digital cameras

I did a quick estimate of my federal taxes last week while cooking breakfast. I should be getting about $600 back. The NC State return is another story--they're not hard to do but difficult enough that I can't do them just standing around waiting for some eggs to cook--but I don't expect them to be more than $50 off what's already been taken out of my pay.

In any case, I think I'm going to get a new digital camera with the money. The one I've had for the past 4 years still works. Most of the time. LOL It's been dunked in water a few times while kayaking and the damn thing can be very finicky. On a number of occasions it's quit for a few days only to start working again. It's an Olympus D-550--that's it over to the left.

It retailed at $500 when I bought it though the discount price I paid was around $350. Today I can get a better camera for $150. Neat, huh?

There's one camera I might buy for that kinda price just for kayaking and hiking around water. It's one of those water resistant ones, 4 megapixel, only a 2X zoom but a great camera for just having around. Especially for such a low price.

The serious camera I'm thinking of getting is a Nikon D50. It's their entry level digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera. There's a lot that I like about getting a SLR--I really loved the 35mm SLR Pentax film camera I used to have--but there's one thing that I don't like and it's that one factor that has kept me from buying the D50. I really like using the little screen on the back of my Olympus to frame and take pictures. Due to wearing eyeglasses and having a "healthy sized" nose using the little viewfinder on a camera is annoying. And with SLRs that's the only way to take the picture due to the way the prism / lightpath works.

On the plus side, SLRs are very fast from shutter click to light exposure and I'm very tired of having that half second delay between when I try to take a picture and when the picture actually gets taken. Too often, especially when photographing birds or other wildlife from my kayak, the object of the picture is gone by the time the shot is taken. THAT is annoying! I'm sure people with small children have the same problem with their shots.

So, what do you all think? The SLR versus fixed lens issue especially but anything to do with digital cameras is fair game here. Let your hair down and give me your opinions!

Comments

Anonymous said…
I have a fuji finepics it kinda looks like the camera you are looking at.

the pics are great and killer zoom but it just seems like its too big.
my next camera will have to fit in my pocket.
well good luck in your camera shopping
Tracy S said…
Thanks for reminding me ...I so need to do my taxes...lol I really want a new digital as well ...One with an intense zoom!!

Thanks for stopping by:)
Dak-Ind said…
greetings from michele!

my mom is after a new dig camera as well. she is thinking of the Cannon eos 20d. its awesome
Tracy S said…
Opppps ...and Michele says howdy !!
kenju said…
I dropped my Olympus and broke it, so I am no help to you. The digital I have was given to me (made by Gateway), and when you buy one let us know how you like it.

Michele sent me.
Steph said…
I think that Nikon is the way to go. I know a couple of people who have them and they absolutely love them. The quality of pictures, not to mention no delay as you said, is worth the size.
Have a grest night! Michele sent me.
Steph
vanx said…
Judging by the looks of these things, I would go with the Olympus. Easier to carry without the projectile lense. I'm not much of a photographer though.
carmilevy said…
Funny you should post this now, Utenzi, since I'm also looking at the very same camera (though if I suddenly come into a lot of money, the D200 is my dream cam.)

I've had a Nikon F801s (N8080 in the U.S.) for about 14 years now, and it's become a part of me. Nothing works or feels like it, and nothing allows me to create like my SLR. Problem is, it's film, so to shoot the sheer number of pictures that I take today, it would be too expensive. Still, I'm keeping it because for some types of situations, film remains the artistic choice. Call it a complement.

I think the best way to know if it's for you is to take a trip to a camera store and try it out. Feel matters more than anything when buying a camera of this caliber. After using digital all-in-ones for the past year-and-a-half, I'm ready to go back to the SLR's viewfinder. I love the control and the precision.

Keep me posted. I'll do the same. If you want to chat about it when you move closer to buy-day, let me know.

My only concern about the D50 - and it applies to the D70S as well - is that it's only 6 MP. If I'm going to go to a full-blown SLR, a little more resolution (like the Canon's 8) would make me feel better. It's a minor issue given the quality of the optics, but all things considered, I would have expected Nikon to stretch the upper end of the resolution scale a little more by now.

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