Camera and printer suggestions, please

[Cheyenne]

I find myself without a camera now that mine bit the dust. It seems like a good opportunity to switch to digital, but I know squat about digital cameras or the printers used to print the pics.

I'm looking for suggestions from any one who has recently bought a digital camera and/or printer for pictures. I'd use it mostly for things like vacation pictures. Maybe for closeups of some of my collection pieces, too. Maybe even for online pics to share. *cough*

I'm not a professional photographer by any stretch of the imagination but I'd like a decent camera. Not a cheapo bottom of the line piece of crap, but not one with every single bell and whistle that I'll never use, either.

Suggestions? Any suggestions of what NOT to buy would also be appreciated.

 

[christophe]

I just bought a Vivitar2.1 mega pixel digi cam at walmart, it was 166 $ and the video card was 29 so I got out for about 200.00 it takes nice pics as you can see in my AV. I got it at wal mart

now I need a new priinter that can reproduce a good quality picture so if you get any info let me know

 

[Cheyenne]

Only $166? I was thinking mid-range was going to be $300-$400? Maybe I estimated high?

 

[Azwed]

Digital camera prices have fallen a lot in the past few months. My mom bought a fairly nice one around christmas for just over a 100 dollars. I forget how made it now though but it had all the important features.

 

[RawHumor]

I don't know if things have changed, but my company had a Lexmark printer a few years ago and it had its own Printer Control Panel and didn't want to give up control of the printer.

That was only an issue if you wanted to use more than one printer on the same computer, but WE DID! It caused more than a few headaches and it just kinda seemed that the printer was trying to work around the computer rather than with it.

I have an HP Inkjet right now that I've been pretty happy with, but I've also heard of people having problems with those too.

I've been a lot of help, haven't I?

 

[christophe]

If you get a camera make sure you have at least 2 mega pixels. usually bank on about 100 bucks per mega pixel. the more of those you have the better quality the picture.

Also make sure that the camer needs a memory card. many dont include em and can run an extra 30-50 dollars depending on the memory involved!

 

[1hotjob]

I'm in the market for a new camera myself. I'd like to get one that uses the 3 inch CD's instead of memory stick or floppy disc. My friend the computer "geek" says that 1 disc can hold up to 500- 600 pics, depending on the resolution or quality you use. That to me is worth it. Instead of constantly uploading your memory stick after taking say 20 pics, you just pop the disc out and into the CD-rom drive. No uploading. You don't have to worry about buying more memory sticks or having a laptop on vacation to upload. I'd like to wait for the prices to come down a bit. They're around $800-900.

 

[Jimi]

DigiCams & printers

Good Morning, Cheyenne.

Cameras:

Don't know US prices, but you couldn't go wrong w/ a camera from anyone who is an optics specialist:

e.g. Nikon, Canon, Vivitar - in descending order price-wise (at least here in Canada)

Printers:

You also might want to cosider a "package" deal - buy both items together at a Staples or Circuit City-type store.

I hate HP as a company (arrogant) - but their printers seem to be solid. I have a cheap (though not at the time!) 600-series inkjet that is still going strong in its SEVENTH year. They also make a good digicam range...

Hope this helps!

 

[LukkyKnight]

I have had a deskjet printer since they first came out 12-13 years ago. It never quits. I don't like HP for computers, but they know printers. That said, I heard just yesterday of a Lexmark in the $200 range which has a nearly incredible resolution precision (I believe it was 4,400 dots per inch) which tempts me to add another... I've a lexmark laser at the office and it seems every bit as solid and reliable as an HP.

Camera-wise there's lots of good advice already here, and my model isn't made anymore I suspect... get somthing with optical zoom, not just digital, and you can do very well in the $150-$350 range these days.

 

[bluntforcemama]

I've had a lot of problems trying to get a really clear, crisp photo out of my digital camera. I don't know why, though. Maybe it's just a piece of crap. Nothing can compare to a well done old fashioned photograph when I'm looking for quality.

 

[ksmybuttons]

I have a Kodak DC4800 and 3 of the little picture cards for it and it meets my needs for point and shoot. You can do your own settings, but that is beyond what I want in camera.

I have an Epson printer for my computer and my husband has a Lexmark. The most important thing that I have found about printing the pics is the paper.

What I like about a digital camera is that you can size and crop the pictures any way you want. I do a layout on the page with the pictures (with labels!) I want and print them up for the photo album and I have no cut and paste. I only print those that I want and dump alot of them. It is really a freedom from the whole pictures in the drawer routine.

Having gone through thousands of pictures when my parents and then my husband's parents died, I have re-evaluated what I keep. I find that the whole computer world allows me to enjoy the pictures and print just the very few that I want wihtout having to pay for all the printing.

I still have two Large drawers in my room that are full of old photographs. "Someday" I need to go through and organize the ones that I want...

Someday just never comes.

 

[starlis]

My digital is a Kodak DX3500... 2.2 megapixel... cost about $225. It has 8MB built-in memory, but I added a card to it for about another $40. I've had it for about 6 months now, and I'm absolutely thrilled with it - it's a great camera for point-and-shoot. I've been able to have prints made as large as 8x10 with terrific clarity - you can't even tell they started as digital images.

It doesn't do extreme close-ups well (as I found out when attempting to take pictures of my jewelry), but it does take very clear, crisp pictures in all but the very dimmest light.

 

[RhumbRunner13]

www.steves-digicams.com

Try here Chey, excellent information. One thought, more megapixels do not always mean a better picture, only the ability to print the picture larger. A 2.1 MegPix will print well up to 8" X 10" if printed from a Tiff image. If you plan on printing a lot of your pics make sure your camera has the option of saving in that format. I have only printed pictures two or three times. If I had a great one that I really wanted printed, I'd save it to a disk or CD and take it to a pro for best paper quality and editing before printing.

Good luck

RhumbRunner

 

[Wiggles]

I've been using a Nikon Coolpix775. It's really small, yet it works really well. I've been getting really clear pictures both outside and in, close up and far away.

I think it may be around four hundred dollars though. In my opinion, well worth it.

The camera comes with rechargeable batteries, a charger, and a 8KB memory card. Good value, I believe.

 

[Mae13]

Can't help ya on the printer....although I really love my Epson Stylus 600, I am sure there are far better ones out now, it was bought several years ago.

Now on the digcam side...there's a great place online that does kick-ass reviews of about ever cam in existance, I think! He's not pulling a commission for them, so he tells the good and bad points to them, does sample shots in different settings (like night, close-up, etc). The same page also has a search for online dealers to find the best price for the one you're wanting. I got mine for a few hundred less than it was available in this 2-horse town

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/cameraList.php3

I have a Canon G1. Price is steadily going down as the bigger and better cams keep comin out. It's in the 3 megapixel family. Came with 16mb flashcard, but I upgraded to a 64mg for not much more, can fit about 150 pics on it with medium resolution. And came with all the normal thingies, like the USB cord, recharger, etc. It's a sturdy lil thing, kinda built like a tank. And takes amazing pictures. Like, as good as my trusty manual Pentax takes pictures. Maybe even a lil better. Awesome detail capture. I can't compare it to any other digcams, I haven't really played with any others. I just know I love mine, and wouldn't trade it for the world.

G'Luck!
mae

 

[Rubyfruit]

Mae, I love my Canon G2. The next generation at 4 megapixel.

Hey, have you ever tried to do video streaming with yours?

 

[patient1]

I bought a digital a year & a half ago...it was obsolete when I bought it. I use it for work & pleasure.

The thing pleases me & impresses everyone as long as I use it at highest resolution. I bought extra memory. Pictures look great, especially on my year-old HP inkjet printer & photo paper.

What I really think it needs is an adjustable lens.If you're used to a 35mm zoom, you'll miss it. Probably not if you stick to disposable cameras.

 

[Mae13]

Mae, I love my Canon G2. The next generation at 4 megapixel.

Hey, have you ever tried to do video streaming with yours?

Yeah, it only does them for 30 seconds at a pop. Could you imagine? Shoot 30 seconds....multiply that times a few, then try to splice it all together? Bah.

 

[batter]

i have a Polaroid digital i found at Walmart.
i have had it for about a year now and i have taken lots of pics with it. you have to download as there are no cards to add or remove with and i just print them on my HP printer.

i do like a setup i saw at the local staples store though.
it was a camera from Kodak and all you had to do was take the disc out and insert it into the printer and away you go. dont know for sure how much it was but maybe check it out at www.staples.com

good luck!

 

[Weird Harold]

I'm looking for suggestions from any one who has recently bought a digital camera and/or printer for pictures. I'd use it mostly for things like vacation pictures. Maybe for closeups of some of my collection pieces, too. Maybe even for online pics to share.

Are you looking for something comparable to the ELPH that died, or something a bit more capable?

I have an RCA CDS1005 camera that is the digital equivalent of a old Kodak Instamatic -- fixed focus, point and shoot. It takes pictures at 640x480 "VGA" resolution perfect for e-mailing or printing "snapshot" size pictures for an album. It is NOT the camera you want if you plan to print larger than 5x7" prints or if you want/need a zoom lense, but it is about the size of a pack of cigarettes and great for parties, short trips, and pictures to *share*.

My camera doesn't have removable memory, so you'd need a laptop or access to a computer you can load the drivers on to download pictures to clear the memory. It also doesn't have a preview LCD to show how the pictures came out.

It might not be what you're looking for, but it's only $80 at Walmart.

The few pictures I print come out fine on my Epson Stylus 400 or my Daughter's HP Deskjet series printer. Almost any new color printer will print acceptable pictures if you use photo-quality paper.

 

[Cheyenne]

Re: Re: Camera and printer suggestions, please

Are you looking for something comparable to the ELPH that died, or something a bit more capable?

Wow, lots of good suggestions so far.

Yes, I'd like something comparable to the ELPH that died. It took decent pictures and it had a zoom lens. I had to use a disposable camera the last two days of my trip and I hated not being able to zoom in on a subject. Made me realize how often I used the zoom feature on the ELPH. What it did NOT do well is take crisp close up pics. I mean REALLY close up pics.

The other thing I liked about the ELPH was the tiny size. That was the major selling point to me when I bought it. It was the size of a cigarette pack, maybe just a bit thicker. Fit into my purse or my pocket without taking up much room so I used it more often that I would have had it been a larger camera.

Do most of you people just leave the pictures on your computer and not print out copies for albums or to show other people? I think I'd want hard copies of most of my pics. I don't do big pics, 99% I'd want to stay as 4 x 6 size I'd guess. It would be the rare pic that I'd want to enlarge.

 

[fgarvb1]

hp 315 digital@$189.00 US. it cames now with 32 meg card, cable, software and will run on 4-AA batteries 3-res..1.5x,2.5x & 3x zoom, led window on the back good,real good, damn good pictures. also have hp 1000 photo printer, about $200.00 US..now. who needs film? a real good scanner will cost you $200-$400 bucks but its worth it, i have a hp c7190a but it's obsolete now. take a look at the hp web site to get an ideal of what out there now days.

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Re: Re: Camera and printer suggestions, please

The other thing I liked about the ELPH was the tiny size. That was the major selling point to me when I bought it. It was the size of a cigarette pack, maybe just a bit thicker. Fit into my purse or my pocket without taking up much room so I used it more often that I would have had it been a larger camera.

My RCA is the smallest Digital camera I've seen, and it doesn't have zoom capability. It does take acceptable closeups if you don't use the flash and use a tripod -- the fixed focus is "six inches to infinity" but lighting is difficult when you get in real close.

I'd suggest that you go to Walmart, CompUSA, or some other electronics department and take a look at what they have. I've seen several digitals that are close to being as small as mine, but never inspected them to see what features they offer -- most being well out of my price range at $200 and up.

I not only keep most of my pitures in digital format, I'm slowly but surely scanning all of my older photos onto disk. (the only thing I print are wallet size so I can show off the grandkids without turning the computer on.)