Advice on a digital camera..

Jyncus · 02-05-2003, 03:29 AM

Well, for months now I've been contemplating the purchase of a digital camera - primarily for snapping my own textures.
I've been spending a lot of time on Imaging Resource looking at different reviews, image samples, specs, etc... Currently, my first choice is Canon's S230 model...

-And yeah I know it's not top-a-the-line quality or whatever, but unfortunately my budget could never afford a 5MP 8X optical zoom kinda camera.
--I'm trying to keep the cost under $350.

Do you guys have any suggestions/recommendations/etc.. regarding a digital camera? The S230 supports resolutions up to 2048x1536 which, I would think, would be plenty for general texture maps. Right?
Particularly anyone who owns that camera or has had experience with it..comments or opinions would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Andy_k-3DT · 02-05-2003, 11:34 PM

I use a nikon 995 - great camera and very versatile with a whole raft of features.

For good advice regarding digicams

http://www.dpreview.com/

HTH

Andy

Goig! · 03-05-2003, 03:53 AM

The Nikkon 995 sure looks sweet, but costs 900 bucks...

I´m also thinking about buying a digital camera, also in the price range Jyncus is looking for, so I´ll keep an eye on this thread.

By the way, Andy, that is an exellent site.

03-05-2003, 08:45 AM

I'm looking into getting one soon too - I think it would be a great thing for texture shots and resource shots too. I think having to get film developed only to scan them (& my scanner is so unreliable its untrue..) sucks.
One piece of advice given to me by a guy in a camera shop was to stick with reliable camera manufacturers, like canon & fuji rather than computer peripherals people like hewlet packard etc, as the optics tend not to be as good. Obviously the main camera guys know what they are doing with optics. Most shots might be ok on an HP (or whoever,) camera, but close up shots (such as you would do for a lot of texture work,) you would get distortion from the crappy optics. Just something to keep in mind.
I've been looking at the canon powershot A40. anyone know if it's ok? I want one around the 2mp mark...

Andy_k-3DT · 03-05-2003, 11:04 AM

Mike, my honest opinion is to buy the absolute best you can think of affording. 2mp is OK but you'll soon find it's limits particularly when you start printing the images. 3mp is a good compromise and buying "second hand" is always an option there's always the gadget boys who have to have the latest camera so they will sell perfectly useable and adequate systems at a good price - more money than sense

I'd stay away from the fujis - but thats personal preference they seem very slow in operation - as do some of the minoltas.

Andy

xeltestic · 05-05-2003, 01:41 AM

ive got personal xperience with the canon powershot s10 and s20.
not too bad i must say. 1 mayor prob in my opinion is its stabilizer technology which i wasn't too happy with. couple of coffee cups too many in the morning and the pics turned out blured, lol.
but if u got stable hands...

Goig! · 06-05-2003, 04:10 AM

How about this one

The mother of all digital cameras

Can you spell 11 mega pixels?

OK, so the prize is a bit high... yet, we can still dream, can´t we?

Clalan · 06-05-2003, 11:15 AM

i recently bought a nikon coolpix 4500 and i'm very happy with it. problem with digital cameras is that the low- and middle class products are full-automatic. if you want to set aperture and shutter size yourself then you have to spend a lot (mine was € 800).

velk · 06-05-2003, 01:34 PM

If you can afford $430 or so I would step up to the Canon Power Shot G2, I personally own a G1 and it is fantastic! The major differences I think you might find between the G2 and the S230 are:
1. Much better close range macro work that could be useful depending on the textures that you are taking
2. A larger appiture (however its spelled

) so that more light gets in naturally and you don't have to worry about using the flash all the time
3. Much more control you can leave it on full auto or switch it to full manual (or any step in between).

Anyway thats my 2 cents, hope it helps.

edit Goig! have you checked out the Canon 10D? 6.3 MP and only $1500!! SLRs here I come...

Andy_k-3DT · 06-05-2003, 02:00 PM

hey goig!!!

I take your 11 mp and double it

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0209/02090601sinar22mp.asp

Andy_k-3DT · 06-05-2003, 02:07 PM

personal preference for me is the Nikon Coolpix - I've got a 995, brilliant camera, excellent manual and program modes loads of additional lenses/filters/accessories available and more importantly even though it's discontinued it's still fully supported by Nikon with software updates etc.

What looks expensive when you buy will probably turn out to be the bargain when you realise just what the camera has to offer. There can be nothing worse than after a couple of weeks when you have found out the cameras limits and wishing you'd spent that bit extra.

Good advice is to bargain like mad with the shops - they want to sell you something why make it easy for them? Getting 10% discount should be a breeze, 20% a bit of a fight but on a discontinued model they'll probably sell it you with that kind of discount and maybe more if you hold out long enough

Andy

Goig! · 06-05-2003, 08:29 PM

Quote:

hey goig!!!
I take your 11 mp and double it

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0209/02090601sinar22mp.asp

Holy raviolli!

That´s a big piece of silicon

02-05-2003, 03:29 AM	#1
Jyncus mmm..beans. Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Georgia Posts: 339 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Advice on a digital camera.. Well, for months now I've been contemplating the purchase of a digital camera - primarily for snapping my own textures. I've been spending a lot of time on Imaging Resource looking at different reviews, image samples, specs, etc... Currently, my first choice is Canon's S230 model... -And yeah I know it's not top-a-the-line quality or whatever, but unfortunately my budget could never afford a 5MP 8X optical zoom kinda camera. --I'm trying to keep the cost under $350. Do you guys have any suggestions/recommendations/etc.. regarding a digital camera? The S230 supports resolutions up to 2048x1536 which, I would think, would be plenty for general texture maps. Right? Particularly anyone who owns that camera or has had experience with it..comments or opinions would be very helpful. Thanks in advance.

03-05-2003, 03:53 AM	#3
Goig! Yep, a smiley. SO WHAT!? Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 304 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The Nikkon 995 sure looks sweet, but costs 900 bucks... I´m also thinking about buying a digital camera, also in the price range Jyncus is looking for, so I´ll keep an eye on this thread. By the way, Andy, that is an exellent site. __________________ "Art, like morality, consists of drawing the line somewhere."

06-05-2003, 04:10 AM	#7
Goig! Yep, a smiley. SO WHAT!? Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 304 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	A flight of fancy How about this one The mother of all digital cameras Can you spell 11 mega pixels? OK, so the prize is a bit high... yet, we can still dream, can´t we? __________________ "Art, like morality, consists of drawing the line somewhere."

06-05-2003, 01:34 PM	#9
velk Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	If you can afford $430 or so I would step up to the Canon Power Shot G2, I personally own a G1 and it is fantastic! The major differences I think you might find between the G2 and the S230 are: 1. Much better close range macro work that could be useful depending on the textures that you are taking 2. A larger appiture (however its spelled ) so that more light gets in naturally and you don't have to worry about using the flash all the time 3. Much more control you can leave it on full auto or switch it to full manual (or any step in between). Anyway thats my 2 cents, hope it helps. edit Goig! have you checked out the Canon 10D? 6.3 MP and only $1500!! SLRs here I come... Last edited by velk; 06-05-2003 at 01:38 PM..

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02-05-2003, 11:34 PM	#2
Andy_k-3DT 3d monkey Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: UK Posts: 1,611 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	I use a nikon 995 - great camera and very versatile with a whole raft of features. For good advice regarding digicams http://www.dpreview.com/ HTH Andy

03-05-2003, 08:45 AM	#4
Mike-3DT Guest Posts: n/a	I'm looking into getting one soon too - I think it would be a great thing for texture shots and resource shots too. I think having to get film developed only to scan them (& my scanner is so unreliable its untrue..) sucks. One piece of advice given to me by a guy in a camera shop was to stick with reliable camera manufacturers, like canon & fuji rather than computer peripherals people like hewlet packard etc, as the optics tend not to be as good. Obviously the main camera guys know what they are doing with optics. Most shots might be ok on an HP (or whoever,) camera, but close up shots (such as you would do for a lot of texture work,) you would get distortion from the crappy optics. Just something to keep in mind. I've been looking at the canon powershot A40. anyone know if it's ok? I want one around the 2mp mark...

03-05-2003, 11:04 AM	#5
Andy_k-3DT 3d monkey Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: UK Posts: 1,611 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Mike, my honest opinion is to buy the absolute best you can think of affording. 2mp is OK but you'll soon find it's limits particularly when you start printing the images. 3mp is a good compromise and buying "second hand" is always an option there's always the gadget boys who have to have the latest camera so they will sell perfectly useable and adequate systems at a good price - more money than sense I'd stay away from the fujis - but thats personal preference they seem very slow in operation - as do some of the minoltas. Andy

05-05-2003, 01:41 AM	#6
xeltestic Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Finland Posts: 96 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ive got personal xperience with the canon powershot s10 and s20. not too bad i must say. 1 mayor prob in my opinion is its stabilizer technology which i wasn't too happy with. couple of coffee cups too many in the morning and the pics turned out blured, lol. but if u got stable hands...

06-05-2003, 11:15 AM	#8
Clalan Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Belgium Posts: 56 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	i recently bought a nikon coolpix 4500 and i'm very happy with it. problem with digital cameras is that the low- and middle class products are full-automatic. if you want to set aperture and shutter size yourself then you have to spend a lot (mine was € 800).

06-05-2003, 02:00 PM	#10
Andy_k-3DT 3d monkey Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: UK Posts: 1,611 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	hey goig!!! I take your 11 mp and double it http://www.dpreview.com/news/0209/02090601sinar22mp.asp

06-05-2003, 02:07 PM	#11
Andy_k-3DT 3d monkey Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: UK Posts: 1,611 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	personal preference for me is the Nikon Coolpix - I've got a 995, brilliant camera, excellent manual and program modes loads of additional lenses/filters/accessories available and more importantly even though it's discontinued it's still fully supported by Nikon with software updates etc. What looks expensive when you buy will probably turn out to be the bargain when you realise just what the camera has to offer. There can be nothing worse than after a couple of weeks when you have found out the cameras limits and wishing you'd spent that bit extra. Good advice is to bargain like mad with the shops - they want to sell you something why make it easy for them? Getting 10% discount should be a breeze, 20% a bit of a fight but on a discontinued model they'll probably sell it you with that kind of discount and maybe more if you hold out long enough Andy

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