Possibly looking for digital camera

[epp_b]

I'm thinking of possibly getting a new digital camera. I currently have a Sony Mavica FD85, which is nice in that it writes directly to floppy disks...but the thing is a behemoth and battery life is mediocre even for my very casual use.What I need/want:

• Small, compact, and slim
• Not too expensive (say, under $150 CAD...make that $200 CAD is $150 is impossible)
• Has a decent flash with red-eye reduction
• 3x optical zoom
• A good menu system
• Uses SD cards
• Preferably a proprietary battery, as they tend to last longer
• Must connect as a standard mass storage device to a Windows machine...none of this proprietary connection junk

What is neglidible/irrelevant:

• Resolution (my Sony supports up to 1.3MP, which is sufficient for me and is also lower than most units on the market today anyway)
• Viewfinder - in fact, I don't care one bit for these. A good LCD screen is much better.
• Other special features such as docking to a specialized printer, connection dingalings, and what-not.

Thanks!...oh, and it cannot be a Sony. I refuse to buy any of their products for more-than-obvious reasons around here

[greengeek]

I just got a Canon PS A520, it's 4MP and 4 x optical zoom. It uses 2 x AA batteries and SD cards. Cost was $285 Australian so it should be a bit less in Canadian dollars. I also got a card reader and battery charger (cost extra) so I'm ready to go. Took a couple of test photos, plugged the card reader into the Xandros machine, put the card in and copied the photos to the hard drive, simple. Did the same with the XP machine, also simple. It came with a CD but I haven't checked it yet as it's not for Linux.

[epp_b]

Thanks for the info, greengeek. That camera doesn't particularly interest me -- costs too much, resolution is higher than I need, bigger than I'm looking for.

[teacher]

Nikon Coolpix 4600

[Peachy]

Canon PowerShot A410 is only $200Cdn. Canon makes very good cameras. You can't go wrong with a Canon.

[epp_b]

That Canon does look interesting. I'd like to know how the menu system works though, and I doubt it's something readily available to look at where I live.Stupid thing is, I can't find any downloads/manuals/etc. for this camera online

[Peachy]

Try the product brochure

[usasma]

Here's my shopping tip of the day :)Go to BestBuy, Circuit City, department stores, etc.Find a camera that you like (realize that the prices that you're looking at can "usually" be bettered by shopping online). I say "usually" because I just got a great deal on a laptop at WalMart of all places :)Use http://www.pricegrabber.com to find a good deal (I won't do business with anyone on pricegrabber that doesn't have at least some hint of color in the 5th star of the 5 star rating system - and I haven't been disappointed yet!)This is how I shop for all my major purchases that I have to see before I buy.

[epp_b]

Here's my shopping tip of the day smile.gifGo to BestBuy, Circuit City, department stores, etc.

I would do that, but the closest one is about an hour-and-a-half drive away.

Try the product brochure

Already saw that - nothing there. Edited November 17, 2005 by epp_b

[epp_b]

Well, I went uptown today, and a local shop did actually happen to have this model in. Looked pretty nice, I thought. I'm just not sure I like the lense jutting out :hmm:Although, if I go for it, I will probably buy it from the local store. I'd have little problem sticking it to Worst Buy, Futureslop, or Office Repo - but no online store can beat good-old local service

[usasma]

I bought a Canon 5.0 mP camera several years ago without looking at it first. If I had seen it first, I'd have never have bought it. As it is, I'm stuck with a quirky camera that's a pain to use.There's nothing like looking at them first - it'll save you wasting your money, even if you have to drive 1½ hours.

[epp_b]

Like I said, the camera was in the store, so I did get a look at it.

[AbeL]

Check out these three (international) sites:from the UShttp://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/a410.htmlandfrom the UKdpreview.comandfrom Canadahttp://www.dcresource.com/Have fun,

[epp_b]

Thanks

[FuzzButt]

I picked up the Samsung 7MP digital at Target last week for $200.45USD 7MP is huge but it can shoot lower if you want. It uses SD Memory so you can easily misplace the cards if your not careful (My issue is that the SD cards are not kid friendly)The pictures looked good. My Nikon Coolpix 3100 shoots better looking shots though. It uses the CF card but still remains smaller, lighter and easier to use. Your wish for

Preferably a proprietary battery, as they tend to last longer

is odd. For someone admittedly not close to retail outlets a simpler solution is cameras using the AA size battery. I like the fact that my NIkon can use either the CR3 Lithium (Lasts the longest) or the AA Lithium or in a pinch standard or NI-Cad AA batteries.The last thing you want is a dead battery when the perfect shot is close at hand. Next is not having enough space on your card for the picture.Finally I have taken 1510 pictures with the 3100 I have. Outside, Inside, Daytime, Nighttime, warm weather or sub-zero. It has even been dropped. It keeps taking great pictures considering the 3MP limitations. It fits into my back pocket or jacket pocket without issues. The picture on my sig line was taken with this camera.The one I really want is the Nikon 8MP D100 but I am not ready for another $1200 camera purchase.Good luck

[epp_b]

is odd. For someone admittedly not close to retail outlets a simpler solution is cameras using the AA size battery. I like the fact that my NIkon can use either the CR3 Lithium (Lasts the longest) or the AA Lithium or in a pinch standard or NI-Cad AA batteries.

I find that proprietary batteries tend to last longer. But, maybe that's not the case anymore with LiIon AAs available?7MP is far more than I need (but, no doubt, must take good huge pictures!).BTW, I have another preference to add that will probably narrow the options down severely: I would prefer that the camera's optical zoom lense does not extrude from the main body of the camera. My current Sony Mavica has such a lense, I like it. I realize that this will mean the camera is not as compact, but I'm willing to forgo that convenience if the zoom lense isn't poking out. Edited December 7, 2005 by epp_b

[Marsden11]

I would be looking on eBay for some old used thing... Pretty hard to find a brand new 1-2 megapixel camera with barley any functionalality. How about a cell phone with built in camera? That would be pretty close to what you want.

[Guest LilBambi]

Are you still using Win98SE? If so, no matter what camera you choose, make sure it works with OSes earlier than WinXP.There are alot of good cameras out there. And if you go with falling edge, often get a better price and better compatibility with older OSes.Also, make sure the software is not something like the Kodak software that installs backweb lite and refuses to work if you remove backweb lite.

Edited December 8, 2005 by LilBambi

[epp_b]

I would be looking on eBay for some old used thing... Pretty hard to find a brand new 1-2 megapixel camera with barley any functionalality.

The resolution really doesn't matter to me (seeing as any camera on the market will be sufficient for my needs), as long as the resolution isn't so high that it has a significant effect on the price.

How about a cell phone with built in camera? That would be pretty close to what you want.

A cell phone is the last thing I need, but thanks for the suggestion.

Are you still using Win98SE?

Yup! ...and proud of it!

If so, no matter what camera you choose, make sure it works with OSes earlier than WinXP.

I refuse to get a camera that doesn't connect as a standard mass storage device (these things usually have Windows 98 drivers...for now). Anything else is proprietary malarkey.If there's a really nice camera for the right price and doesn't include Windows 98 drivers, I might go for it anyway. There's nothing stopping me from using a card reader to grab the images.

There are alot of good cameras out there. And if you go with falling edge, often get a better price and better compatibility with older OSes.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

Also, make sure the software is not something like the Kodak software that installs backweb lite and refuses to work if you remove backweb lite.

Ouch! (that won't happen anyway: please re-read statement about connectivity as mass storage device ) Edited December 8, 2005 by epp_b

[epp_b]

Maybe, maybe not.I can live with transfering my photos from 3.5" floppy disks (which I current camera uses...no, I'm not joking), I think USB will seem like light speed to me