Digital Camera Questions

[Data]

Looking for a digital camera for the home. I want to use this camera instead of the 35mm. Price range: $275 - $325.

1) Will picture quality improve enough to buy a 3.0 mega over a 2.0 mega pix. I know the higher the better but is there a big difference between 2 and 3.

2) Has anyone tried the online printers of digital pics. I believe Wal-Mart along with other companies will now print a digital pic. Will the a 3.0 come out better than the 2.0 from the online printers.

I was looking at the Oly 560Z. Any suggestion on other models?

Thanks for the input,

Data.

 

[Ten Pointer]

Data,

Basically if you are making 4 x 6 prints a 2 mega pixel will do, anything larger a 3 mega pixel is going to come out better. Also if you are enlarging the more pixels the better. If I were you I would purchase the 3 mega pixel camera.

Epson makes a good photo printer.

I use Walmart to develop my prints. Its like 24 cents a print. Its cheap and they come out great.

 

[TxCowboy]

Glad to hear you are thinking about making the digital jump.

To answer your first question, yes the 3 mp is better and will deliever noticebly better prints than a 2 mp IF you shoot in a high enough resolution. Meaning this: if you take a 2 mp camera and choose the highest resolution option it will take 2 mp pictures. But if you buy a 3 mp camera and put it in a low resolution mode it might only be taking 2 mp photos also. See what I mean? If you don't use a fairly high res. mode in a 3 mp camera, all those extra mp aren't doing you any good. That being said, let me go further. I have 2 different Olypmus digitals. The D-490z which is a great 2.1 mp camera. I also have a C-2100, 2.1 mp camera. Both take great pictures when in SQ mode and prints up to 5x7 can be made and still be very very sharp and clean. A higher setting would allow for clean 8x10's. So yes it can be done on a 2 mp camera, however that is really a minimum. But for printing 4x6 and 5x7's, no you probably won't see much of a difference in a 2 vs 3 mp camera. I need to sell the D-490 because I use is so little. Problem is now, I can probably only get $200-$225 for it but I should sell it anyway.

Ok back to the subject.lol

I've heard great things about most all of the online photo printers. The Wal-mart online price is hard to beat and if you have them shipped to your local Wal-mart photo lab there is no shipping fee. I have all my digitals printed at Wal-mart one-hour on their big Fugi Frontier printer. It's probably the same printer that they use in the Wal-mart online printing but I don't know. The prints are .29 cents for 1-hr development which ain't bad at all.


Being an Olympus man myself, I think the 560 is a good choice in your price range. To be honest any of the D- series cameras are great. D-460 thru the current D-560 are all good and the only major differences besides appearance is the extra mp in the newer models. I know many people (including myself) who have had great luck with those models.

If you have any questions or if I've confused you more, let me know!

 

[Data]

Thanks for the info Ten Pointer and TxCowboy.

I think I will get the D560. I prefer to have the ability to get a 8x10 print if possible. I have a 2 year old daughter and sometimes they take such a cute picture that I have to get at least a 8x10 print.

Thanks, Data

 

[TxCowboy]

Sounds like a great choice Data! Let us know how you like it after you get it. And be sure to post some photos you take with it!

 

[deershed]

TxCowboy-You seem to know your Olympus digitals.I'm thinking about buying the Stylus 300.I can get the camera and battery charger for $399.00,with 3 yr. warranty on camera.I can get the D560 for $100.00 less,but figured I'd be getting a charger anyway.The 300 has the o-rings which I feel better about since I plan on using it outside more then indoors.
What do you think??

 

[TxCowboy]

Deershed, I've been looking over the specs on the 300 and the 560 and considering the weather proof case of the 300 and the deal that you can get, I think I'd buy it. Their are pluses and negatives to each of the cameras but they are really very similar cameras.

If I had to choose between the two cameras, I'd probably go with the 300 for one simple reason: it's smaller. The Stylus 300's dimensions are (3.9 x 2.2 x 1.3 in), while the D-560's are (4.3 x 2.3 x 1.6 in). That's not alot of difference but it's a small advantage because the 300 would easily fit in your pocket. I like my old D-490 but it's too bulky to carry in your pocket on vacation. I'm thinking about selling it and upgrading to something "pocketable". That all being said, smaller isn't always better, it just depends on what you are doing with it. I have the C-2100 and I wish it was even bigger. I love the feel of a full size SLR in my hands and I feel like I can hold it steadier. That is one reason I'm in the process of saving up for the Olympus E-10 or E-20 digital SLR.

Good luck and let me know what you get Deershed.

 

[duckdog]

I'm not an expert on digital cameras, but I wanted to tell you about mine. I use a Nikon coolpix775. It is a 2.1 megapixel and only weighs 6.5 oz. It's so small it fits in my pockets nicely. Last year I took it on vacation and I took over 700 photos. My Dad had his Canon digital and I had my camera. Mine took clearer and sharper photos. As for printing them out. I am satified with the quailty they print out. Even the 8x10's come out good. I paid around $400 a year ago, and now you can get it cheaper.

Dana

 

[BlackTimber]

Duckdog, are you a waterfowler? Just curious because of your call name?
Here is a pic of my Duckdog.

 

[deershed]

TxCowboy-thanks for your reply!! I went with the Stylus 300.I wasn't looking for anything fancy,just something I could take out with me on my many outdoor adventures.

I liked the fact this camera had the built in O-rings for that reason and with the 3yr.warrenty on all parts.I figured I couldn't go wrong!! I haven't had a chance to use it much yet.The pictures I did take I was pleased with.
I still like my old 35mm Cannon,had it for 20 some years and plan on still using it.
Here's a couple pics with the 300-Thanks again!!

 

[TxCowboy]

Deershed, glad to hear that you got the 300 and like it! The colors look good. I think it will be a great little pocket camera for you. Be sure to show us any good photos you get!

 

[duckdog]

Black Timber,
I don't know who likes duckhunting more. Me or the dogs. I enjoy being out in the marsh early in the morning waiting for shoot time. Since I bought my new dig camera, I have found pleasure in taking pictures with it while waiting. Here is the first picture I took with it out in the duck blind of my dog Smoky. This is from my Nikon coolpix 775. It's so easy to use.

Dana

 

[duckdog]

Deershed,

Your camera's pictures look good. What kind of plant/flower is that? For a 35mm camera all I will buy is Olympus. They make great cameras. I have never used their digitals, I have heard great things about them. And like TxCowboy said, "Be sure to show us any good photos you get!"

Dana

 

[deershed]

duckdog-the pics are a couple springs mushrooms before picking.The first pic I took was so I could post pic to find out what a proper name was of this mushroom.What I've always heard them called isn't a very decent name.

The second pic is of a morel mushroom,(corn cobb) that's what you hope to find.Find a pile of these and some good eating is on the way.

 

[TxCowboy]

Deershed, that is alot of mushrooms ..........or sponges.....whatever you want to call them.

I'm sorry but that doesn't look like anything I'd want to put in my mouth?he-he Seriously, I hear people talk about those mushrooms and some people get down right serious about going out and hunting them! I've never had one but I don't think I'm going to be out scratching around in the woods, fighting snakes and poison ivy for a mushroom!!!

 

[spectr17]

deershed,

boy I wish I would have found that bucketful of morels this spring when in Missouri. They look yummy.

TxCowboy,

Let's see you say that after swallering one of them delights.

 

[deershed]

spectr17-I'll second that one on saying that after trying a few of them.I'll fight the snakes or what ever just to find a few.

I found 14 more lbs. yesterday that looked just like this one.