Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.dcameras (
More info?)
ray wrote:
> Thankyou for the replies.
> I will definately wait until May as that should give me some time to learn
> how to use the camera.
> I have been told it is important to seek a good optical zoom around 10 if
> possible. To sacrifice a little in megapixel for extra optical. Any
> thoughts???
>
>
OK, here is another opinion to add to your confusion.
There will always be a better or less expensive camera tomorrow. Once
you've bought one don't look back, just enjoy it.
Buy the camera in time to play with it before the birth of your baby so
that you have some experience. Do you want to take pictures of your wife
as she grows? In that case you need the camera yesterday. And since
the pictures never need to leave your hands or your computer, you can
take whatever private pictures the two of you want to keep to yourselves
as well as ones to that you want to share with family. And takes lots
of pictures since it doesn't cost anything and you can delete the ones
that you don't like in an instant and only keep the good ones.
Depending on your photographic skills, and what you plan to do with your
pictures, your resolution needs will vary. For most people 3 megapixels
will do a very adequate job almost all the time. If you plan to display
your images on a computer monitor, or on a television, you won't be
using a fraction of that. If you plan to make prints bigger than 8" x
10" you will ave more need for something greater than 3M.
Don't forget that your picture taking approach is going to change a lot
when you use a digital camera. You won't have any film costs and it is
trivial to instantly (or later) delete duplicates and bad pictures and
only keep the bet one. You'll be an expert photographer because every
picture you show people can be the best of a set of shots.
You may still decide to print some pictures, but you'll want to think
about why you're doing that. If you're just going to store them in a
shoe box in a closet, why bother. You can view them more easily on your
computer or on a television, bigger, and at less expense. And several
people can view them at the same time. You can even take your CD or USB
memory device with your pictures to work to show off. make some of them
a background on your monitor.
Get the best optics and the greatest zoom range that you can afford.
Consider the speed from when you press the shutter until the camera
takes a picture. You probably won't have much choice really, but some
caemras are faster than others. They will be slower than a film camera.
That is one frustration that digital photogrpahers sometimes cope
with. Often it doesn't matter, but just know that there will be times
when something fleeting happens and the camera won't react in the blink
of an eye. On the other hand, it may be a long time before you notice
that as a limitation.
Consider convenience. Do you want a camera that will fit in your shirt
or jacket pocket?
The smallest cameras, and some others, have LiOn batteries. The
batteries should last a long while and you'll want to recharge them
regularly. The LiOn batteries may be built-in. When you let the
battery run down you're through taking pictures until you recharge your
camera. Many cameras use AA batteries. If your camera uses AA
batteries be sure you use rechargeable NiMH batteries. Get ones with a
minimum of an 1800 mah rating. Ratings over 2000 are common now. Use
one set in your camera and keep the other set as a backup, switching and
recharging at the end of a busy shooting day, or when one set runs low.
You should never run out of power that way and they're very
economical. Don't use regular old fashioned flashlight style AA
batteries. They will run down VERY quickly. On the other hand, don't
use rechargeable batteries in a flashlight. Standard batteries have a
very long shelf life. Rechargeables will lose their job too rapidly to
be reliable in an emergency or other times when you weren't expecting to
need a flashlight.
Consider how you will transfer pictures from the camera to your computer.
Will your wife be using the camera? How much ease of use and
convenience is important to her?
Take a look at the bargains that will probably be offered after Christmas.
Have fun and best wishes with your growing family.
Bernie
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