Digital Cameras

ORIGINAL: ewin0210
One word of advice.  If you get a digital SLR camera, do yourself a favor and get photoshop elements(at least).  Using it makes a huge difference in the outcome of your photos. I'll try to post an example later if anyone's interested...

why would you need photoshop? do you have to edit the pics that are taken with an slr?

i would definitely like to see some examples.[]

You don't HAVE to edit them. They are usually pretty good without it. But once you see the difference that it can make you're likely to want to edit most of them. robably the more experienced you become with the camera the less editing you'll need to do.  One thing that I would use everytime i post pics here is the sharpening filter.  When you reduce the size of picture, some of the clarity is lost. By sharpening it the details are much more like the original picture.  The program also helps you salvage some pics that you might otherwise toss. I'll post some when I get home tonight!
 
ETA: And its not JUST for SLR cameras. But I've found that it makes a bigger difference in SLR cameras than in regular digital cameras.

i am on kodak # 4 i believe.  i started out with the dx 3600 went to the dx 6400 than the dx 7590 and now i have the p850.  i use the camera dock... it keeps the batteries charged and ready to go and the pictures can be put on the computer with just the push of a button. 
great cameras and people friendly

i look forward to seeing the differences. i usually just take the pics straight from the memory card to the h.d. i have an older version of photoshop (6 maybe?), but i dont use it much as i can't figure out a lot of the things it will do [&:]

I just got a nikon D70 SLR.

 
I really wanted the D70, but I went for the D50 instead (more in my price range!)
 
I hope Im not missing out too much.... although, I admit to **jealousy**. []
 
I always edit my photos.... but I hate my computer!  It is sooooooo slow, but I can't not edit!  I also don't have photoshop.... yet....
 
 

I have the D70 and it's really good, but I like film.

We just got a new digital camera and I did a TON of research and taked to two friends who are professional photographers. One thing that I learned was that over a certain number of megapixels the quality of the photos is actually reduced. Think about it this way. You have a small chip where the information from the photo is compiled then it is put on to your media. That small chip only has so much room for so many pixels. Once you get into larger megapixel photos the data actually starts getting corrupted. The photos can have spots that look like compression artifacting. I was told that until technology comes up with a new way to process the info, stick with a camera 6mp or under.

If you want a REALLY good camera, the [linkhttp://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=11939]Canon ELPH SD450[/link] is the best small digital camera on the market today. This isn't just my opinion, but also what I was told by 3 different camera professionals who could have sold me a different, way more expensive camera. The SD450 actually takes better quality photos than the SD600. The SD 450 is on sale in-store at Office Depot (at least locally, check your stores) for $250. It is usually $300. I love that it is sooo small I keep it in my purse all the time! Also, you don't need special proprietary software to DL the photos.

A friend of mine just bought one and took it to Disney with her Grandkids the very next day. She didn't even read the manual and came back with stunning photos, she was utterly gleeful at the ease of use (very user friendly) and quality of the photos. Feel free to look up my posts. I have posted a lot of photos taken with my ELPH.

I just got a Vivitar 8 mp camera from HSN for a great deal.  I'd like to say I love it... and I almost do.  However, I am having trouble getting the closeup pics of Zoe clear.  I have tried autofocus, and my own etc.  I also made the photo size smaller.  Normal pics seem crisp but ones of her 1-2 feet away are sorta blurred or just not crisp. I think an 8 mp camera should have all crisp pics.  I don't know if this is user error or not because I have now read some reviews of others who love the camera. I may return the camera if I can't figure this out. 
 
When I was asking around, many recommend Canon cameras such as 530, 540, 620, 630 and 700.  However, all were a bit bigger than my Vivitar and size is imp't to me.

From all the review sites I have been looking at all day this one seem to be the best for what I want and what I want to spend.
 
[linkhttp://www.dcresource.com/reviews/fuji/finepix_f30-review/index.shtml]http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/fuji/finepix_f30-review/index.shtml[/link]
 
[linkhttp://reviews.cnet.com/Fujifilm_FinePix_F30/4505-6501_7-31732967-2.html?tag=toc]http://reviews.cnet.com/Fujifilm_FinePix_F30/4505-6501_7-31732967-2.html?tag=toc[/link]
 
I think its somewhere in the first review that theres an example of the video quality, and lots of image shots.  It seems great althoug if I want to take substantial videos I will need a bigger memory card. 
 
Its about $330 but it has an optional underwater housing accessory which I will have to get, and a setting for that type of shooting.  The underwater housing is another $150, but I think worth it to be able to take a high quality camera in places like that, the rain, the beach without worry, etc.
 
The reviews seem perfect although Im still sort of browsing through others.

I posted a similar question last year, when I was looking for my camera )  I'm sure our train of thought was similar, Amy.  With so many doggy photos, people MUST have cameras!
 
My question to you is what is your main interest in shoot?  If this is to take quick shots of cutie-pie Bailey than a point and shoot will do great.  If you want to get really artistic and open up your options... you'll probably want an SLR. 
 
I purchased a Canon Rebel XT (after rave reviews by several of the more prolific photo posters in my bygone era, AKA last year.  I always admired their photography and the clarity of their photographs.)  It's much too big to put in your pocket and take on the ski slopes, you'll need multiple lenses to take a large range of photos.  The options, on manual are practically sky's the limit.  I love it to pieces!  I've really gotten into it and would consider myself "a serious hobbyist" or amatuer at this point.
 
If you want a point and shoot, I've been looking to get another one of those to slip in my pocket for those emergencies when I didn't bring my photo bag, I've been looking at the Canon Elph, I like it a lot.  I have the Olympus Stylus, All Weather (the 3 yrs old model) and it's OK.  I like that it's weather resistant.  It's 4 mps.  But it doesn't offer some of the features I'm looking for, I *HATE* the lag time and they are coming out with some smaller Point and Shoots that have a less noticable one.
 
Stacy - odds are that your Vivitar has a mode called "macro" (or the icon of a flower), flip that on and you will be able to take close-ups, but not much else (so you'll have to flip it back to normal to get farther away shots).  The setting switch allows your camera to focus on subjects at a much closer range.  If you camera doesn't have this setting, then you probably are unable to take "macro's".  My Olympus lacks that ability which is why I'm looking at the Elph. 
 
Amy, I'd recommend starting off by deciding what your goals are for your new camera and looking at what settings are offered (ie. do you want to have a camera you can take everywhere?  Do you want one that you can blow up images to 8x10 or larger? Do you want one where you have more control over manual settings? etc.)  If you have a particular camera you are interested in and are having a hard time deciphering the lingo, lemme know (PM maybe best) and I'll help you out if I can. 

Okay here are the two pictures:
 
Here's the first, straight out of the camera, only resized:

 
Here's the one adjusted in photoshop 6.0 I used the adjust auto-level setting. I also used the sharpen filter:

 
The adjusted one isn't perfect, but I find it more pleasing and richer in color than the one straight from the camera.  Also some days you're going to get better shots than others depending entirely on the light that is available.  When the light isn't right or your camera setting isn't perfect, the software definitely helps. And its really fun to play with!!!!

Sera_J:  My camera does have a macro thing and I was using it with no luck .

Stacey, It could be that you're getting too close for the lens to function. Is there a square box that you can see in the veiwer?  Sometimes if you're too close to the subject and it is larger than the box it won't focus properly.  Try standing a little further back and playing with the zoom.  With my sony that i previously had I found that if I got too close that the camera wouldn't even take the picture!

Sera J, thanks so much.  I have looked at so many cameras they all look the same now lol.  I do want something that will shoot very quickly.  I want something that I can take anywhere and is small.  I want very high photo quality and clarity, I want one that takes high quality video... um, I think thats all.  I have decided against an SLR just because its too bulky for what I do.  Im bad enough about taking the camera with me and using it and I know I would never use it if it was that big.

The Fuji FinePix F3 looks great to me, I read about 6 different reveiw sites on it and compared it to a few others and that one seems to have the best photo quality (even better than some ricier ones), the most setting options, its tiny, it takes great videos and will take them so as long as you have memory, and shoots right when you press the button.  It has an underwater housing thing that will go up to 40 meters underwater.  That was a big thing for me.  Not that Ill be going underwater for pics any time soon, lol, but it will be a great casing while at the beach or in the rain, or in the pool.  It would be so nice to be able to use your great camera in those situations an not constantly be worried about ruining it.  It does up the price a bit but I guess its worth it to be able to enjoy it more.  It has an ISO of up tp 3200, thats the only thing I dont understand... and something about no noise under 400 ISO.  ??

Emily, I think those pictures are great!  Both of them.  The second is better when compared but the camera is great alone.  I hope I can get those results, or close, with a smaller camera.[&:]

Stacy - you reminded me to check QVC and HSN for the camera before I bought from anywhere esle.  HSN didnt have it but QVC did, and it was more! lol.  I couldnt believe it.  Im confused now, not to derail the thread, but I though they were supposed to be cheaper!  Sheesh.  The site I think I will order it from is the only one that also offers the underwater case and its $339 just for the camera, but QVC was $399.  I thought that was strange.