The Camera Thread

[That's not a growth]

Yeah, it's the cannon one, cost me closer to 60 or so if I remember correctly (which I probably wont right now considering the state I'm in, but just check it out on amazon or kelkoo), but it's definitely worth the praise. If you were considering going for it I'd say just do it.

I used to have flickr, but these last two years I've specialised more in video than photography due to my degree, so I've uploaded nothing. Been meaing to change that for a while, but we'll see if that actually happens. Had a look at yours thought and it's not too bad. Shame you don't have that much though.

Might have to look into that lens then, even if it's half as good as you say it'll probably be worth the price since they're normally so hit and miss.

[President Evil]

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5590694/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CPhotography%7C10198049.htm

This deal any good ?

[darksideby182]

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5590694/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CPhotography%7C10198049.htm

This deal any good ?

not bad but have a good look around u might find something better for a little more money

[President Evil]

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5590694/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CPhotography%7C10198049.htm

This deal any good ?

not bad but have a good look around u might find something better for a little more money

Cheers thank you.

[Carlos]

Thats not actually a half-bad camera for the money. OK Lens, rechargeable battery. Its low-light and IS isnt anything to shout about but for facebook/night out/day shots it will be fine.

[RamSteelwood]

I'm looking for a camera for my dad for xmas. basically a good quality, yet small(ish), simple point and clicker, mainly for holidays and imminent grandchildren. max spend about £150.

After looking about, I'm favouring the Ricoh Caplio R7 @ £120 (the R8 might be better but i think it looks ugly). Also interested by the Lumix TZ4 (the TZ5 is probably too expensive), but i can get the R7, decent memory card and change from the cost of the TZ4.

Any recommedations for/against these? Or a better alternative?

PS: great opening post - i wish i'd read it before spending the day reading camera specs trying to work that all out for my myself!

[$ilva $hadow]

Avoid the Ricoh. The Lumix series are good, one of the best optical image stabilisers the only downside being they are slightly noisy but nobody will notice unless zooming in quite a lot or enlarging the picture a lot. The Lumix is a good choice. Great lens too. But the Canon still reign supreme in pocket digital photography. It's the whole package you get with a Canon Ixus camera.



Ixus 80 IS for 120:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-Digital-I ... 018&sr=8-1


Ixus 960 for 130:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-IXUS-960- ... 018&sr=8-5





Seriously...for compact digital cameras, impressive quality and you haven't got Parkinsons, then those cameras are amazing. They're incredibly quick to take shots too.

[RamSteelwood]

Cheers $ilva, you've really upset me by not simply recommending the one i picked!

I guess, even though it maybe didn't fit the description i gave, that i wanted to get a camera with a bigger optical zoom than those canons, but you've certainly given me something to think about!

[$ilva $hadow]

Is the optical zoom really that important? Think about it, are you spying on people or are you just going for a camera that takes good pictures and have just been suckered into the optical zoom PR rubbish? If you really want something with a good optical zoom go for the Panasonic Lumix cameras. When you start zooming in any hand shake you have is intensified and you'll get blurry pictures if the shutter is open or in lower light conditions. The Panasonic has a great optical image stabiliser which will work better than the Ricoh, which is inherently rubbish anyway, in taking long distance shots.



Lots of people just don't really need the zoom, they stand far back and take a picture zoomed in, I like to just get closer to the object of my photo by stepping forward. When you zoom in from far remember that your flash won't reach that far and your image may be darker and blurred. That's the reason why a lot of optical zoom on a compact digital camera without a tripod is crap. And even with a tripod it's crap unless the lighting conditions are amazing like in Turkey or any sunny place where you're on holiday. Leave the large optical zooming to the DSLRs.


The Ricoh is crap. The Ricoh is crap. I hate the lens on that. It's loud, clunky, takes bad pictures, no optical image stabiliser, sounds horrid and feels horrid.

The TZ4 is great. I love the Panasonic cameras, the only problem is price, and they do a great job, they deliver warm pictures a lot of the time. I own a Panasonic as well, best image stabiliser. Great picture quality too. Go for the TZ4, it's in a league of its own compared to the Ricoh and is packed full of winning features.

[thousand yard stare]

I just bought a canon eos 1000d yesterday! My first DSLR! Spent the day taking photos - of my usual abysmal quality. Still, at least the camera's good.

It was really bugging me today, I was reading some books on photography in Borders, there was one book (the name of which I forget now) where the photos were so inventive, I was looking and thinking, 'Yes, that's what I should do, take some snaps of road markings from an unusual angle, capture a shot of a couple walking along reflected in a puddle, invention like that, there's infinite scope here for creativity, brilliant!' Then I took some bog-standard photos of a few obvious monuments. strawberry floating hell, why am I so gooseberry fool!?

I also read something in the Guardian today that basically said that even geniuses have to work approximately 10,000 hours at the thing they're interested in before they become masters at it. At this rate the only thing I'm gonna be a master of is posting on internet forums.

[Nova]

I want a camera, but should I wait until new year sales? I want an IXUS, but should I get an 80 or a better model? Finally, is it pocket sized? I'm tempted to just stick with my phone camera.

[Alpha eX]

I want a camera, but should I wait until new year sales? I want an IXUS, but should I get an 80 or a better model? Finally, is it pocket sized? I'm tempted to just stick with my phone camera.

I have the IXUS 80 from Silva's post just a few above, for £120 it's an amazing camera, the next model up is actually the same price but I think I prefer the size and style of the 80. It's pocket sized and very handy, it was in my jeans pocket for my whole J-Adventure, example shots in that thread, here's one (photoshoped size and to 80% quality)

[Nova]

That looks really good. I think I'll take the plunge, but do you think I should wait until post-Xmas?

[$ilva $hadow]

Take the plunge, if the price drops then you can consider the little extra you paid to be the cost of having Christmas pictures of friends and family during a joyous recession.

[darksideby182]

Ixus 960 for 130:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-IXUS-960- ... 018&sr=8-5

just ordered this for my gf for christmas just need a good digital photo frame

[Alpha eX]

That looks really good. I think I'll take the plunge, but do you think I should wait until post-Xmas?

Buy it now, as the other guy said, it will be good for the xmas snaps. Try get to a store and look at both models, pictures should be similar but the 80 should have a nicer and sleeker design, from the pictures, the 90 looks bulky. If you want, i'll sell you mine for £80, it's a collectors item now

[nsm]

Ixus 960 for 130:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-IXUS-960- ... 018&sr=8-5

just ordered this for my gf for christmas just need a good digital photo frame

Price seems to have gone down to £119.99, that's a really good price.
I myself picked up an ixus 870 IS which is £199.99 but has a wide 28mm lens.


Pic from the cam with some pp.

[$ilva $hadow]

Ixus 960 for 130:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-IXUS-960- ... 018&sr=8-5

just ordered this for my gf for christmas just need a good digital photo frame

As much as I love digital photo frames, I just haven't bought one for fear of me not getting over the novelty factor of it. They're great but I think if I had one, I'd be annoyed with it wasting electricity. There's something quite special about printed photos.

If you haven't got the cash to spare don't worry too much about the digital photo frame. Just get a few normal frames and spend a tenner for a 100 6x4 pictures to be printed and put them in.


Well done nsm, I hope you're liking your Ixus. Canon and Fuji have really set the standard for quality, but Canon has taken it a step further by setting the standard for usability and great sleek compact design while still being feature packed and delivering amazing pictures. The whole package that Canon offers with the Ixus is like the camera version of Apple products except the price tag is great.

[Outrunner]

I'm looking at buying a new camera and camcorder, any recommendations for relatively cheap, reliable online shops.

[Nova]

I've done it. I've bought the IXUS 80 over the 960. Hope it's worth it!