02-03-2003, 08:57 PM
[size 4][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Tomegun,[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Interesting that you should asked this question. I, like you, have never owned a digital camera and am a bit of a novice. But, I have been researching them and talking with friends and sales people since before Christmas. The sales people at Inkleys are WAY tired of seeing me come through the door to ask more questions. I have now set my mind on a Minolta - Dimage S404 ... $400 and hope to order it over the internet this week (saving $30 in taxes). Because I will have done my homework and because I know the prices are bound to go down, I will pay the money and NOT look back.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]http://www.ritzcamera.com/[url "http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=7801581&topCategory=1003&cat1=1009"][/url][url "http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=7801581&topCategory=1003&cat1=1009"][/url][url "http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=7801581&topCategory=1003&cat1=1009"][/url][/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Originaly I was going to buy a less expensive ($300) camera but I changed my mind. Here is why I will be getting the Minolta S404:[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]4 million pixels[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]4 x glass optical zoom[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]There are several other features that are of interest to me in this camera but pixels and optical zoom are the main ones. The 4 meg pixels allows for cropping and zooming without loss of detail. And, as PHooper said, allows you to print pictures larger (much larger) than 3x5 without loosing clarity.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]As for the 4 power optical zoom (that's the lenses that move in and out), I'll be taking lots of pictures that are more than just close-ups of fish. I suspect that I will want to "zoom" in on the wild life around me while out on the waters.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Optical zoom (not to be
with digital zoom) and the number of pixels are the two things that raise the price of a digital camera the quickest.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]But honestly, the more I think about it, if just taking pictures of fish is all you will be using it for, the only thing to make sure you do is to get a 3 mega pix camera. There are a lot of nice pictures posted that came from 2 meg pix camers but I would still stick with 3 or higher. JMHO[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Once we get our new digital cameras, we'll have to talk one of the BFT moderators into providing a link to some good helpful instructions on "how to include pictures within your post". Maybe there is already one out there.[/size][/font][/size]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Interesting that you should asked this question. I, like you, have never owned a digital camera and am a bit of a novice. But, I have been researching them and talking with friends and sales people since before Christmas. The sales people at Inkleys are WAY tired of seeing me come through the door to ask more questions. I have now set my mind on a Minolta - Dimage S404 ... $400 and hope to order it over the internet this week (saving $30 in taxes). Because I will have done my homework and because I know the prices are bound to go down, I will pay the money and NOT look back.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]http://www.ritzcamera.com/[url "http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=7801581&topCategory=1003&cat1=1009"][/url][url "http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=7801581&topCategory=1003&cat1=1009"][/url][url "http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=7801581&topCategory=1003&cat1=1009"][/url][/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Originaly I was going to buy a less expensive ($300) camera but I changed my mind. Here is why I will be getting the Minolta S404:[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]4 million pixels[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]4 x glass optical zoom[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]There are several other features that are of interest to me in this camera but pixels and optical zoom are the main ones. The 4 meg pixels allows for cropping and zooming without loss of detail. And, as PHooper said, allows you to print pictures larger (much larger) than 3x5 without loosing clarity.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]As for the 4 power optical zoom (that's the lenses that move in and out), I'll be taking lots of pictures that are more than just close-ups of fish. I suspect that I will want to "zoom" in on the wild life around me while out on the waters.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Optical zoom (not to be
with digital zoom) and the number of pixels are the two things that raise the price of a digital camera the quickest.[/size][/font] [font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]But honestly, the more I think about it, if just taking pictures of fish is all you will be using it for, the only thing to make sure you do is to get a 3 mega pix camera. There are a lot of nice pictures posted that came from 2 meg pix camers but I would still stick with 3 or higher. JMHO[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Once we get our new digital cameras, we'll have to talk one of the BFT moderators into providing a link to some good helpful instructions on "how to include pictures within your post". Maybe there is already one out there.[/size][/font][/size]
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