Digital Camera Advice (1 Viewer)

[Rose]

Hi,
Im an art student looking for some advice on buying a new digital camera. I've got a budget of about €400 and need a decent quality camera that has a high optical zoom(x10aprox) for getting close to subjects. Ideally I would buy a digital SLR but they're really expensive so Ive been looking at a few cameras like the Fuji Finepix S5600 and the canon PowerShot S3 IS.
Any advice on this would be great,
Thanks!

 

[RSJ]

I don't know much outside SLR's, but i do know you can get a Canon DSLR on ebay for around e350. I could be wrong, but you could probably get a good zoom for one (old non digital that would work with the camera body) for around 80-100. If the reason you want the optical zoom is to get in close to details on your pictures (as opposed to taking pictures from some distance away from the canvas) you want a macro lens, or some macro filters, which are very cheap but a little harder to use.

 

[inspector horse]

i got this for around 350-400 euro on ebay, its an slr/8megapixel and has the macro function mentioned above for close shots.
the flip screen is also a great feature...
review here with all the features listed
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0409/04091501kmdimagea200.asp

and on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/Konica-Minolta-...93567829QQcategoryZ107904QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Rose]

Thanks, I have a pretty good canon SLR at the moment but want to get a reliable digital camera now as well, just for good documentation but my last one wasnt great so I want to get a decent one now while I have some cash. Generally is Fuji considered reliable? I always thought they were alright but Ive read a few bad things about them recently. Also I seen a Kodak easyshare Z74O that I could afford but am dubious of Kodak.
Anyway,

 

[inspector horse]

Thanks, I have a pretty good canon SLR at the moment but want to get a reliable digital camera now as well, just for good documentation but my last one wasnt great so I want to get a decent one now while I have some cash. Generally is Fuji considered reliable? I always thought they were alright but Ive read a few bad things about them recently. Also I seen a Kodak easyshare Z74O that I could afford but am dubious of Kodak.
Anyway,

the above is a digital slr

 

[ilovehoovering]

Generally is Fuji considered reliable?

i used the s7000 for a year and never had any problems (until it got completely covered in guinness and died). there doesn't seem to be much difference between the 7000 and the 5600.

 

[RSJ]

the above is a digital slr

Must have a very advanced pentaprism if it can reflect onto a rotatable LCD screen

 

[ICUH8N]

Must have a very advanced pentaprism if it can reflect onto a rotatable LCD screen

You mean advanced like the Olympus E-330?

 

[ernesto]

Must have a very advanced pentaprism if it can reflect onto a rotatable LCD screen

or do you mean that most digital 'SLR-style' digital cameras are not technically SLR as they ddont have a single reflective lens thats removeable?

 

[quasiquasi]

You mean advanced like the Olympus E-330?

LCDs are fun and even useful sometimes, but they aren't very good for e.g. checking focus. The optical viewfinder is far more important.

 

[RSJ]

or do you mean that most digital 'SLR-style' digital cameras are not technically SLR as they ddont have a single reflective lens thats removeable?

basically, yeah. It looks like a really great camera for the price, but to call something that doubles as a video camera and that has a fixed lens that features digital zoom an SLR is somewhat disingenuous. I don't mean to sound all "rah rah rah this is what photography is all about", but it's important to acknowledge the distinction.

 

[ICUH8N]

LCDs are fun and even useful sometimes, but they aren't very good for e.g. checking focus. The optical viewfinder is far more important.

sorry, I couldn't find the irony tags. Pretend you can see me rolling my eyes instead.

 

[ernesto]

basically, yeah. It looks like a really great camera for the price, but to call something that doubles as a video camera and that has a fixed lens that features digital zoom an SLR is somewhat disingenuous. I don't mean to sound all "rah rah rah this is what photography is all about", but it's important to acknowledge the distinction.

yeah i know, i sell digital cameras and it annoys me the arrogance of some people who cant understand that they are not slr and explaining it to them or tying to just annoys them.


im not a bitter person at all!

 

[inspector horse]

just a question with reference to the whole ,it is an slr/no its not thing. im guessing you mean that the digital camera(like the one i stuck the link up for)
is not a true slr , but are they not still referred to as digital slr's ? not being cheeky just curious

 

[RSJ]

Ernesto'll give a better explination of this, but it looks like the one above is sold as an "SLR-Style" digital camera, as opposed to a Digital SLR. It's a suble difference that i imagine they invented to decieve people.

 

[inspector horse]

Ernesto'll give a better explination of this, but it looks like the one above is sold as an "SLR-Style" digital camera, as opposed to a Digital SLR. It's a suble difference that i imagine they invented to decieve people.

sounds like something they'd do alright, still though im getting good use from it, mainly use it for photoshop/illustrator work so image is usually just a starting point for something else.

 

[sarah]

yeah i know, i sell digital cameras and it annoys me the arrogance of some people who cant understand that they are not slr and explaining it to them or tying to just annoys them.


im not a bitter person at all!

so which camera would you recommend from the 'actual' dslr rather than
the fake ass pretendy ones?

all expert advice will be gladly received if you're not already fed
up with talking about them.

 

[RSJ]

Nikon D50's pretty good, even if you just get the body and a second hand 50mm AF lens from ebay. Apparently the low end Cannon's (which are cheaper again) are pretty good as well.

 

[sarah]

Nikon D50's pretty good, even if you just get the body and a second hand 50mm AF lens from ebay. Apparently the low end Cannon's (which are cheaper again) are pretty good as well.

cheers ready, will check these out forthwith..

must spread rep before yada yada yada yawn.