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We have a business/pleasure trip coming up shortly. We're going to Orlando and of course my favorite places... theme parks. While I will thoroughly enjoy every minute of it, I will also be using my time to learn as much as possible while there. It's valuable education time for me. I will 'research' every square inch of the places we visit to be sure.
It's not our first visit there, and true to form I will no doubt take hundreds and hundreds of pictures - mostly of details.
We have had a digital camera for a while and found it very useful for certain tasks, but it didn't replace my conventional SLR camera by any means. Storage capabilities, low resolution and slowness of focus of the digital equipment made my conventional equipment the camera of choice for most occasions especially on trips.
But the times are changing quickly, and with it the tools we use. After much research and test driving of the cameras I was considering, I purchased a new high resolution digital camera today and with it enough storage media to take all the photos I hope to on our trip. No small purchase, the camera will still pay for itself in 3-4 months with the savings realized by not buying film and developing prints.
The camera is cool and has capabilities that are nothing short of amazing. The pictures it produces are everything I need and more. Cataloging and sorting will now be a breeze and take far less space than ever before.
Now I get to practice up with all the buttons and functions before our trip. It's more complicated than programing the TV remote!
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8764 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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I was in Edmonton (the land of eternal winter) for a couple months this fall. I grew the beard to keep me warm.
When I got back to beautiful B.C. I figured it was a great disguise as no one recognized me. Janis says it makes me look wise... that's pretty close to being wise so I decided to keep it.
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8764 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
We have 5 digital cameras! hehe. We bought our first a few years ago. It's a kodak dc215. It's only 1 megapixel, but it take decent pictures. A few months ago we bought another one off of ebay (same model) that was "as is, untested" for $40.00. I bought it for parts, but low and behold,it worked! actually better than our first one. So, I bought another one from the same place. and another one and another one. hahaha 5 total. they all work and one was only $10.50. WOW! I now carry one of them with me everywhere I go. We are going to get a real good one in the near future, but now I am watching the latest technology of the digital industry. If you haven't read, they now have a new imaging chip that is going to change the whole industry. Check this out www.foveon.com They already have a camera using this chip and I saw some pictures taken with it on techTV the other day. they were truely awesome! This chip basically triples the current resolution of everything else, the way I understand it. So hang on! Its gonna get really interesting. I just wish this foveon company was publically traded, but they are not. they are privately held. Watch for an IPO though. I think it would be worth having! Later on.............
-------------------- Dave Utter D-utterguy on chat Sign Designs Beardstown, Il. signdesigns@casscomm.com Posts: 777 | From: beardstown, illinois, usa | Registered: Mar 1999
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The camera I decided on was a Fuji S602Z It's rated at 3.1 megapixels but through interior processing actually acts like a 6 megapixel camera. (Fuji has a propietary system of octagonal shaped sensors that act different than the conventional type) The camera is a SLRtype with the bells and whistles I wanted. It was reasonable too and rated very high by actual purchasers.
Battery usage is very good, as is the speed of focus even in low light situations. It also has good video capabilities for a camera of this type. It also has a 6:1 zoom lens (35-210 equivilent) plus a digital zoom on top of that. It is a comfortable size and fits my hand size well too.
I did a fair amount of homework and testing at the store before I decided. ANd in the last few days have learned the functions of the camera before we set out on our trip. ANd so far it has exceeded my expectations.
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8764 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Dan, I also have that camera. I find it to be a bit larger than I'd like, but the results are worth it. The other camera that impressed me was the Sure Shot G2. I assume you got all the filters and tube? Wide angle? Some perspectiv on facial hair bro...you don't grow a beard, you make it go away. It happens without any effort on your part. Every hair is pre programmed and accounted for!
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6812 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'd hang tough for the moment on spending too much for a digital camera. The technology is changing and CCD will soon be OOOOOOLD.
Current digital cameras only record 1/3 of the light that reaches them, since each pixel is either R, G or B. The X3 chip from Foveon records R, G and B in each pixel. Only one camera (~$850) offers the X3 right now. But give it a year, and there'll be many more at lower prices.
-------------------- Jim Doggett General Manager, USA Yellotools, Ltd www.yellotools.com Posts: 500 | From: Sherman, TX USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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Any time we want to jump onto the technology wagon its a moving target at best. And not moving slow either.
In my case, I tend to shoot a great deal of film. With a conventional camera this adds up in a hurry! The digital Camera I bought four years ago (and paid even more money for) is only capable of 1/5 of what this one is. It didn't replace my SLR film camera. The one I bought last week will I believe. And in doing so will pay for itself very quickly (within 3-4 months)
For me the time is right. I know there's improvements right around the corner - there always are. I could even get a much better camera NOW if I was willing to spend a lot more money. But the camera I chose is adequate for my needs. The pictures are crisp and bright. The camera focuses quick and it takes wonderful pictures in low light situations.
This new Foveon technology sounds great and who knows in two or three years it will probably time to upgrade once again.
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8764 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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I doubt it'll take 2 or 3 years ... I suspect a year for most makers to offer X3 chip cameras. Within 2 or 3 years, Mosaic capture chips should be history. X3 is not your typical "moving target." It's an innovation that'll change everything that scans color.
Carver Mead, the founder of Foveon is considered by most to be the smartest microelectronics guy on the planet (most = Bill Gates, Andy Grove, etc.). His previous innovations include HEMT, the amplifying device that makes satellites, fiberoptic links and cell phones work. Everytime you make a phone call or log on to the internet, you're using technology that Dr. Mead invented.
Also he pioneered VLSI circuits, used by every semiconductor maker on the planet (Intel, Motorola, memory chips, everyone). No Doc Mead, no Pentium or PowerMac.
When this guy innovates, industry follows.
Regards,
Jim
-------------------- Jim Doggett General Manager, USA Yellotools, Ltd www.yellotools.com Posts: 500 | From: Sherman, TX USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Interesting new technology Jim. That is going to have another big impact on the demise of the film cameras.
Today is the last day I am going to use a regular film camera. Just picked up photos from my $150 APS Fuji camera and the quality is clearly inferior from the prints done at the same lab with my 2 megapixel (10x zoom) Olympus camera. My understanding is that this should not be so, but there it is.
Of course, people are getting too caught up in the megapixel game, and overlooking the more important qualities of lenses, ccds and the other specs.
-------------------- Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Posts: 2787 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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I now carry one of them with me everywhere I go. We are going to get a real good one in the near future, but now I am watching the latest technology of the digital industry. If you haven't read, they now have a new imaging chip that is going to change the whole industry. Check this out 
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