Digital Still Camera recommendations?

[Bendy]

I'm in the market for a new still camera, looking to spend up to about £250.

My current camera is a bog standard Finepix which I'm pretty happy with, except for the lack of zoom.

I borrowed a higher spec Fuji to take photos at the Maiden gig Saturday night (6x zoom jobbie) and it's an utterly terrible camera - the lag between pressing the shutter and the photo it takes could be measured in seconds, requiring a lot of predictive photo taking... I haven't looked at the results yet and I'm not too optimistic. Not something I want for trying to take photos of bikes.

So, has anyone got any recommendations for what's a good camera to buy? No links to camera websites please, I'm looking for personal recommendations of cameras or at least makes that you've actually used. Or advice on any to specifically avoid.,

Ta.

[dainesefreak]

I've got an Olympus 350 Zoom and I've been more than happy with it. One of the lads I work with is a bit of a digital camera nut and recommended it. The only thing I would change is the f. rating for something with a lower rating. Mine is an f3.1 to 5.2, the lower the f rating the more light the camera lets into the lens and the better poor light and night performance you get. Have a look at something like the Olympus C-740 it's around £299 probably find it cheaper on the web. It's got 10x optical zoom and 3x digital, not that digital zoom is worth much, it's also got an f. rating of 2.8 - 3.7.

The other band that tends to get good reviews is Canon, so a similar priced Canon would also be worth looking at. I've never used them however, just seen some reviews then I was looking.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Really depends what you want to take pics of.

I have a little Canon A10 which is an old 1.3mp camera but which has an optical viewfinder. Yes you can still get a bit of shutter lag, but it doesn't matter too much. The Sony we have (DSCF 505V) is terrible for shutter lag and also locks the image on the screen at this moment which makes it a real pain to take a picture of anything moving. The little Canon is now long superceeded but the current version is the A70 that is 3.2mp and costs about £245. Takes normal AA batteries (and rechargeable AA batteries are dirt cheap). Manages 1.6 frames per second. Think it is 3x optical zoom and 2x digital. Uses compact flash memory so that is simple and cheap. They have just brought out another upgraded version but not sure of the spec of that.

After that I would go for maybe a Fuji Finepic S602 for about £475

If you want to spend more then the Canon D30 I have can be got for around £400 second hand now (although that is without accessories), after which you need lenses. Shutter lag is not really perceptable.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Korn]

[Bendy]

[John]

One other thing to look for is a video mode, I know you've got the cams and all, but it'll still be useful! Some of the cams have 640x video now with sound, which makes for good quality videos.

My dad bought a Canon Powershot G2 a while back, amazing pictures from it, incredible quality. Shutter lag differers on which shooting mode you use, but it's usually about half a second, but goes instantly on wide shots.
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TT600 neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeowwww!

[Kickstart]

[Dr Nick]

I went and bought a Minolta Dimage Z1, excellent camera 10 times optical zoom!!, 3.2 mega pixels. Would highly reccomend it.

https://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/Z1/Z1A.HTM

[Jimmy]

Sony 5 million pixel camera for £265.

Check out https://www.comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/179_111066.html
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I've confused my intentions with my abilities

[Sparks!]

i got a 3.3 MP camera from www.novatech.co.uk for £99.99

I now see why it was so cheap.

its pretty crap really... i was blinded by the 3.3MP crap

you can get very good quality photos from it, but the conditions have to be spot on and it doesnt even have a opitcal zoom

1st one i bought lasted a week before i broke it took it back to the typically shite novatech customer service and got it replaced, so far its been ok and had no problems...

reccomended camera if your after a decent but cheap one but its not as good as better branded cameras...
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[Kickstart]

Hi

Just outside your budget at £387 but there are these Fuji ones:-

https://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/shop/detail.asp?ProductID=1050&CategoryID=16&SubCategoryID=

6 meapixel output SLR style camera - from 3 megapixel Super CCD
Powerful 6x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 35-210mm zoom on 35mm)
Multiple shooting modes, 1.8" TFT screen, high speed 5 frame/sec mode
SmartMedia, CompactFlash and Microdrive compatible


Or well inside your budget:-

https://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/shop/detail.asp?ProductID=967&CategoryID=16&SubCategoryID=

3.95 million effective pixels, 2272 x 1704 pixel resolution
3x optical zoom & 2.5x digital, multiple focus and metering modes
Optical finder and TFT colour screen, movie mode, auto-flash
Fast USB connection, (NB Recon stock is supplied without memory card)

At £200 it isn't bad for a 4mp camera.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Rob]

Buy this one Bendy:
mmmmmm
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Love is 1050cc

[Kickstart]

Mmmmm, let me see. Who can I get a credit card from. The 1D would do me nicely although it is onlly something like 4.5mp it is damn fast. There is also the 1DS which is slower by far higher resolution 11mp.

All the best

Keiht
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Rob]

[Kickstart]

Getting the card isn't the problem. Paying it off is the problem. The 1D is not much over £2000 these days, although the 1DS is around £6000.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[McJamweasel]

[GFK]

I've got a Fuji FinePix A204. Cost £160ish for the cam, and another £40 for a 128Mb xD card (which over holds 200 1600x1200 pics, and almost 1,000 at 640x480). It comes with a 16Mb XD card.

Its got 3x optical zoom plus 2x digital zoom. If you can't find an A204 anywhere, I think the A203 is a very similar (if not identical) spec.

[Major_Grooves]

So what did you get in the end Bendy and where did you get it? I'm looking to spend around £200 to get something decent (3.0MP+) that can also do short movies and also have some money for a 128 card.

I've just been looking at the recommendations here and searching them on Kelkoo.com. Is that the best place to find cheap choices? I'm hoping to get something by the time I go ski-ing (3rd January)
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[XS1954]

I have finpix a203 which is excellent. The best place to get cameras is from https://www.internetcamerasdirect.co.uk

They are offering Xmas delivery right up until 22nd December.
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You're a cock.

[XJ Dave]

I bought a Fuji Finepix A310 a couple of months ago and had no problems with delay......have taken some reasonable action shots of my son in his kayak playing in some weirs....

[The BeefMeister]

[Dr Nick]

[Major_Grooves]

[quote="The BeefMeisterNice of you to tell people on the 21st though.

[/quote]

I just re-surrected the thread today. Do you think he is obliged to randomly tell us about the delivery details of a camera company?
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[Bendy]

[Dr Nick]