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Post by Jenny on Sept 11, 2008 9:11:07 GMT
Managed to drop my camera on the last day of our holidays and the screen broke. Fortunately it has a view finder, so is not unusable, but am still thinking of replacing it, but not going up to anything more challenging.
Have bought 'What Digital Camera' but its more confusing than helpful.
What is: ISO Range: can be as limited as 400 or as high as 10,000?
And 'the higher the ISO setting the noisier the image', what is a noisy image?
My main requirements are good resolution and good optical zoom, the latter lacking on my existing camera. Also something that can cope with low lighting conditions.
Any recommendations? Without going mad on price I'd rather pay a bit more for a good camera than compromise on performance.
Jenny
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Post by PeteBog on Sept 11, 2008 10:58:39 GMT
Hello Jenny, I'm not a camera expert, more of a point and shoot merchant, but I like good quality photos and preferably a camera that's easy to use and something that is a reputable brand. In the last couple of years I've bought two Canon digital cameras. The last one a IXUS 750, but they have brought out some new IXUS models since then and very reasonably priced. I've found Canon easy to get to grips with with enough manual and auto settings to do everything I want to, from landscape to good close ups of flowers etc. and you don't need to understand any photo jargon to quicky start using a Canon camera. Special settings for foliage/snow scenes/nightime/ low light/ portraits etc. All which i use sometimes but more often than not just use the auto setting. Have a look at the pieces that I did for the Classics - the photos were taken with a Canon IXUS 750. I'm not sure of all the Canon compacts have a digital zoom, I think there is one with an optical zoom. Declaration - I have no shares in or connection with Canon.  Hope this helps. PeteB |
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Post by andybeck on Sept 11, 2008 11:45:51 GMT
Jenny, I'm sure some expert on here will pop up with good advice but following on from Pete's post I think Ann Bowker uses a Canon Ixus for all her photos and the results speak for themselves. Ref your queries ISO 400 relates to a film speed, basically the higher the number the better it is for lower light levels. What you gain in speed you loose in quality. "Noise" is a digital term which relates to the graininess of the image i.e. more "noise" the poorer the quality. I think thats the answer in laymans terms but I am happy to read a better explanation from the expert.  Andy |
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Post by Jenny on Sept 11, 2008 12:17:15 GMT
Pete and Andy,
Thanks for help.
Pete, My broken camera is a Canon Ixus and I've been very pleased with it except for the optical zoom, only x3. digital zooms are no good as they reduce quality, might as well mess around on the PC later.
Andy, Appreciate your clear explanation in layman's language, probably wouldn't understand expert language version!
If its good enough for Ann Bowker its certainly good enough for my needs.
Jenny
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Post by andybeck on Sept 11, 2008 13:28:24 GMT
Jenny,
Just confirmed that Ann uses a Canon Ixus 800. I hope this helps.
Andy
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Post by johnpulf on Sept 11, 2008 13:45:59 GMT
Pete,
Does your camera have a special setting for BOGS ?
John
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Post by Jenny on Sept 11, 2008 14:10:21 GMT
Pete, Does your camera have a special setting for BOGS ? John And is it water/bog proof ? ;D Andy, Thanks. Jenny |
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Post by PeteBog on Sept 11, 2008 15:06:31 GMT
Pete, Does your camera have a special setting for BOGS ? John I paid slightly more to get a bog-proof model John...its a wise investment in my opinion! ;D PeteB |
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Post by Guest on Sept 11, 2008 15:53:12 GMT
I would go for one with a wide angle lens, some compacts have 28mm lenses in 'old money' and one that allows some manual settings. You can also get iamge stabilisation on them now, useful for zoom shots. Don't wory too much about ISO unless you are doing low light photography.
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Post by Guest on Sept 11, 2008 17:32:30 GMT
Pete, Does your camera have a special setting for BOGS ? John I paid slightly more to get a bog-proof model John...its a wise investment in my opinion! ;D PeteB Whats that Pete, do you mean you bought a plastic bag to put the camera in???? ;D |
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Post by Guest on Sept 11, 2008 17:37:05 GMT
Jenny - go into a camera shop and try out one or two models to see how easy the controls etc are I find a lot of people complain about this the most. When it comes down to ISO, lens size etc etc most compact camera's are pretty much the same if all you are wanting to do is take some good quality shots of your walks etc. Work out how much you want to spend and then see whats the best offers for your money!
Gary
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Post by PeteBog on Sept 15, 2008 7:32:03 GMT
I paid slightly more to get a bog-proof model John...its a wise investment in my opinion! ;D PeteB Whats that Pete, do you mean you bought a plastic bag to put the camera in???? ;D Yes gary, a top quality Bag For Life....also doubles as an emergency life raft for boggy encounters! ;D PeteB |
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Post by Guest on Sept 15, 2008 17:30:26 GMT
So waht happend on High Rigg then, I didn't see this emergency life raft deployed in the photo's of your most recent boggy encounter???? ;D
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Post by PeteBog on Sept 16, 2008 9:02:19 GMT
No Gary.....thats because my other half was holding the camera...and the ACME Bag For Life Emergency Liferaft...  ... hence the photo.....you might just detect a little evidence of camera tremor in the pic from her hysterical laughter.....sometimes things just don't go to plan....  PeteB |
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Post by duncan on Sept 16, 2008 14:54:35 GMT
Just a small point but when you get another camera check what memory card it has... ie compact flash, xd etc. If it's the same as your existing camera then no problems as you can of course use that card. If however it is a different memory card check the number of photos that card can store as some cameras are supplied with memory cards that let you take very few photographs before they are full.
I Have not had much luck with cameras that take rechargeable AA or AAA batteries. My last camera was a Canon G6 which came with its own rechargeable battery and charger, I found this to be a excellent camera as it took 800-900 pictures per charge.
Moved on to a SLR recently for the reason mentioned by Sean in an earlier post......Wide angle lens, although these are incorporated in some compacts.
On a personal note I don't think you can go far wrong with Canon
Hope this helps
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