Digital camera suggestions to take on deployment

O

ohen cepel

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Sep 19, 2002
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I'll be leaving this winter for 15 months in the ME.

Looking for digital camera suggestions.

Want it to be:
durable
simple (not a bells and whistle guy, just basic pics)
some zoom

take Sony type sticks is a plus

Size isn't area issue since they are all pretty small. I would prefer a bit bigger since the small ones disappear in my mitt.

Suggestions?

Thanks!
 
"Memory stick" is a Sony proprietary format, and of course it's ridiculously overpriced; that's the point of havin a proprietary format. Preserving your investment in that monopoly is not as important as you probably think -- last time I bought an SD card (the standard that most small cameras take) I got a gigabyte card for ~$15....
 
I'm a Sony user myself. I like the stick; it's a nice format, small but easy to handle, and they've proven durable. Some of these new memory "cards" seem just so flimsy to me. However, I can definitely tell you that it is the least popular format out there. It's the format you're least likely to find available, espeically if you're deployed overseas.

At the same time, I will council you to stick to the name brand memory cards. You'll pay a few more bucks, true. But the cheapies are really cheap and they are more likely to fail on you resulting in lost pictures.
 
If you can live with small I'd look at the Olympus SW770, water proof and shock resistant. I have the SW720, basically the same camera, it takes a beating and decent pictures.

To go a little larger I would have picked a Canon G7, now there is a newer G9.

Memory has come way down in price but do stick with major brand like Sandisk and buy from a reliable source (not Ebay).

Buydig.com is an excellent source, free shipping.

Win
 
Win Heger said:
If you can live with small I'd look at the Olympus SW770, water proof and shock resistant. I have the SW720, basically the same camera, it takes a beating and decent pictures.

Win
Click to expand...

I was going to suggest the same camera. I've been looking at it for a while and am just waiting (hoping) for the price to come down a little. Supposedly shockproof if you drop it, and I've read reports of it going down 30 feet underwater and still taking pics.

Here's a thorough review of the 720 version:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/OS720SW/OS720SWA.HTM

And here's a similar review of the 770 version:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/OS770SW/OS770SWA.HTM
 
I would highly recommend something with an SD type card AND a rechargeable battery.
I use a small digital camera almost every single day for work and this is the best set up there is IMO. I have a Minolta Dimage xt and a Nikon Coolpix S50. I usually use the Minotla because the Nikon is brand new and they tend to get pretty scratched up in and out of my pockets all day. The Minolta has proven to be a very durable camera. When I need to download or transmit a photo the SD card plugs right into a slot on the side of my laptop. Can't get much easier than that. That said, I still cannot seem to figure out how to post any pictures here on BFC. One of these days I will sit down and figure that one out. -DT
 
Come on over to BladeForums.com Service and Support and tell us what happens when you try to post a picture. We'll help you.
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I have a Cannon Powershot SD400. Thing is practically bomb-proof, even with the relatively large LCD screen for its' size--and price range.

It's compact with good zoom, easy to use modes, a rechargeable battery and uses standard-size SD cards.
 
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