Best camera for light use?
 

D.Duck wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
...
Don White wrote:
Wife wants to upgrade from my 3 yr old HP R707 compact digital camera.
This camera works fine...although the original battery doesn't seem to
hold its charge as long anymore while sitting on the shelf.
Costco just happens to have a super price $270.00 CDN
for its popular Canon A650 IS compact.
I also see the Nikon D40 on sale here with lens at just under $500.00.
I can't justify the higher end SLRs...especially when they seem be be
somewhat obsolete every three or four years
vs the old manual film SLRs that were still fine after 20-25 years .My
usage these days is more snapshot than trying to be artistic...although I
do like to do justice to scenery.
The D40 is a great simple to use camera, that can be used in it's auto
settings or allow you to manually adjust all settings.

It is light weight and you and your wife will absolutely be pleased with
the quality.

As far as the "obsolete" factor. The digital cameras will only be
obsolete, if you want the new and improved features of the newer improved
digital cameras. If you are pleased with the camera, you can expect over
100,000 photos from the D40. A digital camera will have an expectant
average life similar to the average film cameras.


Just curious. What is the *wear out* mechanism in a digital camera?



The shutter and mirror mechanisms are a problem with both digital and
film. It needs to flip up to take the photo, but not allow any light
through when it is in the down position. They can lock up or lose there
ability to close completely and not allow any light to pass through. My
wife had an old film camera that the foam around the mirror (to block
the light in the down position), dried up and needed to be replaced. It
was not worth the expense to repair.

With Digital cameras your image sensor can burn out or get enough bad
pixels that you will want to replace them, but I have never heard anyone
who replaced a camera due to this problem.

Best camera for light use?
 

Boater wrote:
Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq. wrote:
Boater wrote:
Don White wrote:
Wife wants to upgrade from my 3 yr old HP R707 compact digital camera.
This camera works fine...although the original battery doesn't seem
to hold its charge as long anymore while sitting on the shelf.
Costco just happens to have a super price $270.00 CDN
for its popular Canon A650 IS compact.
I also see the Nikon D40 on sale here with lens at just under $500.00.
I can't justify the higher end SLRs...especially when they seem be
be somewhat obsolete every three or four years
vs the old manual film SLRs that were still fine after 20-25 years
.My usage these days is more snapshot than trying to be
artistic...although I do like to do justice to scenery.



Either one of those are good. My wife has a Canon A710, which has
been replaced by one with a slightly higher number. It is a fantastic
little camera. You want optical zoom on those, not digital.

The Nikon D40 is fine, but you are right...they go obsolete...about
every year. :)

You are using the term obsolete, to mean that it is not the latest and
greatest camera in it's category. Except for minor cleaning and
re-setting the camera to specs, the average digital camera is good for
about 100,000 exposures before it is time to trash it. My guess is
Don will never take 100,000 exposures. As long as he is happy with
the quality of his photos, the D40 will have a longer life than Don. ;)


My favorite camera is older than you are, I'm guessing. 35mm
rangefinder, from the mid to late 1950s.

Rangefinders are a simple camera without the complex mechanism of a SLR.
Leica is known for their excellent quality, but Leica does have a very
busy service center to repair and service their Rangefinder cameras.
Since Leica is a simple, quality and expensive camera, it is normally
worth the cost to repair and service the camera.

With a $500 DSLR, it makes more sense to replace the camera, with a new
one with the latest features, than spend $300 to replace the
mirror/shutter or image sensor on an older camera.

Best camera for light use?
 

On Nov 28, 10:35*am, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:
D.Duck wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
m...
Don White wrote:
Wife wants to upgrade from my 3 yr old HP R707 compact digital camera..
This camera works fine...although the original battery doesn't seem to
hold its charge as long anymore while sitting *on the shelf.
Costco just happens to have a super price $270.00 CDN
for its popular Canon A650 IS *compact.
I also see the Nikon D40 on sale here with lens at just under $500.00..
I can't justify the higher end SLRs...especially when they seem be be
somewhat obsolete every three or four years
*vs the old manual film SLRs that were still fine after 20-25 years .My
usage these days is more snapshot than trying to be artistic...although I
do like to do justice to scenery.
The D40 is a great simple to use camera, that can be used in it's auto
settings or allow you to manually adjust all settings.

It is light weight and you and your wife will absolutely be pleased with
the quality.

As far as the "obsolete" factor. *The digital cameras will only be
obsolete, if you want the new and improved features of the newer improved
digital cameras. *If you are pleased with the camera, you can expect over
100,000 photos from the D40. *A digital camera will have an expectant
average life similar to the average film cameras.

Just curious. *What is the *wear out* mechanism in a digital camera?

The shutter and mirror mechanisms are a problem with both digital and
film. *It needs to flip up to take the photo, but not allow any light
through when it is in the down position. *They can lock up or lose there
ability to close completely and not allow any light to pass through. My
wife had an old film camera that the foam around the mirror (to block
the light in the down position), dried up and needed to be replaced. *It
was not worth the expense to repair.

With Digital cameras your image sensor can burn out or get enough bad
pixels that you will want to replace them, but I have never heard anyone
who replaced a camera due to this problem.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

My best 35mm was a Pentax, believe it or not. That thing had more
dents in it than you could imagine and still worked fine. I was hiking
one time and had swung it around my back because I was climbing some
rocks, thing slung around and hit the rocks hard. Didn't hurt it a bit.

Best camera for light use?
 

Don White wrote:
Wife wants to upgrade from my 3 yr old HP R707 compact digital camera.
This camera works fine...although the original battery doesn't seem to hold
its charge as long anymore while sitting on the shelf.
Costco just happens to have a super price $270.00 CDN
for its popular Canon A650 IS compact.
I also see the Nikon D40 on sale here with lens at just under $500.00.
I can't justify the higher end SLRs...especially when they seem be be
somewhat obsolete every three or four years
vs the old manual film SLRs that were still fine after 20-25 years .My
usage these days is more snapshot than trying to be artistic...although I do
like to do justice to scenery.

Buy one that takes AA or AAA batteries. You can use rechargeable or
throw-away batteries no need for a recharger just carry some extras with
you in the camera bag.

Best camera for light use?
 

On Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:45:23 -0500, Boater
wrote:

Don White wrote:
Wife wants to upgrade from my 3 yr old HP R707 compact digital camera.
This camera works fine...although the original battery doesn't seem to hold
its charge as long anymore while sitting on the shelf.
Costco just happens to have a super price $270.00 CDN
for its popular Canon A650 IS compact.
I also see the Nikon D40 on sale here with lens at just under $500.00.
I can't justify the higher end SLRs...especially when they seem be be
somewhat obsolete every three or four years
vs the old manual film SLRs that were still fine after 20-25 years .My
usage these days is more snapshot than trying to be artistic...although I do
like to do justice to scenery.




Either one of those are good. My wife has a Canon A710, which has been
replaced by one with a slightly higher number. It is a fantastic little
camera. You want optical zoom on those, not digital.

The Nikon D40 is fine, but you are right...they go obsolete...about
every year. :)

The D40 has been around for a couple of years now and still is a fine
camera. And good lenses go obsolete much much slower than the bodies.
You can always use a high quality lens you buy for a D40 on other
bodies (D90, D300, etc.) you might want to get later, if you get more
interested in creative photography. Or, if you lose interest, sell
them for very little loss since good lenses hold their value much
better than DSLR camera bodies or compact cameras.

Another thing to remember is that just because newer and better
cameras come out all the time, that doesn't mean pictures from the one
you have get any worse. A new high end DSLR you buy today will
continue to take great pictures even after the next best thing comes
out. But it's value will drop like a rock when that happens.

You can always take advantage of that fact by buying yesterday's high
end camera after the new one comes out. I bought a D200 for $400 from
a wedding photographer who was upgrading. It's a better camera than
anything you can get new for that price, or even twice that price.

Steve

Best camera for light use?
 

Don White wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
...
Don White wrote:
Wife wants to upgrade from my 3 yr old HP R707 compact digital camera.
This camera works fine...although the original battery doesn't seem to
hold its charge as long anymore while sitting on the shelf.
Costco just happens to have a super price $270.00 CDN
for its popular Canon A650 IS compact.
I also see the Nikon D40 on sale here with lens at just under $500.00.
I can't justify the higher end SLRs...especially when they seem be be
somewhat obsolete every three or four years
vs the old manual film SLRs that were still fine after 20-25 years .My
usage these days is more snapshot than trying to be artistic...although I
do like to do justice to scenery.
The D40 is a great simple to use camera, that can be used in it's auto
settings or allow you to manually adjust all settings.

It is light weight and you and your wife will absolutely be pleased with
the quality.

As far as the "obsolete" factor. The digital cameras will only be
obsolete, if you want the new and improved features of the newer improved
digital cameras. If you are pleased with the camera, you can expect over
100,000 photos from the D40. A digital camera will have an expectant
average life similar to the average film cameras.


The big thing about the SLRs vs the compact cameras is the size of the
processer.
I saw an illustration where the D40s processor looked like a 35mm slide
compared to an old 110 frame equaling a compact.
Dramatic difference!
Another concern...I really like to control shutter speed, F stop and focus
manually. ( re my Minolta SRT200 manual film SLR)
I'll have to go to a real camera store and find out what the Canon compacts
can do.



There are some compact cameras that do allow you to manually adjust your
shutter speed, aperture, focus and other numerous other settings you did
not have on your film camera, it is still a trade off on compact vs
DSLR. I personally find it very difficult to see the compact LCD screen
in the sun, I (and probably all people) find the small compact camera
impossible to hold steady at slow shutter speeds. You are holding the
camera away from you instead of using your arms and head to stabilize
the camera. On the other hand, the compact cameras fit in a pocket or
purse easily. Many photobugs own both, just so they always carry a
camera and never miss a shot. If you think about it, the best camera is
the one you have with you.

I am thinking about buying this Nikon P80 as my compact camera. It not
only has the LCD screen, but an eyepiece so you can hold it the same as
a SLR and see your composition in bright light. It is not as tiny as
most compact cameras, but it is easy to carry, even if it is bulky in
your pants pocket.

http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Ni...OLPIX-P80.html

Best camera for light use?
 

On Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:52:34 -0500, BAR wrote:

Don White wrote:
Wife wants to upgrade from my 3 yr old HP R707 compact digital camera.
This camera works fine...although the original battery doesn't seem to hold
its charge as long anymore while sitting on the shelf.
Costco just happens to have a super price $270.00 CDN
for its popular Canon A650 IS compact.
I also see the Nikon D40 on sale here with lens at just under $500.00.
I can't justify the higher end SLRs...especially when they seem be be
somewhat obsolete every three or four years
vs the old manual film SLRs that were still fine after 20-25 years .My
usage these days is more snapshot than trying to be artistic...although I do
like to do justice to scenery.

Buy one that takes AA or AAA batteries. You can use rechargeable or
throw-away batteries no need for a recharger just carry some extras with
you in the camera bag.

Don't let the battery a camera uses influence your decision. It's a
nothing-burger as long as it's rechargable. Any of the high end
cameras will not use AA or AAA because their power to size ratio is
much worse than the Li-ion batteries they probably use.

What could be more important than the battery type, if you're planning
on taking a lot of pictures in a day, is the battery life.

You may need a spare or two. And the cost of a spare rechargable
Li-ion battery over a set of AA NiMH is tiny when amortized over the
number of photos you take. Plus, most proprietary camera batteries
are available from 3rd party manufacturers for 1/10th the price of the
OEM battery.

There's nothing wrong with getting a camera that takes AA or AAA
batteries. But unless you're talking about something like a DSLR with
a battery pack or grip, that's just not an option for anything but the
lowest of low end cameras.

Steve

Best camera for light use?
 

On Nov 28, 9:52*am, wrote:
On Nov 28, 10:35*am, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."





wrote:
D.Duck wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
m...
Don White wrote:
Wife wants to upgrade from my 3 yr old HP R707 compact digital camera.
This camera works fine...although the original battery doesn't seem to
hold its charge as long anymore while sitting *on the shelf.
Costco just happens to have a super price $270.00 CDN
for its popular Canon A650 IS *compact.
I also see the Nikon D40 on sale here with lens at just under $500.00.

Best camera for light use?
 

"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
...

D.Duck wrote:

With Digital cameras your image sensor can burn out or get enough bad
pixels that you will want to replace them, but I have never heard anyone
who replaced a camera due to this problem.

No, but it may account for why a digital camera becomes "obsolete" faster.
The CCD or CMOS sensors are under constant improvement, and not just in
terms of the number of pixels or resolution. Efficiency of converting
light to electrical energy, power drain, sensitivity, etc.

Sorta analogous to new or improved film types developed for older, film
based cameras.

Eisboch

Best camera for light use?
 

Eisboch wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
...

D.Duck wrote:

With Digital cameras your image sensor can burn out or get enough bad
pixels that you will want to replace them, but I have never heard anyone
who replaced a camera due to this problem.

No, but it may account for why a digital camera becomes "obsolete" faster.
The CCD or CMOS sensors are under constant improvement, and not just in
terms of the number of pixels or resolution. Efficiency of converting
light to electrical energy, power drain, sensitivity, etc.

Sorta analogous to new or improved film types developed for older, film
based cameras.

Eisboch



You are absolutely correct, but if you are happy with the quality of
your old camera, when a new improved camera comes out, it does not mean
you have to upgrade. You will continue to get the same quality you have
come to love and enjoy. ;)

Computers are always upgrading their CPU's, video cards etc. It seems
that the state of the art computer is replaced with a new state of the
art computer every 30 days, but I only replace my computer when it will
no longer do what I want. I probably get a new computer every 5 yrs or so.