posted
I did a search and found a lot of great info about digital cameras, but still have this question:
What is the difference between digital and optical zoom. And more importantly, what kind of zoom do I need to take pictures of signs, buildings, vehicles, just the everyday signshop stuff.
posted
Lotti, The optical zoom is what you should be concerned with. My Olympus Camedia C-3020 (3.2 megapixels) takes lovely images and I would recommend it without hesitation. When I bought it, it was $599, they are now down to $299.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
......since we are on the subject.... That looks awesome for a close up. What about far away. We have a 2-3 year old camera (Hewlett Packard C200 1 mega pixel)and it seems like group shots or stuff that is far away just is not very clear. How does your camera do in that area? We are looking too and have done some research. We know what we have is not doing what we want.
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted
Optical zoom is the actual zoom in the lens, digital zoom is exactly the same thing you can do in image editing software (resample/resize).
Basically, digital zoom is useless if you have software.
Most consumer digital cameras in the lower price ranges will have either 3X or 4X optical zoom so there actually isn't many zoom levels to choose from.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I bought mine earlier this year at Fry’s Electronics for about $359.00. It has a 3.2 megapixel sensor, 10x Optical Zoom, Movie Capture (no sound) and built in flash. It takes xD cards and SmartMedia cards. 128 MB SmartMedia cards are available at Fry’s for about $22.00 each. At the highest resolution, that card takes about 70 pictures.
Olympus has a newer model out called the C-750. See the attached link:
My father recently bought one of these for about the same price I gave for mine. It has a 4.1 megapixel sensor, 10x Optical Zoom, Movie Capture (with sound), built in flash and hot shoe for external flash. It only takes the xD card, which is pricier than the SmartMedia card but writes faster and also allows panoramic photography. The faster write speed of the card allows you to take successive shots more quickly and may cut down the boot up time for the camera. Digital cameras take a few seconds to finish their coffee and straighten out their desk before they are ready to work.
I think the panorama mode for Olympus cameras only works with their brand of cards. The following links are for the Olympus brand xD cards:
I have been very pleased with the Olympus camera. If I had to buy another digital, I would again buy the Olympus (probably the C-750). Both cameras come with USB connectors to patch directly into your computer to upload photos via copy and/or cut and paste.
Both cameras will take rechargeable AA batteries, which is nice since digitals are notorious for their power usage. I bought some rechargeable Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) 2000 milli amp hour batteries at Fry’s. They occasionally have them for $5.99 for a set of 4. They also have a fast (one hour) charger that comes with 4 batteries for about $29.00. The charger will plug into a 12V or 120V outlet. They also have a four hour charger and batteries for about $16.00. The fast chargers, either one hour or four hour, are handy. My other chargers take about 12-14 hours to charge NiMH batteries. I keep several sets of batteries in my camera bag.
The digital camera has been one of the most useful tools I have ever had.
Edited typo.
[ December 03, 2003, 12:00 AM: Message edited by: David Harding ]
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5089 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
You can also get a cheap (under $15) USB card reader to use with your camera. That way you won't use up battery power downloading photos to your computer.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
I bought a Nikon about 3 years ago and $1299. price range. Being that high of price you would have thought tha tNikon would have taken care of a small problem that causes me lots of problems. When taking a picture in the sun, then trying to review it in the view finder is useless. You just can't see it. whatever camera you get, make sure that you can see the review screen in the sunlight.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
We just bought a Fuji S5000 and I love it. It's so much better than the 4 yr. old Kodak we had. It is 10x optical 2x digital and takes great picures. It will do the movie clips but I doubt I'll use that feature much.
With my Kodak pictures taken outside were always blurry. This one is simple to use and works great.
We bought a Nikon Coolpix 3100 and took it back. Settings were always changing everytime we turned on the camera and everything was so complicated. I also found the very small size uncomfortable when trying to use the viewfinder. I always use the view finder rather than the LCD display.
Get a good set of rechargable batteries. They last longer than normal alkaline would between charges.
-------------------- Amy Brown Life Skills 101 Private Address Posts: 3502 | From: Lake Helen, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2001
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I almost was going to buy the Minolta 5mp Dimage 7Hi from them, until I found the same camera in the newspaper. The guy told me it was to much camera for him and was going thru a divorce so I bought it much cheaper then the liquidators, and also saved on shipping, and it was still in the box. Although I love this baby, I had to do alot of reading to figure lot of it's features. but with it I can also do portrait photography along with a remote control plug, set it on a tripod and fire at will without setting a timer. So who knows maybe someone wants another camera in your area with more bells and whistles, and might have a great one for a better deal, check the newspaper...
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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