NEED CAMERA RECOMMENDATIONS

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

I've had a Pentax Optio E10 camera for ages and never really mastered the functions. It's always frustrating to use. Well, it's on its last leg and I'm now looking for a new camera ..... something simple, but good.

I'm an Ebay seller and close ups are important on many things.

I don't want a state of the art, high tech camera. I want something easy to use. Am I asking too much?

Any suggestions ..... or recommendations? TIA!

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@Tinkrbl44, my very first digital camera was a Pentax Optio, though not the one you have. It took very good pictures when compared to all my later cameras.

Some questions:

Do you care very much about zoom? Most of the inexpensive cameras go up to 5-8X zoom - beyond that, they start to cost more.

Do you plan to print out any of your photos? If you do, even 4x6 or 5x7, the camera should be at least 12MP. I think it would be difficult to find one much below that anyway.

Do you have a max budget in mind?

Most cameras can be as complicated or as simple as you want them to be. You can put a full-featured camera on "Auto" and not have to fiddle with anything.

I've had digital point-and-shoots of just about every brand. Some of the biggest "names" for quality were the ones I thought took the lousiest photos (Sony).

My last three cameras have been Canons. I buy the long zoom variety, which is probably more than you want to spend, but their Powershot ELPH series are great mid-zoom and small (literally pocket-sized) and the base model is $120 on Amazon.

I'd recommend going into a Best Buy if you have one around you and playing with several p&s cameras to see which one you like to hold, etc.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@Moonchilde

Great food for thought ... thank you.

violann · ‎03-10-2010

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
I've had a Pentax Optio E10 camera for ages and never really mastered the functions. It's always frustrating to use. Well, it's on its last leg and I'm now looking for a new camera ..... something simple, but good.

I'm an Ebay seller and close ups are important on many things.

I don't want a state of the art, high tech camera. I want something easy to use. Am I asking too much?

Any suggestions ..... or recommendations? TIA!

Hi @Tinkrbl44- if you have any enthusiasm for iPhones, the cameras in them are super, and since the phones are pretty easy to use, you have all kinds of other good stuff in a pocket sized gizmo.

I've taken some very satisfying shots with mine. Good luck with your search. I love photography!

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@violann wrote:
@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
I've had a Pentax Optio E10 camera for ages and never really mastered the functions. It's always frustrating to use. Well, it's on its last leg and I'm now looking for a new camera ..... something simple, but good.

I'm an Ebay seller and close ups are important on many things.

I don't want a state of the art, high tech camera. I want something easy to use. Am I asking too much?

Any suggestions ..... or recommendations? TIA!
Hi @Tinkrbl44- if you have any enthusiasm for iPhones, the cameras in them are super, and since the phones are pretty easy to use, you have all kinds of other good stuff in a pocket sized gizmo.
I've taken some very satisfying shots with mine. Good luck with your search. I love photography!

iPhone cameras are good - I still use mine often. But there are two things to think about - the most expensive current iPhone has a 2X zoom; that's nothing. You can't take a good, as in printable-good, closer-in photo with that. The other things to at least consider re having an iPhone for camera use is cost (the iPhones with the best cameras are the most expensive, and the next iPhone is predicted to cost $1000), and the fact that starting with iPhone 6, 6S, 7 and 7S, a sizable number of the phones are having dropped calls and weak signals - more on some networks than others, worse in the country than in the city.

I love my 6S and take pictures with it a lot - BUT - where I have moved to, it's literally useless as a PHONE. I (and Verizon) have tried everything and ALL my calls drop at home (where I need it the most). So, my next phone, when I can afford it, will not be an iPhone, much as I have liked mine (5S and 6S). Just things to think about, IF you were contemplating using an iPhone as your sole camera.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

Elbelle · ‎03-09-2010

Add my vote for the Canon Elph series.

Ainhisg · ‎03-09-2010

If you have a local camera shop, go there and tell them what you're wanting/needing. We have a chain store here called Bedford's. My point and shoot was on its last legs. I have a blog and take pics for it but didn't want a bridge camera or anything too difficult to figure out or anything too big or blocky to hold. The salesperson was very helpful and started showing me the least expensive cameras first. Yes, you read that right. He determined that I probably just wanted another point and shoot but for it to be feature-loaded. I ultimate bought this one:

Sony DSCHX80/B High Zoom Point & Shoot Camera

You can type this in the search bar on Amazon and read about it. It has a viewfinder, a screen that moves so you can take selfies or photos of things that are sitting low on the ground without having to actually get onto the ground to take the photo. It has a 30x zoom.

Bedford's offered a three-year extended warranty for $50. It included all sorts of freebies including a beginning camera class, which would normally cost $25. They will also check and clean your camera for the first three years. I took the class, and it was worth my time. The warranty package also included discounts on future classes.

In all, I was very satisfied with the whole experience and recommend getting advice from a professional business vs. Best Buy or somewhere like that. You may pay a little more, but you will get what you need and want.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@Moonchilde wrote:
@violann wrote:
@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
I've had a Pentax Optio E10 camera for ages and never really mastered the functions. It's always frustrating to use. Well, it's on its last leg and I'm now looking for a new camera ..... something simple, but good.

I'm an Ebay seller and close ups are important on many things.

I don't want a state of the art, high tech camera. I want something easy to use. Am I asking too much?

Any suggestions ..... or recommendations? TIA!
Hi @Tinkrbl44- if you have any enthusiasm for iPhones, the cameras in them are super, and since the phones are pretty easy to use, you have all kinds of other good stuff in a pocket sized gizmo.
I've taken some very satisfying shots with mine. Good luck with your search. I love photography!

iPhone cameras are good - I still use mine often. But there are two things to think about - the most expensive current iPhone has a 2X zoom; that's nothing. You can't take a good, as in printable-good, closer-in photo with that. The other things to at least consider re having an iPhone for camera use is cost (the iPhones with the best cameras are the most expensive, and the next iPhone is predicted to cost $1000), and the fact that starting with iPhone 6, 6S, 7 and 7S, a sizable number of the phones are having dropped calls and weak signals - more on some networks than others, worse in the country than in the city.

I love my 6S and take pictures with it a lot - BUT - where I have moved to, it's literally useless as a PHONE. I (and Verizon) have tried everything and ALL my calls drop at home (where I need it the most). So, my next phone, when I can afford it, will not be an iPhone, much as I have liked mine (5S and 6S). Just things to think about, IF you were contemplating using an iPhone as your sole camera.

@Moonchilde

Wow, thanks for the insights. You're obviously very knowledgeable!

Since I don't have (or want) a smart phone, no need to go down that rabbit hole.

I'm curious, though ..... how were you able to determine the problem was actually the phone, and not Verizon?

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@Ainhisg

Great suggestion .... thanks!

tbearski · ‎12-18-2010

I actually bought a Galaxy S7 Edge for my camera needs! I wanted a new camera but didn't feel like forking out $3-500 for a new one! So I sat down and figured out what I wanted! One of my biggest problems was never having it when I needed it! I have a handicapped daughter and loved the burst features on a camera and I can get 2 or 3 pictures of her looking at me out of 60 or so I decided on the S7 and love the convenience of always having it with me! When I said goodbye to Verizon and bought a un-smartphone I was gonna sell my S7 BUT I forgot about the camera feature and now whenever I go somewhere I take my free dataless S7 and my cheap-o phone. Pain in the butt sometimes but no biggy! So look at your options and decide for yourself! I also use Google Photo's so my pics are easy to crop, print and share and most important store! Just some info to share with ya! Good luck in you choice!