Digital Camera questions.... help!

[HaleyB]

First off I need to say that I was not sure where to post this, so I picked here. I asked about digital cameras a few weeks back and got tons of information (you guys are so cool). Well I had almost talked myself into the HP 5.2 MP camera at Walmart (which had a price drop today, it is now $300). But while looking it up on the website I found this deal... now I don't know what to do.

$179 for the HP 3.2 MP plus a 128 memory card...

"An affordable 3.2 MP digital camera that delivers outstanding results. This pocket-size model packs a lot of technology into a compact easy-to-carry package, offering the flexibility of both manual and automatic controls. We include a bonus 128 megabyte memory card, letting you take about 106 extra pictures at at time!"

So do I need 5.2 MP? Is 3.2 good enough for someone who will want 4x6 prints 99% of the time? Is there more to mega pixels than max. print size? It is almost twice as much for the 5.2 if I add an extra memory card (which I would need to do).

So what do you all think. Will I out grow the 3.2 (which would make the 5.2 a better deal in the long run)? Or is 3.2 as much as any shutter bug really needs.

Having just added a few nights at AKL to our "budget trip" (hey it was a good deal), our budget is now pretty tight- still I figure a digital camera will save me about $100 on this trip alone.

 

[hyzdufan]

A 3 megapixel camera can deliver photo quality prints up to 8X10 in size. The big factor with price on most of these cameras is their zoom capability. You want to make sure that the camera you are purchasing has OPTICAL zoom capabilities. Digital zoom merely crops the image and blows up your selection, making it quite grainy when used.

Either camera would give you good quality 4X6 prints, and the difference in money is hardly worth the minute differences you would see in the quality between the two,

Also keep in mind, that a 5.2 MP camera's pictures will take up more space on your memory cards when set at its highest quality.

I have a Minolta E323 3.2 MP camera, and it has served me great since I have had it.

Any other question, feel free to ask. Hope this helps.

 

[dsnycrzy]

Hi HaleyB
On what website did you find that deal? I'd like to get some info about this camera.

 

[HaleyB]

It is on Walmart.com and is an online only deal.

 

[StephStanley]

The 3.2 mp camera should do you fine. Mine is a 3.2 mb Toshiba and pics turn out great up to 13x16 or so, i havent tried printing any bigger.
You can see some of my enlargements on my 2peas gallery.
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/userprofile.asp?user_id=69964


Here is one of my favorite pics. the colors are so vivid- it was right at sunset, no flash. This is me and my 2 year old ds.
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=186785

 

[PhotobearSam]

Just a tip...Find a store that has these and try them out...Make sure that the camera feels good in your hands...

If a camera does not feel good in your hands you will not like it much. I love my Canon A-60...Feels good and the pics are great but each person will find every camera differnt for each of their hands..Mu suggestion...Try them out.

 

[mkandk]

You're going to outgrow whatever camera you get.

I've got a 3.2 MP Sony, and we've enjoyed it for about 3 years. Now that a friend of mine got a 5+MP that is TINY, and takes 3D pictures, that's what I want! But what we've got works fine, and we'll probably stick with it until it bites the dust.

 

[EeyoreJMH]

We have a Panasonic Lumix 3.2 meagpixel and love it! Great size and the price was right for us. We used it for our recent DCL cruise and got some gorgeous shots of the flowers on Castaway Cay.

I found the www.cnet.com was a great resource for researching cameras and reading reviews.

 

[ncbyrne]

We have a Canon Powershot S45. Bought it new on eBay, and then found it at a slightly lower price in a store just a few months later. It's a 5.0, and I like it, but any 3.2 would have served us just as well, and we could've saved a bundle. I agree with the other poster about making sure the way it feels in your hand is comfortable. They are not like using a film camera, they're smaller and so are the many buttons. My husband has large hands and has a difficult time pushing the shutter button. Also make sure that you don't pay for features you won't use. Our camera does so much more than I can figure out how to use! (Like our three minute video capability). Unless you are technologically savvy, the instruction book can be pretty intimidating on higher end models. Another thing to take into consideration is the battery. Most cameras come with rechargeable batteries and replacements are expensive. But, there are several models that take standard AA batteries. Our camera has a rechargeable battery. We had to buy two, so that when the battery quits towards the end of the day, we could still take more pictures. We recharge them in the room overnight. I'd much prefer it if we could just use regular batteries and not have to remember to charge them.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by ncbyrne
We have a Canon Powershot S45. Bought it new on eBay, and then found it at a slightly lower price in a store just a few months later. It's a 5.0, and I like it, but any 3.2 would have served us just as well, and we could've saved a bundle. I agree with the other poster about making sure the way it feels in your hand is comfortable. They are not like using a film camera, they're smaller and so are the many buttons. My husband has large hands and has a difficult time pushing the shutter button. Also make sure that you don't pay for features you won't use. Our camera does so much more than I can figure out how to use! (Like our three minute video capability). Unless you are technologically savvy, the instruction book can be pretty intimidating on higher end models. Another thing to take into consideration is the battery. Most cameras come with rechargeable batteries and replacements are expensive. But, there are several models that take standard AA batteries. Our camera has a rechargeable battery. We had to buy two, so that when the battery quits towards the end of the day, we could still take more pictures. We recharge them in the room overnight. I'd much prefer it if we could just use regular batteries and not have to remember to charge them.

I have the Nikon 950 and the Nikon 5000 and I really feel I do as well with the 950 (2.11 mp) as I do with the 5000 (5mp).
One of the ones in my sig. was taken with the 5000 and I doubt you can tell which one it is.

 

[Minnie's Mate]

I have a Fugifilm that I really like. One thing to consider is that not all rechargeable batteries are the same. My camera uses 2 AA batteries and came with rechargeables. Single use batteries don't last a day at the parks.

I purchased a set of 4 rechargeables at my local photo store. Two of the batteries did fine, but two didn't cycle fast enough and the shutter would be slow and the flash would go off too late resulting in blurred photos. So I now have rechargeable batteries for my TV remotes.

As long as I stay with the Fugi brand it does great.

 

[mbb]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
I have the Nikon 950 and the Nikon 5000 and I really feel I do as well with the 950 (2.11 mp) as I do with the 5000 (5mp).
One of the ones in my sig. was taken with the 5000 and I doubt you can tell which one it is.

Can I guess?? Love this kind of game!!

Hmmm...Epcot??

 

[WDWorld2003]

We have an Olympus Stylus All Weather 300 (3.2 pixels). We purchased it because we love our other small 35mm Olympus. We love the small size (fits in your pocket) and the battery life is amazing - I can take several pictures and the battery is still strong weeks later.

However, we are not happy with some of the photos. Many night photos are blurry and if anyone moves, the picture is blurry (which you don't know until it is developed - looks fine on the small screen). There also is a lot of red eye (more than average) if you don't turn on the red eye flash. Maybe this is true of all digital cameras, just not happy with all of the blurriness and red eye. It also could be the operator! The learning curve on this camera is somewhat difficult compared to my old Sony Mavica (which takes great pics but is clunky).

On the plus side, it takes beautiful outdoor, daylight photographs. Easy to carry around and long battery life. We will use it in the parks but will always have the 35mm as back up!

 

[ibleedblue]

One other thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is the shutter lag time...the time it takes from when you press the button until the photo is actually taken. I had a 4.0Mp Samsung camera that took decent photos, but took over a second to snap a picture after I depressed the button. And this was after prefocusing!! I learned to deal with it, but my wife usually wound up with nothing but blurs because she'd move the camera before the picture was taken. I put up with that for about 6 months before I cut my losses and sold it on ebay. I replaced it with an Olympus C750UZ, 4Mp with a 10x optical zoom!! What a great camera this is. I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for something with outstanding optical zoom capabilties! I started to get a HP with 10x optical zoom, but after reading the reviews, the issue of lag time was a problem with this camera as well. I recommend checking out places like newegg.com, circuitcity.com, amazon.com and epinions.com to read real users opinions (not professional reviewers) on how the various cameras operate. Hope this helps someone out there!

Greg

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by mbb
Can I guess?? Love this kind of game!!

Hmmm...Epcot??

Nope, that was taken with the Nikon 950.

 

[HaleyB]

Originally posted by WDWorld2003
There also is a lot of red eye (more than average) if you don't turn on the red eye flash. Maybe this is true of all digital cameras, just not happy with all of the blurriness and red eye.

This one I know the answer to. The closer the lense is to the flash the more you will see red eye. So that is a trade off for small size.

I do need to look into lag time. That is the thing I dislike the most about digital.

 

[VintageKnight]

hey gail!!, it was SHAMOOOO!!!...

hehe I cheat i remember that off the other digital thread.

ohh well.

how bout the Sony Mavica MVC-CD350. I like the idea of the mini disk and it does feel good in my big hands....

my main question tho is the battery... how long does it truely last???? anybody got one?

60 bucks for an extra has me wonderin... just put this thing on lay away tonight.


DisneyVK

 

[WDWorld2003]

Thanks Haley B - never knew that about the lens being close to the flash and causing red eye (it's not me!) ...... I know we'll probably purchase another digital in the next few years and will certainly look at a different model. Do you know if there is any way to remedy it when taking pictures?

 

[rwodonnell]

Have you seen dpreview.com ? It's got a LOT of information on almost every model of digital camera. Also you can see prices at a whole lot of online vendors on each model.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by VintageKnight
hey gail!!, it was SHAMOOOO!!!...

hehe I cheat i remember that off the other digital thread.

ohh well.

how bout the Sony Mavica MVC-CD350. I like the idea of the mini disk and it does feel good in my big hands....

my main question tho is the battery... how long does it truely last???? anybody got one?

60 bucks for an extra has me wonderin... just put this thing on lay away tonight.


DisneyVK

Which Shamoo?