Help with buying camera!

[flank0]

Hi im fairly new to this forum & a keen fisherman, but couldnt help notice the photpgraphy colums...wow!!! some nice pictures in here, i bet those cameras were like 1,000 each...

 

anyhow im looking to buy a descent digital camera for pictures of fish,wildlife,or anything that looks worthy of taking a pic of whilst im out fishing , could u guys help with getting the best for my money, prefere not to use ebay, just a web shop will do, or a camera name & model etc, as atm im using a cheap digital camera called jenoptik jd c 2.1lcd really cheap cost me like 40 quid.....pictures are reasonable but i feel that im wasting ink and photo paper when i do pictures of fish etc. so could someone who knows what they are talking about help me find the best for my money & for my needs im interested in your thought and views on this matter & will take them very seriously ,will £200 be enough for stunning pictures? or bit higher?

 

My dad has a nice nikon 5.1 pixels 5900 coolpix & have seen the pics from it, but i wonder if there's anything slightly better for around 200 or maybe a bit more.& a nice built in video capture would be nice!!

 

forgot to mention as im new to photos's il need something point and click no adjusting of focus etc, & something i can set on a timer as when im fishing i can set it to take the pic whilst i pick up the fish and get infront of the camera quick!!

 

any help much appreciated....thankew.

Edited August 12, 2006 by flank0

[flank0]

i was looking at some camera's what do you make of this 1? camera

 

 

or this 1 camera 2

Edited August 12, 2006 by flank0

[Cameraman]

I'm no expert, but the first looks easier to use, but the second possibly better quality, more features, so better in long run. My instinct would be to go with the Nikon.

[Steve Burke]

Firstly, if you're taking photos in poor light (and many anglers do so) I'd suggest you buy a camera with "focus assist". Without this feature such photos may not be sharply focussed.

 

Secondly, as you want to take self-portraits I'd recommend you look at cameras with screens that you can flip round so that you can see yourself holding a fish. They really do make the whole process a lot easier, and I wouldn't buy another camera for fishing without this facility. In fact with many of the Canon models you can even set it up so that the self-timer is delayed for anything up to 30 seconds, and then take up to 10 photos without returning to the camera! I find this very useful indeed for fishing.

 

The camera that has all the above features and fits your budget best is the Canon Powershot A620. It can be bought online from £149.95 including carriage. Go to http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/photography/d...s/452832/prices

 

It has 7 megapixels and a 4x zoom. It takes inexpensive AA batteries and doesn't eat them up as quickly as many of its competitors.

 

Spending only £150 on the camera will leave you some money over to buy 2 sets of rechargeable batteries plus a charger, and also a larger memory card. Unless you've already got one you will of course need a tripod for self-portraits.

 

These cameras have had rave reviews. There are links to these reviews and other price comparison sites in the Links Vault on this forum. go to http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=58897

 

P.S. I forgot to add that these cameras are very easy to use as you can set them on fully auto so that you just point and shoot. However they've got full manual override if you want to later go that route.

Edited August 14, 2006 by Steve Burke

[flank0]

hey thanks!! the canon seems to have good reviews too 10/10. nice.

 

I like the way you converted my fishing needs into a camera. (movable lcd screen ) good spotting! as i have some nightmares trying to find angler's t take my pic using my old old crummy camera

 

especially when i caught my pb of 17 pound friday!!

 

Price wise that camera is good, is purely gadgets a good place to buy it from or is there another good place with extra's such as il need a tripod & carry case i think for fishing. im trying to find the full package with everything i need.

 

its a pitty that shop is out of stock !

Edited August 13, 2006 by flank0

[Steve Burke]

Pricerunner give a rating for customer satisfaction for each of the retailers. Gadgets come up very high, but as you say are currently out of stock.

 

If you can't find this model at a suitable price the A610 is essentially the same but has only 5 megapixels. This is plenty unless you're intending to do big blow-ups or a lot of cropping. I recommended the A620 only because the lowest price seemed to be less than the A610.

 

The rotating screen feature really is an eye-opener and apart from self-portraits is so useful for close-ups and candid photos. It also means that the screen is folded away and protected when not in use. Once you've used one it's odds-on that you'll never buy another camera without one!

 

The advanced self-timer on many current Canon cameras means that you don't need to fiddle around with or spend money on cable releases or remote controls. It speeds up trophy shots so is good for fish welfare too.

 

I also like the fact it takes inexpensive AA batteries that are available almost anywhere in the world - and won't be discontinued when the camera is old.

 

BTW, don't bother buying a Canon case but get a cheaper brand - they're just as good. For cases, batteries, chargers, memory cards and tripods either try eBay or somehere like 7 Day Shop at http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=777 Alternatively you may get a good package deal from the web site you buy the camera from.

Edited August 13, 2006 by Steve Burke

[flank0]

i thought you meant the canon a620 it has 7 million pixels..... the a 610 only has 5 mill... a 620 better?

 

think il go for the A620 A good choice steve? this is the link to soe packages tell me what you think. canon a620

Edited August 13, 2006 by flank0

[Steve Burke]

Sorry, I'm dog tired this morning. I'd already spotted the mistake and was correcting it as you posted. See my revised post above.

[flank0]

Thats ok mate, i allready clicked on to what you did so i wont go wrong with the a620 then steve? at 7 mill pixels it should be sharp and clear? im new to camera's just want to be satisfyed when i get it as i said my dad has nthe nikon with 5 mill pixels & the pics are pretty good, but wondered if the 7 mill would be better for wild life pics & fish pics. im going to order the A 620 if you think it's a good choice. but i saw a review that the shutter was a bit slow on this camera, would that affect moving things?

Edited August 13, 2006 by flank0

[flank0]

iv ordered it right away as there is a deal today , order a bundle for 189 pound and get free binocoluars hehe....

 

thanks for the help, its ordered should be with me tuesday

Edited August 13, 2006 by flank0