what digital camera?

i'm fed up with taking fifty pictures (slight exaggeration) with my phone cam just to get one half decent shot.... so i'm going to get a digital camera so i can take better pics.....

what should i look for in a new camera that will be mainly used for close-ups and flower shots?

Colin

I've a Panasonic Lumix , but not good for the close-ups .
I don't know if you can translate
http://www.01net.com/liste-produits/5/0/0/0/0/camescopes/

Colin, I have a Canon Rebel xt that I love. I also have a macro lens I couldn't live without. Check out the photography forum, lots of information and helpful people there.

I have a Canon 450D, and a micro lens. I can't imagine myself without either of them. The colors of the flowers are always true to the real thing, even the blues. I also have a Nicon Coolpix, but the blues are sometimes more pink than they should be. I just love photographing my JMG, so color is a big thing for me.

thanks all... found what i wanted on the photography forum :-))))

I use a Sony DSC-H5 Cybershot camera. I only wish it had interchangeable lenses but I am happy with the lens it has. I think you can still get this camera but it has been out of production for a couple years. It's a nice camera series if you don't want to spend a lot of money for macrophotographic capabilities.

I am waiting for the price to come down on the D-80 camera body so I can use my macro lens I used on my old film camera.

Joseph

well Ceej, What'd ya find?

Joseph, I would check out your lens options very closely. The old SLR film camera lenses are not interchangeable with the lenses for the SLR Digital cameras, even if it is the same maker. The exception to the rule is if you bought an SLR film autofocus. I had lots of lenses left over from my spotmatic days, but they were so old fashioned that they were basically unuseable. None of them were autofocus . I have a Canon D60. I have a nice macro portrait lens that takes care of me, and it is pretty cheap, $150???, but my dream lens is over $3000.

Another consideration, is that if you are now going to have to put a lot of money into a Digital camera with electric focus, you might as well consider which models of Video cameras will take the same lenses. My best EOS electric autofocus lens for my Canon D60 will also fit an inexpensive Canon video camera. For me, that is a good selling point.

Now that I have my D60 and lenses, another $150 could get me a nice clean used Canon video camera body, and I can do the same close up macro stuff with a video camera.

My recommendation for a digital camera, is that it must use common and universal memory cards, and common batteries you can always find at Radio Shack. Having to go 50 miles, and or send away for batteries is such a buzz kill, that so many things went by before you got around to the new battery.

Elsa and Luvs, I think our Canons all use the same EOS auto focus lenses, so what I said about the video camera connection, may apply to your lenses, depending on the details. Frank

i borrowed a finepix s602z.... it's huge... it takes really good pictures if you, as long as you don't stand to close, and zoom in (i'm used to a phone camera)

i want something a lot smaller tho'

Danny12, I have a Lumix as well, I think that it does all right with close ups. Which one do you have?

I'm only posting this link because I took quite a few close ups with the Lumix DMC-LZ8 with it. The pics are spread out throughout the whole thread.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/944506/

It's not a really fancy or high tech camera, but if you're not wanting to spend the amount of a digital SLR type camera, I think that it does all right. I think that there are better cameras out there, but I liked the cost of this one for what it offers!

This message was edited Jan 30, 2009 2:18 PM

This message was edited Jan 30, 2009 4:25 PM

ceej, i have an Olympus fe310 got it after Xmas sale. Great potential, superzoom, macro all the business...
d

Colin what price range are you looking in?

My is Panasonic DMC-FX35 Lumix ( 10 mega pixels )
Here is a close pic

i went for a Samsung NV15 in the end... mainly because it had a huge discount.... the good luck part is... they sold out and are sending me the Samsung NV20 instead :-)))
(parkcameras.com)

it's got macro... 12 magapixels, optical and something else zoom... and something to reduce camera shake...
Colin

You'll love it, Colin. Use it in good health.

camera shake is MY fave feature of all time, especially in the macro settings. Colin you find some programs on the camera will not be usable with each other at the same time, like the 2 types of Zoom, with 'non-digital zoom' you may be able to access a feature you cannot use in a digital zoom. Or, if it has short moving film setting ( mine takes 20-30 minute short files ) you may not be able to use certain features..NOT to worry!!!!!! thes are usually irrelevant to what you wanna do and a warning will show on screen & let you know. Took aobut two weeks for me to get used to mine and am still learning. I found a inexpensive 12-20 inch tripod at an Office Max store for $6.99~! very sweet. What batterie(s) does yours use? ARE they rechargeable...that is my only bummer...lots of recharging~~~~lol
Have FUN macro is something great for seed pods, i just had a Tobacco Tree ID'd with the help of that~check inserted pic, and again Enjoy the Toy!
:Darren

Awesome Colin!! You will love the macro, It's my favorite way of taking pictures. You can get so close and personal!!

that's the kind of pic i'm after :-) i can't wait!
thanks for the info darren.... i may have to come back to it tho' ....lol

this is the one time I honestly looked at the instruction book, cover to cover befroe using it~ and it was a good idea, because I am a pretty new student to photography (even thinking about taking a class) and it has the ability to have many settings for so many options ~ BUT it's really cool the way the window you preview your photos in has an onscreen help. LOL I need that and scored as it was 60 bucks...but the darn batteries! sigh..can't get it all!
:D

colin, i think your phone pics are better than my old cam pics...my old camera was bought back in 2000 when digitals can be easily purchased by anybody.

I borrowed my brother's fujifil fine pix s700 http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/fujifilm-finepix-s700-black/4505-6501_7-32401643.html. it was onsale =) and i was able to take pictures of little bugs that i've been plagued with for a couple of weeks. Now I can post them pictures up and get help....

thanks all... the camera i've borrowed is excellent except for the size of it (too heavy) and you have to stand a few feet away from what your taking and zoom in... no good for bugs... the one thats comming(not soon enough) takes pictures from a few inches away...

the camera came this morning.... it's an nv24hd not nv20hd and it has 10 megapixels not 12... but other than that it looks just like the picture and its better than the one i ordered :-))

Darren... you are so right... i have to read the book! so many settings.....

Lets see a few pics of the snow or did it miss you entirely london looked a wreck~ i know you're a fair way from there tho'
Enjoy the camera...and the book :)

Congratulations, Colin! My camera is "only" 7 or so MP so you should be able to capture some high resolution photos with that device!

Joseph

.... yes Dennis we're covered in snow it's great :-)) only two days and the place is a stand still... schools closed... no public transport etc. etc. how to make a drama out of a .... well... bit 'a' snow....lol

mind you it is the worst weather for 13 years... but when i was a lad... ... ... ...lol

the best bit of news was about a burglary somewhere... the police just followed the tracks to the burglars front door...

sweeet lol we had the most in 29 years this year.
Global Warning at its best.
:D

I use a canon powershot S315 12 mega pixels with 10x optical and macros and video.. no camera shake tho;(

Batteries? I have a Kodak DX6490 - bought it in 2004. I have never put another battery in it. I set it in the dock after taking pics and its ready to go.

I must need a new camera.

Nice colors and photo on that MG, schickenlady! The camera seems quite adequate to me!

Joseph

I have a Canon SD1000 and it's great. It has a "flower" close up mode and takes fantastic pictures. I bought it on sale 2 years ago for about $159.

Schickenlady, very envious about the batteries, but c'est la vie....thesame camera I had with those battery capabiolities wuold have been 70 more bucks, not in my budget at the time. But the recahrger is good for other thing too!~so alls well!
:D

I am glad to see everyone getting ready for the blooming season.

Nonetheless, anybody using an SLR Digital, or a point and shoot, needs to become somewhat a battery expert.

Radioshack has several layers of quality in AA rechargable batteries, depending on what you want to spend. They also have the very best.

The energizer 2500 miliamp AA rechargeable looked like the perfect thing for my wife's old Kodak, point and shoot digital 260. The batteries were very expensive,
took 8 hours to charge, and didn't keep the charge in storage. You have to use them as soon as they come out of the charger to get them at their peak of charge.

Rechargeable lithium batteries take their own charger, because they can get hot enough to catch fire in the wrong kind of charger. The lithium charger, reads the charge level and shuts off, to prevent fires. These chargers are not cheap either

I have found that 2500 ma may not be the better battery. If less ma keeps the charge a long time, then it is a better battery.

Most of the Digital SLR cameras take a specialty (odd shaped) battery), but these also can be found at Radio shack. I just paid $30 for a bp 511, with a 2 year waranty, at Radio shack. I could have gotten 2 look alikes on Ebay for $10, but no warranty. I think if they can put a warranty on a battery, it must be good. hope this helps someone. Frank

The Canon SD1000 that I have is just a small portable camera, but there is hardly any delay with the flash. And I don't have battery problem either. It holds charge for a pretty long time. It uses 3.7v 760mAh battery and comes with a charger.

I broke down today and bought a super duper battery charger. 4 in 15 minutes it is crazy have to carrya bag of batteries i have decided. 1 for good 1 for empty~with MY memory, LOL
:D

btw, Frank my AAs run betwenn 2000 and 2650 mah i will find out tomorrow how long the charge holds on the 2600 mah. 2000 was not too bad. Do you Know that lower MAH holds a longer charge or ? This is a new pot of beans to me. Thanks
:Darren

Darren, you and I think a lot alike....... I only know, that the lower ma AA bateries from Radioshack did not lose their charge before use. In my opinion that makes them a better AA battery. Keep thinking...... your reports might be information to the rest of us.

Lilli Merci, Atlanta, I wasn't talking about flash delay. Your camera's computer takes care of that. I was only talking about the AA batteries, available on every corner, but in varying qualities, especially in rechargeable varieties.

I am glad you have a Canon, it will give you wider perameters than more user friendly type that assume that you can't learn any techniques. Frank

I love mine for the money. A SONY Cyber-Shot DSC-P150 with Smart Zoom.
7.2 Mega Pixels. Plus No AA Batteries. Just plug it into the charger.
Now, to just learn how to use it - instead of aim and shoot!

Great Pick Emma. What kind of Morning Glory is that??? it's beautiful.

Thank You redchic01,

This is 'Gray Morning Mist', it has remained 'True' for 5-years. . .
And it is a fantastic bloomer that just blooms its beautiful heart out covering the vines with these Lovely Blooms.

Emma

Wow, it's absolutely stunning! what do you mean it's one of your creations? You crossed the parents and this is the baby?