Site Search
Print Page Setup Profile Login
You have 4 items in your shopping cart
Section Image

Digital Camera

Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009 at 21:31

westskip

Article Overview - Taking Great Photos
Photography is a way some people record the places they've been, special moments in life, or is a way to express creativity. View Full Article...
Hi all

Our old digital camera (Olympus D-540 3.2 mp) is starting to malfunction so now we are looking at a new purchase. Anyone out there with advice as to the best buy - limited to about $250 as we are now retirees and the income is severely reduced. Incidentally the old camera has taken some magnificent photos on our two trips around the block so we are sorry to see it go.

Many thanks

John & Helen
Advertisement
ThreadID: 70283 Replies: 10
Views: 641 FollowUps: 4
This Thread has been Archived
Thread Summary
Thread Watch Back To Forum Alert Moderator FAQ
AnswerID: 372535   Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009 at 21:52

Roughasguts replied:

Stick with Olympus, they do take good piccys I reckon.

I have two, well 3! for the moment and the under $200.00 one takes just as good if not better pics than the $700.00 one.
Reply 1 of 10
AnswerID: 372537   Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009 at 21:53

Member - Mfewster(SA) replied:

There is just no such thing as the camera that does everything. So tell us about what you like to shoot and whether you make prints or look at them on a screen. Be aware though that it's a bit like toyo/Nissan and most photographers have their favourite brand that they will advocate/defend to the death.
Reply 2 of 10
AnswerID: 372540   Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009 at 22:07

Trekkie (Member - WA) replied:

Several moths ago I purchased a Nikon Coolpix L16 - 7 Megapixel for $152.90 delivered - Got it on the internet from
Digital Camera
That Would Be Bad
Click Image to Enlarge
Trekkie
Beam me up Scottie !!!
Reply 3 of 10
AnswerID: 372549   Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009 at 22:46

Member - Doug T (NT) replied:

I'll go with Trekkie, NIKON , but get one at your suggested price and you'll take some wonderful Pics on 16.9 wide screen

Nikon Coolpix L20 Digital Camera - 10 Megapixel

.

Click Image to Enlarge
Doug & Dusty
In the Shade
Gregory National Park
Reply 4 of 10
Activities Index
Canoe The Goulburn River - Half Day For Two Canoe The Goulburn River - Half Day For Two
Goulburn Murray Waters - VIC
Discover the essence of the Australian bush on a canoeing safari on the beautiful Goulburn River in
Abseiling Full Day for 12 People Abseiling Full Day for 12 People
Melbourne - VIC
To hang off a cliff with the feet against a vertical wall of rock is an adrenalin filled experience.
Abseiling 3 Hours Abseiling 3 Hours
Brisbane - QLD
Kangaroo Point, in the heart of Brisbane's CBD, provides the perfect opportunity for you to enjoy an
Driver Enhancement Driver Enhancement
Perth - WA
The Driver Enhancement Course provides a combination of practical & interactive class sessions i
Book Now - Things To Do
AnswerID: 372583   Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009 at 09:29

tazbaz replied:

I,ve just bought a 10 megapixel Fujifilm Finepix J20. It was $186 from Myers. A little beauty
Reply 5 of 10
FollowupID: 639836   Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009 at 12:23

Member - Porl posted:

Tried to buy one last week but Myers had sold out damn you!!!
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 372597   Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009 at 10:51

viz replied:

I point people to JB HiFi and tell them to buy a Canon - any Canon - to suit the budget. Get the longest lens that you can afford, and if you are travelling get one with AA batteries rather than rechargeable (you can always get a charger), 'cos you're gonnda get caught with a dead battery at some time. Disadvantage - slower flash recycling times with AA.

I have Nikon SLRs and a Fuji compact for underwater work, but I find that bang for the buck if you are looking for point'n'shoot, you can't beat a Canon. They are uncomplicated compared to some, not as fiddly compared to some and more user friendly compared to some. And reliable. And produce great fuss-free pix

You can buy online from JB HiFi as well - cheaper again.

viz
Reply 6 of 10
FollowupID: 639821   Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009 at 10:59

viz posted:

PS - don't get sucked into the Megapixel race - more is NOT necessarily best. In the smaller cameras, the sensors start getting stretched after 8 Mpix - there are ones that are up to 12, even 14 Mpix but these use the new sensors are are not cheap.

In the lower end of the market, more than 8 Mpix means more noise and less sensitivity in the picture (noise = grain in film language).

This rule does change (the goalposts move), but at the moment it is a good rule of thumb

viz
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 639834   Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009 at 12:16

tim_c posted:

Interesting you say that viz - I've always found the Kodaks are great for colourful and sharp images in daytime (they struggle a bit in high contrast though). My Dad loaned me his Canon (which had an extra MP and more features to give better control over what the camera was doing) but I was always disappointed with the photos - I went back to using my Kodak.

My wife's Nikon S51 seems to be better still, and in low light situations the poor ol' Kodak really struggles. The Nikon is very compact/thin too.
FollowUp 2 of 2
AnswerID: 372600   Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009 at 11:04

stevesub replied:

I have a Canon EOS20D, brillant camera but expensive, bulky and 2 expensive len'
s.

Then got a Canon A450 for wehn I am away on business and do not want to take the big camera, good camera but hopeless at night, even with the flash. The price of the equivalent is around $150 to $200.

Then got a Kodak Z8612 on sale for $98 (my wife was away with the small Canon and I wanted another small one for a trip) - Great camera, 12x zoom plus 5x digital to take it to 60x zoom - love this camera BUT - battery life is real bad. once the batteries are flat, I use them in the small Canon or GPS and get nearly life out of them. The other problem is when you have light and dark in the same photo - not good and I have tried all setting but it does not hack it.

I have almost worn out a Canon IXUS from around 2001 - great small camera, loved it and is still goes but near its use by date.

Go the Canon, you can't really go wrong but if you can find a camera with a bigger lens that the normal small camera's, you will take better pictures in lo0w light which is one reason why I bought the Kodak.

Stevesub
Reply 7 of 10
AnswerID: 372602   Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009 at 11:08

Member - Troll 81 (QLD) replied:

I know it's a little out of your budget but I bought a Olympus Tough 1030SW and it's the bees knees for point and shoot around $500. You can drop it, take it into the snow, take it 10 meters under water etc etc. I take it surfing and diving with me and the quality is very good for a small camera. I use it up the beach all the time and drop it in the sand and simply give it a rinse under the tap and it's as good as new.

Click Image to Enlarge
Regards, Troll 81

Reply 8 of 10
FollowupID: 639882   Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009 at 15:34

Member - barbara M (NSW) posted:

Hi everyone,
Have to agree with the Olympus tough, we have 4 in our family now our son who is in the army put us on to them took a fairly good one to East Timor on his first deployment but it only lasted a few weeks so he got us to buy him an OLympus tough one not the same one as the one out now and it has lasted through a deployment to East Timor and Iraq. We have bought one and so has his sister I must admit I did hold my breath the first time I put it underwater but it was fine. You can get the previous model for around $350 I think
Barb
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 372620   Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009 at 12:48

Mandrake replied:

The Big one
The Big one


Thats what ya need - just pop it in yer pocket !! LOL

Rgds

Mandrake
The Solar Powered Pod !!
Click Image to Enlarge
Solar Power does work .. I proved it ..
Reply 9 of 10
AnswerID: 372712   Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009 at 21:59

Bob of KAOS replied:

I reckon you can't go wrong at that price. You'll get a 7 or 8 MP sensor which is more than enough. Most have reasonable lenses, and more than adequate for the task.

The key issues are viewfinder, size of LCD display, ease of use, and optical zoom.

Whether you buy Olympus Nikon Canon Fujifilm Sanyo Sony whatever, it doesn't matter.

My first digital camera was a Nikon Coolpix 3.4 MP which cost an arm and a leg, but it lasted years and took great shots. I just bought a Nikon D60 with interchangeable lenses today so haven't had a chance to use it yet. I guess I stick to Nikon for no particular reason. When I used film I had Olympus which I also loved.

I hope you post some of your shots.

Reply 10 of 10