Cameras

[Gilda]

What's a good middle of the road , easy to use digital camera ? I have read specs all day and my head is spinning ! I want good macro and one that doesn't have a bad shutter lag . TIA ! Canons I have read have the slowest shutter lag.

 

[MoreWater]

Are you looking for a dslr? If so, I'd recommend looking for the best macro lens, and then get a body to go with it. New digital bodies are released all the time and every time it's an improvement. If you'll need a ringflash, factor that in to the equation too.

Me? I'm in love with my Olympus 50mm (100mm equiv in 35mm speak) macro. Tack sharp.

 

[Candace]

I think you need to specify if your looking for a dslr or not before people can give you recommendations. I'm assuming from what you asked that you're looking for a simple point and shoot, but maybe not.

 

[Elena]

Me? I'm in love with my Olympus 50mm (100mm equiv in 35mm speak) macro. Tack sharp.

Oooh, good to hear. That's the one that OH and I have been contemplating recently but we keep postponing the purchase because we already have a 35mm (he finally gave up and let me have his E510 and bought himself an E520 as a replacement ).

 

[Gilda]

I think you need to specify if your looking for a dslr or not before people can give you recommendations. I'm assuming from what you asked that you're looking for a simple point and shoot, but maybe not.

Sorry not techie,
A point and shoot but a good point and shoot with good macro and not bad shutter lag.

 

[MoreWater]

Oooh, good to hear. That's the one that OH and I have been contemplating recently but we keep postponing the purchase because we already have a 35mm (he finally gave up and let me have his E510 and bought himself an E520 as a replacement ).

The 50mm is an amazing piece of glass and hardly ever comes off my camera unless I really really need something else. Very versatile as well - good for portraits and as a walkabout lens. But if you'd only use it for macro, you probably don't need both. That said, I recently got the 35mm macro because I wanted to get much much closer to some of the microscopic pleuros I'm growing these days. 35mm macro + extension tube + flash. A bit ridiculous to work with - I have to be so close to the subject, there's almost no space to get light in.

Nice to see another Oly user

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Years ago I got a Casio for my wife's birthday...it was 4 mgpxls...and the older photo's I posted here were all done with that. Well, I ruined it last month when I got splashed while fishing with it...1 wave, left me barely damp, yet killed the camera...go figure. Well, regardless of how many camera's are out there, my wife liked the Casio. So I got her the latest model...10 mgpxls (overkill in that respect)...it was $159 on ebay. Its just as good if not better than the original...my recent pics are from that camera. A good place for digital cameras, and electronics in general, is www.woot.com a different deal every day...never more than $5 shipping...not bad when its for a 60" flatscreen TV....Their other site, www.winewoot.com is also great....also just $5 shipping. Take care, Eric

 

[NYEric]

Honey-I aint the one!
"What's a good middle of the road , easy to use digital camera ?"

 

[Candace]

Gilda, I don't know if you get it, but Consumer Reports is well worth the subscription price. We buy most of our big electronics purchases based on their experiments and recommendations. They probably have a website with info. if you google. They're always comparing the newest cameras and could point you in the right direction.

 

[Gilda]

Gilda, I don't know if you get it, but Consumer Reports is well worth the subscription price. We buy most of our big electronics purchases based on their experiments and recommendations. They probably have a website with info. if you google. They're always comparing the newest cameras and could point you in the right direction.

Candace, Thanks that is a great idea ! I am not subscribing at this time but I can look at the library as they have their paperback with their favorite buy ratingsfor everything.

Of course, the good ole web has lots of info too. I found one website that rates even shutter lag. Canons are the worse for shutter lag, a couple of Sonys are rated excellant. Sonys have the drawback of a specific battery , and the memory stick. I am leaning towards a Fugi. My first point and shoot was a 2 MP -3 X Zoom Fugi...it took super pics and had none to little shutterlag. I don't print anything over a 4x6 so, high MP is not important. My got to haves are : viewfinder, great macro and very little shutterlag ! I don't ask for much ,do I ?

 

[MoreWater]

ISomething you might want to check - if you can test a few at a store - is how they reproduce purples and blues. This is only important if you'll be taking photos of such things.... What annoyed me about my Nikon p&s was that it would turn blues purple. On the other hand, the Canon p&s was annoying because it overcompensated and turned purple flowers blue. (The trick to doing this is to show up with sample flowers, your own memory cards, and a couple of AA batteries just in case.)

I also like my p&s to run off AA batteries - much easier to buy if I forget the charger. Again, this is personal preference.

Also, it's good to check out models in a store to get a feel for how sturdy the construction is. Doesn't have to be the exact same model as what you are looking at - just one in the same line of products.

And if you haven't come across it already, dpreview.com has a handy feature for generating comparison charts.