New camera for scrapbooking mom

[TinkOhio]

I'm sure that this has been asked over and over again, but here goes...

I'm about to purchase my first digital camera and would like some advice. From what I've read, I'm concerned about blurry pictures, shutter lag-time, battery life issues and optical zoom capabilities.

If you have suggestions, or just plain LOVE your camera, Please post! I'd love your advice!

 

[Spinning]

HI and welcome! So nice to see some new faces!
Anyway we just did the whole digital search and purchase! What a night mare! I love the camera we bought but I still kind of wish I got something different....
Anyway check this site out. They have a wonderful message board to ask questions
http://www.steves-digicams.com/
I ended up getting the Samsung digi max V4 it takes great pictures easy to use. It has tons of options and also an easy mode. The software is terrible!
some things to take in to concideration when buy is the battery life. Make sure it has an easy battery source, not sure I think some of them call it property battery where you have to use only their batter. Also when budgeting add in a charger and recharge batteries. Also when looking at the card for the camera if you have COmp USA or something like that they usually have great deals on the cards with rebates.
The lag time is a pain in the butt. They are all like that. My friend has a really nice digital with the changeable lenses and she still has problem with lag time. Also low lighting is a problem. My camera works great in total darkness but terrible in low lit areas if you are not right on top of your subject.
As for the blurring that take s time. I haven't had a lot of problems with that but I have a very steady hand. For action shots it is best to use rapid fire and just shoot a bunch and then delete.
Good luck!

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

I'm a die hard film girl! I had an opportunity to "play" with a really high end SLR digital a few weeks ago (friend of mine is a long time pro photog and he has primo equipment!). Anyway, I still didn't like it.

I shoot lots of action (sports) and low lite (theater/performing arts) and it just didn't do what I wanted. Also hard to get (IMHO) true color match/balance. Even Dave said when he is shooting his art work nature work (as opposed to the journalistic work he does for steady income) he prefers to stay with film for some of those same reasons.

That being said so much depends on what you are using the camera for. My brother has switched primarily to digital because it allows him to easily email photos of the kids to grapndparents, aunts, etc who are scattered around the country. Also he can take quick shots of stuff he is doing for work and get it to numerous people. One thing he mentioned when we were having one of our regular conversations on this is that if you do switch to digital and want prints to make sure you either get a GOOD printer with top notch software or have a processor that can do same.

Good luck with your decision!

Deb

 

[JudithM]

We really like our digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix 4300. We do still shoot film, too. Over the weekend we took the digital when we visited our friends. The little girls liked taking pictures with it since they can see the picture as they are being taken & afterwards, too. We even let the two & a half year old take her own pictures!

We have two rechargeable batteries & one "regular" battery & have never had a time with no battery ready to use.

I dont' recall any blurry picutres unless the shooter moved . Just the opposite with our camera - you can narrow into the smallest detail. Last fall we took photos on a college campus & the detail across the parade field was amazing.

Our camera does have a time lag. That takes soem gettingused to as does the fact that we cannot just snap picture after picture. We have to wait for the picture to be loaded before taking another picture.

Overall though we really like our digital camera.

 

[nealymouse]

I used Steves dig cam reviews page to buy my camera. The Minolta Dimage 7i and LOVE IT !!! Paid $900 for it and the price has come down but I am not unhappy at all. I have a minola 35 mm also. Its about 25 years old and never use it anymore.