Digital Cameras...not too happy.

[msinc]

A while back I posted on here for some advice regarding a new digital camera. I had dropped mine in a fresh water pond and it quit working. It finally dried out and commenced to work again. Only to die this week for the final time.
I got some good leads and I have spent a lot of time "learning" most of the photo lingo needed to make a somewhat edjumacated decision on what I need.
Originally I was concerned with the way point and shoot cameras don't snap the picture when you pull the trigger. They go ahead and take it a couple seconds AFTER what you are trying to catch is done happening. Turns out this is a matter of the speed of the auto focus feature and I an glad I waited because it has gotten way better. I could just get a DSLR or a Mirrorless and solve that problem. But, both of those are not pocket cameras and that gets to the real problem.....
Very few of the digital cameras offered today are even weatherproof so be real careful how you spend your money or use the camera. That is to say that unless the camera is sold as a weatherproof or waterproof camera, you cannot even take it safely out in the rain with out risk of killing it!!!!.....Ya get that???
I cannot wrap my head around manufacturing a piece of gear that costs $300.00 to $2000.00 plus, is meant to be used outdoors roughly 50% of it's life typically and yet a few drops of water means you throw it in the trash can. Water damage repairs, as I found out, are more that a new upgraded model camera!!!! Which makes about as much sense as "cant get them wet."
Shopping for one is just about as ridiculous and really made me want to shoot somebody. They don't have any rhyme or reason to the numbering of the different models. Well, I guess that depends on how you look at it...they come out with a new one and call it a G50...the next model is the G5 and the next one is the G5 II then the G5 IIs all released about 6 months or so apart...next one upgraded is the same camera with more features but it is the G3 now they have the G3II.
Now google "best waterproof camera" and you guessed it the G50 or G5 comes up...until they are out of stock, then you will start to see the newer models.
They also offer them in "kit form" with accessories at a discount for buying more stuff, but don't count on finding them with a search either...unless you know exactly what you are looking for and who can guess that???
I don't care how much it cost if it is what I need/want and it does the job. I have no problem paying for quality either, but to market something that is borderline scam to begin with is not good. As if that aint bad enough, going to the manufacturers website is not much help...they do not show their latest and greatest, only the models they have too many of left and want to get rid of. Even Amazon does the same thing!!!
If you need a camera in the next month or so, {even these will be obsolete after that} take pictures outside and might get caught in the rain {and do not want to throw the camera away if you do} then here's the quick and easy...

Point and shoot...Olympus TG4

Mirrorless.....Panasonic Lumix GH4

DSLR..........Pentax K3ii

All this rant and I don't feel any better...time for some sour mash whiskey!!!!!!!

 

[old bear]

I'm a "snapshot" camera guy at best. For me my cheap Cannon Power Shot at $150.00 shipped is a better camera than I am a camera user.

 

[MattO]

Like I always say, Go big or go home.


Pair of Nikon D4 cameras with a 200MM F2 and a 400MM F2.8.


Matt

 

[JohnHL]

msinc,

Thank you for doing the research!
That sounds as frustrating as comparing phone plans.

John

 

[DR505]

I recently picked up a Nikon D750. It is a VERY good camera. It has a better sensor than the flagship D4, but only 24 megapixel compared to the D810 36 megapixel.

The autofocus is a godsend for these old eyes...beats my D600 all to heck.

As for waterproof...says it is water resistant, but I won't be getting it wet.

 

[Faulkner]

Using guns as a comparison to digital cameras, a pocket pistol is small and compact but there are trade off's in accuracy and ballistics for the small size. Full size handguns are typically more accurate and have better ballistics, but they are not small.

Cameras are kind of the same way. Compact cameras don't have all the features of a DSLR, and most DSLR's are not compact.

 

[msinc]

Like I always say, Go big or go home.


Pair of Nikon D4 cameras with a 200MM F2 and a 400MM F2.8.


Matt

Get them wet one good time and you will be going home...without a working camera. And that is sad because to me you went way too big with the money and the cameras to have to worry about it.

 

[msinc]

Using guns as a comparison to digital cameras, a pocket pistol is small and compact but there are trade off's in accuracy and ballistics for the small size. Full size handguns are typically more accurate and have better ballistics, but they are not small.

Cameras are kind of the same way. Compact cameras don't have all the features of a DSLR, and most DSLR's are not compact.

It appears that the gaps are closing pretty fast...with today's technology. I actually found a few DSLR's that were slightly smaller than the mirrorless "compacts." many point and shoots have more features than some of the DSLR's out there these days. The funny thing is that while everyone {average consumer} is still hung up on getting the most megapixels, {you are better off to pay attention to the capture or sensor screen size and type} it's really the auto focus speed that sets them apart. This is not rocket science technology, but they will not include the best AF systems in anything but a DSLR.
But yes, you can compare some things about guns to cameras...the one thing that I will say for the gun manufacturers...at least when you go to their website you will have no problem figuring out quick which one is the latest and greatest "flagship" that they make.

 

[armorer951]

I usually buy "factory refurbished" cameras from the name brand factory web sites for the reason you specified....new ones are very expensive and they are all sensitive to temperature extremes, and weather conditions.

I have a Nikon D300, but I'm using a Canon S100 for close ups and general photos at the moment. It's the camera I used at work the last few years. It was supposed to be my "back-up" camera. It takes great photographs, and allows for quite a bit of user control if desired, including a program mode along with shutter and aperture priority modes.

I paid $115.00 at the Canon web site for my most recent S100 factory refurb model......free shipping. Not a mark or blemish on it when it arrived.

 

[msinc]

msinc,

Thank you for doing the research!
That sounds as frustrating as comparing phone plans.

John

Hope this helps somebody along the way...I think I'd rather try phone plans after the last week or so!!!!

 

[msinc]

I usually buy "factory refurbished" cameras from the name brand factory web sites for the reason you specified....new ones are very expensive and they are all sensitive to temperature extremes, and weather conditions.

I have a Nikon D300, but I'm using a Canon S100 for close ups and general photos at the moment. It takes great photographs, and allows for quite a bit of user control if desired.
I paid $115.00 at the Canon web site for my most recent S100 factory refurb model......free shipping. Not a mark or blemish on it when it arrived.

Yep, I tried that route but found even less info available easily to rely on. One thing about it, for me anyways is that you can really get tied up worrying about the best picture and spend a lot of money but wind up either no better off because of operator skill level {one of my problems} or just plain not being able to tell any difference. Pros can look a picture and talk about noise, moire or vignette. I know what the terms mean but I couldn't see any of them on what looks like a great picture to me and those guys think it belongs in the trash can!!!!
The wife is a pro...but she's been out of it for a few years so not much help in the selection. She always says that the average person that just wants decent pictures is way better off with a quality camera that has a lot of auto features and use them. As opposed to trying to properly set up a manual camera like a pro, when you really don't know how.

 

[snubbyfan]

Back when I got my first digital camera it was that Olympus and there wasn't much of a choice. It can take up to 59 standard pics of 17 high quality pics. They didn't have high def back then.
Now that I have a video channel, I got a Samsung HMX-F90. It takes both video and still pictures.
The little black one in the front's an SJ4000. It's a dinky little action cam that can be put in a waterproof housing. It also takes both video and still pictures. It goes hiking and biking with me. It was also handy at the annual Paw Paw WV Memorial Day car show and parade. It weighs almost nothing and slips into a shirt pocket.
I did my research and I couldn't find one camera to meet all my needs.
The picture was taken with our laptops webcam.

 

[MattO]

Get them wet one good time and you will be going home...without a working camera. And that is sad because to me you went way too big with the money and the cameras to have to worry about it.

I shoot professionally for a living. I have what I have, because it's what I need to put food on the table. I've shot in light rain, snow, and thunderstorms. Proper coverings make the difference. I even shot in what was left of a hurricane. Haven't ever had a failure.


Matt

 

[msinc]

Snubbyfan,
You know, it's funny...I have just about the same setup...the one that died was a Panasonic Lumix from about 2010. I have a Garmin Virb with a waterproof case for video and for scuba pictures a little camera called an 'Intova" with a case I got in the Keys.
The new one on the way is the Olympus TG4 to replace that Lumix that died. I'll do a quick review once I get it and see how it performs.

 

[Road Rat]

I use a variety of cameras. My main carry for taking decent photos is an old Sony F707...........it does everything I need.

For compact - shirt pocket - I have a couple of Nikon 400's that I keep in the cars.

For serious work I have a Sony A58 with various inter-changable lens. It spends most of the time in the camera bag!!

 

[MattO]

A fellow photographer took this photo of my shooting a football game, in what was left of a hurricane came up the midwest from the Gulf of Mexico. Rain gear for me, rain gear for the camera. And we are all insured if something fails. Been doing this 10 years professionally and have never lost a piece of gear, nor had to use the insurance.

 

[johngalt]

Back when I got my first digital camera it was that Olympus and there wasn't much of a choice. It can take up to 59 standard pics of 17 high quality pics. They didn't have high def back then.
Now that I have a video channel, I got a Samsung HMX-F90. It takes both video and still pictures.
The little black one in the front's an SJ4000. It's a dinky little action cam that can be put in a waterproof housing. It also takes both video and still pictures. It goes hiking and biking with me. It was also handy at the annual Paw Paw WV Memorial Day car show and parade. It weighs almost nothing and slips into a shirt pocket.
I did my research and I couldn't find one camera to meet all my needs.
The picture was taken with our laptops webcam.

I had an Olympus just like yours. Not a bad camera for the time. It wasn't great in low light conditions.

I'm tempted to get a Pentax DSLR because the lenses from my old K1000 will work with it. The downside is Pentax doesn't use a full frame sensor, which changes the effective focal length. I think it turns the standard 50mm lense into a zoom, my wide angle becomes much less wide angle, etc.

Panasonic has a(or had) pocket model that uses Leica glass. It was a bit of a sleeper in the camera world.

I liked my old Canon Powershot.

New cameras keep getting more complicated, and I keep getting less interested in trying to figure them out.

 

[cowart]

Originally I was concerned with the way point and shoot cameras don't snap the picture when you pull the trigger. They go ahead and take it a couple seconds AFTER what you are trying to catch is done happening.

Many of the inexpensive cameras can also shoot videos. If I'm after a difficult to time subject, I just shoot it in video mode. Then I use a video editing program to pull out the frame from the exact instant that I an after.

 

[Biggfoot44]

The * Good Sounding * wy to describe is that digital camera technology is rapidly advancing. The cynical way is that they depreciate faster than crack whores.

Specifications that are state of the art today , will be in a blister pack at WalMart in 3yrs for $39.99 .

If you are professional ( as in get paid real money full time , and deduct the cost of equipment ) , they get the best. And replace/ upgrade every 6-12mo .

For amatuers , get whatever is currently on closeout at WM , for under $100 . Repeat every 2-3yrs .

Early '14 , I thought I "upgraded" to a Sony Cybershot DSE** DCC -H200 , having a desire for lots of zoom for specific use. But alas , the claimed magnification turned out to be fuzzy math , and not very much more than Nikon L27 pocket camera.

The L27 takes pictures that look the same to me , and fits into a pocket. Yeah it has trigger lag , but unless realy extreme conditions , lag is minimal. And I like using AA batt .

My first digital camera could hold *up to* 10 pictures. The one I first used on a frequent basis could hold *up to* 70some pictures . VGA spec pictures. But tought me the meaning of digital cameras - Take lots of pictures of everything, multiple angles , multiple settings. Accept that picture quality will be good enough , while not as good as a real 35mm. Put will fit in pocket , and haave no film costs.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Using guns as a comparison to digital cameras, a pocket pistol is small and compact but there are trade off's in accuracy and ballistics for the small size. Full size handguns are typically more accurate and have better ballistics, but they are not small.

Cameras are kind of the same way. Compact cameras don't have all the features of a DSLR, and most DSLR's are not compact.

Very true. And like full size guns, larger cameras are often not with me when I want to take a pic.
LCP & iPhone cam are always there.