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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Your Top 5 Camera features
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11/05/2002 10:16:19 AM · #1
Pete and I are in the process of deciding which camera to buy ourselves for Christmas! :)

I am compiling a list of must have and would be nice to have features to better be able to compare all the different models out there.

To help me along can you tell me what are the 5 features of your camera which you feel are most important in terms of making it better than another model you might have bought, or which you find yourself really pleased the camera has.

Please also include model of camera you're talking about (if it's not the one shown by your username).

Alternatively just share your ideas for features I should consider or not worry about!

THANKS in advance!

PS The kind of things I am thinking of so far:
--A camera with fully automatic, fully manual, shutter priority and aperture priority exposure modes
--Exposure +/- buttons
--lens range (preferably with comparison to 35mm lens ranges e,g, 28mm)
--ISO range
--resolution
--in camera compression options and quality
--multiple exposure facility
--bracketing
--viewfinder design
--LCD quality
--ease of deleting pictures as go
--focus - can I focus manually? Can I lock exposure and move camera before shooting at locked focus?
--which kind of memory sticks does the camera take
--price
--Can I attach cable release, tripod, flash?
--Is there a timed delay option

THANKS
Kavey
11/05/2002 10:39:34 AM · #2
The main items I look for in a digital camera...

* low noise in high-ISO shots and long exposures
* shutter release settings for at least 30 seconds
* bulb (ability to keep the shutter open as long as you want manually)
* color accuracy
* sharp, contrasty, colorful images

I chose the Fuji FinePix S2 Pro (not cheap, but among the best)
//www.s2pro.com (just a little plug for my website) :)

Shawn
11/05/2002 11:07:11 AM · #3
One of my favorite features of my new camera is the longevity of the battery. I'm supposedly able to get between 500-1000 shots on one charge, which I think is incredible! I have only charged the battery a couple times so far, and I've really only done it out of paranoia...
11/05/2002 11:18:19 AM · #4
My attempt at an opinionated list:

1/What are you planning on using the pictures for, internet use
only or 4x6 prints, then 2Mp is probably enough. 8x10 prints you
probably want closer to 4Mp. Not a hard and fast rule but think
about what you want to use the pictures for.

2/Controlability: Aperture priority, shutter priority and manual exposure modes if you need it/ want to learn how to control your pictures more.

3/ Accessory lens support (macro/ polariser etc)

4/ Memory format - is it a standard - compact flash is going to be larger capacity / cheaper than any other format

5/ Batteries - must support recharging in one way or another. These things drink power.

6/ zoom - digital zoom is worthless - is the optical zoom good enough for what you want

7/ camera flash hot shoe. On-camera flashes are a waste of space, other than for fill light.

8/ Tripod mount - vital for decent pictures.

9/ Manual focus on an LCD screen is largely pointless/ gimmicky.

10/ Bulb mode would be nice for fireworks/ stars. Not useful otherwise.

11/ LCD tilt/ swivel is nice for weird angle shots/ tripod setup for
macros - I use this a lot.
11/05/2002 11:48:42 AM · #5
Here is the full list I already had:

Make
Model
Price
Zoom Widest
Zoom Longest
Macro
Expressed as Optical Zoom
Automatic Exposure
Fully Manual Exposure
Aperture Priority
Shutter Priority
Exposure +/- buttons
Multiple Exposure Facility
Exposure Lock
Bracketing
Open shutter (v long exposure) possible
Type of light metering mechanism
Time Delay option
Auto-focus light
Manual Focus
Focus Lock
Type of focus mechanism
ISO Range
Resolution
In-camera compression options and quality
Viewfinder Design
LCD Quality
Ease of viewing stored pictures
Ease of deleting pictures
Memory card type
Comes with how much memory
Can I attach cable release
Can I attach tripod
Can I attach flash
White light
Lens attachments possible/ available
Filter attachment possible
Battery type/ length/ recharging info




Gordon
I have been using an SLR since I was 12 so I am hoping to retain much of the control it gives me - I agree re digital zoom and am not even including it in the list - not relevant to me - I would ideally like a similar range to my main SLR lens which is 28mm to 135mm sigma but I doubt will find that. I think the Minolta Dimage 7i has a good lens in that respect.
I want to be able to print up to 8x10 should I decide to, but won't often. Whilst I'll mostly use pics on the web at just 72dpi I know I'll want to retain the option to print at a reasonable size.

I remember someone talking about white light something or other... what's that.

PS THANKS for all responses so far - very helpful.
11/05/2002 12:10:44 PM · #6
Sony Cybershot DSC-F707:

This is the 5 things i like most and that helped me decide to buy this model:

5 megapixel resolution - more pixels is better. If you want prints, you can't have too much resolution.

Priority and Manual Modes - This camera is not SLR, but it has aperture and shutter priority, as well as fully manual and fully automatic control, just like an slr. Being able to control these aspects of the exposure are vital to me.

Macro capability - The F707 has one of the best macro capabilities of any digital camera I have ever seen. It will focus on something that is practically touching the lens. Since I shoot a lot of macro photos (or photos where the subject is closer than 4 feet away), macro mode was very important to me.

Tilt LCD - I have been able to take photos that would have been practically impossible to compose with a fixed lcd viewfinder. You can get angles with this feature that are sometimes quite amazing...

Low Noise Factor - The F707 makes GREAT shots in low light environments. The autofocus has a 'hologram AF' feature that illuminates darkly lit subjects with a laser pattern to help the autofocus function correctly. Image noise is practically non existant.

**********

Zoom is not that important to me. My camera has 5x optical / 10x digital zoom. I have turned the digital zoom off because I rarely need it and digital zoom degrades image quality. The quality of the optics on the F707 (Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar) are EXCELLENT. Large zoom factors are not as important to me with 5 megapixel resolution also. I can crop a smaller piece out of the full image to blow it up to size without much trouble at all.

Ergonomically, the F707 is not the best camera in the world. It took me a few weeks to get used to it, but I really like it now. It's NOT light weight, compared to some models, and it won't fit in your shirt pocket :) Compact cameras were not what i was looking for. I did not want to trade off the features I have for a compact model.

I paid $999 for mine, but it is currently on sale for $799 until stock runs out. They have replaced it with the 717 model that sells for $999.


11/05/2002 12:35:18 PM · #7
Originally posted by Kavey:
Here is the full list I already had:

White light

Gordon

I remember someone talking about white light something or other... what's that.


White balance. Lets the camera compensate for different lighting conditions/ light temperatures. Was handled in the film world by
using different films. You want a camera with a few white balance
pre-sets and also the ability to set the custom balance. The custom
balance is most useful in mixed lighting situations, where you may
have multiple light sources of different colour temperatures. You can
then use a reference card to set the white balance (or just use something white if you are less concerned about truely accurate colours) and avoid any weird colour casts (e.g., green from sodium lights)

One of the key features for me for the Canon tools is that you can do
all this white balance stuff in the conversion software, if you shoot
in RAW mode - means you can correct mistakes much more easily, and the
RAWs tend to be about 1/3rd the size of TIFF modes in other cameras.

11/05/2002 12:39:19 PM · #8
When I looked to buy a camera I ended up with a short-list of
3 cameras: The Canon G2, the Nikon coolpix 995 and the Sony
DSC-F707

The reasons I chose the G2 were basically negatives against the
other two:

The Nikon (and general advice before you buy based on online info)
is _horrible_ in the hand. It felt nasty, cheap, ugly and not
something I wanted to use. All I recommend here is make sure you spend
some time actually touching the camera you are thinking of buying
before you get it. Many people love the coolpix split body -
its a personal thing.

The Sony: I would have bought this if it didn't require the sony
memory sticks, which tie you into an expensive, under-performing and
lower-capacity memory technology. Open standards breed innovation/
price competition. Other than that it seems to be an excellent
camera.
11/05/2002 01:22:22 PM · #9
w/out reading through all the above suggestions, here are some things i would consider (they are not all true for my current camera). sorry if i'm duplicating.

flexible LCD ... important for me because i often try and get that odd angle on things

zoom time and shutter delay ... often the bugs are gone by the time i get the photo taken ...

zoom (optical) ... just something i like to have

lens/filter attachment capabilities.

good luck choosing the right camera for you! :)
11/05/2002 02:35:01 PM · #10
Fast autofocus & manual focus
Good 6x - 10x optical zoom / thread for Teleconverter
Quality optics
Low shutter lag
High number of frames per second at full resolution

AA-batteries
CF2 slot
11/05/2002 03:16:05 PM · #11
Originally posted by Azrifel:
Fast autofocus & manual focus
Good 6x - 10x optical zoom / thread for Teleconverter
Low shutter lag
High number of frames per second at full resolution



These are certainly true for sports/ action type photography,
but not so neccessary for other usage.
11/05/2002 03:40:36 PM · #12
Well John already talked about most of the features on the F707 but I will add a few more.

The infolithium battery that tells you exactly how much battery time in minutes is remaining. This has proved to be very helpful. It is also a very long lasting battery that is rechargable in or out of the camera.

The design of the camera allowing the body to swivel independently of the lens. This is very nice for use on a tripod because you can swivel the LCD and the electronic viewfinder so either one is convenient to use. The tripod socket is located beneath the lens to allow for this function.

While using the manual focusing ring the image can be magnified 2x's to critically focus.

If you are focusing automatically the display will brighten temporarily to adjust for dark lighting situations.

The movie mode is pretty good and what's nice is that you can still use the extremely quiet zoom while in movie mode. With most cameras you can't.

The exposure compensation button is very conveniently located next to the shutter release not buried in a menu like many cameras.

Oops, that's more than five features. As you can tell I really like this camera.

T


11/05/2002 04:19:33 PM · #13
Well... um... my camera can take 12 10 second movies.
Which doesn't help me alot.
It also works as a webcam, does that count for anything?

As you can tell I have a cheap $100 camera that my dad got me at WalMart for a grad gift. ;) I reccomend something better than my camera. The one feture I wish mine had right now was a macro setting. Or at the very least a manual focus.
11/05/2002 04:35:52 PM · #14
LOL Gracechild - I know the feeling - our current camera is a real cheapy and gives NO control of anything at all other than the direction you point the thing in!

Thanks for all the advice so far - any others with other ideas - also with feedback on which elements you find most important and why in your own use...
11/05/2002 04:59:02 PM · #15
One of the things people tend to forget is the lens quality. If you get a SLR, that's obviously your own concern, but with any other type its important to get the best. Even more so when you plan to use tele or wide converters.

I know that there are no real bad lenses mounted on quality digicams. But it's a point you should consider. There are quite some differences in lens sensitivity too. Both important enough I should think!
11/05/2002 05:02:02 PM · #16
I bought my current digital camera a few weeks ago, after reading a lot of indepentent reviews about all kind of cameras.
Besides that, I also went to a huge media-store where they had all recent camera's available, so I could actually hold the cameras in my hand to get a quick impression how they feel and work.

I went for the Fuji Finepix S602, not because it is the best camera around, but because it is sold for a resonable price and has got all the features that I was looking for:
- Very good Macro-capabilities
- Fully automatic upto fully manual control (aperture, shuutertime and focus)
- Fast autofocus and low shutterlag
- Light weight
- Capable to use external flash
- Capable to use filters and add-on lences
- Usage of rechargable AA-batteries
- Usage of both Smartmedia and Compactflash or Microdrive

I've been using it for a few weeks now and although there are some issues that need to be improved (like AF in low light conditions and a good indication of the battery-status) I'm very happy with it so far.

I think it's very important that you should look around the web for independent resources and consumertests. What I've learned during my research is that owners almost always seem to praise their own cameras while being negative about the others.
11/05/2002 05:35:12 PM · #17
Remie--Have you taken any Quick Time movies with your camera? Your cameras 30 frames a sec.should make great looking movies.
Bill.
11/05/2002 06:19:50 PM · #18
I think it's very important that you should look around the web for independent resources and consumertests. What I've learned during my research is that owners almost always seem to praise their own cameras while being negative about the others.
[/i]

This isn't true. I like John Setzler's camera ;- )

T


11/05/2002 07:15:16 PM · #19
I've noticed that there hasn't been much mention of an electronic viewfinder. I guess you either love them or hate them. I think they are great because all the information about your shot is readily available.

Even though my camera is only a 2 megapixel the one thing I really love the 10x stabilized zoom.
11/05/2002 10:16:18 PM · #20
Some of the things I really like (and use often) about my G2:

Important:
*never have to remove the battery or memory (just plug in the camera)
*good optical zoom
*Shutter Speed & Aperture Priority modes (A MUST)
*ability to attach filters (macro, polarizer, tele, UV filter for lens protection)
*hot shoe (420ex flash made a HUGE difference in indoor shots)
*self timer
*macro mode
*4 megapixels

Helpful:
*remote control (great for self portraits or group shots you want to be in)
*Swivel LCD (makes it a LOT easier to take pictures down low, up high, on a tripod etc)

Cool but not necessary:
movie mode
panorama mode
continuous shooting mode
ISO range (mainly keep it on 50)

What I wish I had:
bulb mode (didn't think I'd need it but have come up with a lot of ideas that I just can't do)
11/11/2002 04:14:04 AM · #21
Many thanks again for this feedback - we're narrowing the list down with your help.

We're aiming to narrow down to 3-4 models which we will then need to see, feel and try out before making a decision.

Will probably have a few more questions for users of those models after that.

Thanks again for your help and time, much appreciated.

Kavey
11/11/2002 06:45:44 AM · #22
- for me Iso range is very important ... even if it's grainy, you can get a shot done at Iso 800 when you do not have a flash or a tripod available or if you could not do it.

- on my s30 I have to remove the battery to charge it , but not critical for me , not a criteria of choice at all

- Priority aperture and speed are very important

- Native macro is important to me. the s30 is poor on that, all the canon seems to be good.

Lionel
11/11/2002 06:48:19 AM · #23
then you have to balance ... there is some shot that I am happy I have done ... the s30 is almost always in my pocket I do apreciate that.

I would like to have a dimage 7 or nikon 5700 .. I will probably have one but ... it would not be always in my pocket ....

So far if I would buy one I think I would go for the dimage 7hi .... For a long zoom I think it's important to be able to have a ring on the zoom to set the focal, not only a lectronic one like on the nikon 5700.

Good luck ... and let us know when your choice narrow !
11/11/2002 08:11:15 AM · #24
Will do Lionel!
And Minolta's Dimage 7i and the Nikon Coolpix 5700 are both still on the list as is the F717 and another couple...
11/15/2002 01:14:43 PM · #25
I want to thank everyone for their kind advice.
Today we purchased the Minolta Dimage 7i.
We went in to a good camera shop and played around with the 3 choices we had narrowed it down to.
The Sony felt wrong in our hands - to hold it as felt comfortable meant our thumbs obscured the LCD! It just didn't feel right and controls were not instinctive for us.
Nikon 5700 Felt good in the hand, and we did like it's swivel LCD. Negative points were difficulty (comparatively) of accessing controls - too menu driven for our preferences, and lack of wide angle (starts at 35mm). Though we liked that it went to 280 we didn't want to lose wide.
The Minolta felt great in the hand, controls felt instinctive, we both prefer the telephoto operated by ring than rock button. Manual focus ring felt right too. We liked the range of the lens too. Only negative was that LCD doesn't swivel, though the viewfinder does in one direction, and thinking about the way we use cameras, we decided that was sufficient. Easy to view and delete shots once taken. Also, although it eats battery fast - we like being able to just buy a load of high power AA batteries from 7dayshop.com and take them along so that even if we have no access to recharging facilities we aren't stuck.
Anyway, I think this will work out well for us, and want to thank all of you who gave us some input above.
Kavey (& Ganders/ Pete)
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