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Looking at digital cameras-need advice

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/06/2003 : 19:36:07

Hi folks,
I can make this topic related to sailing in that I would like to be able to E-mail pics of my boat, modifications, deck wenches,etc.
I was thinking of getting the new Olympus Stylus with 3.1 megapixels. This model is weatherproof, just like my Olympus stylus zoom 35 mm. I have had it in the rain and splashes and it didn't hurt it. the digital camera is 400 bucks. Expensive, but I really do like the weatherproof feature.
Any advice, comments?
Is it hard to learn how to E-mail pics?
Thanks

Frank Gloss
89WK/TR

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 05/06/2003 : 19:57:48

Unless your going to go Pro with it I would recomend any of the Cannon powershot models. Be sure to purchase a spare battery and a larger Flash card. I have a 128mb card and can take almost 700 photos on it before the card gets full. Dont mess with a docking station or plugging the camera into your computer. Just get a small card reader. Its easy and fast. The cards can also be taken into Costco and the pictures printed out. Or you can edit and print your own. Cannon Powershot is a fine camera. I have had mine for over 3 years and never had any trouble. I beleve they are also the only ones with a metal frame/body. They are small compact and light.Picture of Sea Forms Glass musseum Tacoma Wa.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d632b3127cce9fc8d685123e0000001610" border=0>

Edited by - Douglas on 05/06/2003 20:07:59

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 05/06/2003 : 23:08:28

Oh no, Frank you have opened a can of worms! There are at least as many opinions on "the best digital camera" as there are models of digital cameras, i.e. hundreds! I have a Minolta 7I, 5 megapixel. Most of the photos I have posted on this forum were shot with this camera, except the Lake Tahoe and Ganges Harbor shots, which were scanned from regular prints and slides. Whichever camera you decide on, take the following into consideration: 1. Batteries. Digital cameras all use either "AA" NIMH cells or a propritary Lithium Ion pack. I prefer the "AA" batteries. They are widely available for around $14.00 for a set of 4. The proprietary power packs cost 3 to 5 times as much (especially Sony), are only available at camera stores or a few on-line vendors, and are only good for that camera. "AA"'s can power any gadget you already might own, like a walkman, that uses "AA".
2. Storage. There are a dozen different kinds of memory cards out there. Compact Flash is the most widely used and most widely available, and usually least expensive per megabyte. Sony cameras use a proprietary storage card called "Memory Stick" that is nearly twice the cost per megabyte as Compact Flash, and until just a few weeks ago, was only available in a maximum size of 126 megs (grossly inadequate for a 5 megapixel camera like the Sony F-717). Optics. Any camera is only as good as the quality of it's lens. One of the problems with the very small "shirt-pocket" size digital cameras is that the tiny lens they have is so small that the camera can't function well in low light levels. The auto-focus will typically fail, or the exposure will be too dark. Get a camera with a good quality piece of glass on it. Nothing is worse than shelling out several BU's for a camera then being disappointed in it's capabilities and image quality. Zoom range. Try to get a camera with as much zoom range as possible, at least 4X, or you will soon be frustrated with it's limitations. Here's why I choose the Minolta 7I after hundreds of hours spent reading reviews and doing pre-purchase research:
1. Best value in the 5 megapixel class. I paid $675 for mine.
2. 28 mm wide angle, the only non-SLR digital with this much wide-angle. The next best is 35 mm, a large difference.
3. 7X zoom range, Only the Nikon 5700 and a few Olympus models offered more zoom range, but none of the others had the 28mm wide angle.
4. Power. Uses standard "AA" NIMH cells. Most of the other cameras in this class from Canon, Sony and Nikon use proprietary battery packs.
5. Storage. Uses standard Compact Flash cards and is IBM Microdrive compatible
6. Flash. Has a decent built-in flash AND a hot shoe for external flash units.
7. Manual focus. A must-have for low-light or high-contrast situations that can fool most auto-focus systems.
8. Macro range. Not the absolute champion (the Sony beats it in Macro mode), but adequate for my needs.
9. Optics. The Minolta 7I has a very nice piece of glass, relatively fast (for a digicam) at F-3.8
10. Image quality. The Minolta 7I gets pretty good grades here. Not quite up to Nikon or Canon SLR standards, but after all you get what you pay for and the Minolta costs less than half what a real digital SLR costs.
11. Ergonomics. The camera feels good in my hands, and the controls are reasonably well thought out and not too difficult to learn. A nice mix of features and pretty good manual controls for times when you want to be creative and not let the camera make all the decisions. Would I buy another one? Yes. So far, I have not seen another 5 megapixel digital camera that meets my specific needs better than the 7I.. The point of this spiel is not really to convince you to buy a Minolta 7I, but to point out that there is LOT you should try to learn about these digital cameras to make a sensible purchase decision. My most valuable research resource is Phil Askey's Digital Photography Review website, at www.dpreview.com He has reviewed hundreds of digital cameras, exhaustively, and I feel confidant that his reviews are as even-handed and un-biased as you will find anywhere.

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25 #1205 "Quiet Time"
Sacramento, CA

Edited by - on

tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2003 : 02:23:19

Frank, I just purchased the Olympus you refer to for the same reason. I bought a larger memory card for it and an extra battery.

While I agree with Larry on many items, we wanted a shirt pocket camera that we could carry around with us. I thought about the canon but the water resistant part sold me. I think the battery issue that Larry makes is valid but the size of the smaller battery makes it possible to reduce the size of the camera. I have been impressed with how long I can use it, with the viewfinder on too. The batteries recharge in only about two of three hours too. You could do it on the boat with a small inverter like we use for our laptop. The camera's film mode is kind of fun but pretty limited, no sound and short. It is pretty easy to use - I have fun turning my kids loose it and then seeing what they turned up. The memory card is a new format that does not fit into standard readers at my office. It has not been a problem, I have a USB extension cord on my computer and all I have to do in plug the camera in and it acts like a hard drive on my computer. One feature that has been a bonus and lots of fun is the camera comes with a cord to attach to a TV with a video input RCA jack. You can use it to review the days pictures with out a computer. It makes if fun to share pictures with friends since TV's are so ubiquitous.

Someday I still want to replace my Nikon 35mm with its great optics and 28-200 lense but for now those cameras are still at least $1000. I never handed my Nikon to the kids and said go take pictures.

Todd Hansen
Fior Gra'
San Luis Obispo, CA

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2003 : 12:14:27

I bought the Olympus D 5500 last year, and have been delighted. I've owned Olympus 35mm equipment for years, and found it to be the best combination of price, features, reliability, and quality (I also owned Canon, Pentax, and Nikon). The D5500 is now pretty steeply discounted -- less than $ 250 many places. It interfaces easily with Macs and PCs, comes with a great "CamMedia" software program that will file and print and edit your pictures easily and well (if you want to do high powered editing, you can go the Photoshop route but I seldom need that level of manipulation). The 5500 is a 3 meg camera, but I've found I very seldom need that level of picture: it takes up HUGE amounts of space on the SmartMedia Card and on the hard drive. It's all there, though, if you want it.

Brooke

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2003 : 13:17:18

Thanks for the review Todd. I think that the water resistant feature will be the biggest selling point for me. I have gotten lots of replies from the C22 forum and some folks said that all the brands are pretty close. This is the only weatherproof one. Perfect for boating, hiking, etc.

Frank Gloss
89WK/TR

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2003 : 18:16:23

The most disappointing camera you can buy is the one you won't have with you when you want it. I think for your application the form factor (waterproof/compactness) are real a real plus.

As far as Olympus, I have an Olympus D490 that I've been very pleased with. No complaints other than the owners manual is printed in a tiny format that takes a magnifying glass to read with my 50-year old eyes.

If you're running the latest versions of Windows like XP, downloading from your camera and sending photos is a no-brainer. The photo "wizard" will recognize your camera on the USB hook-up and give you a "bouncing ball" to follow.

For more fun, you can get photo editing software and burn hours and hours perfecting your photos.

-- cb

Currently maintaining two holes in the water...'77 Venture 23 and new to the family,
'78 Catalina 25

Edited by - on

pwhallon
Admiral

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USA
694 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2003 : 19:07:39

Hi Frank,

My wife just bought us a Canon ZR-70MC mini DV camcorder. It does stills and "movies". The quality is great. 22x optical zoom and 440 digital. It uses a card and a tape.

Her price shopping led her to a store called Cameratopia.

cameratopia.com

The price was really good and the salesman gave her pretty good discounts on accessories as well. They might be worth checking out as you price shop.

If you want the killer rig, get the Contax digital camera with Carl Zeiss lenses. The body alone is $7,000.00. OUCH!!!

Good luck in your search.

Had another call on the Marinette today. Please wish me luck selling her.

PW

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2003 : 23:24:25

Gosh Paul, I thought you sold that Marinette long ago. I'm taking my C22 to a broker in Charlotte Friday. Wish me luck in selling her too.
As far a digital cameras go, I may be on hold for a few weeks now. I found out my mom's TV died so for a Mother's day gift I'm spending my extra 6 boat units on buying her a new one. Money well spent I think.
In late may Olympus is coming out with a 4 megapixel version of the weatherproof stylus. I'll bet the 3.2 megapixel one will drop in price then. I can't imagine there would be much difference in 3.2 and 4 megapixels. I can't count that high myself.

Frank Gloss
89WK/TR

Edited by - on

pwhallon
Admiral

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USA
694 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2003 : 08:23:48

Hi Frank,

Yea, I thought I had her sold too.

I have accepted offers for the boat and each time the buyer either couldn't get the money or backed out.

I got an e-mail this morning about showing the boat later today. Maybe She'll sell.

I sure miss sailing.

I'll bet your 22 sells fast. From what you told me, she sounds liks a nice boat.

That's nice of you to get your mom a tv.

Good winds,

PW

Edited by - pwhallon on 05/08/2003 08:26:49

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osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2003 : 11:35:48

I have a Sony 3.1 megapixal, don't recall the number and my wife has this morning. I am very pleased with it, and the one feature I would like is the water/proof/resistant feature. At 3.1 picture quality is excellant, especially for an amature (sp).

I download the memory pic (card) to a zip drive, and to e-mail a picture, simply attach a jpeg file, exactly like attaching a report or any other file. Very simple.

with Sony the memory pics come in several sizes and the ones I use and reuse get between 250 and 700 pictures on them.

Hope these ramblings help ya'

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY

Edited by - on

ssteakley
Captain

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USA
467 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2003 : 11:28:27

This months Consumer Reports is all about digital Camera's...It really depends on how you will use it...Do you need a Zoom Feature? etc.,
Check it out, it helped me find the camera I wanted,
Steve

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dc32b3127cce94d57c8cff3b0000001010" border=0> Moon Chaser #385WK <img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/forum1.gif" border=0>

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Dave B
Admiral

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Mali
863 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2003 : 22:26:03

Frank:

IMHO, if you primarily want to e-mail and post pics to the Web, 3 megapixels is overkill, and 5 is like buying a C-470 to daysail on an inland lake. Our 1.3 mp Fuji makes pictures that, when printed to normal photo size, are indistinguishable from film. It's not ideal for 8x10 prints, but 5x7s are pretty impressive. Three megapixels create images that are many times the size of the computer screen, unless reduced. To e-mail or post to the Web, you'll probably cut the size at least in half, which is a quarter of the pixels. I reduce our pics by half to e-mail them, effectively using about 350K pixels. More than that is a disfavor to the poor receiver (or Web user), especially if they're on a dialup connection.

Net: If you're really into photography, go big. If you want shapshots for the Web and e-mail, go easy on your wallet.

Dave Bristle, 1985 C-25 #5032 "Passage" SR/FK/Dinette/Honda in SW CT

Edited by - on

Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2003 : 04:20:09

I just wanted a web cam and two Christmas' ago bought two Intel webcams, one for my son as a present and one for me. They were $60.
I take mine off the computer and use it for pictures also. When I sailed down the St. Johns R. to my brothers for a birthday party I fell in the river with it. Two weeks later the camera had dried out and still had the previous pictures on it. All the pictures I post are made with this camera. Only problem is there isn't a flash. I was hoping to do some video conferences with relatives but haven't had any one wanting to. If anyone wants to, let me know. I'm eager to try it.

Safe voyages,
Ben, FL s/v Chick-a-pea C250wk
<img src="http://www.members.aol.com:/benraye/pictures/fullsail.jpg" border=0>

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2003 : 13:36:22

Frank,

Ya gotta know that electronic gadgets are old before the ink dries. Some years ago Sony came out with a Mavica system that recorded on floppy discs and it was what I was looking for at the time. A simple system that recorded on a disc that just plugged into the front of the tower and away you go. One less cord to deal with. Worked well and still does, but in the interim all kinds of newer gadgets have surfaced that are almost irresistible, fortunately a short supply of the green stuff, keeps the urge in check.

Val on Calista # 3936

Val Bisagni]<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3df11b3127cce94709c5ff2e90000000010" border=0>

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