What Camera?

[Viking16]

Hey all I know this isn't a disney question but I know the great mods we have here will move it if it is in the wrong spot.

OKay I am looking at a Panasonic DMC-FZ50S I need a good camera for my disney pictures and other pictures. The main thing I want is at least 8mega pix and no less then 10x Optical Zoom. Now right now I am coming from a 3mega pix. I also want it to be able to take good pics in low light so I don't have to use my flash. Now for night pixs I have my my 3mega pix with sony's night vision. I also want manual controls so I can focus and change the exposer and stuff like that. Ohh almost forgot I want the RAW format for my Digital Cam 2.

Now for the bad news the price needs to stay under 600 bucks.

Well thanks for the help and I know the mice chaters will find me something good. Thanks again.

[Viking16]

Re: What Camera?

Have I stumped ya?

[RobotMirror]

Re: What Camera?

There have been a lot of "what camera should I get" threads on Micechat, and here's my take on your question:

1. Megapixels don't matter as much as you think. Anything five megapixels and up are going to result in great photographs, and only if you are blowing up poster sized prints, or seriously cropping photos, would you note a difference at all.

2. Digital zoom is, frankly, crap, and it's not even zoom at all. You can get the same result cropping a photograph taken without zoom. You get an increase in noise (or a decrease in picture quality) with optical zoom.

3. If you want good photographs in low light or at night, with as little noise as possible, you're going to need the largest sensor possible. That usually means a digital slr.

So, the short story is, I might urge you to reconsider your criteria. For under $600, you can get a Canon Powershot A640, which is a 10 megapixel camera, with a 4x optical zoom ($300), or even three Canon Powershot A630 cameras (8 megapixel, 4x optical zoom, $200 bucks).

In the SLR world, you can get a Nikon D40 for $600 or less, new -- for a camera which is 6 megapixel, can work with a variety of Nikkor lenses and flashes, and is a great camera, and highly rated. And if you're willing to consider used, you can find a Canon Rebel XT or XTi on Ebay for $300 to $600, which is also a great camera.

You might also want to note that Consumer Reports rated the Panasonic DMC-FZ50S below all the Canon cameras in the compact lineup, and below the Olympus, Fujifilm, and Nikon Coolpix S10 camera. They noted that it had unacceptable shutter lag, although good reliability.

[Viking16]

Re: What Camera?

Thanks Frogberto But the one problem is I have never had a problem with optical zoom. But thanks for your help

[RobotMirror]

Re: What Camera?

You bet, and I answered your question by outlining some cameras that met your criteria. I'm just trying to get people to rethink optical zoom.

As this website says:

...digital zoom is not really zoom, in the strictest definition of the term. What digital zoom does is enlarge a portion of the image, thus 'simulating' optical zoom. In other words, the camera crops a portion of the image and then enlarges it back to size. In so doing, you lose image quality. If you've been regularly using digital zoom and wondered why your pictures did not look that great, now you know. ...as far as digital zoom is concerned, you can do it in camera or you can do it afterwards in an image editing software. Any cropping and enlarging can be done in an image editing software, such as Photoshop.
So, when a digital camera is advertised with 3x digital zoom, no big deal. You can achieve the same 3x (and in fact as much as you want) digital zoom effect in an image editing software. The advantage of doing it later is that you can then decide exactly which portion to crop and how much to enlarge (3x, 4x, ...). If you do it in camera, image quality is irreversibly lost.


What, therefore is the rule of thumb, when it comes to using zoom? Here it is: Always use optical zoom.

From Wikipedia:

Some digital cameras allow cropping and enlarging of a captured image, in order to emulate the effect of a longer focal length zoom lens (narrower angle of view). This is commonly known as digital zoom and results in a lower quality image than optical zoom, as no optical resolution is gained.

Or, as this photographer puts it:

Digital zoom, on the other hand, has no moving parts. ... The problem with digital zoom is that you lose quality when you do this -- your images will tend to be more "pixelated" than the same image taken with an optical zoom camera. This is due to the "interpolation" the camera uses, which is a nice way of saying that it makes a guess about how the picture should look while zoomed in. Having optical AND digital zoom on a camera isn't bad, but I'd try to avoid cameras with only digital zoom, myself.

Or, finally, from this site:

Digital zoom ...crops the entire image, and then digitally enlarges to the size of the viewfinder the portion you want to zoom in on. This results in a loss of quality, and is no different than cropping and enlarging an image with editing software. The benefit of using image-editing software instead of the digital zoom on a camera is that you can decide how much to crop, and how much to enlarge the image to where the quality is acceptable to you. When you use digital zoom on the camera, the image quality is irreversibly lost.

Since one of your big criteria was a camera that can take good photographs, you want to stay away from digital zoom.

Thanks Frogberto But the one problem is I have never had a problem with optical zoom. But thanks for your help

[DOOM BGI]

Re: What Camera?

2. Optical zoom is, frankly, crap, and it's not even zoom at all. You can get the same result cropping a photograph taken without zoom. You get an increase in noise (or a decrease in picture quality) with optical zoom.

No!! This is incorrect! You are thinking of digital.

You bet, and I answered your question by outlining some cameras that met your criteria. I'm just trying to get people to rethink optical zoom.
................

Since one of your big criteria was a camera that can take good photographs, you want to stay away from digital zoom.

Yeah, but he said optical zoom.

I don't get it... you started the post with a reference to optical, then quoted several sources disparaging digital.

Optical is actually good, it uses the actual lens to magnify the image, as with binoculars or a telescope. No image quality is lost.

FWIW, I just bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3A which has a 10x optical zoom and I love it. The whole reason I picked Panasonic is because they have the longest optical zoom range in a compact camera.

[RobotMirror]

Re: What Camera?

Oops, you are totally correct. I must have read to quickly, as I thought he said 10x digital zoom. Optical zoom is what you want, not digital, as you've properly noted. (That's what I get for posting late night)

No!! This is incorrect! You are thinking of digital. Yeah, but he said optical zoom.

I don't get it... you started the post with a reference to optical, then quoted several sources disparaging digital.

Optical is actually good, it uses the actual lens to magnify the image, as with binoculars or a telescope. No image quality is lost.

FWIW, I just bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3A which has a 10x optical zoom and I love it. The whole reason I picked Panasonic is because they have the longest optical zoom range in a compact camera.

[Viking16]

Re: What Camera?

Ya Digital ZOOM SUCKS. I could care less what the digital zoom is but optical is what I care about. Now I have come across some SLR'S for the same price but they are only 4x optical zoom. So today I called RITZ camera and they are saying the Panasonic is great and no problems so I don't know anymore

[RobotMirror]

Re: What Camera?

I am so sorry - for some reason I read your initial posting as "digital zoom". I used to have a Panasonic, and I loved the slim camera body and the large lcd screen in the back. I believe that the Panasonics are generally reliable, although as I mentioned above, Consumer Reports knocked them down a little based on the slow processing and shutter lag (which I also noticed with the one I had).

[dolbyman]

Re: What Camera?

Now I have come across some SLR'S for the same price but they are only 4x optical zoom.

with the kitlens .. maybe .. but if you buy the body only (or kit and extra lens) you can get up to a gazillionx optical zoom ... it's like you can go paparazi on britney without leavin you house *kidding*

[Viking16]

Re: What Camera?

heheeheheheh thanks again Frogberto and Dolbyman ya but the more I think about it the more I say no SLR because you have to carry around alot of lenses not worth it for me and if I buy an SLR one day I think I need to get a good one. Well all thanks again and I think you all helped me make up my mine. so when I go to WDW I will have great pics thanks again

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: What Camera?

Froggy, I need your help!
My daughter wants a SLr and I am at a loss as to what is a good camera. She wants to do all things manual, and I did find this one. can you tell me what you think?
Canon 8MP EOS Digital Rebel XT Digital SLR w/ 18-55 mm Lens
she needs a good camera, one she can learn on and it will not break my account. it has to be under 600.00 , Also are the lens that come with this camera good? ( zoom and wide angle?
if you think there is one better out there, at or below this price please let me know!

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: What Camera?

or this one....
1. Canon PowerShot Pro Series S5 IS 8.0MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

[RobotMirror]

Re: What Camera?

Karla: Thanks for the question in this thread. Of the two you mention, I think the first one is better. Not just because I own the exact same camera (the RebelXT), which I bought used off Ebay (and it's a great camera), but of the two, you have more options with lenses with the Rebel XT for future growth possibilities. It takes really great photographs also.

You'll find many people complain about the "kit lenses" that come with the camera, but I say they're full of hooooey. The kit lenses are wonderful and are computer engineered to have sharp focal points and are a nice range of wide angle and medium range telephoto for that camera.

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: What Camera?

Karla: Thanks for the question in this thread. Of the two you mention, I think the first one is better. Not just because I own the exact same camera (the RebelXT), which I bought used off Ebay (and it's a great camera), but of the two, you have more options with lenses with the Rebel XT for future growth possibilities. It takes really great photographs also.

You'll find many people complain about the "kit lenses" that come with the camera, but I say they're full of hooooey. The kit lenses are wonderful and are computer engineered to have sharp focal points and are a nice range of wide angle and medium range telephoto for that camera.

Thank you!!! I was thinking the same thing. I figure if I was going to get a great camera for her to start out with, it might as well be a good one, she can learn all she needs to with this one, and later down the road get a better one if she so chooses. She wants to take a class, and then an advanced class, she is really into portraits.
I appreciate your help so much !!
I will be hunting down some good prices. right now I believe Amazon is $519.00 this is her christmas present
HAve a great week !!