cheapass camera

[WadePatton]

time for an upgrade here. but i don't want to drop 200 frn's on the gizmo of the week from whatever store.

i'm looking for the camera that _was_ 300 new but now can be snatched offa the 'bay for 50-75 bucks including battery and a dang storage device.

some cameras suck. please direct me away from those. i know for a fact that I CANNOT STAND Kodak and the "EASYshare" crap (circa 2005). I want something that lets me manipulate the files as i see fit with no extraneous Facebook/AOL type bullshit programming (as i found "easyshare").

I need good resolution (i'm at 1.3 now*), easy access to settings-especially MACRO, and quick to put into action--in a pocket style camera. My ex took the Sony we had, and i liked it well enough. I'm weary of feeding batteries to my old clunker (a Fuji-that is otherwise fine).

tell me what you like, don't like, or was saving for the spring yard-sale.

thanks.

*that was the shizit back then ~2000. TECHno weenies, you'll LOVE this:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/MX12/M12A.HTM

excerpt:

Fuji MX-1200 digital camera
A full 1.3 megapixel sensor, great image quality, and good exposure control for under $300!

(Review first posted 2 November, 1999)

*
1,280 x 960 pixel resolution
*
2x digital zoom
*
Optical & LCD viewfinder
*
64-segment metering
*
+/- EV exposure control
*
Surprising picture quality!


Preface
Fuji has a long tradition in digital cameras, and recently has been storming the consumer market with a flurry of new models, combining strong feature sets, high image quality, and aggressive pricing. The latest of these is the MX-1200, offering full 1.3 megapixel resolution, great image quality, and pack-anywhere portability for a list price of under $300. (October, 1999) We confess that when we first opened the package, we weren't expecting much - after all, how could a 1.3 megapixel digicam selling for under $300 amount to much? When we started taking pictures though, we were surprised and impressed: The MX-1200 needs no excuses in the image-quality department! We see this as being either a great introductory camera, for someone getting started in digital photography, or a good "second camera" for an experienced user not wanting to lug along their $900 semi-pro unit on family outings. Either way, it offers great value at a low price!

[maunahaole]

We have a 5mp nikon sitting at home that is catching dust - takes nice pics, but my wife does not like it for numerous reasons, some of which are valid and some of which are emotional. Downside is that it is slow to write pics to the memory card. I'll ask her what sort of scratch she wants for it and get you a model number so that you can do some research. Full disclosure - this went back to nikon and had the sensor replaced after the original failed (this is part of the wife's issue - more the way that nikon dealt with the sensor issue, not that they replaced it)

[WadePatton]

cook tnx lmk. pm

[cody.wms]

WP, check out keh.com. Very fair prices IMO

[R.Liverman]

Go to Adorama's website and search fro refurbished cameras. There a number of great cameras there for cheap money. They come with all the trimmings and they all have a warranty, 30 or 90 days. The Canon's come with a manufacturer's warranty for a year from date of purchase.

[j44ke]

Buy whatever Canon point and shoot is in your price range and meets your size requirements. They do color and image quality better than most (Panasonic is a close second,) and their cameras are really durable. They often don't look hi-tech, but what comes out of them is pretty good looking. Here's a list of models by date so you can plan your ebay assault.

Canon Cameras: Digital Photography Review

The two gee whiz model lines are the G-series and the S-series. As in G11 or G12 and S90, S95, S100. Those two lines are great cameras and they tend to hold their value pretty well after they've been replaced by newer models in the series. But if you can find an older version in that series, they'd be worth taking a look at. Probably wouldn't go farther back than the G9 or the S80 though.

[SteveP]

geeez wade
yr looking for a $50 camera and you list 125 requirements.
email summilux. mebbe he'll sell you his leica for $50... never know unless you ask.

[WadePatton]

shaddup Pucci, i'm doing a deal here.


you'll get you're piece.


no requirements at all, just preferences. good info here to help me weed through the CL crap. and besides allathat, i don't care to spend the next two weeks researching the latest generation(s) of cameras. heck the term "point and shoot" wasn't a category last time i went cam shopping.

i just spoke to some of the experience i have and don't care to repeat. i'm not scared of refurbs but they're always stripped down, so i look for a package deal right from a consumer.

fwak i've already spent too much time trying not to spend too much time on it...

but mebbe other folks can benefit from my lower-end-of-the-food-chain nibbling.

[WadePatton]

WP, check out keh.com. Very fair prices IMO

went there

We have a 5mp nikon sitting at home that is catching dust...)

never heard back

Buy whatever Canon ...

looked at cannon

geeez wade... never know unless you ask.

trouble maker.

the log truck just went and unloaded our second load for the week (rained out presently, we loaded that yesterday, cut it the week before), so i'll be rich friday and half of saturday...to wit:

hearing no more from the rock, i went to KEH, saw a Cannon* that looked like it'd fit in a pocket-went to ebay and bought it nib for 21 less (shipped) (than the 105ln (plus shipping i presume) price at KEH).

* A2200 whatever that means. yes i was a tech-head, but now only focus on tools and tooling to make stuff and money-i try to.


sent 2 bits to paypoochipal. steve works for tips yo.


SO the deed is done, for me anyhoo. Feel free to continue to discuss cheapass cameras right here (or how you keep your payments to SP current). I'll come back with a cheapass camera report maybe after i drag it around the roads and trails and bikeshow for a bit.

[SteveP]

yo w,
i just bought summiluxes leica for $40.
he said it was a year old and all the good pics had been taken with it so he was getting a new one.
you shoulda asked.
s

[WadePatton]

holeycrapnhell

this mid-priced Canon p/s is amazing. easy accurate powerful pocketable idiotsetting-all the jazz for well under a hunnert frn.

recommend to all to update yer digi-cam if it's over 5 years old.

now i'll have to learn the easiest way to share. i've got a flickr, i suppose that's as good as any other...?

Thanks For Yer Input...'cept mebbe SP.

[j44ke]

Yep. They've finally figured out that making them work well sells more of them.

[sonnybiker]

holeycrapnhell

this mid-priced Canon p/s is amazing. easy accurate powerful pocketable idiotsetting-all the jazz for well under a hunnert frn.

recommend to all to update yer digi-cam if it's over 5 years old.

now i'll have to learn the easiest way to share. i've got a flickr, i suppose that's as good as any other...?

Thanks For Yer Input...'cept mebbe SP.

what model canon did you get?

i'm in a similar boat.

[Jason Musgrave]

+1 here

[WadePatton]

A2200 of the Powershot series.




Only quirk so far is that my OS wouldn't recognize the port. Had to revert to using card reader to dump data into PC. Test the video settings before shooting a bunch. It's default is highest res...which eats battery and memory. That's just for videyea, the still settings are fine...haven't really tinked with them at all.

ebay'ed this one for less than 90 bucks. with 2gig card.

Auto mode works great--even AUTO's into "macro"! plus there's an AUTO/EASY mode...in case AUTO isn't EASY enough for ya.

Tried it on the bike-where it's pushing the limits of being too small, but works great. Will get some pics up this evening--have bikes to work on just now.

[j44ke]

Using the card reader is better anyway. The data flow is usually faster, and the data error possibilities are actually less. To improve the dependability of your card, reformat it in-camera once you have downloaded the images to your computer. The format feature is often under "Tools" usually denoted by a wrench icon or similar. Leaving a bunch of images on and then piling on more until the card starts to fill and then deleting some and shooting more etc. can create data error issues. Download, back up, reformat.

I use this SanDisk card reader with my iMac. It is great. But I put this one from Iomega in my backpack with my laptop. It is the one I use most often and it has yet to fail me, and I have been plenty of places with it.