, I was dealing with a Kodak DCM-200 model I think it was. I got it back in 2000 and lasted me roughly 3yrs.

Since then I upgraded to the Canon Powershot s400, a 4mega pixel camera with a video mode that, while nice, didn't capture sound or quality as nice as I'd have liked... and taking night-time shots were a pain in the ass.

Sooo, just this past February, I bought this new badboy here:

It's the Sony Cybershot DSC-P200 Digital Camera
It's 7.2 Mega Pixels makes for huuuge fantastic shots. I had to give up all the cards I got for Compact Flash from my previous 2 cameras... but the difference was worth it!

I wound up getting a gig card which is a MUST if you want quality video footage. It only comes with a 32mb card. It takes excellent video footage, and you have 3 different settings from the lowest level to the highest quality which is comparable to a digital video camera.

Plus, although it retails at $399, I got it on sale for $349, which is definately a steal for a quality 7.2mp camera.

Has anyone heard of or used the Polaroid PDC5070 or the Fujifilm FinePix A340? I'm looking at buying that one later today and use at the parks this summer. *** Edited 4/24/2005 6:10:49 PM UTC by CPFreakJon***

CPFreakJon - I bought my wife a Fuji A340. It's a good little point and shoot and is priced very well. We've had very good luck with it.

I just bought my wife the best camera out there. (IMHO) It's the Kodak Easy Share DX7630 6.1 megapixels with a 3x optical zoom lens. It takes video's also and the camera dock makes it spectacular! I've owned other digital camera's before, but this one tops all of them. It will capture even the fastest coaster without a blur. I highly reccomend this camera. Although it does cost a few hundred bucks. But, in my opinion it is well worth it.

I can't believe no one's mentioned the Canon A75. It's an amazing camera. 3.0 megapixel, 3x zoom, 13 shooting modes (4 manual, 9 automatic) and full video capabilities, with sound as well. More zoom would be nice, but for the price, its definitly one of the best 3.0 megapixel cameras on the market, or was when I bought it in August. lol.

I have a Nikon 3100 and I more than happy with it. If nothing else, if you go out looking for one, just take a look at it if you see one.

Hold it, get to know it. It's fairly small, but it takes GREAT pictures. It's 3.2 megapixels, 3x optical zoom and takes 30-second quicktime movies, but does not have sound. It's pretty much the most advanced "point-and-shoot" around. Very easy to use, very nice pictures, very nice automatic detailing, and 14 different picture options make sure you have the right settings for any ocassion.

I love it. :)

FanTurn - Get an Olympus Stylus Digital. They are excellent, easy to use and have great features. I have the s400 which is 4.02 Megapixels and takes very nice high-quality photos. They have a new 5MP version, but the 4MP is still very nice, has great features and now is more moderately priced. What is also an added bonus is it is an all-weather camera. You can take pictures out in the rain and snow and it won't hurt the camera. Get this camera and thank me later.

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DarkHelmet said:
Stay away from the Sony digital cameras!!!!

All of their items are proprietary, which blows. You will be forced to buy Sony memory, batteries, etc, which aren't cheap at all.

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I'm not sure where you're getting your information from. I have a Sony Cybershot and it uses standard NiMh batteries. They they last a long time too--I can usually get about 150 high resolution shots and download them to my computer on one charge. I bought an extra set of batteries and they were made by Everyready.

The Memory Stick (TM) was (I think) a Sony invention but it is now made by a couple of manufacturers. The Memory Stick Pro that I now have in my camera was made by San Disk. I've seen several brands of computers with a Memory Stick reader, and several brands of TVs as well.

I didn't have to buy Sony batteries or Sony memory or a Sony computer or a Sony TV.

I should add that I am extremely happy with the photos it takes.

Heck, my first Sony digital camera was a Mavica that used floppy disks as storage media. No real proprietary technology there :) Yes some of their stuff is proprietary, but as Jeffrey has said above, it's not too bad these days. Memory Stick is indeed a Sony-developed memory format and was proprietary initially, but nowadays it's been accepted as a standard format along with CF, SD/MMC, and SM (try to find a memory card reader that doesn't support MS). All my digital cameras have been Sony and I couldn't be happier.

Yeah, but you can't use MS on other camera. SanDisk makes MS, licensed by Sony. I haven't seen non-Sony gear use it. Why pay licensing fees to Sony?

Touche! :)

I own exactly 1 Sony product, PS2. It's a POS.

I don't care how awesome there future products might be, PS2, Wega TV, whatever. I won't buy from that company again.

I'm personally in the market for a Digital camera. I'm looking for something that has very good optical zoom and takes crisp, colorful, bright, sharp, clean photos. I'm looking for some unaltered photos taken by such cameras.

Keeping this thread on track, a question to those with 'higher-end' cameras.

Any problems or fear of problems taking them along for (park approved) on-ride photo sessions? We have the Canon digital rebel XT and my wife is convinced I shouldn't ever take it on a coaster with me, and I'm leaning towards agreeing with her. Would hate to shorten its life by even a day.

Thoughts?

The original Digital Rebel is not discontinued. It will coexist with the Rebel XT.
Though I think they'll have to cut the price again, or bump the XT higher. The XT is way worth the extra $200.