On Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:48:46 -0500, Boater wrote:

Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq. wrote:
JohnH wrote:
On Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:17:34 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

Don White wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in
message news 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


Have you tried out the P80 at all? I'm thinking of a new pocket camera
for
my wife. If you try this one out, or buy it, let me know what you think.
Please.
--
John H

*Have a Super Christmas and a Spectacular New Year!*

Someone at the Eastern Sierra workshop had one, and I played with it
some. For me, it is the only compact camera, that I have enjoyed using.
It feels and operates like a DSLR. I am often asked to take a photo of
a couple, and if they have a point and shot, I ask them to set it up the
way they want, and all I do is compose and click the button. If all you
want is a P&S, the compact cameras are easy. If you actually want to
use manual functions, the ease of use can be vary drastically between
cameras.


I'd go for one of these:

http://www.shutterbug.com/equipmentr...06voigtlander/

I doubt if my wife would get much joy out of one of those. Now she's got
her own laptop and is pushing for a baby printer to take on scrapbooking
trips.

I can understand your use of 35mm, but its no longer for us.

Thanks, though.
--
John H

*Have a Super Christmas and a Spectacular New Year!*