Digital camera

**imported_Reflectionz** · 06-05-2005, 11:35 PM

hey guys. whats a good camera to use to take detailed pictures of cars? something that`ll show swirl marks and small scratches.. nothing special. possibly between the $200-$300 range. any suggestions?

**Porkanbeans** · 06-06-2005, 05:21 AM

Something like the Canon A85 is an excellent choice. I`m pretty sure it`s about $300. We had an A95, which I believe was $350. It was an awesome camera with so many neat features to make your pictures better. Unfortunately, it was stolen on our cruise earlier this year. We`ll probably replace it with the same model.

I can`t speak for any other digitals out there, but from my personal experience and after reading many reviews on them, Canon is the way to go.

**detailthis** · 06-06-2005, 06:26 AM

Just remember when your chosing a camera that your going to need a few other things. The memory card the camera comes with probably only holds a couple of pictures at full resolution, so a bigger memory card, a extended warranty or product replacement plan, a nifty little bag to properly store your camera, etc. After tax and what not a $300 camera can end up costing you well over $400. And Fujifilm`s finepix camera`s kick some ***!

**buellwinkle** · 06-06-2005, 06:33 AM

I`ve had best luck with Canon digital cameras. My tendency is to go small since I can stick it in my jeans pocket so I would get the S410 which takes fantastic pictures for a small camera and you can find it for about $250 if you shop around online. The A95 is about the same price but is considered more entry level and larger but higher megapixals at 5mp vs. 4mp for the S410 but don`t hang up over that, either camera will give you a sharp 8x10" picture.

Here`s a place I get my digital cameras from, fast, reliable and much less than buying it locally - http://buydig.com/

Also, for an extended warranty for 5 years, check out http://www.compuplus.com/insidepage....5s0vo5o&id=759

**salty** · 06-07-2005, 12:53 AM

I just bought a new one a couple of months back, and after doing much research, decided on a Canon S1 IS. I read many tests and Canon was always at the top. I am not saying that others aren`t good, just do some checking and find out what others say. But make sure you buy a brand name and don`t get sucked into cheap, high MEG. camera`s.

**imported_UnsanePyro** · 06-07-2005, 10:29 AM

I asked around on another forum for myself, and the same name kept coming up for suggestions, along with what people were using: CANON.

I`m getting, for graduation, a Powershot S60 or S70 but those are closer to $500, but a less expensive model may do you well.

**Beason** · 06-07-2005, 03:55 PM

I got a sony cybersot 3.2 megapixel and dont like it that much, brother has a same but 5mp and its pretty good. If i could do it again id probally get a Canon PowerShot S2 IS. Awesome camera 5.0MP with 48x combined zoom.

**stilez** · 06-07-2005, 05:11 PM

I did a ton of searches and talked to some camera guru`s. The Canon A85 or A95 was the ONLY logical choice for what I needed. It blew the competition away.

http://www.dpreview.com/

http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html

http://www.photoxels.com/buyersGuide.html

**Thomas Dekany** · 06-07-2005, 05:16 PM

A week ago I`d have suggested Canon as well, but mine just broke. Only 2 years old, wasn`t use for the first year. Power Shot 50 Paid nearly $600.

Shouldn`t have happend.

**JasonC8301** · 06-07-2005, 06:00 PM

Steve`s digital camera review is excellent. GSRstilez linked it.

I am in the digital camera market myself. I currently have a Konika Minolta DiMage X20. Decent at $144 (what I paid 2 years ago.) It has been discontinued, replaced by the X31.

My previous camera was a Canon Powershot A10. It is still ticking and taking great pictures (my cousin has it.) It is only 1.3 MP though, kinda grainy for 8x10 print outs.

I am looking at the Canon Powershot A510 and A520. The A75/95 are kind of big for me and heavier, 4X AA`s. The A510/A520 uses only 2 AA`s.

The Sony Powershot W-1 was really popular amoung my unit. I seen 3 of them and all the owners loved them. Not bad, but memory for them is expensive. Like $150 for 1 gig card, while other cards like SD/CF cards.

I really want the A520, but thats me though. www.newegg.com is where I shop for electronics.

**tom p.** · 06-07-2005, 06:12 PM

There are some great cameras in that price range nowadays. I`d check the Canon and Oly...many fine choices.

**Beason** · 06-07-2005, 07:49 PM

Also Optical zoom is better then Digital zoom

**buellwinkle** · 06-07-2005, 09:45 PM

You never know with electronics if it will last 1 day or 12 years. For my more expensive cameras I get extended warranties as $30 for 5 years brings piece of mind. Mack is the nations largest extended warranty company and many stores resell it for way more but compuplus sells it cheap and it`s the same warranty. I posted the link above.

Look at the bright side, that camera is obsolete anyway and now you can get the S60 for half that price or go for their new small cameras, the SD series are so tiny that it makes my S400 look huge.

Originally posted by tdekany

A week ago I`d have suggested Canon as well, but mine just broke. Only 2 years old, wasn`t use for the first year. Power Shot 50 Paid nearly $600.

Shouldn`t have happend.

**imported_animes2k** · 06-08-2005, 12:00 AM

Just make sure the lens is big enough

Seriously, though... The Canon A-series is top-notch and can take some very nice photos. My sister has one that she`s beaten until the case is falling off and the ring around the lens is long lost... even the plastic over the shutter release fell off and it still takes great pictures.

Realize that she`s a college student and beats the hell out of everything she owns and has had the camera for about 2 years. Unfortunately, she treats her car the same way

**Mochamanz1** · 06-08-2005, 01:11 AM

One of my first loves is and remains photography. In this post, most replies have been about digital cameras. One problem I have had is that digital cameras, although they have advanced tremendously, and are rapidly advancing still, have drawbacks in less than full lighting. I have cars that are difficult to capture in full lighted conditions because of the physics of color.... As you know, color is a "temperature value", violets, blues, being the "hottest" colors and the Reds being the "cooler" colors in the context of the energy needed to emit those "color Frequencies". Without getting into a lot of detail, the chips in the digital cameras in my experience are not as sensitive as the chemical emulsions of traditional film in certain lighting conditions.... My point is that some cars colors look best in lower light situations, and best show paint effects under other than the predominantly blue daylight.

Some of you might consider trying a good manual camera, coupled with a fast chemical film in your car pics. They can then be digitized in a number of ways and then posted. I use a 6.1 Mp Kodak digital, but have difficulty taking ambient lighted shots highlighting the reflectivity and special features of various colors of paint. Film camera can use slow shutter speeds coupled with a tripod. This allows creativity in your pictures if you desire. Some of you just might want to observe the effects of lighting and the ways it interacts with different lighting conditions.... I am beginning to experiment more with this myself. I already have several once "state of the art" cameras to use. Digitals are coming up fast though, just as in computing, generations of digital cameras are measured in months, even weeks.. It probably wont be long before there are consumer digitals which totally blow film away in the last remaining areas of film superiority.... Just another detailing tangent to explore

One more interesting side note: The traditional cameras are price-wise a very good value .:xyxthumbs