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Thread ID: 43093	2004-03-03 02:18:00	Digital Camera questions.	beetle (243)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
219820	2004-03-03 21:48:00	Hello Beetle, Be careful not to get lured into the mega-pixel trap. Lots of people will tell you to get at least 3.1 Mp, or 4, or as much as you can afford. Don't fall into this trap unless you are a professional photographer or want to blow up photos to poster size. Of course a camera with big Mps does gain status points which may be important if you are into that sort of thing. I am on my 4th digcam, a Canon Powershop A70 3.1 Mp with 3x optical zoom and the usual digital zoom of around 3x. It is a great camera! It takes video clips WITH SOUND. Many other digcams will not have sound, so avoid them. By the way, PC World readers voted the Canon Powershot series as the most liked / best buy digital camera. Back to the Mp fixation. I regularly print photos from jumbo 6x4 size up to 8x10, and NEVER use the highest resolution on my camera. Many times I have used 150 to 200 Kb Jpeg images and get them printed at a photo shop on glossy paper with NO pixelation whatsoever. I have printed 8x10 photos on an average Epson printer here at home, from images around 400 to 500 Kb and the results are beautiful: visitors are stunned at the photo quality and this includes a man who used to work in the photo industry. I use HP semi gloss photo paper which is cheap to buy. 2.1 Mp will do fine. Even for 8x10 photos. Claims that you need many more Megapixels are rubbish. But ask yourself, how many times will you actually print a photo larger than a 6x4, or a 5x7? Most people do not. Once you get into printing photos at home, you may choose to do larger photos. We have seven 8x10 photos framed and displayed on the walls at our home - all printed on my Epson C40UX, which is not regarded as a photo printer. Optical zoom: get it. If you don't mind a larger camera, go for a 10 x zoom (e.g. Fuji). Use the camera in the store before you buy it. AVOID a camera with a shutter delay: this means that you press the shutter button and a second or so later the camera takes the photo. This is really frustrating! Put the camera in flash mode and non-flash, to see if the delay exists. Good luck and come back and tell us what you get. :) Steve L	Steve_L (763)
219821	2004-03-03 22:40:00	You have had a raft of excellent suggestions, but i wanted to add another suggestion for consideration . I was recently asked by a friend for their advise . I did some research and suggested the KODAK DX-6490 4 megapixel, 10 x OPTICAL Zoom and looks and feels like an SLR Shop around and U can get one for under $1000 . www . steves-digicams . com and www . megapixel . net both rate this camera very highly and my friend is delighted I also noted a recent test in an overseas computer mag and out of 16 cameras, this was also given the Big Tick As always, find one and hold it etc before you make a decision Good Luck	Tony.br (4018)
219822	2004-03-04 02:20:00	Oh dear what have i started???? i do not happen to be rolling in money so this thing will be a one and only purchase for many a year . we have looked and think our budget may be better spent under a $1000 . if possible . i actually like the look of a fuji fine pix???? about $900 ???? . digitalcameras . co . nz/product . cfm?Product=1141" target="_blank">www . digitalcameras . co . nz please do not scream if this is not what you expected, i have not made a final decision and am really not sure i want to spend all that much . . . . i like the idea of Optical as when 4X4 ing i like to take photos and need sometimes to be a distance away . i have not had a chance to go shopping so am still in net look mode . but will look at the ones suggested and may hopefully get to the point that i know what i want, or what i need . thanxs all and hopefully i will have an answer for you all soon . i wish i had a money tree though it would make the decision much easier . beetle	beetle (243)
219823	2004-03-04 02:32:00	Snap Goddie i do like this one and hadnt checked your link till after i posted but i do like this one........ oh dear i wish....... have to wait and do the shops over and see who has one of these to play with?????? sigh patience beetle :D beetle	beetle (243)
219824	2004-03-04 02:47:00	They feel as good to use as they look.... I have a 1.85x Teleconverter lens on mine, its a huge piece of glass but still comfortable to hold, if a little large. You really do need a couple of sets of rechargeable batteries, as all digicams are hard on batteries. My charger will also work off the car cigarette lighter which is handy.	godfather (25)
219825	2004-03-04 02:57:00	ok another question . in some of the adds they talk about what they come with (the camera's ) and some say with Dock and some with out, what exactly does the dock entail or do? the software comes with it for downloading, is a dock instead of cableling? or as well as ? is this for downloading or recharging? i am way new to this and have never seen or been around when someone has done downloading. ?????? beetle	beetle (243)
219826	2004-03-04 03:11:00	dock is a fancy littleunit that charges the camera and also connects to your PC for downloading pictures . . . . . they seem to be just another way of doing things . I have used both and don't care if it has one or not in all reality . All you need with the camera to start is the leads that come with it, usually USB and camera to AV or video lead . With accessories be cautious, I recommend to my customers they grab the minimums and work out what they need as they use the camera . I made the mistake of buying up when I got my first one only to find most of them I didn't need or use . I suggest the following Bag Extra Memory (depends on megapixel but 64mb at least) Lens cleaner extra batteries etc depend on the type that come with it but usually the one that comes with the camera will do you to start off .	dipstick01 (445)
219827	2004-03-04 03:14:00	Kodak use a "dock" which is a "cradle" that connects via USB to the PC. Its convenient but a "Kodak" thing only as far as I know. Fuji just have a USB cable supplied, no need for a dock. Fuji have software for downloading, and its easy to use and works well but its not actually needed for most camera types with Windows XP, as when you plug the camera in, it shows up as a "drive" under Explorer. You can drag and drop or copy and past from the camera "drive" to the HDD. I have a card "reader" in the PC, and often just take the card out and read it directly (again, it looks like a "drive") In the S5000 recharging is done to the 4 AA batteries out of the camera. You cant charge them while they are in the camera. It runs fine on AA Alkalines as well. (4 are supplied) The etown price of $639 is sharp....The S7000 is well priced as well (the S7000 features are closer to the S602 that I have, but the S602 has the same resolution as the S5000)	godfather (25)
219828	2004-03-04 06:00:00	Hi Beetle: I can guess you are very confused after all the different advice here . Even though I have owned/used four digi cameras, I have refrained from offering advice, as there can be so many opinions . The thing is, what value can you put on these opinions . Some rubbish print quality from 2 or 3 mp cameras . Steve L is correct in stating he can get great A4 print quality from these . So do I . It depends on using best resolution and quality settings in the camera, plus a good printer & quality paper . I wont list my opinion, except to say, take Godfather's advice . He is very experienced and his recommendations are very sound, as usual . Best wishes .	Bazza (407)
219829	2004-03-04 08:59:00	ok a few new questions, what size memory card do you use? approx how many pics do you do? do you fill the whole card then download or in bits and peices? how long does an average battery last time wise on a Digital camera before needing to recharge it? and at Moment the only supplier that has the camera i like is Harvey Norman, none of the Camera shops here stock that brand ????? so may have to bite the bullet and go there to looky see. sigh beetle	beetle (243)
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