April 21, 2005

• My favorite is Digital Photography Review. It has a nice comparison feature .
• I second the vote for dpreview - lots of good technical information on cameras, as well as lots of common-sense advice. After reading through the site last year, I realised that I wasn't going to be getting any sort of SLR camera - way too expensive still. So, I went the opposite direction and looked for something that (a) would fit in my pocket so that I can take it everwhere (b) Looked sort of stylish (because I'm a shallow guy) (c) Had a full-auto-braindead setting (d) Had a full-manual setting I ended up getting a 3MP Canon IXUS (they're called something different in the states). I also realise that in 2 years time I'll be getting a 10MP for half the price - so I didn't agonise for too long over the purchase.
• Try Steve's Digicams - lots of reviews and detailed info. I've found it quite useful in the past. A friend recently bought one of these and he's very happy with it - good balance of auto vs manual control.
• Yeah, dpreview is the best, but with a $600 cap you're stuck with the so-called "prosumer" models with whatever "optical zoom" they come with and the built-in flash. (Not that this is that terrible-- I myself have a 5MP Olympus C-5060 as my carry-everywhere camera.) A reasonable telephoto lens will run you another $300, a flash another $200 or so. I personally think that worrying about megapixels is a bit silly beyond the 5MP mark, unless you're a pro or doing very specialized shoots. Much better to look at the sensitivy, speed, quality of lenses, and of course the UI. If you don't mind a word of advice, go down to a camera shop and take plenty of test pictures with the camera(s) you're interested in before making the purchase. Hard to get the first-hand experience on the internets. Make sure to test both RAW and JPEG formats, as some cameras have crappy JPEG codecs.
• The Fujifilm S5100 is really, really well made, 4 MP. You can get it used for about $350 or less, it shoots in raw, and looks like an SLR (and isn't all ugly and silvery and bullshitty. It's a great looking device). 10X optical zoom, uses fujifilm compact flash format.
• The WSJ had a digital camera buyer's guide today in the Personal Journal section. I don't have an online subscription and bugnenot.com didn't have one either so see if you can pick up a copy at a newstand.
• Definitely go to the store and test the models available. Steve's guide and the Pixels site are great for feature comparison and examples, but if the ergonomics don't suit you, you won't enjoy your purchase. And look into storage options; one of the main advantages of digital phtography is the ability to shoot dozens of pics to be sorted, selected or deleted later, but first you need the capacity ot hold those pics. Check for higher capacity cards and try to get two.
• This is probably obvious to anyone familiar with cameras, but as a recent first time camera buyer it took me by surprise. Think about when you want to carry the camera. I'm very happy with the one I bought. It allows me a great deal of flexibility in adjustment, as well as numerous automatic settings. It is however, unavoidably bulky - can't have all those options and a good lens without some bulk. Ideally I'd own two cameras. The one I have now, plus one of the great digital autos that fit in an altoids tin and could be carried in your pocket 24/7.
• dpreview, as mentioned, is best. Steve's Digicams is also good, as is dcresource. I recently bought a Canon PowerShot S70, having had the same general description of what I was looking for as you do. I'm very happy with it, though I haven't used it all that heavily yet. (It just slightly edged out the Canon PowerShot G6, which is a bit larger.)
• I'm in love with my PowerShot S1 IS. Fewer megapixels than some other models (3.2) but the image quality is fantastic, and the plethora of manual controls plus a damn good video mode and a steady-cam feature are really great. They make other cameras that are a little more high-end like the digital Rebels, but for the money I spent the S1 is everything I need until I can afford the $3000 Übercamera I really would like. At any rate, the professional photographers I've talked to have said that Canon makes the best stuff, period. Personally, I've yet to use a Canon digital imaging device (camera, scanner, copier, you name it) that I wasn't happy with.
• I'd second ActuallySettle's recommendation on the Fuji. I have an earlier, crappier version (3100, 3MP, doesn't shoot in raw) which I think is pretty similar -- the 10x zoom kicks. At the time, it was the best thing in my price range that wasn't an SLR. Mine has a shite-slow autofocus which gets worse in low-light. More megapixels mean larger files, but how big do you need? I get ok 8x10 prints from a 3 megapixel.
• I second (third?) the recs for dpreview and Steve's Digicams. There's a lesser-known but really nice pseudo-SLR camera in your price range: the Panasonic Lumix series. Check out the Panasonic DMC-FZ5 and DMC-FZ20 --Pat
• And start saving for ink cartridges and that special 'photo' paper. Forget about those horrid, botched prints from your 35mm rolls at 1-hour-photo places: when you fine-tune your pics and they emerge, on shiny paper, just the way you want them, at up to letter-sized prints, you'll feel in heaven.
• Another review site I spent days and days looking at before buying mine is the Imaging Resource. Lots of very thorough, very consistent reviews of digital cameras from the across the spectra of price, manufacturer, age, etc.
• This is another favorite site: Imaging Resource I also like DP Review and Steve's Digicams as well. Imaging Resource has some really in-depth reviews of cameras that seems a bit more comprehensive than DP Review. I did about two months of research on the different digital cameras out there, both point and shoot and digital SLR's before I laid down the money for the Nikon D-70 with the kit lens (very, very good OEM lense, by the way) and have never regreted the decision for one day. Absolutly amazing and fabulous camera.
• Oh, I also have a Canon Powershot A-85 that's the bee's knees that might be more what you're looking for. I think they updated the model recently. Goes for about $300.00 or so. 4.0 megapixels, although as a previous poster said, megapixels aren't a big deal, it's the quality and size of the sensor that's the deal breaker.
• I'm digging what I am hearing about the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20S, zippy. From the reviews, this is a hell of a camera for the price. And I will go the the local camera store to see how it feels before I buy it. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.
• i like epinions. it's not professional reviews but just opinions of people who purchased the products. i've followed advice there for a digital camera as well as binoculars and i was very pleased with my choices. so now i go first to epinions then to mysimon to find the best deal.
• I like dpreview.com. And I second Nal's vote about ideally having your "real" camera, and then having the "good enough" camera which doesn't necessarily have everything your real camera does, but does have the advantage of being small, lightweight, always around and ready at a moment's notice. My usual camera is an Olympus C-5050Z, which is an awesome, rugged, cast magnesium-bodied tank of a prosumer camera, but just big enough that I didn't necessarily want to carry it everywhere I went. So I've also got a Pentax Optio SV which sees as much action, if not more, because it's always on my person. There are so many moments I've been able to capture just because when I've needed to, it's handily been in my back pocket. They're both 5MP cameras, with full manual controls, manual focus, exposure, white balance, macro, etc... and a pretty nice full-auto just pick up and shoot mode. And both have street prices that are under your $600 limit. :)
  
• As an aside, about always having the camera around... I was riding my motorcycle on campus in late 2001 when I got t-boned by an New Beetle trying to cut across traffic. Well, after going over the handlebars, flying about 15 - 20 feet, and then hitting the pavement, the first thing I remember after coming to was my co-worker standing over me, asking me if I was alright. The *second* thing I remember doing, was feebly feeling the breast pocket of my motorcycle jacket and getting out my (then- daily-use duty camera) Canon Elph, handing it to her, saying, "Please. Take. Pictures?" The attorney and insurance say that the pictures, along with the police report, were very useful at establishing her speed and chronicling the damage and relative positions of vehicles at the accident scene. (a nice chunk of the New Beetle's bumper and headlamp were gone, and my Ducati lay scarred with its engine case torn, and bleeding oil on its side.) It was also very handy when her insurance tried to screw me over later. Never can tell when you need that camera handy. :)