+ cameras +

[flea]

Can anyone recommend a good camera? A friend of mine got this camera and I liked it. Can you recommend one that is similar or better for a better price? (he got his for $420 usd).


i am not into photography, yet. I would like to get into it for fun and to take pics of my kids growing up.

Any suggestions?

[vampstko]

hey flea click here
i use these folks whenever i buy anything online tons of cameras and good prices

[Dark_Opal]

Logitech (www.quickcam.com) And Creative labs (http://webcam.creative.com/) makes some really good one's. The creative one, snaps right off it's computer holder, and works as a portable camera and dictaphone too!

[flea]

these seem to be only Digital Cameras. I am looking for a 35mm unless you guys think that digital is the way to go!!

thx again!

[Dzine]

http://www.pentax.com/products/cameras/camera_slr.cfm

I use the zx-5n to shoot the majrity of my shots. The camera you pointed out is ok if youre are wanting FULL automation. However if you are ever wanting to controll your own exposures, you will be stuck.

The Zx-5 series cameras give you both. Automatic settings and manual controlls. With a flip of aswitch the camera goes from letting you controll to letting it controll.
It even goes half way. You can controll the shutter while it controlls the lense and the apature (spell check)
or vice versa.

The zx-m is a good one too without all the features. Its the classic k-1000 which aria and i both use as well but with the new sleek design and lcd screen.

http://www.adorama.com/

and

http://www.bhphotovideo.com

and the two most trusted places to buy from and they only places i shop for equipment.

However if you have a camera dealer like wolf they should carry these and they are trusted as well and you wont need shipping.

[vampstko]

Originally posted by flea
these seem to be only Digital Cameras. I am looking for a 35mm unless you guys think that digital is the way to go!!

thx again!

i'd go digital easy upload and can print the ones ya want along with bein able to store all pics to disk so chance of losing them or destroing them is a weee bit less

[flea]

dzine | the Z-M looks great, but i like the LCD display and i think i NEED auto focus

Is Pentax a good line of camera to get? Do you recommend another brand?

[Dzine]

digital or film is like the debate over macs vs pcs. It cant be answered.


If you do go digital and you want good shots the new olympus is what you need to go for. Its about 2000 but its the only 4 megapixle digital outthere under 10grand.

You can always later get a digital back for your slr and have the best of both worlds.

My only argument againsts digital cameras, to get one that gives you the quality of film usually costs a whole bunch more. But it just boils down to usr preference, noone can really answer this question for you.

Go out to some camera shops, test some cameras, IGNORE what the sales person says because hes trying to make a sale and see what camera works for you.
D

[flea]

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...9f192a42229c93

It's the pentax z-30 for only 300$..this doesn't sound too bad, eh?


I def. want to go with a film camera, not digital. I already have a cheap (but good enough) digital camera.

[flea]

adorama.com has it for 200$ WOW!!

[Dzine]

Originally posted by flea
dzine | the Z-M looks great, but i like the LCD display and i think i NEED auto focus

Is Pentax a good line of camera to get? Do you recommend another brand?

Yes I would go with the Pentax zx-5 0r 5n. You get all automation and still can go manual if you ever want to do something on your own. 5n kit thats what you need to order.

Pentax is as good as they come, just as good as cannon, nikon, and all the other names.

Maymia and Hasselblad are good ones too but they are gonna break it off in you with the price.

[Dark_Opal]

My father uses the Canon D-30 (http://www.powershot.com/powershot2/d30/index.html) to photograph very close to the eye. This camera is digital 3.11 megapixels, and has changable lenses (one of which zooms 400 times!). Definately recomended!

[Dzine]

Originally posted by flea
adorama.com has it for 200$ WOW!!

adorama and bnh are the cheapest places i know of and have great service.

the zx-30 is fine if your positive you wont ever want manual controlls. Its basically the 5n with out manual settings.


Make sure you can interchange lenses and youre set.

D

[flea]

okay, the 5n sounds great, but I don't know if it's worth the price if I can just get the zx-30.

What do you mean by manual controls? What is manual on the 5n that isn't on the zx30? Focus, aperture? what?

[rickot1]

If you are looking for a good EASY to use SLR camera like that pentax look at a Canon Rebel G 2000. I have a Rebel G and I love it. Its a very good starter camera because it will either do everything for you or you can go fully manual.

The Rebel G is the best selling SLR camera on the market too and probably the most common in general due to its excellent photo quality and easiness.
[Edited by rickot1 on 06-25-2001 at 01:31 PM]

[Dzine]

Originally posted by flea
okay, the 5n sounds great, but I don't know if it's worth the price if I can just get the zx-30.

What do you mean by manual controls? What is manual on the 5n that isn't on the zx30? Focus, aperture? what?

The difference is in automatic you get what the camera considers what the correct exposure for the setting is.
Now dont get me wrong, the incamera metering systems on todays cameras are top notch but they dont always set the exposure for the best picture. Like shutter speed (the time the film is exposed to light) apature setting, (how big the hole is in the lense to allow light through, think pupil in your eye) Automated cameras will sett both of these for you, but is some situtations what the camera thinks is correct will not be as good as setting it a little higher or lower.


So what does the manual have that you dont with automated?

The MAIN thing i can think of is (im not sure if the 30 can do this or not) is to override the autofocus on the camera.

Sure its great but you will find that in most cases that lense using its vertical and horizanal planes of focus wont be able to focus the image. It will not let you shoot unless its focused. Thats when you set the lense to manual and you tell the camera its focused.

You get the shutter settings i.e 1 sec 2 sec 15th/sec 30th/sec 60/sec etc etc instead of the little pictures that say ok for portraits put it in the face, for action put it on the guy jogging.

etc etc

You can set how the mamera meeters. This camera uses a six segment meetering system. (It probably has these other meter features as well) But not all instances require a full sex segment meetering. Spot meetering will be your best friend when you know ehen to use it.



Im not trying to sell you this camera, If you looking for a simple camera just to snap pictures with the 30 is a good buy.
But if you ever decide to do more with it youre gonna have to get another camera . Id also try ebay, used cameras arent to scary.

As for the cannon rebel g. I wouldnt recomend it. Ive read several reports in different magazines about metering and apature problems in this line. Not all of them have problems, but not all firestone tires blew either.

If you want a cannon try the elon series.


remember those prices you saw was probably for the body only, you still need a lense. These below are for camera, case, lense and a bit of other stuff.

Pentax
PXZX30KD Pentax ZX-30 Date Kit w/Pentax SMCP-FA 28-80 3.5/5.6, Case, Batteries & 5 year extended warranty $309.95



Pentax
PXZX5NKD Pentax ZX-5N Date Kit w/Pentax SMCP-FA 28-80 3.5/5.6, Case, Batteries & 5 year extended warranty $389.95




straight off adorama. The 23-80 zoom lense is all youll ever need for basic pictures.


Hope all this helps
D