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Sun 27 Feb, 2005 01:28 pm
I need a new camera. I have peeked into both digital cameras and 35mm/film cameras.
My old 35mm from 1986 hasn't worked well for years. I still have good lenses for it, but they are not AF lenses. I've considered having it cleaned and fixed up, but I am told it isn't really worth doing (it's a basic as basic gets Nikkon FG-20). So, I'm looking at this camera - Nikon - N65 SLR Camera - w/ Quantaray 28-90 AF Zoom Lens for 199.99 (no tax, no shipping, with warrenty) from Ritz camera online.
And I am looking at Nikon Coolpix 4MP Digital Camera - 4100 for less $.
I, of course, really like the instant gratification of digi pix, but I also like the quality of film photography. Anyone want to make suggestions or give me any advice?
Luckily my 1979 pentax still works well. I got a 3MP kodak digital that is very nice. It all depends on what you want to do with your pictures. I'm happy to just take average quality pics that I can e mail to my friends. I also love the movie capabilities on the digital. Shooting movies is a hoot.
Well, you could always get a digital SLR. Although I heard the quality isn't as good as a 35mm but I wouldn't be able to tell you. Never had/used one.
I bought the Nikon N80 which is the same basic body but the N65 has 6 segment matrix auto-focus and the N80 has 10 segment - I guess that is supposed to make it more accurate but I can't say exactly how much.
Anyway, I've been very happy with it. No problems at all.
If you decide to go the film route check on that pricing and be aware that the Nikon kits can come with either the Quantaray or Nikkor lenses. The Nikkor lenses are a little higher quality but you pay a slight premium for them too. The Nikon's also some either with or without the databack (which puts the date/time on each pic you take).
I own both and 98% of the time I swing with the digital - I'm trying to push myself to film more but cannot just make the jump back - mostly the instant gradification of digital means much more - I hardly print over an 8x10, so saying that 4 to 5 megapixel is the max you need for getting to an 8x10 - if you want to really do optical zoom then go with the SLR, I'm not not much of a fan for digital zoom.
Thanks all!
I would likely use the digital camera more often, but use the film camera for photos I wanted to look good on paper. For example, the snow storm we had this winter made all sorts of cool looking snow sculptures and the digicam couldn't capture them right. Ideally I could have both - maybe sometime I will. I'm quessing I'll get the quick fix instant gratification route this purchase and will eventually get a film camera later.
SuperJ - can you tell me what SLR stands for?
single lens reflex
I need to get back to the 35 mm sometime. I barely pull them out now that I've got the little Sony.
I like my digital Fuji FinePix 2600Z for its
portability and convenience. I am somewhat disappointed when photographing artwork since the colour appears rather washed out........
For clarity and colour resolution I prefer my
Canon EOS 35mm, but of course the processing is
a hassle once used to the convenience and instant
results of a digital camera.
Shepaints, the digicam that I own, which is broken is a Fuji FinePix 2650 - I liked it just fine..... but I know how to manipulate 35mm cameras better.
Thanks Beth, thanks Noddy!
I have a Canon F-1 that I use for Photography and a Canon A-80 4 MP that I use for pictures..
Why do I expect that your cameras will be way out of my price-range?
um not really, I think I paid about $280 for the A-80 4 mp (it's really just a point and shoot camera)
I have a Canon EOS Rebel G, a gift from my dad, who worked in a camera store for years and is semi-pro. (He has way fancy cameras and is often quite good but isn't actually making money from it yet.)
I absolutely LOVE my camera. It's a great combo of light but not ridiculously small, point + shoot but also lots of controls for trickier/ fancier stuff, etc. I've gotten lots of good candids of sozlet but also nice landscapes + floral closeups.
good choice Soz, I love the EOS (I just prefer the totally manual F 1) IF I remeber correctly the EOS was a remake/down size of the Canon A-1
I learned on an old, bare-bones Canon. I like fully manual cameras, or at least cameras that have over-rides to become fully manual.
quite rightly k the old Canons Pentax Alpines Nikons in the manual editions were about the finest 35 mm SLR cameras ever made. Some of the old german made Kodaks were very good too.( I still use my Brownie (circa 1935) now and then)
So do I. At any rate, I liked my old Minolta, which was shutter priority with manual override and manuel focus, which was great with a one touch zoom. But when you go that route, you are probably going to want a SLR, which is way expensive in a digital, unless they've come way, way down in price since the last time I looked. SLR with interchangable lenses are higher, of course.
My camera has override to be fully manual. I love having both options, point + shoot for some situations, fiddle and fiddle for others.
The Brownie sounds really cool -- would love to see what kind of pics it takes.
Well, if you want to go totally primitive, a pin hole camera fits the bill, and it's always in focus with infinity as the depth of field. Of course, the shutter speed is a bit slow. Well, actually, it doesn't have a shutter.
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