Camera?

[Phillip Patton]

Hi all,
I'm in the market for a new, better-than-I-have digital camera. I want to improve the quality of my photos. What brand and model do you guys use or recommend?
Thanks.

 

[B Finnigan]

I have used nothing but HP dig cameras since I bought my first one seven years ago. The one I have now is the HP R707 (5.1 mp) and I have no complaints. It is user friendly and does a good job on close ups (ie knives). If I had an unlimited budget I would get the Nikon D70 (maybe very soon).

I think there will be as many dig camera recomendations as forum members. My parents have a Kodak and they hate it, after trying to help them fiqure it out I have to say I would never buy that one.

Nickel rant:

The most expensive camera will not compensate for bad photographic practice. Many moons ago I was a photographer for a local news paper. Since I had to process my pics I learned real quick how to make my job easier. To this day I cringe and experience stroke like symptoms when I look at other peoples photo's. Get a book on composition and framing the shot. Within an hour you will be 100 times better at taking pictures.

Three good tips:

Find something vertical and include it on one side or the other to make a natural "frame" in the photo. This is very important in photographing scenery.

Don't have your subjects staring into the sun. The best looking person on earth is still ugly when they squint. The sun should be behind them and use your flash (yes even outside!)

When photographing only one or two people go vertical and go close. Nobody cares about the 10-15 feet of out of focus background on each side of them when you take horz pics.

Just using these three tips people will actually want to see your photos, not endure them.

 

[Dan Gray]

I'm using a Coolpix 3200 that my son got me for Xmas two years ago.
I think it was just over $100.00 it's better then the 600.00+ dollar old
sony MVC-FD7 I've used for years.
this is one of the pictures from the coolpix. with very little messing with it.
I think it's your editing program that makes the most difference nowadays
JMO

 

[mete]

I've got a new Sony H-1 and still learning .I gave up my pocket camera .This one is a lot of value ,a 12x stabilized zoom but will also focus to about 3/4" minimum ! But it's a matter of looking at your needs and finances and picking one. Top ones are Nikon, Canon,Olympus, Sony. Excellent reviews can be found at www.dpreview.com

 

[butcher_block]

im running with a sony V1 realy like it sept for now i want differen lens
i have a 2x lens now i need a macro and am thinking about making a super telophoto
had i not got the sony i was looking at DSLRs but that would have been $$$$$
things to remember you realy dont need more then about 5 MP less you plan on shooting 11x13 pictures so get the cam that has best color, sharpness ,zoom for what you plan on using it for
butch

 

[Phillip Patton]

Wow, thanks for all the helpful responses, guys. Last week I was in K-mart and saw the Kodak Z650, which seemed like a nice camera for the price. Here's a review: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0601/06010303kodakz650.asp

I would really like to have an SLR, but don't have the money for something like that.
B Finnigan, (what's your first name?) sounds like good advice. I'll definitely get a book on the subject. Still, my current camera is junk. It takes great up close pics, like several inches away, but if i try to get a photo of the whole knife, it comes out fuzzy. No matter what settings I use.
Mete, that H-1 looks sweet.
Dan, nice photo, and knife.

 

[B Finnigan]

I still use my Cannon 35 mm just because I have all of the lenses. Even when compared to 5 Mp regular old film is still better for color and resolution. It is getting tougher to find the film now and in a few more years it will probably be gone for good. Right now when I get a roll developed for $2more I get all the pics on a CD. I have all the digital options but still have negatives to get good quality enlargements.

Knives can be tricky to photograph and I am still learning that process. I was at a hammerin last Nov and one of the speakers was a pro knife photographer. He had some great tips and I should dig out my notes and go over them again.

One trick I fiqured out is to make some waxpaper difusers for your flash. I have a set that is 1,2,3,4 on up to 7 layers thick. I will take couple pics using each layer count and one of them will be the right one. They soften up the flash so you don't get a harsh bright spot reflecting back. Alot of knife makers have photo boxes with multiple diffused lights. I will build one sometime soon but right now the wax paper lenses is a fast, cheap and easy solution (also known as half-assed).

Brent

 

[Phillip Patton]

Brent,
I've also done the picture cd thing using a nice old Minolta SLR 35MM and those were the best pics I've done yet. That's kind of inconvenient and gets expensive, that's why I'd like to get a nice digital camera someday soon, but for now that's the best way for me.
Do you know how much of the good picture quality of film gets transferred to the CD when they digitize them?

 

[B Finnigan]

There is a loss of resolution but that is the trade off for having the negatives and still being able to have the pics in digital form to.

 

[Phillip Patton]

Is autofocus ok, or do you think manual produces better results?

 

[Dan Gray]

Dan, nice photo, and knife.

thanks on both accounts Phillip
For what it's worth, and if it helps,
that picture was taken at about 18 plus inches from the knife, and then
resized down to what you see now. at 750 pixels wide. and condensed to under 60KB's for fast web loading.. no magic there..

for me autofocus:thumbup:
but it will depend too on what you have for the camora to focus on other than the knife

 

[B Finnigan]

Keep in mind that the $4000 Panaflex lenses used on the 70mm movie cameras are manual focus. I do not know any serious photographer that would even consider an auto focus lense. However for us amatuers using digital cameras it is pretty handy and probably vital for some.

If you ever get into photography and learn about depth of field, shutter speed, time exposure, double exposure, aperatures, filters and how to use all of the specialty lenses then you would not ever use or have a need for an auto focus lense. The only exception might be in action photo's like races, sporting events etc.

Photography is just like knife making, start out slow and don't get overwhelmed by all the info that is available. The newer digital cameras take some very good pictures. Good enough that I am not going to rush out and get that D70 right away.

 

[B . Buxton]

I'm using a Nikon D50 with a af nikkor micro 55mm lens. The lens and camera both will let you shoot both manual or auto focus and the 55mm is an old premier nikon lens that I picked up from KEH. I also use a 2.8f 24 mm lens for big knives and group shots. I used a canon power shot 95 but wanted something that would let me do more then take knife pictures, I also have a AF300 mm lens which is a fantastic lens for wildlife shots. Auto focus is really a must when it comes to shooting moving wildlife, airplanes and fast moving labradors. LOL.
Just keep in mind what you might be wanting to do photography wise in the future, its cheaper to spend a little more now then to up grade in a year or 2.

Have fun and think carefully,

Bill

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I use a Pentax istD. It has 8mp and does everything - or nothing if you want to do it all yourself.I've shot everything from a Hasselblad large format to an instamatic.I have thou$and$ in lenses in the cabinet from my film format days. The Pentax istD uses them all,1300mm to super macro.It is great now that twenty rolls of film are the size of a postage stamp!
Stacy

PS - Anybody want a darkroom outfit?

 

[B Finnigan]

PS - Anybody want a darkroom outfit?

If you hang onto it a few more years you could sell it to a museum.

 

[Rob!]

I use an Olympus C5060. 5 megapixel gives me really nice 8 x 10s and the color is outstanding. My daughter has a Nikon D70 - more features and much faster but I can still beat her for colour rendition. One the subject of photographic talent, she has me beat hands down! <proud Dad!>

Rob!

 

[Dan Gray]

Just keep in mind what you might be wanting to do photography wise in the future, its cheaper to spend a little more now then to up grade in a year or 2.

Have fun and think carefully,

Bill

But Bill look at it this way also ,, in two years or less it will be obsolete
that's what happened to my $600.00 Sony

6 - 7 years later the $100.00 unit takes better pictures ....I look at it like this,, a little over $50.00 a year , I'll have a new one and most likely they will be much better then..
I look at them like computers now..

I thought years back, more $$ and bigger was better, yes in some cases but for me now in still art (knife photos) I'll use the upcoming technology sooner if I don't price myself out of it by spending it all now, so I can't buy again for another 6-7 years..I hope I explained that the way I meant it...


if you guys haven't seen this,, it might be of help. don't blame all bad pictures on your camera it could be other problems..
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328550&page=10

 

[B . Buxton]

Dan I understand what your saying as far as price goes, but it all depends on what you want to do in photography. I like to hunt so I like to find any reason I can to stay in the woods before and after the seasons open or close. Its hard to take wildlife pictures of any satisfaction with a single fixed lens camera. I wanted the versatility of carring several lens and being able to change lens from opportunity to opportunity, plus to be able to change aperture size and speeds quickly to capture different shots, not just knife pictures. Hard to pull in an A-10 flying 600+ with any satisfaction with a fixed lens. My auto focus 300mm lens does a pretty good job but still I wish I had a 1.4 converter and possible a 600mm lens. But it all comes down to what you want to get into besides knife photography.
As for the obselete thing, everything you buy has a new and better version either on the drawing board or already in production when you buy what you just bought, so I don't worry about whats coming out next week or next year, I try to buy what I think will do what I want done. Sure my D50 might be replaced with a newer version next year but this camera will give me years of use and once I decide to upgrade again if I do, I'll stay with a camera that will still accept the lenses I have. The camera isn't the expensive part, it's the prices of good low light quality lenses that can add up super quickly.

I just said, think carefully, for it is cheaper in the long run to buy a $600 camera first,then to buy a $300 one and then upgrade to the $600 in a year or 2 because you want to expand your photography abilities. That $300 will buy a good used quality lens, or help anyway.

Have fun

Bill

 

[Dan Gray]

Hi Bill
I too understand what you say.. that's why I wrote
still art (knife photos)

I thought years back, more $$ and bigger was better,
yes in some cases BUT for me now
in still art (knife photos)
I'll use the upcoming technology sooner

I should have added( this way)
I'll use the upcoming technology sooner this way..
they make such changes so fast now it can only get better Faster

I didn't target you Bill and I hope you don't feel that way ..

when I post I try to keep all viewers in mind and as you say is true..

Have fun and think carefully

think carefully in what we will want to do with it....for sure..

 

[Phillip Patton]

Thanks for all the helpful responses.
Another question,
Is there a difference in picture quality between SLR and non-SLR (point-and-shoot?)?

The camera I'm considering is the Canon S2. http://www.dpreview.com/news/0504/05042201canons2is.asp

What do you guys think?