totally off topic, but i am looking to purchase a new digital camera. not a video camera, but a normal everday point and click camera. and i know absolutely nothing about them. and it seems that most everyone on here uses one for pics and posting advice, etc. anyway, anything i should look out for or avoid? any recommendations?

by the way, i work for sony so i can get one from them at cost. anyone have a sony digital camera that they would highly recommend?

 

Sony Cyber shot is a great camara has a huge screen and nice and thin easy to use software very nice but pricey. Since you work for sony that shouldn't be a problem.

 

Nothing beats an SLR camera... I'm talking myself out of one for now... but not for long. They start at the $700 range and go way up. Sony only has one that I know of, the Sony CyberShot DSC-R1 for $900. Just as an FYI, I'd love to know what you could buy that one for. I'm loyal to Nikon so I'm not thinking about it... just like to know.

Point and shoot... stick with Sony since you have the inside deal. The higher the mega pixels the better if you didn't know that. Other than that, ignore digital zoom. It's crap. Always read the optical zoom.

What about the Sony CyberShot DSC-N1? It's 8 mega pixels with an ISO of 64-800. Very nice camera for about $450. That would be top of the line for you.

 

ill check on the prices tomorrow. but the dsc-n1 looks to be just about what im looking for. probably more than i need but so is everything else that i buy. and the iso 64-800??? what in the world is that??? im camera dumb. just like im computer stupid. and why is digital zoom crap? do the cameras usually come with the software that i will need or will that need to be purchased separately?

oh. and you can check out the sony products at www.sonystyle.com

 

hey heres a site thats sell cameras, way cheaper than bestbuy..... www.bhvideo.com

 

NINE2NINE, you asked for it... Digital zoom is the same as blowing an image up on your computer, they distort and look like crap. All cameras come with something to get the pics on a PC. The software.... you can find on the net for free. I'm using photo shop CS that I got for the low, low price of free.

ISO is a measurement of films sensitivity to light. Most things in digital are translated to terms used in normal film photography. The scale is from 6 to 6400. Try buying either of those... the norm you see in stores are 100 - 800 and maybe up to 1600. I've used 12 up to 6400 as a student and 100 to 1600 professionally. In a former life, I did photography for a local paper and I shot for an East Coast League hockey team (Huntington Blizzards). Just to give you a background.

The lower the number equals a more light sensitive setting and better quality still shots. The higher numbers (stay below 800) and you have faster action shots. If you're taking pics of the bike/kids in the back yard with bright lighting... go with a low setting of 64 or 100. The pictures will turn out sharper and produce better enlargements. If you make it to a GP race... I'd pre-set at 800 depending on the light conditions. The camera will be able to use faster shutter speeds and stop more action.


All of this ties into the F# or aperture setting on your camera lens. This is why, one of the many reasons, SLR are better. You can upgrade the lens. The F# you see on the camera is also a light sensitive setting. French scale like everything else. The smaller number equals more light. This is where you start getting out of the "point and shoot" mode. The aperture setting (F#) on the lens can be changed for a few reasons, but the two you can play with are filed of focus and subject speed.

1. Field of focus. Ever notice in some pictures that the background is a blur of colors and the subject is sharp and some everything is in focus? This is your field of focus. Most pro photographers call a 200mm lens with a low f# a portrait lens. Why the hell do you need a zoom lens for portraits? This allows you play with the filed of focus. Go with a low aperture setting like F2 to F3 and 200mm. This will separate your subject from the background and foreground. The only things that will be in focus will be few feet around the actual image/subject you focus on. If you go with a higher setting, F8 or F16... everything will be in focus and you can stop the wings on a humming bird with high ISO filmsetting. I have several pics where I was on my laying on my back on a flight deck shooting at helos (SH-60s... same thing as a Blackhawk) and stopped the blades perfect. IMO this looks out of place. You have all of the skittles (multi color jackets the flight deck crews wear) walking around the flight deck and you have a helo that looks like it's not moving while it's a hundred feet off deck. Choose you settings with that in mind, some blur is good.

2. Subject/action. Change the For all of you that have adjustable cameras, you can take great pics of the kids playing soccer/football. RTFM, I mean read the book that came with the camera and figure out how to use Aperture priority mode. Next set you F# to a high setting and your camera will automatically pick the fastest shutter speed and stop little Johnny right before he kicks that winning goal. If the subject/action is not moving, go with a lower F# and you can have great enlargements.

4X6 and 5X7 pics usually look good with whatever settings you use, it's when you start enlarging them, that's when you see the difference in F# setting and shutter speed. I've taken pictures at a car show using medium format (4"X4" negative film, not 35mm) and blow the image up on a wall. The image was about three times life size and 15' away. You could read the psi setting on the tires.

If all of this is too much.... you can leave it on the P setting for program/auto

 

nice write up don

 

Thanks... I tried to keep it simple and not use complex terms. I forgot that we have a couple photographers on here. Maybe I should have let them answer this... but I think I did I decent job of it.

 

thanks don! now i have something to relate to when im looking at all the settings and adjustability on the cameras. there is a local digital photography shop in town that im going to go down to tomorrow so i can talk to them and see, feel, and play around with some of the models that i am considering. that way i know what im getting before i pay for it. thanks again