Camera help

[Cruiseteach]

I am going on the Coral in March and am in the market for a new camera- digital this time. I have been looking at all the posted photos and am so-o-o envious of all you great photogs. I am just starting to look at digital cameras. I am a total idiot when it comes to anything electronic. I can barely use a regular old point-and-shoot. Most of my photos include several shots of my feet or the ceiling. I could sure use some "expert" advice here!

[Coral]

I am not going to recommend brands because right now, it is difficult to not find a good camera. I looked at a recent issue of Consumer Reports and 3/4 of the cameras received very, very good ratings.

 

What I strongly recommend is going to a camera store or Best Buy - just somewhere where they have a lot of cameras out and sit there and play with the cameras. Pay particular attention to how a camera feels in your hand, how the menus work, if it is easy to navigate around the features, etc. . Definitely see what camera feels good to you and what camera doesn't feel good to you.

 

Everyone's experiences are different - I have found that I like the Kodak cameras. They are simple to use and my pictures turn out great. My friends swear by their Sony camera and I just find it difficult to use the menus on the camera. Everyone is different - the key to taking good pics is to be familiar with the cameras' options.

 

Also - remember to look at the "optical zoom". The higher the optical the better the zoom. The digital zoom number really isn't important - this is not a true zoom.

 

Good luck! Make sure you play with the camera quite a bit before you leave for your trip. And buy extra batteries :)

[sunsetme]

depends on how simple or complicated a camera you want.

i graduated from kodak point and shoot to a SIMPLE digital point and shoot that takes great pictures, unless you want to blow them up to beyond 5X& you can get a 3 mp. i have a canon sd200--got 2 of them for my kids at amazon for $169. memory is running at $60 for 1G now with the xmas sales. this is a tiny camera, so convenient to throw in my purse, take on excursions, and easy to use.

[stephenandrew]

depends on how simple or complicated a camera you want.

i graduated from kodak point and shoot to a SIMPLE digital point and shoot that takes great pictures, unless you want to blow them up to beyond 5X& you can get a 3 mp. i have a canon sd200--got 2 of them for my kids at amazon for $169. memory is running at $60 for 1G now with the xmas sales. this is a tiny camera, so convenient to throw in my purse, take on excursions, and easy to use.

 

 

Hi--

 

I would only say that while the 5x7 limit for 3 mp cameras is commonly heard, I have had good success enlarging pictures from my Nikon Coolpix 3100 to 8X10 (and slightly larger) with no noticeable degradation in the quality of the image. I am sure there are some photgraphy buffs here whose eyes may be better trained than mine and might be able to notice a loss of picture quality. But, to the untrained eye, I think the quality difference between a 5x7 image and 8X10 image taken with a 3 mp camera is negligible. I would strongly recommend cameras made by Nikon, Canon, and Olympus----companies that have been in the camera and lens business for a long time. If you are not buying a 35 mm digital SLR (e.g Nikon D70), but rather a simpler fixed focus digital camera (like the Coolpix), then I would encourage you to purchase as much optical zoom as you can afford. I am in agreement with a previous poster who mentioned the limitations of digital zoom. I think you will very much like taking digital photos---just by being able to take more pictures than one typically does with film, you will become a better photographer, and make some great memories of your journies.

[Coral]

I think you will very much like taking digital photos---just by being able to take more pictures than one typically does with film, you will become a better photographer, and make some great memories of your journies.

 

I agree! And if you can see right away that you took a picture of a ceiling or someone's feet - you will know right then and can take another picture. You will know what you are getting right away as opposed to getting home and then getting them developed.

[2ladies]

I am also a camera idiot. However ........ treated myself to a Pentax Optio S5i (I believe that this has been upgraded). It is so small it fits into an Altoids Tin - great conversation opener!!! So easy and with great pictures every time - amazing!!! I know nothing about any other cameras!!! All I know is I get great piccies!!!!

[MVPinBoynton]

I agree with what Coral said about getting what feels good to you. If you can understand how to make the camera do what you want it will eliminate a lot of bad pictures. If you don't understand photography, get one that gives options that are easy to understand. Perhaps pictures that you chose rather than cryptic icons. Don'tworry about getting a camera with a lot of megapixels, unless you are planning on really blowing up a lot of pictures and/or cropping and blowing up. My first two digital cameras were 3 and 4 megapixels each and I normally used 1 or 2 megapixel sized pictures because I would take over 100 a day and didn't have enough memory cards. They still look great. If you are going to post pictures on the web, the size really won't matter much at all. Get a reasonably priced camera to learn with and once you find out if you really like it, then you can decide what features you really want. Just remember, the more picutures you take the better the odds that you will get some really good ones. Plus you will gain experience on what works for you.

[Cruiseteach]

Wow! I really appreciate all the advice! Could one of you explain, in very simple words, the difference between digital and optical zoom so I won't sound like an idiot in the store?

[MVPinBoynton]

And one more thing. Get one that is small enough so that you won't mind taking it with you. More great shots have been missed because the camera was left at home rather than the quality of the camera or photographer.

[stephenandrew]

Wow! I really appreciate all the advice! Could one of you explain, in very simple words, the difference between digital and optical zoom so I won't sound like an idiot in the store?

 

 

Optical zoom reflects the ability of the camera lens itself to capture images. Digital zoom is a basically a computer enhancement above and beyond what the optical zoom can manage; digital zoom does allow you to zoom in further, but there is a degredation in the image quality you will capture when you utilize the digital zoom. Fortunately, all digital cameras make it easy and obvious to see when you are at the limit of your optical zoom and begin utilizing your digital zoom. You might want to google "optical and digital zoom" if you want to learn some more about this. Hope this helps.

[MVPinBoynton]

Optical zoom actually increases the size of the object by bringing it closer as you would with a pair of binoculars. Digital zoom makes the image appear closer by increasing the size of the pixels, just like you do in many computer applications when you view a picture and make it larger. In effect, it increases the size and reduces the quality of the picture. You can do the same thing to any picture when you get home by increasing the size and cropping what you want to keep in the picture. If you use digital zoom, you increase the size by reducing the quality. Optical zoom is what matters. You should turn off the digital zoom feature, to prevent yourself from taking bad pics.

[Suzieb]

Cruiseteach

Here is my touch on the camera you are looking for. First there has been many good things said, First optical zoom and there has been good explainations so far, second, how does the camera fit in your hand, and that is a personal thing and only you can figure it out. And the third thing that has not been mention is batteries! I personally look for cameras that take normal batteries. Sure you can buy extra special batteries at a big cost, but if bad luck follows you, batteries will go bad when you most need them, no matter what you do. But if your camera uses normal AA or AAA you can find them just about anywhere and they will git you by for a lest a few pictures. Also rechargable AA or AAA are pretty cheap!

Anyway good luck in your camera hunt and have fun looking

[SheilaNC]

I agree with Suzie re: batteries. We were at the Equator monument in Ecuador ready to take our once in a lifetime picture straddling the equator...when, of course, my battery went dead. In my hurry to get on the bus for this tour, I neglected to take my extra batteries. In a few minutes, and not speaking the language, I bought new batteries at a little stand and took my picture. I now use rechargeables and always have an extra charged set with me.

 

Also, check out the instruction manual of any camera you are considering. Some great cameras have manuals requiring an engineering degree to understand. Since you'll want to have the manual with you when you first start using your camera, it should be easy to understand without a great deal of interpretation.

 

We're had 2 Canons (3 megapixels and 5 megapixels). Both are great. My husband used one and I the other on our recent Med. cruise and both took great pictures. The enlargements with the 5 were clear and beautiful. With the 3 they were good, but not quite the same quality. Go with what feels right to you and try to find a store with a salesperson who knows cameras and is willing to take the time to walk you through several models. You'll love it and never take 'feet' pictures again (because you'll delete them and take better ones :))

[FredS]

Another item to consider is where are you going and are you going to take land tours. Often digital cameras in some contries scream, "Expensive" and you could find them removed from your ownership by locals. One thing we do is take the throw-away cameras get the film developed and also get the pictures on a CD or a floppy disk. Then I put them on the computer from the CD and can crop or edit as I see fit. If you take a digital camera ashore just be sure you keep it low key in your use. For me it depends on how many I am with and where I am. Just walking the streets of some city I would be cautious taking it ashore. On a cruise to North Africa it was suggested not to take them ashore. But you do see people using them in area like that. On our curise that stopped in Senegal a lady was knocked down and jewelery ripped off her as she was walking, with her husband, down the pier to the ship.

[MoneyGuy]

As a former "pro" photographer, I'd suggest you either take a course or find a friend who is skilled with a camera to show you the ins and outs of photography. Really, really good photography is very hard, but with a bit of knowledge you can easily improve your skills hugely. I've done this with some friends and it's amazing what little bit of training can do for your photos. A beginner's course would likely do wonders.

[steve20832]

I would recommend www.cnet.com and click on digital cameras. They have great reviews. You also get to choose your price range and they will also educate you what a feature in a camera does.

[shellbeachjim]

As a former "pro" photographer, I'd suggest you either take a course or find a friend who is skilled with a camera to show you the ins and outs of photography. Really, really good photography is very hard, but with a bit of knowledge you can easily improve your skills hugely. I've done this with some friends and it's amazing what little bit of training can do for your photos. A beginner's course would likely do wonders.

 

This is an excellent suggestion. Perhaps you have a local adult school or community college which might have an introductory digital photography course. Of course, the OP is taking their cruise in March, so Cruiseteach, you'll need to get going on this quickly!

 

One of the best online resources is http://www.dpreview.com. They have an extensive number of camera reviews, a glossary, buyers guide and user forums. I'm looking to upgrade my camera, and this website has been very helpful.

 

Jim

[fnewman]

For someone unfamiliar with the various camera settings, digital or otherwise, there are really only three useful pieces of advice :

 

1. Put the camera in its automatic mode (normally how it comes out of the box) and leave it there for the entire cruise. You'll end up with many more good shots than poorly exposed ones.

2. Rememeber that flash is only useful for about 10 feet +/-. trying to take pictures in the dark from farther away is generally a waste of time.

3. Take lots of pictures !

 

Good luck !!

[jbond]

My first advice is forget about megapixels. Most digitals today come with 4 to 5 MP and it's more than adequate for most photos. The human eye can only differentiate approx 2 MP in a 5X7 and 3.1 MP in an 8X10. I would agree with previous posters that you should try out the camera in a store and get one that feels good. Always shoot at max MP and quality. You never know when you might take that one in a lifetime photo. Memory is cheap. Memories are priceless.

If you are going to edit your own photos on your computer, stick to optical zoom. If you are just going to take your card into a local store to be printed, don't hesitate to use digital zoom. It will allow you to take better framed photos and the quality drop off is not that noticable, especially if you shoot at max MP and quality.

[MoneyGuy]

This is an excellent suggestion. Perhaps you have a local adult school or community college which might have an introductory digital photography course. Of course, the OP is taking their cruise in March, so Cruiseteach, you'll need to get going on this quickly!

 

One of the best online resources is http://www.dpreview.com. They have an extensive number of camera reviews, a glossary, buyers guide and user forums. I'm looking to upgrade my camera, and this website has been very helpful.

 

Jim

 

Any photo course will do. Doesn't have to be a digital photography course. The techniques - cropping, colour, composition, etc. - apply to all photo taking. It's not hard to take much better photos.

[crazy4themouse]

If you are going to edit your own photos on your computer, stick to optical zoom. If you are just going to take your card into a local store to be printed, don't hesitate to use digital zoom. It will allow you to take better framed photos and the quality drop off is not that noticable, especially if you shoot at max MP and quality.

 

 

Really? That advice makes my day. I keep reading about the importance of optical zoom, but I can't afford any of the cameras that have it. I got a few Walmart gift cards for Christmas, and I really really want a simple digital camera. I am just a recreational picture-taker -- I don't really think about what I'm shooting, generally. It's more of a "Oh look! -*click*" kind of thing. :) I shoot on auto all the time, every time.

 

The only time I plan to mess with pictures on my own computer is to email them to people or upload them someplace. Would digital zoom only be okay for me?

 

This has been such a helpful thread!

 

-gina-

[shellbeachjim]

Any photo course will do. Doesn't have to be a digital photography course. The techniques - cropping, colour, composition, etc. - apply to all photo taking. It's not hard to take much better photos.

 

Agreed, to a point. One of the advantages of a "digital photography" class is that they also introduce you to working with your photos on your computer.

[STUR]

I am going on the Coral in March and am in the market for a new camera- digital this time. I have been looking at all the posted photos and am so-o-o envious of all you great photogs. I am just starting to look at digital cameras. I am a total idiot when it comes to anything electronic. I can barely use a regular old point-and-shoot. Most of my photos include several shots of my feet or the ceiling. I could sure use some "expert" advice here!

 

:) GO TO A GOOD DEPENDABLE CAMERA STORE (PICK THERE BRAIN)

EXPLAIN HOW SIMPLE IT IS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

THEY WILL SHOW YOU HOW IT WORKS AND HOW EASY IT IS TO USE

ASK QUESTIONS

USE THE CAMARA IN THE STORE AND BE SURE YOU ARE SATISFIED

IF THE PRICE IS SATISFACTORY BUY IT (REMEMBER IF YOU PURCHES IT AT THE CAMERA STORE YOU CAN ALWAYS GO BACK FOR HELP (ALSO SOME TIMES THEY HAVE CLASES )LERN TO USE B/4 YOU GO ON YOUR TRIP

REMEMBER THE PRICE YOU PAY MAY BE A LITTLE MORE THAN (BEST BUYS) BUT THE SERVICE IS WORTH IT

 

LIKE I SAID PICK THERE BRAIN AND YOU THEN CAN PURCHES FROM BEST BUY (NO SERVICE YOUR CHOICE)

 

STUR DAYTON,OHIO

 

PS A GOOD CAMERA STORE WILL NOT SELL YOU MORE THEN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

[MoneyGuy]

Agreed, to a point. One of the advantages of a "digital photography" class is that they also introduce you to working with your photos on your computer.

 

True. I was commenting on actual picture taking, such as composition, lighting, depth of field, etc. A digital class would be helpful in the tasks unique to digital photography, such as using the computer to adjust photos.

 

One of the biggest errors I see is photos taken from far away. "I wanna tqake your picture. Go stand up against that wall and I'll stand over here about 20 feet away. You'll be very small in the photo but I get a shot of that great wall, so who cares?"

 

Be sure to think about your photo before you take it. Think that whatever shows in your viewfinder, and ask yoiurself if that's how you want your photo to look, then adjust it. What is your subject? It should dominate the photo.

 

Don't let things like trees and poles grow out of heads.

 

Use natural frames.

 

Lots of little things go into good photos.

[jbond]

Really? That advice makes my day. I keep reading about the importance of optical zoom, but I can't afford any of the cameras that have it. I got a few Walmart gift cards for Christmas, and I really really want a simple digital camera. I am just a recreational picture-taker -- I don't really think about what I'm shooting, generally. It's more of a "Oh look! -*click*" kind of thing. :) I shoot on auto all the time, every time.

 

The only time I plan to mess with pictures on my own computer is to email them to people or upload them someplace. Would digital zoom only be okay for me?

 

This has been such a helpful thread!

 

-gina-

If that's all you want to do and print them out at postcard size, looks as if you'd be OK. It may be difficult to find a digital zoom only camera these days.