Help me pick out the digital camera for me (already done some research). - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Undercover_Man · 03-05-2005, 12:51 AM

Hello all.

Ok. I want a digital camera. Now I've done some research and the camera that I am liking is the Olympus C-770 UZ. Now it has a nice 4MP and an very nice 10x optical zoom. It's packed with cool features and it has great reviews. But I want to see if I can do better.

I DON'T want an SLR camera. Now that that's outta the way, here's some other features that would be nice to have: AF Illumination lamp, Image Stabilization, and White Balance. I kinda like the idea of the ultra zoom, so I'll want a camera with a high OPTICAL zoom. If it has digital zoom or not is optional. And AT LEAST 3.0-3.5MP.

Any ideas on if I can beat the C-770??? It doesn't have the AF Illumination lamp or the image stabilization tho. I need help.

- Undercover_Man

EDIT: I forgot to mention price. I started out at looking for around $300-$400 but with the newer features, I guess I will go around $600-$700...DEFINATELY not anything above $1,000 tho. If it's above $700 and below $1,000 then still tell me about it cause I MIGHT convince myself to get it.

EDIT 2: And About the memory, I don't know much about the various memory types. All I know is that if I go with the C-770, then I will eventually be getting four 512MB xD's. I will be taking advantage of the uncompressed pictures a lot I think. Especially if I plan on having them printed large on good photo paper. So I guess the max size doesn't matter too much since I'll be getting a lot of memory cards for it. And switching out memory cards isn't too much of a hastle so I don't mind if the max size is like 128MB or something. They're prolly all going to be high tho right?

Jackebear · 03-05-2005, 05:26 PM

Hi,

strange that no one is helping you here; usually lots of advice. Anywho....from what I have read, that Olympus model is very well reviewed and one of the best bang for the buck. I was thinking about it as well, but I needed a smaller one for my purposes.

I have also checked out the Panasonic Lumix FZ-4 or FZ-5 or something like that. It is an awesome camera. I have seen it, tested it for a couple days...very, very nice. 12x image stabilized OPTICAL zoom, Leica lens, SD memory...kinda expensive, was about $500 or so last year. The only thing I didn't like was the grip or feeling when you held it. I thought it was too small and it felt like you couldn't hold it with one hand. Oh yeah...and for some reason no threads on the lens for a UV lens cover. You have to throw on this huge cover first and IT has the threads for your protector.

Nice camera but the little things hurt it for me.

I read some nice things about the new Kodak cameras with 8 or 10x zoom. Check it out on that steve's digicam site...good honest reviews (I think).
Good luck, have fun. I am no camera expert, but I thought I would help a little.

hilbert25 · 03-05-2005, 06:14 PM

Check out the real panasonics, FZ15 and FZ20. Both are bigger than that, but both have much better lenses than that olympus. The FZ20 has a hotshoe for zoom, which the FZ15 does not, otherwise they are identical, except for the FZ15 is 4MP vs 5MP for the panasonic. Review is availableh here: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz20/

Fz4 and 5 aren't out yet. The Fz3 is, it is a smaller version of the FZ15/20 with the same specs on the lens. It can be had for about $320. It's probably what Jackebear was talking about. It's a 3MP compact with a 12x image stablized constant F2.8 Leica Lens. To use a uv filter, you do indeed need the adapter, but the adapter actually sits nealy flush with the lens when the camera is on. I actually like the design a lot as it adds quite a bit of protection for the lens when it's off and allows for the attachement of a hood while it's on. Fz4 and Fz5 will be out in a month or so with 4MP and 5MP sensors respectively, with slightly worse lenses.

Undercover_Man · 03-06-2005, 01:00 AM

Oh crap!!! I just went thru the Panasonic and Kodak cameras and came up with two more contestants. We now have the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20S and the Kodak EasyShare DX7590.

Now I LOVE them both.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20S - I didn't decide to go with the F15 cause an extra ~$100 is worth the hotshoe for external flash and the extra 1MP. Also the F20 can record audio. I also prefer silver to black. Silver looks cool and doesn't get as hot cause silver reflects the sun and black absorbs it. Maybe that;ll keep the camera a bit cooler, I dunno. From the looks of things, this beats the Olympus. it has 2x more optical zoom and 1MP higher. It's got an image stabilizer and an AF assist lamp. Very good features. The only drawback is the size. It's the biggest of the three and I will need a small camera bag for it.

Kodak EasyShare DX7590 - Love it. It's got 10x optical zoom and 5MP. I love the LCD and viewfinder. They are the biggest of the three. It can record 640x480 video while the Panasonic one does half that I believe. The Olympus can do 640x480 too tho. You can get that cool-ass printer dock thing so you just plop the camera on the dock and press Print and out comes your picture. That's totally awesome. But there are more drawbacks with this camera compared to the other two. It has no AF assist lamp and no hotshoe (but it says it has an external PC flash sync but I have no idea what that is...anyone want to elaborate this).

I can't decide!!!! They are all cool cameras. Right now I think the Olympus and the Panasonic are VERY close to the #1 spot with Kodak real close but behind. There anymore cameras that I can add to the list of potential buys?

uncle_el · 03-06-2005, 02:03 PM

just add a few cents in here.

one thing to think about is the battery/power source the camera uses. will the camera come with a lithium ion battery, or will you be stuck with replacing double a batteries? while it may seem minor, cameras eat up double a batteries with quickness!

not sure why you'd buy 4 512 mb cards, when you could just buy 2 1 gb cards, or just 1 2 gb card.

other things to think about in your budget is a tripod (a necessity for night shots and those perfect family reunion shots), a set of filters, a memory card reader (save the battery life of the camera, faster upload)...

Undercover_Man · 03-06-2005, 05:25 PM

Well the three I've picked out so far do not have AA batt.'s. They use like Lithium Ion or something. They're rechargable and I will most definately get at least 2 of them.

My mom has a tripod so I can be using hers. Are there any "features" to tripods or are there basic use (attach camera for stability and control with handle) all they have? I know nothing about tripods.

I'm not going to start off with 2GB's. I'll do that gradually because 1GB ones cost a lot. I will get a 512MB one and then get another one sometime later one and then maybe ask for one for Christmas and B'Day. That should do the trick.

As for filters and memory card readers, well the readers you can get cheap on eBay or online retail stores. Not a problem there. And the filters I'm not really concerned about cause I'm not really a pro yet and prolly won't stqart looking into filters until after I learn my camera and gain more camera knowledge. The only filter I will be getting from the start is a UV filter. Mostly cause it was advised by my mom cause not only does it filter UV's but it is cheap and doubles as a lens protector. Crack a UV filter then just spend a few bucks for a replacment. But crack your lens and you're screwed. Same goes for scratches. Good idea huh?

I'm still researching cameras so if there are any more that you ppl could advise me then plz do. I'm already leaning away from the Olympus and favoring the Panasonic one.

hilbert25 · 03-10-2005, 08:55 PM

Smaller cards are preferrable to me. 4x512 will give you some security in that if you lose a card or it breaks (which happens a lot), you don't lose all of your pictures. Plus when you can get 512's for under 40, I doubt it'd be worth it to go with 2gb's.

jhkayakr · 03-12-2005, 03:12 PM

I use the Canon A-80 here. I love it. Small enough for my pocket. 4 megapixels, lots of extras, had it for awhile now and had not a bit of problem with it. I print beautiful 8x10's all the time. Takes regular AA batteries too. Try the new A-90. You have to remember, the big cameras can be a pain in the ass to carry around with you sometimes, so I found it's better to keep it small.

03-05-2005, 12:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
Undercover_Man Insane	Help me pick out the digital camera for me (already done some research). Hello all. Ok. I want a digital camera. Now I've done some research and the camera that I am liking is the Olympus C-770 UZ. Now it has a nice 4MP and an very nice 10x optical zoom. It's packed with cool features and it has great reviews. But I want to see if I can do better. I DON'T want an SLR camera. Now that that's outta the way, here's some other features that would be nice to have: AF Illumination lamp, Image Stabilization, and White Balance. I kinda like the idea of the ultra zoom, so I'll want a camera with a high OPTICAL zoom. If it has digital zoom or not is optional. And AT LEAST 3.0-3.5MP. Any ideas on if I can beat the C-770??? It doesn't have the AF Illumination lamp or the image stabilization tho. I need help. - Undercover_Man EDIT: I forgot to mention price. I started out at looking for around $300-$400 but with the newer features, I guess I will go around $600-$700...DEFINATELY not anything above $1,000 tho. If it's above $700 and below $1,000 then still tell me about it cause I MIGHT convince myself to get it. EDIT 2: And About the memory, I don't know much about the various memory types. All I know is that if I go with the C-770, then I will eventually be getting four 512MB xD's. I will be taking advantage of the uncompressed pictures a lot I think. Especially if I plan on having them printed large on good photo paper. So I guess the max size doesn't matter too much since I'll be getting a lot of memory cards for it. And switching out memory cards isn't too much of a hastle so I don't mind if the max size is like 128MB or something. They're prolly all going to be high tho right? Last edited by Undercover_Man; 03-05-2005 at 01:02 AM..

03-05-2005, 05:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
Jackebear Insane	Hi, strange that no one is helping you here; usually lots of advice. Anywho....from what I have read, that Olympus model is very well reviewed and one of the best bang for the buck. I was thinking about it as well, but I needed a smaller one for my purposes. I have also checked out the Panasonic Lumix FZ-4 or FZ-5 or something like that. It is an awesome camera. I have seen it, tested it for a couple days...very, very nice. 12x image stabilized OPTICAL zoom, Leica lens, SD memory...kinda expensive, was about $500 or so last year. The only thing I didn't like was the grip or feeling when you held it. I thought it was too small and it felt like you couldn't hold it with one hand. Oh yeah...and for some reason no threads on the lens for a UV lens cover. You have to throw on this huge cover first and IT has the threads for your protector. Nice camera but the little things hurt it for me. I read some nice things about the new Kodak cameras with 8 or 10x zoom. Check it out on that steve's digicam site...good honest reviews (I think). Good luck, have fun. I am no camera expert, but I thought I would help a little. __________________ Life's jounney is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn-out shouting, "Holy sh*t! What a ride!" - unknown

03-06-2005, 01:00 AM	#4 (permalink)
Undercover_Man Insane	Oh crap!!! I just went thru the Panasonic and Kodak cameras and came up with two more contestants. We now have the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20S and the Kodak EasyShare DX7590. Now I LOVE them both. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20S - I didn't decide to go with the F15 cause an extra ~$100 is worth the hotshoe for external flash and the extra 1MP. Also the F20 can record audio. I also prefer silver to black. Silver looks cool and doesn't get as hot cause silver reflects the sun and black absorbs it. Maybe that;ll keep the camera a bit cooler, I dunno. From the looks of things, this beats the Olympus. it has 2x more optical zoom and 1MP higher. It's got an image stabilizer and an AF assist lamp. Very good features. The only drawback is the size. It's the biggest of the three and I will need a small camera bag for it. Kodak EasyShare DX7590 - Love it. It's got 10x optical zoom and 5MP. I love the LCD and viewfinder. They are the biggest of the three. It can record 640x480 video while the Panasonic one does half that I believe. The Olympus can do 640x480 too tho. You can get that cool-ass printer dock thing so you just plop the camera on the dock and press Print and out comes your picture. That's totally awesome. But there are more drawbacks with this camera compared to the other two. It has no AF assist lamp and no hotshoe (but it says it has an external PC flash sync but I have no idea what that is...anyone want to elaborate this). I can't decide!!!! They are all cool cameras. Right now I think the Olympus and the Panasonic are VERY close to the #1 spot with Kodak real close but behind. There anymore cameras that I can add to the list of potential buys? Last edited by Undercover_Man; 03-06-2005 at 01:23 AM..

03-06-2005, 02:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
uncle_el Crazy Location: n hollywood, ca	just add a few cents in here. one thing to think about is the battery/power source the camera uses. will the camera come with a lithium ion battery, or will you be stuck with replacing double a batteries? while it may seem minor, cameras eat up double a batteries with quickness! not sure why you'd buy 4 512 mb cards, when you could just buy 2 1 gb cards, or just 1 2 gb card. other things to think about in your budget is a tripod (a necessity for night shots and those perfect family reunion shots), a set of filters, a memory card reader (save the battery life of the camera, faster upload)... __________________ An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of inprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law. - Martin Luther King, Jr. The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses. - Malcolm X

03-12-2005, 03:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
jhkayakr Insane Location: under the skirt	I use the Canon A-80 here. I love it. Small enough for my pocket. 4 megapixels, lots of extras, had it for awhile now and had not a bit of problem with it. I print beautiful 8x10's all the time. Takes regular AA batteries too. Try the new A-90. You have to remember, the big cameras can be a pain in the ass to carry around with you sometimes, so I found it's better to keep it small. __________________ ........gotta need for speed....

03-05-2005, 06:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
hilbert25 Psycho Location: nOvA	Check out the real panasonics, FZ15 and FZ20. Both are bigger than that, but both have much better lenses than that olympus. The FZ20 has a hotshoe for zoom, which the FZ15 does not, otherwise they are identical, except for the FZ15 is 4MP vs 5MP for the panasonic. Review is availableh here: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz20/ Fz4 and 5 aren't out yet. The Fz3 is, it is a smaller version of the FZ15/20 with the same specs on the lens. It can be had for about $320. It's probably what Jackebear was talking about. It's a 3MP compact with a 12x image stablized constant F2.8 Leica Lens. To use a uv filter, you do indeed need the adapter, but the adapter actually sits nealy flush with the lens when the camera is on. I actually like the design a lot as it adds quite a bit of protection for the lens when it's off and allows for the attachement of a hood while it's on. Fz4 and Fz5 will be out in a month or so with 4MP and 5MP sensors respectively, with slightly worse lenses.

03-06-2005, 05:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
Undercover_Man Insane	Well the three I've picked out so far do not have AA batt.'s. They use like Lithium Ion or something. They're rechargable and I will most definately get at least 2 of them. My mom has a tripod so I can be using hers. Are there any "features" to tripods or are there basic use (attach camera for stability and control with handle) all they have? I know nothing about tripods. I'm not going to start off with 2GB's. I'll do that gradually because 1GB ones cost a lot. I will get a 512MB one and then get another one sometime later one and then maybe ask for one for Christmas and B'Day. That should do the trick. As for filters and memory card readers, well the readers you can get cheap on eBay or online retail stores. Not a problem there. And the filters I'm not really concerned about cause I'm not really a pro yet and prolly won't stqart looking into filters until after I learn my camera and gain more camera knowledge. The only filter I will be getting from the start is a UV filter. Mostly cause it was advised by my mom cause not only does it filter UV's but it is cheap and doubles as a lens protector. Crack a UV filter then just spend a few bucks for a replacment. But crack your lens and you're screwed. Same goes for scratches. Good idea huh? I'm still researching cameras so if there are any more that you ppl could advise me then plz do. I'm already leaning away from the Olympus and favoring the Panasonic one.

03-10-2005, 08:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
hilbert25 Psycho Location: nOvA	Smaller cards are preferrable to me. 4x512 will give you some security in that if you lose a card or it breaks (which happens a lot), you don't lose all of your pictures. Plus when you can get 512's for under 40, I doubt it'd be worth it to go with 2gb's.