Digital Camera Purchase

[Ned]

One of the biggest advantages of the Kodak, for us, is our familiarity with the Kodak cameras.  The 12x zoom and image stabilization almost make it a must buy.

 

[Pat]

Jeff just made a comment that I didn't realize.  Is it true that many more megapixels make up for some of the lost zoom in a camera?  So I can crop and enlarge without losing detail?  Would this require RAW photos?  (I have no idea how to say this.)  Also, would a large megapixel camera take better pics than a powerful zoom, because it would avoid the haziness that is unavoidable as a zoom pics up pollutants and other particles in the air? 

So, would a 7 megapixel 3x zoom camera take equivalent cropped photos that a 3 megapixel, 12x zoom camera would take? 

--pat

 

[DougJ]

Being able to crop and still print to your originally conceived size (8 X 10, or whatever) at a good printing resolution is one of the advantages of the big-megapixel cameras.  And, no, you don't need RAW to do that.  I find RAW helpful in letting me make some of the adjustments that the camera would normally make as it saves to JPEG or TIFF (depending on which you've chosen if RAW is not available and chosen).

I don't think there is any advantage regarding the haziness--it's there regardless of the lens you use.  You might be better off using a filter "to penetrate" the haze--although I've no experience with that.

Ciao,

Doug

 

[Pat]

Today I ordered a Canon 550 from a Brooklyn outfit called Butterfly Photo.  The checkout experience was very professional.  They were the cheapest source on shopper.com.  They also had a nice accessory package that had everything I needed plus more for less than the separate parts.

--pat

 

[DougJ]

I'm not familiar with that camera, Pat, but I doubt you can go too far wrong by buying a Canon camera.

So, congratulations on your new camera--may you have oodles of fun with it.

Ciao,

Doug

 

[Pat]

Doug:  I'm replacing a 3 1/2-year-old ELPH, so I'm familiar with the Canon brand.  My ELPH is great.  This will have more resolution, a macro feature, but the same 3x zoom.  I need very small and light. 

Next will be one of those nifty movie cameras with the remote tube I can attach to a bike helmet to take videos of the trail. 

--pat