Info on digital cameras needed

Well it's time to jump into the digital world some more. After viewing clients' landscaping I often forget details and realize I must get a digital camera. Would appreciate some input since you all take a lot of close up shots as well as distance. I am on a Mac G4. What extra "stuff" is needed to get from the camera to the computer monitor? Lay terms please, I am not that computer literate.

SpringOaks - - Digital cameras have come a long way, both in price and in ease of use. Most of them come with all you need to up load photos to your computer. A new camera should include a disc to load the needed software that your computer will need, and a cable to connect your camera to your computer (usually USB connection).

I would recommend that you buy a camera that has the ability to take pictures from a very short distance (2 inches!) - - this requires what is called "macro focus".

I just bought a Nikon 3100 - - see attached descriptionhttp://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11210440&m=82&cat=83&scat=84 and you can see under "focus range" - - it indicates that it can focus from 1.6 inches to infinity.

The major electronics store have young "techy" salespeople that can demonstrate what is available. I would suggest you visit one of these stores, even if you chose to buy elsewhere. Happy hunting! Nat

See above, and

I have an older Olympus, similar to

http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11210456&m=82&cat=83&scat=84

It's my second digital, the first (un-named) camera was a piece of junk, with a prodigious appetite for battery power.

My recommendation is to purchase a set of re-chargeable batteries, and consider a camera with a USB link to your MAC.

My Olympus simply connects to my PC's USB port. Upon connection the PC (WinXP Pro) detects the connection, the images appear as if on an "E" drive.

I open the drive with Photoimpact, pull in the pixs, then delete the pixs from the camera's memory (mapped as an "E" drive).

I have a Sony Mavica which takes decent pictures. The thing that I like best about it is that it writes your pictures to a 3.5" diskette. To get the pictures to you computer you just pop the disk out of the camera and into your computer for instant access to your pictures. There is also an LCD screen on the camera which allows you to view the pictures that you have taken or delete them if you don't like them. Once you have saved the pictures to you computer the disk is ready to be used again, so there are no expensive memory sticks required. I got a great deal on on off of ebay.

You may find the PC Magazine reviews and ratings helpful - http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,4148,5,00.asp
They also have a guide to buying a digital camera. I am on my 2nd FUJI and have been very pleased (my daughter is using my first.) Most of the cameras will come with a USB connection. If not, there are USB card readers readily available that will work with your computer and the type of memory card in the camera. For example, http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/mem_store/usb/crucial6in1/cruc6in1_1.shtml for about $50 for a "universal" reader

George I have been thinking of getting a Fuji. Could you tell me which ones you have please. thanks

My first was a MX-10 and I currently have a 1400Z Zoom. PC Magazine picked the F601 http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,523153,00.asp as it's Editor's choice for point & shoot. It has been replaced by the F700 (6 megapixels), so you can find some good deals on the F601 at EBay (where I got both of my prior cameras.) I'm going to Hawaii for 10 days in December & hope to get a newer camera before then.

Thanks George this will really help with my research.