Digital Cameras...not too happy.

[msinc]

I agree fellas and thanks for posting. The zoom thing can be confusing and it is also borderline scam the way they promote it...digital zoom is not what you are after. The pictures zoom up alright but quickly become "pixelated." Optical zoom is what counts if you need zoom.
The Panasonic with the Leica lens was the one I had and it took amazing pictures for what it was. If that camera would have been weatherproof I seriously wouldn't need another camera for a good long time.
The technology is changing fast, I get that and it is a good thing at the end of the day. But it sure causes a lot of confusion and "re-education" in between. I remember 15 years ago, my father {a big photography buff} saying to my wife, "these digital things will never take over...you will never get the razor sharpness out of them like you can film...you just will never be able to ge tthem to that point..." I am sure some folks still use them, but now, I don't know where to even find a film camera except maybe in a museum...haven't seen one since my dads.

Matto, I get what you are saying...I just cant get it in my head that these days with today's technology and especially prices, someone that wants/needs to take pictures has to do so with a raincoat wrapped around their $4000.00 camera so it don't get wet!!!!! {because if it does it's dead!!!}

 

[S&WForty]

Whenever someone would ask me "what camera should I buy?" I would point them here:

www.steves-digicams.com

I have not read a review there in ages, but in the past the reviews were well written.

As good as many P&S models are (and have been for years), SLRs are only necessary for professionals and serious hobbyists. When Joe Blow goes out and buys a SLR "to have the best," then only runs it in Auto mode, it's plumb ridiculous.

Sometimes I wish I hadn't been bit by the bug. I do volunteer work with my gear, and I rarely get a thanks. People point and boss around the non-paid volunteer like they're second class. My buddies that are professionals tell some horrendous stories. One recently announced he will no longer do weddings.

Whenever you're at an event where there is an obvious paid photographer on-site, get out of their way. If you see that the pro is not using flash, then turn your flash off, too. Your flash firing can ruin their shots, plus there are times when flash is inappropriate.

 

[Arik]

I'm not seeing what the big deal is
I'm not a tech geek. I buy what's has nice features for a good price. I take them outside in the rain. And nothing has ever happened to them or my cell phone for that matter. I've never dropped one in a puddle but they have all been wet at one tome or another and nothing happened

 

[LostintheOzone]

I'm not real camera savvy but I have several Panasonics My pocket camera is DNC-ZS9 that I like a lot. I take that with me just about everywhere. It's small, fits in a pocket easily and has a Leica lens. These things have been around awhile but still being sold new and get pretty good ratings.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-ZS9-Digital-Intelligent-Function/dp/B005TGKX9S"]Amazon.com : Panasonic DMC-ZS9 14.1MP Digital Camera with 16x Optical Zoom and 21x Intelligent Zoom Function (Black) : Point And Shoot Digital Cameras : Camera & Photo@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41OkD%2BB8xIL.@@AMEPARAM@@41OkD%2BB8xIL[/ame]

 

[msinc]

I'm not real camera savvy but I have several Panasonics My pocket camera is DNC-ZS9 that I like a lot. I take that with me just about everywhere. It's small, fits in a pocket easily and has a Leica lens. These things have been around awhile but still being sold new and get pretty good ratings.

Amazon.com : Panasonic DMC-ZS9 14.1MP Digital Camera with 16x Optical Zoom and 21x Intelligent Zoom Function (Black) : Point And Shoot Digital Cameras : Camera & Photo

Yep, that is the one I had...take it on a kayak or canoe trip, get some water splashed on it and throw it in the trash. Absolutely zero weatherproofing at all. Other than that little minor issue...it takes phenomenal pictures.

 

[chaparrito]

Back before digital, film cameras that were capable of taking the kind of shots that even run of the mill digitals can take were comparatively VERY expensive. The lenses for high end Nikon and Leica SLR cameras cost more then than a decent P and S digital costs now.
Just wondering, back then, did you expect your film camera to be waterproof?

 

[old bear]

Like I always say, Go big or go home.


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


Matt

Matt, that is GOING BIG. Enjoy that set up.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Before Digital

35mm SLR were a mature and stable technology. It may be an afectation of the time period that I first had a period of being semi-serious about photography, but between growing up watching my father with 1940's camera, and his comments, built in exposure meter was a meaningful upgrade over seperate handheald exposure meters.

From my own opinions automatic exposure and auto focus are gadgets of minimal real advantage, that often are counter productive.

Not withstanding those features , 35mm SLRs were stable technology from 1940s to the end of the film era. Digital is obsolete six months after it is introduced.

 

[Ogandydancer]

Simple question Nikon D3100, if you have it set on auto focus does it over ride manual focus?

 

[LostintheOzone]

Yep, that is the one I had...take it on a kayak or canoe trip, get some water splashed on it and throw it in the trash. Absolutely zero weatherproofing at all. Other than that little minor issue...it takes phenomenal pictures.

Did you try putting it in a gun safe with a Goldenrod heater? I used to work outside in WA and my cell phones would get pretty wet. A few days in the safe and they were up and running.

 

[S&WForty]

I'm not seeing what the big deal is
I'm not a tech geek. I buy what's has nice features for a good price. I take them outside in the rain. And nothing has ever happened to them or my cell phone for that matter. I've never dropped one in a puddle but they have all been wet at one tome or another and nothing happened

While walking through a parking lot once, I didn't beat the rain that was increasing. My camera only had a few drops on it, but one drop thought it was the Xwing fighter taking out the Death Star. That drop went into the body at the aperture dial. That dial quit working until I put a steady stream of air on it to dry it out. Canon 5D III.

 

[GreyOwl]

For a small point and shoot, a ziplock bag does wonders. Larger sizes work for larger DSLR's on river rafting trips also.

 

[cmore]

Whenever someone would ask me "what camera should I buy?" I would point them here:

Steve's Digicams - Digital Camera Reviews, Camera News, and Photography Information



Per your suggestion I went there and found this:

Nikon Coolpix AW120 Review: Overview - Steves Digicams

 

[R. G. Amos]

I hate digital cameras. I still use Leica rangefinders (M3, M4, M6, and M6J). I also use Gossen hand-held exposure meters. I mourn the demise of Kodachrome and Ektachrome.

 

[msinc]

I'm not seeing what the big deal is
I'm not a tech geek. I buy what's has nice features for a good price. I take them outside in the rain. And nothing has ever happened to them or my cell phone for that matter. I've never dropped one in a puddle but they have all been wet at one tome or another and nothing happened

About three weeks ago I would have said the same thing, "what's the big deal???" But, all it took was getting the camera wet just right and that was all she wrote....I guess I kind of took it for granted that these things were weatherproof. I had a little Sony camera that I had for 5 years. I took so many pictures with it in all kinds of weather that I think I finally wore out the shutter. It died and had nothing to do with getting wet. The wife has several cameras and never once mention concerns about getting her cameras wet but then she hardly ever does anything to get one wet.

 

[msinc]

Did you try putting it in a gun safe with a Goldenrod heater? I used to work outside in WA and my cell phones would get pretty wet. A few days in the safe and they were up and running.

Yep, in fact I even did the rice thing. This one took a little splash of salt water and it would try to power up then die. I figured at that point what do I have to loose so I opened it up to find that as it dried out the contacts all corroded and shorted out. I tried to clean them and even got them looking pretty good. I really expected it to go ahead and work but no chance. While it was open I toyed with the idea of finding a good used one {I really liked this camera} and trying to see if I could use RTV to somewhat weatherproof it. The real problem was that there was no way to seal the zoom lens motor...it is wide open to anything that is liquid.
I see where another poster commented about using a zip lock baggie...they do sell little bags made to fit that are cheap and probably a good investment. Hindsight....

 

[msinc]

Simple question Nikon D3100, if you have it set on auto focus does it over ride manual focus?

Yes, if the camera is set to auto focus and you spin the lens to focus and take a picture it will "make a correction" if the sensor tells it that it is not properly focused according to the AF functions parameters.
If you manually focus it and the camera AF sensors read that it is in focus then you just take the picture and it will seem like it did nothing, but it did check...it just found that no correction was needed because you set it dead on.

 

[S&WForty]

Simple question Nikon D3100, if you have it set on auto focus does it over ride manual focus?

I am not sure what your exact reason is for asking, but this technique may be of interest. The D3100 can do it. The article is a how to for Canon and Nikon bodies.

Back Button Focus (I love it!) the shutter button will only control the exposure and shutter release. Keep your thumb off the back button, and you are technically shooting with manual focus only.

www.improvephotography.com/4552/back-button-focusing/

 

[David LaPell]

My go to camera, my sony DSC-H300. I got it last year for $200 brand new, it has a 36x zoom and 20 megapixels. It has more features than I will ever need and use but it takes some phenomenal photos. I would get another one in a heartbeat.

Here's an example, I shot this little guy yesterday when the family and I were out. I was about ten feet away.



I got this shot of the moon before dawn this morning. I wasn't using a tripod. The weight of the Sony makes holding it easier because its a bit larger.

 

[msinc]

Are you sure that's not a Sony DSC-H300???? Can't find the Canon. Great pictures by the way!!!!