low-end camera recommendation?

habitat_gardener · July 30, 2009

I still don't have a digital camera. I was waiting for the prices to go down, then I was waiting for the income to go up. And now I've missed taking photos of my garden, which has had a spectacular sequence of flowers in bloom this spring.

I'm looking at the low end -- is $100 too low? -- and want to take close-ups.

geeboss · July 30, 2009

Canon power shot a1000 priced around 150 @ Target

Barbee · July 30, 2009

My daughter got me a cheapy digital for Christmas. It's a Kodak easyshare. Less than 75 dollars on Black Friday. Not sure how much it is regular price?
Anyway, after Xmas, I bought the rechargable battery/charger for it and a 1G memory card. That came to almost as much as the camera cost LoL
It takes decent pics. Not a great macro feature on it, but the zoom is pretty nice.
So read the box for what's included. Look and see what comes with them and price the things you'll have to buy for the cheaper one to make it usable. You might come out better in the long run buying the more expensive camera that comes with everything you need.

bohica · July 30, 2009

Olympus fe 10 mp on newegg.com, you can find them for $100 and lower, I've been using Olympus for years and absolutely love them.

wolfwalkerpa · July 30, 2009

Kodak easyshare takes a nice picture for the dollar.

Worth1 · July 30, 2009

I would just save my money and get a digital SLR if you have lenses for your old 35 mm then this would be the way to go.
My cannon drives me crazy with the auto focus as it is always focusing on the wrong thing.
This is the reason why I haven’t posted pics of the wood peckers yet.

I can get a 10 meg Pentax or better factory rebuild for about $400 and then I can use the many lenses I have with it.

Your choice but if you can don’t go low end just wait and save up for a good one you will be glad you did.

Worth

Gobig_or_Gohome_toms · July 30, 2009

I think my sony cyber shot I got for 150 and it takes great pics has the carl ziess lens is a 7.2 megapixels.

Craig

amideutch · July 31, 2009

Canon Powershot A590 IS. It has it all and you can get one for under $125.00. I got mine 6 months ago and love it. Ami

Moonglow · July 31, 2009

some really good cameras are wasted on not so good hands.

meanwhile, someone who has an "eye" for good shots can do wonders with a not so great camera.

however, i'll go with what worth said and save for a good one. you really won't regret it.

if you are a costco member, have fun and try the cameras they have on display.

annapet

johno · July 31, 2009

If you like closeups, look for something with as high of optical zoom as you can afford - but do try the demos before you buy!

amideutch · July 31, 2009

I took this with the 590 IS.

Wi-sunflower · July 31, 2009

Temporarily, most cell phones now have a camera on them. Not the greatest camera, but really not all that bad either. The problem is too many people other than the kids don't bother to learn all their cell's features other than as a phone.

Just don't try to get a shot of something half a field away, even with the marginal zoom they have. Been there done that, lousy pic. But I have taken some decent pics of my tomatoes on the plants with just my cell. This is a pic of a 4th of July tomato taken on July 4, 08 with my cell, un "fixed" by any of the several programs I have on my computer.

That's another thing, with Paint Shop Pro (PSP), there is a "one click photo fix" button that in about 80% of the time will make almost any photo better, from any camera. You don't need to know how to use a whole lot of buttons for "saturation" or whatever to get it good.

Carol

dcarch · July 31, 2009

Let's face it, you are not buying the camera to take pictures of tomatoes.

Most of the time the camera is used for indoor/outdoor travels, parties, birthdays, graduations, ---- etc.

Therefore (IMHO):
1. Very important to have the widest angle lens possible. How many times you have to step back and still can't get everyone into the picture? There are not too many option for wide angle lens adapter, but much easier and cheaper to get telephoto adapter.
2. Very nice to have good video capability.
3. Extremely useful to have remote control, so that you don't have to run back to join the group for the camera self-timer to go-off and run to reset the camera again. The remote is also great to take ultra sharp pictures in low light situations because you completely eliminate vibrations.
4. Don't worry about macro close-up pictures, you can do this:
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ht=small+world

dcarch

johno · July 31, 2009

dcarch, that's amazing! Don't know how I missed that thread before, but now I've got some experimenting to do.

geeboss · July 31, 2009

dcarch would you take a picture of the magnifying glass used and a quarter next to the magnifying glass. Just trying to figure out what to get to try that close up shoot.

Thanks,

George

July 30, 2009	#1
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	low-end camera recommendation? I still don't have a digital camera. I was waiting for the prices to go down, then I was waiting for the income to go up. And now I've missed taking photos of my garden, which has had a spectacular sequence of flowers in bloom this spring. I'm looking at the low end -- is $100 too low? -- and want to take close-ups.

July 30, 2009	#3
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	My daughter got me a cheapy digital for Christmas. It's a Kodak easyshare. Less than 75 dollars on Black Friday. Not sure how much it is regular price? Anyway, after Xmas, I bought the rechargable battery/charger for it and a 1G memory card. That came to almost as much as the camera cost LoL It takes decent pics. Not a great macro feature on it, but the zoom is pretty nice. So read the box for what's included. Look and see what comes with them and price the things you'll have to buy for the cheaper one to make it usable. You might come out better in the long run buying the more expensive camera that comes with everything you need. __________________ *Barbee*

July 31, 2009	#8
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Canon Powershot A590 IS. It has it all and you can get one for under $125.00. I got mine 6 months ago and love it. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

July 31, 2009	#9
Moonglow Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Corte Madera, CA - Sunset Zone 16 Posts: 356	some really good cameras are wasted on not so good hands. meanwhile, someone who has an "eye" for good shots can do wonders with a not so great camera. however, i'll go with what worth said and save for a good one. you really won't regret it. if you are a costco member, have fun and try the cameras they have on display. annapet __________________ Moonglow Gardens Sustainable Gardening One Planter at a Time Sunset Zone 17 Apparently - - - Without the fog!

July 31, 2009	#10
johno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arkansas zone 6b Posts: 441	If you like closeups, look for something with as high of optical zoom as you can afford - but do try the demos before you buy! __________________ You create your own universe as you go along. Winston Churchill

July 30, 2009	#2
geeboss Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA Z7 Posts: 524	Canon power shot a1000 priced around 150 @ Target

July 30, 2009	#4
bohica Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NY Posts: 113	Olympus fe 10 mp on newegg.com, you can find them for $100 and lower, I've been using Olympus for years and absolutely love them.

July 30, 2009	#5
wolfwalkerpa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pa. USA Posts: 9	Kodak easyshare takes a nice picture for the dollar.

July 30, 2009	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I would just save my money and get a digital SLR if you have lenses for your old 35 mm then this would be the way to go. My cannon drives me crazy with the auto focus as it is always focusing on the wrong thing. This is the reason why I haven’t posted pics of the wood peckers yet. I can get a 10 meg Pentax or better factory rebuild for about $400 and then I can use the many lenses I have with it. Your choice but if you can don’t go low end just wait and save up for a good one you will be glad you did. Worth

July 30, 2009	#7
Gobig_or_Gohome_toms Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Zone 4 Lake Minnetonka, MN Posts: 967	I think my sony cyber shot I got for 150 and it takes great pics has the carl ziess lens is a 7.2 megapixels. Craig

July 31, 2009	#13
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	Let's face it, you are not buying the camera to take pictures of tomatoes. Most of the time the camera is used for indoor/outdoor travels, parties, birthdays, graduations, ---- etc. Therefore (IMHO): 1. Very important to have the widest angle lens possible. How many times you have to step back and still can't get everyone into the picture? There are not too many option for wide angle lens adapter, but much easier and cheaper to get telephoto adapter. 2. Very nice to have good video capability. 3. Extremely useful to have remote control, so that you don't have to run back to join the group for the camera self-timer to go-off and run to reset the camera again. The remote is also great to take ultra sharp pictures in low light situations because you completely eliminate vibrations. 4. Don't worry about macro close-up pictures, you can do this: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ht=small+world dcarch __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato Last edited by dcarch; July 31, 2009 at 05:51 PM.