The purchase of a digital camera is under consideration at my home. I would like to know some good/bad points to look for, as well as your experiences. I had thought that a good thing to do was buy one that wrote the pictures on a floppy - but, I notice the new ones seem to use a "memory stick." Any advice as well as links to sites on the Internet that sell them are appreciated. Charlie ------------------ Ship It On The FRISCO! | IAMOKA.com
There are so many points to address about digital cameras, I start with the "storage media". You are correct in saying that it appears that using a floppy disk would be a good thing...it is hard to knock that idea since pretty much every computer has one! However, there is a size limitation of 1.44 woo woo woo. That could be an issue, depending on what kinds of pictures you take and their intended use. For example, the pictures I post in the CSX forum are all taken in a high resolution mode, which means each image is up to ~ 500kb (unedited). At that size, I'd be lucky to get 3 pictures on a diskette! Fortunately, my camera uses a CompactFlash card, and I have the factory 16 woo woo woo plus I bought a 64 woo woo woo (that I usually use). With the 64 woo woo woo card in, I can take up to 130 of my usual, high res. pictures. I know the new Casio camera has an IBM MicroDrive card that holds up to 340 woo woo woo. Anyway, storage is one issue; transfering data is the other. My camera has a direct USB port on the side. I just plug the USB cable into the camera and my PC, open the software program, and transfer begins! So easy, and fast too. Also, with the CF card, you can get a separate "card reader" that also hooks up to a USB port to allow transfers w/o the camera. I think the new Sony Memory Stick offers similar adapters, including one for a floppy disk. They seem "pricey" and somewhat proprietary for now, but I am sure that will change. Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
All the pictures on my web pages were taken with a Sony Mavica. It has a 3.5" floppy drive for storage. This method is very convenient, floppies are almost free and very easy to trasfer to a PC, although you do pay a price. The Mavica is much more expensive than most other digital cameras and the image quality is not as high as most, less expensive, cameras. The quality is acceptable for most needs, however. Have a look at some of my photos to get an idea of the camera's capability. Keep in mind that some images have their quality reduced to decrease size (limitations placed on space by my service provider). I like the Mavica's macro capability, which is required for model photography, although most other cameras also have this ability. One thing I would change with any camera, especially the Mavica, is to have an extra "shutter" button on the bottom of the camera. The lens on the Mavica is at the "top" of the camera, which is quite high. To get realistic angles I turn the camera upside down. I'd really like to have it touching the "ground" or track but can't click the shutter when I do. Since the Mavica is a borrowed camera I would like to get my own, but the cost to purchase is not in the budget, especially since the Board of Director just approved the purchase of a DCC system! ------------------ Scott Jay member of: Half Nuts Model Railroaders
Here are a couple of good links to digital camera information: http://www.steves-digicams.com/diginews.html http://www.dcresource.com/ http://coverage.cnet.com/Content/Reviews/Compare/Photo/ Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
One thing I've noticed from my experiences with a Mavica and an Olympus D-340R is the limitations on the LCD view panel. In the bright sun, I can't see the image in the view panel to save my life. The regular eyepiece is essential. I like the LCD panel for composing macro shots and reviewing photos I've recently taken. Using the LCD screen also sucks the juice out of the batteries, so I use it sparingly. The built-in flash on most cameras is set up for typical snap shots so it totally washes out close-up photos. I've had some success with the low-tech finger over the flash to cut this effect, but sometimes the lighting takes on the color of my finger (remember when you used to put a flashlight in your mouth as a kid?). For close-ups, I rely on sunlight. My layout is in the garage and on wheels, so I can roll it out onto the driveway for photos. Most of the cameras now allow multiple resolutions so I tend to shoot everything at 640x480 so I can use it on the web or prints as large as 4x6 inches. If I think I might want something bigger, I go for the megapixels. You might also check out Shutterfly. They have a service where you mail your regularly exposed film in a postage paid envelope and they process and scan your negatives for free! You get digital versions of all your shots without the hassle of scanning, and you can order great prints from your digital images, regardless of the source. I give them my highest recommendation (except they can't go bigger than 8x10 prints. Ed Harrison ------------------ Ed's Mental Cab Ride
I forgot to mention, on Shutterfly's Camera Guide Page, they have a great camera selection tool where you start out by putting your budget, and then go through the process of selecting the features that are important to you, and then it gives you a list of cameras that meet your expectations. Cool tool! Ed Harrison ------------------ Ed's Mental Cab Ride
Charlie, What is your intended use for the digital camera? Do you intend to shoot still life pictures of the family, stationary locos, sporting events, model locos, train chasing...? This definately matters as to what models will suit your needs. Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
Charlie, follow both Harold's and Ed's replies and check the sites they have indicated. Steve's Digi-cams I recommend strongly due to it's wealth of links following most brands of camera available. The anticipated use is an important consideration. Digital cameras could loosely be classified the ham radios of the camera world. They work out of the box, end results depends on the quality (and price) of the equipment, and is open to experimentation to provide a way around inherent problems related to lens availability. Check out the experiments using Kenko 8x32 and the Eagle Eye OpticZooms monoculars attached to Nikon Coolpix cameras as an example. I have a batch of emails to and from the N Scale list on Egroups that may be of interest to you regarding considerations. Unfortunately, they are at home on the PC and I am using the notebook at present. I'll send them on to you when I get the chance next day or two. Anyone else wishing to see these, just holler! Gary.
First air brakes, then diesels engines! I thought I was do'n good with my old steam powered Brownie 110. Progress! I kain't afford it no more!!!!Back to the Pork & Beans I guess. Keep take'n them moom' pitchurs guys. Ha. ------------------ Watash
Thanks for all the replies. I am planning on using the camera for general use both indoors and out. I will be checking all of this out and input is greatly appreciated! Charlie ------------------ Ship It On The FRISCO! | IAMOKA.com
If you are thinking of indoors shooting, then you are probably looking at using a flash, too. I would say that all available digital cameras have abyssmal flashes. Look for one that can take an external flash. The Nikon (at least the 950/990) range have an external output to a slave flash unit and adaptors available for mounting it. Otherwise, if any are available with the trusty hot-shoe that may be the way to go. Currently, www.massmerchandise.com have Fuji MX-2900's going for US$399.95 (normally 899.99) and has a hot-shoe. Check out the review on Steve's Digi-cams. Gary. Usual disclaimer - I'm on the email list and get the specials.
Charlie, Check out the lens(es) available for the camera you are considering. For example, in 35mm world, a 28 mm lens is considered "wide angle"... this is what you'd need to shoot the "builder's photos" of the side of a loco w/o standing a block away. Conversely, with today's anti-railfan corporate mentality, you may need a "telephoto" type lens to shoot your prototype photos from public areas. This could equate to a 100+mm in the 35mm world. Most digital cameras with a built in zoom lens will offer the comparative 35mm range. The better cameras now offer interchangable lenses with quality optics and aperture values. Check out the close focusing distances and macro capabilities if you will be taking model (train) pictures. Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chessie: Charlie, Check out the lens(es) available for the camera you are considering. For example, in 35mm world, a 28 mm lens is considered "wide angle"... . The better cameras now offer interchangable lenses with quality optics and aperture values. Check out the close focusing distances and macro capabilities if you will be taking model (train) pictures. Chessie <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> All good points, Harold. First, most digital cameras have lens set-up similar to the 35mm point and shoots. Typical lens range is 35mm to the optical zoom - ie 3x is to 105mmm. There are some that zoom out to 10x. Additional OEM lenses are generally restricted to wide-angle (down to an equivalent 24mm) and 2x telephoto attachments. There is plenty of scope to adapt other types of lenses to suit, though. Note the Kenko and Eagle Optics links above. Secondly, those with interchangeable lenses are considered pro equipment. Canon and Nikon make digital bodies to suit their range of SLR lenses, and Fuji has the new S1 Pro based an a Nikon F60 body, using Nikon F-mount lenses. These bodies are around $US3000 upwards, unfortunately. As for the macro capabilities, they differ quite a bit. I know for fact that the Nikon 950 will focus down to less than 2cm from the subject. Too close for good lighting but does show what it can do. Other models, and brands for that matter, differ in their capabilities. Gary.
Well, I wanted to do some model photography and tried an older Casio (loved the movable lens section) and an Olympus D-340. The 340 was a little more cumbersome to use, but the resolution was better. When I decided to buy, I looked locally, but only came up with one digital camera under $500 US and an Olympus D-360 for an unknown price and no price tag or salesperson anywhere near. I bought on Amazon.com. I bought an extra 64m Flashcard, rechargeable batteries and a recharger (an absolute must). I did not get the card reader or the floppy simulator. The unit unloads through a serial port adapter (not USB) and the software works great and makes download easy, but not particulary fast. I paid $289 US for the camera and the extras were about another $100 US. As I have told several people, "It was the best $300 I ever spent!" It is a medium resolution camera quite suitable for 800x600 shots that can be saved in several formats including TIF and JPG. I am still experimenting and have found that it is best to turn off the flash for those layout shots. Shoot with room light or, better yet, get out that old photo flood that you used with your 8mm movie camera. Bounce the light off of the ceiling and shoot two or three shots. Use the screen to check you work or to compose your shot, but use the regular viewer for most photos. Yes, the screen will eat batteries. The Olympus has an electronic zoom which is ok, but I prefer using a high res and computer software to crop and sharpen if necessary. Capturing fast moving trains? Arrrggghhh! I lost three shots because the camera is not as fast as either of my film cameras, but that isn't why I bought it. What I did get was good, but just not enough of them. Roger Roger Hensley - rhensley@anderson.cioe.com == http://cid.railfan.net == == Central Indiana Division, Midwest Region, NMRA ==
Roger - been there, done that with the digitals relative slowness between large shots. Frustrating! A thought I had about storage media. Sony's 'memory stick' is a stand-alone Sony product. I can't recall anything other than a Sony using it. Personally, I would stick with a SmartMedia or CompactFlash type 2/3 media camera as these types are the most common. The price per meg appears to be lower than Sony's and are more readily available from more 'manufacturers' (read badge engineered). If you choose not to use your camera's supplied serial cable (ultra-slow transferal) SM and CF2/3 cards require either a USB adaptor for your desktop unless you have a direct USB output from the camera, assuming the PC has a USB port, or a PCIMIA adaptor for your notebook (which you will not need if it and the camera both have USB ports). The Sony Mavica idea of using a floppy disc is good in as much as availability - you can get them almost anywhere - but suffer from lack of storage space - you'd be changing them out all the time and then need to cart them around. One thing in their favour, though - they don't need an adaptor to be downloaded on your PC. Gary. ------------------ Gary A. Rose The Unofficial TC&W page TrainBoard Moderator and Member No.377 Partying in the Olympic City - Aussie, Aussie, Aussie... N to the Nth degree! [This message has been edited by Gats (edited 20 September 2000).]
One of the few things i can add are that once you click the shutter(at least on a CP800) it takes like a second for the camera to take the picture. I've found moving shots are very hard to do, but i probably should start experimenting with the manual settings! And a card reader is a great thing if your camera doesn't have a USB port...
Does anyone use one of the Halogen lights on a stand like we use to light the shop, especially when we are underneith in the pit at night? The Halogen is hot, but gives very bright light. Film cameras seem to work OK with the Halogen light. I saw one photo taken with one. ------------------ Watash
Watash, I haven't used a halogen light for taking shots with the digital, yet. Apart from the heat factor (don't get close to plastics!) it is a very bright, harsh light. At least on most mid-range digitals you can adjust the white balance to a degree. That helps in balancing the light. Maybe a polarising filter may assist as well in this. Anyone? Also, I have posted pics taken last night in Sydney with my Coolpix 950, if anyone is interested. I posted them in the Admin Forum - http://www.trainboard.com/Forum1/HTML/000051.html Gary.
