[jwdj4lfe]

Hey guys! For christmas this year, what I really want is a digital camera, but Im struck dumb when it comes to picking the right one. None of my friends really know that much about them also. So I've come to DC hoping that my chances would be alittle better to find someone that knows about digital cameras. What I want to know is what company do you think is the best? What are the features and memory you think a digital camera should have? Would you recommend your digitial camera? I went to Best Buy a couple days ago and I came across the Kodak easyshare dx4350. I really liked the way it looked and the pictures it took. I tried consumerreports.com but you have to join (and pay a fee) to the site to check thier reviews, so I really dont know if this is a good camera. I know its 5 Mega pixels and comes with a 32MB memory card, and its costs $299.99. The price seems alittle to cheap for the product they are offering, and Im afraid of the saying "You get what you paid for." I hope someone out there can give me some advice! lol. I hope I get one for christmas (I hope my mom checks out this post lol) that way I can post pics of our Meet and Greet in February and any future disney vacations! Also I'd like to see the debate about wether going Digital is better all around then staying with the normal film cameras. Thanks for any replies, and I know this topic is not related to Disney at all (well when you count the part about the Meet and greet it is, lol) but x-mas is less then 2 weeks away, so I really need to submit my list! lol. Thanks agian!
Joe:)

[MickeyMamma]

Kodak EasyShare line is great!!!

We have an older model - about 3 years old. It is really easy to take pictures, uploading them is simple with the dock, and it takes great pictures.

If you want to do fancy things with photography, then you may want something with more features that you can adjust manually (maybe that is possible on the newer models, don't know).

If you are interested in a camera that is easy to use and takes great shots, then it is a good choice.

In terms of digital versus film, with digital you know immediately that you got the shot. Plus, the resolution is pretty much film quality. To give you a point of reference, a 3MP camera can take a great looking picture up to 11x14.

Kodak makes great cameras and that price sounds good to me too. You may want to add an extra CompactFlash card to your list too since they are really cheap right now and you will certainly want more storage space than that.

Hope this helps you!

[tinkerbell]

you would pay more ..but have you considered a video / digital camera? .. mine takes ditital stills and uses a SD or multimedia memory card for the digital pictures .. mine is made by JVC ..and yes I love my camera, it has a fantastic zoom and takes wonderful clear images .. easy to download to the pc via a usb cable .. I still have my old kodak digital..and its ok but my digital video camera is sooo great.
other then that. I also have a pair of those digital binoculars (spelling?) .. not so great as I thought they would be.

[tiggerlover1971]

I also have a kodak easy share I just got it a couple of months ago and love it the only problem is at night you need a tripod to get good night shots :whistle:

[jwdj4lfe]

Thanks you guys for the responses. I think Im going to go with the one I had picked out. Tinkerbell- My friend has a digital/video camera as well and she loves it and uses it all the time! The kodak I picked as a video recording option, but it would probably take up alot of the memory. Thanks so much for your input! I knew I could count on you guys for help!
Joe:)

[GrumpyDad]

Joe,

Sorry I didn't see this earlier but I am still not caught up from our vacation. I had a kodak digital when they first came out and I will say that they always produce nice pictures. If you stay with one of the big brands, Kodak, Nikon, Cannon, Fuji, etc you will end up with both a good lens and good electronics. The main things to look for is a 5 megapixel sensor, a zoom that will accept add on lenses to allow you both wide angle and telephoto capabilites, and a good warrenty.

I wanted to address your question regarding benifits of film and digital. As a small preface I have been shooting film since the mid 1960's and in the last three years have been converting my home darkroom and my cameras over to digital.

At this point in time I think the only real question I have about digital is the longevity of the stored image. That is to say, when I take a shot with a film camera I have a negative when I am done. I still have negatives from the 60's that I can print today, as a matter of fact I still have some negatives that my parents took in the 40's and 50's that I can still print today. If stored correctly a film negative will last for a very long time.

Digitally everything is stored on one computer device or another. I currently have images stored on CDs and have begun storing them on DVD. The biggest concerns I have are 1) how much of a pain is it going to be to convert all these images when CDs are phased out for something better, and 2) how long does a file really remain readable on a CD/DVD rom?

On the plus side, it is so conveinant to have all my CDs set so that I can browse the thumbnail images on the cover and then just pop them into the computer to print them. I am now totally sold on digital for the darkroom and printing, and will most likely purchase a SLR digital in the next year and start phasing out my 35mm film cameras as well.

Hope this helped,
-harry