h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I want to buy a fairly basic digital camera (probably with a zoom facility but not bothered about video) that is light & easy to use.
Any recommendations?

What do you want to do with the pictures? Do you want to just keep them on the computer and maybe publish them on a website, or do you want to be able to get prints from either your computer or from a film developers that offer a digital camera service?

These are the ranges that are sold where I w*rk. The main features you need to bear in mind are the number of MegaPixels (resolution)The higher the MP rate, the better the picture. The starting point, I would suggest, is around 4MP, of which the ones below fit the bill, with the Nikon Coolpix 5600 and Pentax Espio S50 both being 5MP.
The next question is zoom. 3 x Optical is standard and is true zoom, while 12 x Digital is artificial, and will create pixelation, which is where the picture becomes blurred and 'Speckled'.Keep the zoom as low as possible. When using the camera remember there are a variety of settings which will affect the picture quality and memory capacity. Also the choice of format (ie TIFF, RAW, MPEG, JPEG) will also affect your picture quality.
Lastly (unless something else comes to mind) get a larger memory card, min. 128mB, and preferably 256mB. They can fill fast, and most cameras only come with 16mB or 32mB of memory. Tat is 10/20 photos, depending on resolution. The most popular sre SD (Secure data) or CF (Compact Flash). There are others such as xD, Sony Memory, and SM (smart Media). Internal memory is good as an emergency back-up when your memory card is full, but is no good as your only facility, as it cannot be upgraded.
Depending on your Photographic expertise, the Nikon Coolpix 4600 is a very good camera to start with, whereas the Pentax Espio S50 is a more advanced photographer's Camera.


SAMSUNG DIGIMAX A400 DIGITAL CAMERA £129.00
FUJI FINEPIX A345 DIG CAM £129.50
NIKON COOLPIX 4600 VAA320B1 £149.00
HP PHOTOSMART R707 DIGITAL CAMERA £149.50
SONY CYBER-SHOT S40 DSC £159.00
OLYMPUS C480Z DIGITAL CAMERA £159.00
HP PHOTOSMART R507 DIGITAL CAM £169.00
SONY DSC L1 DIGITAL CAMERA £179.00
OLYMPUS DIG.MJU MINI SILVER £179.00
PENTAX OPTIO S50 £179.00 *
SONY CYBER-SHOT S80 DSC £199.00
NIKON COOLPIX 5600 CAMERA £199.95 *

I hope that helps, and I have not intententionally been depracating as far as any photographic knowledge is concerned.

MMF

Thanks for the comprehensive information.

My requirement is largely for snapshots on occasions where I don't want to carry my bulky film loaded SLR zoom camera, then print out the best shots (probably commercially rather than home printer).

I think I'd prefer optical zoom. Does that cause you to amend your list in any way?

If you're a newbie to digital cameras and are not inclined to do anything complicated or fiddle with the software, I can recommend the Fujifilm range, which are cheapish and very easy to use.

B

No. They all have 3 x optical zoom.
Here is a rundown of approximate photo storage according to MP. However this will vary according to your chosen resolution, the complexity of the shot, and whether other factors have been set up such as white balance etc.

4MP.
32MB = 16
64MB = 32
128MB = 64
256MB = 128
512MB = 350
1GB = 512

5MP
32MB = 25
64MB = 51
128MB = 102
256MB = 204
512MB = 280
1GB = 408

I wouldn't recommend the Sony range, as they use their own memory stick, and I find the controls are in the wrong place. Also the shape is awkward for myself, being used to using an SLR.
I personally have a Canon Powershot G5, which is now deleted, however there is now a new G6, at £449:00 but that is virtually a professional Camera. See http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital/PowerShot_G6/

However the Nikon may be suitable. Try http://www.europe-nikon.com/details.aspx?countryId=20&languageId=22&catId=76&prodId=117

Hope that helps.

MMF

Sony's new range of camera's are all pig ugly (is that libelous?) with the exception of the T7(£350) which is by far the slimest 'proper' camera with 3x optical zoom, you will find. So you can really take it anywhere. It is only about 5mm thick with a strong metal body. Though it is an aquired taste- buttons are not really in the places you would expect and it is virtually impossible to take a photo without covering the lens with your finger

Such a shame- manufacturers seem to go through stages of having well designed ranges then having nowhere else to go with that look, re-design them, usually for the worse. Sony's previous range- even the cheapest ones were very stylish. See also Panansonic's new range- from chic small and functional to big, ugly and plasticky looking

However, in terms of image quality, I find that Canon and Sony really stand out at most price points. In our shop we take sample pictures with many cameras when they released, and the sharpness and accurate colour balance of Canon and Sony Cameras are very hard to beat. We took one picture with Sony's DSC120 (around £250-£300 now discontinued) and it beat a Digital SLR(around £800) we were testing hands down! Both were on full auto, so it was a fair test!

Canon image quality is also stunning, at any price point, and their new range of cameras are very slim and well designed.

I personally own a Pentax (Optio555) and I really love it, despite it being a bit of a brick, but I would still say Canon and Sony image quality is better. I bought the Pentax for a range of other reasons. Pentax's current range of cameras are also tiny and well designed.

One last thing to consider- Do NOT be put off by the word 'discontinued'! Manufacturers have gone crazy and are replacing ranges every 3-6 months! In many cases the discontinued model is superiour to the replacement- especially now that fast start-up times and vitually zero shutter lag (the time between pressing the shutter button and the camera actually taking the photo- used to be horrendous- measured in seconds!) are standard. There are very few improvements left to make, except for questionable re-designs. Even resolution seems to have levelled out at about 7M Pixels for a compact.

So I would buy a discontinued model every time- the price is usually about a third of the launch price- probably only a few months previously!

Had a few people mention the Canon Powershot series to me, the A75 and A85 and their subsequent replacements.
I'm looking for a dig. camera to do the basics and a few bits more in the 100-200 pound range, but i'd only really got o the top of that if it was an exceptional camera. I just something that takes good pics and doesn;t cost the earth, and as many gizmos on it as possible.

Someone also mentioned avoiding the Sony proprietry format mem cards and the SD (I think it was, may have been SM) because they don't have the range of memory at the top end and they don;t increase the mem available very often. I've heard compact flash is pretty good?

I wouldn't really choose a camera based on the card type it takes, unless you already have loads of one kind of card. They all do the same thing-store pictures, and/or data! And they all give exactly the same quality- it is just binary code they are storing after all.

Choose the camera, then buy the card type it uses.

Having said all that...In terms of reliability, from personal experience, the only cards that have ever lost data and got corrupted by, say faulty hardware, eg a card reader, or careless storage, have been SD cards (Ironically *Secure*Digital). And it has happened several times in different situations with different hardware, and different cards and makes.

However, I've been using my SD fed camera heavily for over a year now, and never had a single problem. Also, the majority of cameras out there use SD cards.
2nd cheapest to buy.

SM cards (smart media)- ignore- no current models use SM

XD. Very small and easy to lose/wash in trousers, but otherwise- no problems. are usually slightly more expensive (used to be almost double the price of SD or CF, but not anymore).
Used mainly by Olympus and Fuji.

CF (compact flash). Bulkiest of the cards and subsequently used in larger cameras. Definately the most robust and the cheapest. Unlike all of the other card types, the contact terminals are inside the card, so you can virtually jump up and down on it on a muddy floor and it will be OK. (that said, a friend of mine put his SD card through the wash.. twice, and it was fine as well)

Only thing to be very careful about with CF is NOT TO FORCE THE CARD IN THE WRONG WAY! The number of cameras we've seen with bent internal pins...

Either camera you mention would be an excellent choice for your purposes. They both have extended manual controls as well as full Auto, so lots to experiment with. And as i said above, picture quality on Canon's is superb.

The A85 has a flip-out screen though, which you either love or hate. I love it because you can take shots above crowds, or low down shots of the tide comimg in without lying down, and also of yourself by twisting the screen into various positions.

The screen can also be closed against the camera to protect it from scratches when not in use.

Only negative point is that this type of screen makes the camera more bulky.

Note; other camera makes an models have flip-out screens as well- notably the Pentax Optio 750, but this is much more expensive.

Ohhh, I forgot about memory sticks

A confusing array of different names for Memory sticks. You have memory stick; Duo/pro/select/proDuo..

I could go into extreme detail, but suffice to say, just choose the camera and then get the right card for it.

Used by Sony, however some other manufacturers can take them now- Samsung, for example.

Don't worry about brand- most probably come out of the same factory anyway. No reason to buy Sony branded- they are significantly more expensive, just for the Sony name. Sandisk is the most widly sold make and carry a 5 year warranty.

If you buy a camera that uses any of the above, ask me and i'll explain the differences, but i've written enough for now!

Oh, and I should clarify that when i said;

"the only cards that have ever lost data and got corrupted by, say faulty hardware, eg a card reader, or careless storage, have been SD cards"

I meant the only cards in my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE (in case the lawers are reading), not the only cards ever, anywhere, to get corrupted!!

well, I bought my camera yesterday. Got a Canon A520. Very happy with it, got a free 128M mem card with it too. The supplied alkaline batteries are already nearly dead surprise!
But yes, very gadgety. Not entirely sure why a camera needs to have start up sounds and background piccies and so forth. But there ya go.

Hi Teasswill

I got a Kodak digital camera "easy share" with my new pc last year.

Kodak website kept sending me updates, which I did. Camera works perfectly but remember to replace batteries with something like Duracell gold, as the flash won't work with cheap batteries.

Unfortunately I had problems and did a complete reinstall, then the Kodak softwear wouldn't work. I tried to get help from the website but it kept telling me that I was trying to reinstal the program after I had removed the softwear

It still won't let me upload my pictures so I (when the memory card is full) take it to Asda's, and download them onto a disc and bring it home and take my photos off that.

Fuji is a good all round make but so Kodak ones are cool.

I decided to get a Nikon 5600. So far, so good, it looks as if it will do just what I want & a bit more if I want that too!

Getting it set up with my PC didn't go very smoothly, but I think it's sorted now.

I bought a Canon G6 earlier this year to plug the gap between my point and shoot Yashica T5 and my EOS50 and it is an excellent camera - there is a an excellent net site where you can buy it for £350 you have to go for a "7 day shop" search.

The thing I like about it is the RAW format on the pictures it is a 7Megapixel CCD but ti was the rest of the camera that sold me. Genreally Canons have the best pictrue quality but area little slower at focussing than others.

I would also recommend the Powershot A95 which is also an excellent camera.

>>remember to replace batteries with something like Duracell gold, as the flash won't work with cheap batteries.<<

Caution: Duracell batteries are not a good idea. Because of their power,and the way the battery operates, compared to rechargeables, the manufacturers do not recommend them for regular use, only for emergency purposes. Burn-out can occur with constant use. Better to have 2 lots of charged rechargeables than risk the likelyhood of damaging, or even worse destroying your Camera. I have had this advice from a number of manufacturers. On that point and FYI, the same applies to wall and alarm clocks.

You have been warned!

Yes, I would also recommend only using rechargables for a digital camera, but do *not* buy the cheapest set you can find, and do *not* use some old manky charger you've had for ions- buy battery and charger in one pack. Old chargers wont charge modern batteries to their full capacity.

Make sure the batteries show a mah rating of at least 2000mah. You can buy up to 2500mah now. If you can't see the rating on the battery anywhere or they cost less than around £15(shop price), they will probably be rubbish.

1800mah or less just wont last 5 minutes.

Another reason to use rechargables is environmental Even if you only use your camera a few times a week, by the end of a year you'll have a pile of dead batteries this high..

(and you'll have spent a small fortune)