Calling Digital Camera experts - rookie needs advice!!

[sncbird]

Hi,

We're going shopping this weekend to look at Digital Cameras. It's going to be a combination Mother's Day/ Father's Day gift to ourselves. Anyways after doing some reasearch (thanks to these threads and the links everyone has gposted) we've decided we want the following in a Camera:

At least 3 megapixels

Minimum of 5x Optical Zoom (we want to be able to take some good outdoor baseball pictures!!)

Cost: We're would like to stay around $500

We are thinking about the Fugi 3800 or the Olympus C730 (posible the C750).

Are there features on your digital camera you can't live without? Are there any other camera I should consider.

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!
Christine

 

[SuiteDisney]

Get the highest optical zoom you can.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Does the Olympus have a true optical viewfinder? That is the only catch with the FinePix - which we love ours!!! But both the little screen and the viewfinder are display.

Go to a good camera store, and really try out and compare both models... I hear great reviews on both!

 

[epcotfan]

I have the Fuji 2800 and love it! It is very good with batteries. IThe 3800 is the most recent version. I have pics I took with it on my website if you would like to see picture samples.

 

[sncbird]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your feedback. We went out looking last night but are still torn. We saw the Olympus C-740 (they didn't have any 730's) and the Fugi 3800. Both cameras looked great. I'm trying to figure out the difference between the C-730 & C-740. I would love to see your pics Epcotfan!!! What's your web-site?

 

[epcotfan]

Hi,
Click the link in my signature or the "www" button beneath this post.

 

[sncbird]

Oops - I didn't through that far down in your post. Your pictures look great!! Was the 2800 easy to learn how to use?

 

[epcotfan]

Hi,
The Fuji was very easy to use. It has a great menu system. Very easy to navigate. The pics on my site are the lowest quality/size setting as well. In my opinion the Fuji has superior color quality and I love the 6X optical zoom.

The only thing I don't like about it is the fact that the lens cap is attached via a string. In extremly light or dark surroundings the viewfinder can be hard to see since you are looking at a digital image. Other than that no real problems.
I know the 3800 has some extra features but I'm not sure how they differ from my camera.

Here's a couple of example pictures from my WDW trip this past week:

http://www.wdwmemories.com/giraffe.jpg
http://www.wdwmemories.com/roe.jpg
http://www.wdwmemories.com/se.jpg

The Reflections Of Earth image used the full optical zoom. I was standing in Germany in World Showcase when taking that picture.
The Giraffe picture also was taken with the optical zoom.

 

[janette]

I just might to some shopping too. Best Buy has 24 months no interest on Digital Camera's starting tomorrow. I could use a mother's day gift!

 

[Shadeaux]

sncbird -

I have the Oly C-700, which was the first in the 7** series. It's 2 mp, but it takes great pictures. The 10x optical zoom it fantastic. I belong to a Yahoo group for C-7** users; there are quite a few people who have the 730 and love it. I haven't paid much attention to the features on the 740, but I do know that a lot of people say it's a step down from the 730 because Olympus left off some features.
If you're interested, I have quite some C-700 pictures online. http://www.pbase.com/shadeaux
Except for the May 2003 gallery and the WDW gallery, all pictures were taken with the C-700

 

[TwinMom7]

Well, I have the Olympus C720 and I love it! I've posted some photos taken last November, during a trip to the Virgin Islands.

We also have kids involved in sports, and this camera has an awesome zoom - to catch them stealing second or shooting a layup. You won't be disappointed.

The photo of the sailboat (below) really shows a good example of the great zoom. This photo was taken from our balcony and the boat was sitting in the harbor below.