Lookin' for 1st digital camera

gezerbike

I 've decided to take the plunge and buy a digital camera....mostly for pics when out travelin' on my bike but could come in handy for claims shots I could easily forward back to the plant. Canon's seem to get the nod from most posts I read for cameras in the 3 to 5 pix size. I looked at the A 80 ( real nice ) and the S 400 ( awful small ) and the Sony DSC V-1...awkward in the hand. But one thing I see when shopping is some old favorites available at discounted prices...a G5 for $ 480.00...Sony DSC F717 for $ 485.00.....An S50 for $ 320.00. Thinking I might want a little more camera once I get started, am I foolish looking at some of these " older models " ? Alot of what I read is that the G3 is still a great camers. Most shots will be kept on computer but I do like having 5 x 7 prints around....and some will be e-mailed and maybe posted ( ADVrider site ). I'm learning a few things here and one is that a smaller pixel count mated to a better lense is better than just the opposite.....I didn't really want to have $ 600 tied up in my first camera but are some of these too good to pass up or should I just buy an A 80 and move on....one thing about the Smaller ( in size) cameras is that I have a hard time seeing the smaller LCD's without pulling out my glasses.......the G5 has a decent size LCD

Netgarden

Hi , no I don't think you are being foolish. But I think taking your time and making lists of what you want out of a camera helps narrow it down to a few so its not so confusing. I had a certain criteria and it narrowed down to the V1 for size and clarity, and zoom.

There are so many new ones out there, and the brands are so competitive, there is going to be great improvement in both the small handy cameras and also the slr type. it's kind of like a car, wait for the bugs to be worked out, or buy the latest hottest one...just depends on your needs. Good luck! I remember being so anxious to get my hands on a new one, it was hard to make a choice. But the 717 is a great camera and learning tool. I also bought the fujis5000 because I missed my old zoom. Thats a fun cheap camera with a 10x zoom and a very comfy style. Its a 3mpxl, so I tend to always go baCK TO MY v1.

gezerbike wrote:

I 've decided to take the plunge and buy a digital camera....mostly for pics when out travelin' on my bike but could come in handy for claims shots I could easily forward back to the plant. Canon's seem to get the nod from most posts I read for cameras in the 3 to 5 pix size. I looked at the A 80 ( real nice ) and the S 400 ( awful small ) and the Sony DSC V-1...awkward in the hand. But one thing I see when shopping is some old favorites available at discounted prices...a G5 for $ 480.00...Sony DSC F717 for $ 485.00.....An S50 for $ 320.00. Thinking I might want a little more camera once I get started, am I foolish looking at some of these " older models " ? Alot of what I read is that the G3 is still a great camers. Most shots will be kept on computer but I do like having 5 x 7 prints around....and some will be e-mailed and maybe posted ( ADVrider site ). I'm learning a few things here and one is that a smaller pixel count mated to a better lense is better than just the opposite.....I didn't really want to have $ 600 tied up in my first camera but are some of these too good to pass up or should I just buy an A 80 and move on....one thing about the Smaller ( in size) cameras is that I have a hard time seeing the smaller LCD's without pulling out my glasses.......the G5 has a decent size LCD

wxwax

I agree, you're not being foolish at all. You're being smart if you buy a high quality camera at a bargain price. I shoot with a G3 and have had excellent results. As you point out, it's a camera you can grow into. And it performs better in low light than the S400.

I've also seen wonderful work from the Sony 717.

I think you're on the right track, and are primed to take advantage of bargain prices on outstanding cameras. The real question is: which one best fits your hand, your eyes and your brain? Because you're more likely to use a camera with which you're comfortable, than one you struggle with a little bit.

Good luck, please let us know what you buy. And then post some pics!

fish

Quite honestly, I've played with a bunch of different digital cameras, and the current crop is pretty much all good. They all take good pics. It really comes down to four criteria:

1) Do you like the way the images look from the camera?
2) Does the camera have all the features I think are important?
3) Do I like the way it feels in my hand and the ergos/logic of the controls?
4) Price

Just my opinion.

gecko

one suggestion i have, and this applies more for when u get serious

is get a CSLR that is compatible with your old manual lenses

i saved a lot by going with the pentax