Topic: Looking for new camera

I'm, as the subject says, looking for a new digital camera. I've been offered a VERY generous (and only kinda deserved) gift with a $1000 price tag.
I've looked around the Internet for reviews and such, especially http://www.digital-camera-online.com and http://www.dpreview.com/, but now am looking for real people experience and tales.
Things that are important to me:
-manual controls of aperture and shutter speed
-varying focal length lens
-4-5 mega pixels
-costs less than $1000 (or, if you can convince me it's really worth it, I'd be willing to spend a bit of my own money)

I've been shooting half-seriously for about 1 year and I really enjoy it. I have been shooting with two old-school cameras: a Nikon FM2 with a 50mm lens and a Canon AE-1 also with a 50mm lens. Both entirely manual (no auto features at all), both weigh about 25 lbs and must be made of solid steel. I have become quite fond of both beasts.

I've read reviews of the Minolta DiMage 7I, the Sony CyberShot DSC-F717, the Nikon CoolPix 5000 and 5700. I also noticed there are a few options for storage. Is one better than another? Should this be a factor in my decision at all?

Any other suggestions, stories or comments please.
Thank you.

I love my F-707. It meets all of your requirements and fits well under your price tag, even with a few large memory cards thrown in.

Things I like:
* The shape and swiveling lens, although unweildy at first, allows for some great shots at angles you'd have a tough time managing with a conventional camera.
* The depth of color is amazing, even with a raw photo.
* The battery lasts a LONG time.
* Full manual mode as well as shutter and aperture balanced modes.
* It has 58mm lens threads which are pretty common and most filters can fit directly on it or be adapted easily to do so.
* Manual focus mode as well as AF.

Things I dislike:
* Nothing really. I've honestly never been happier with any piece of technology I've ever purchased.

Good luck man! (Oh, and can you have your benefactor send a nice gift like that my way?)

:::krets.net:::

krets has also touched on a good point.

memory cards are expensive, yet essential. They still sell cameras with ridiculously small memory cards - make sure you factor into your price getting a chunky chunky memory card, because if you spend you budget, and don't have any spare $$$ to fork out for it, you'll be regretting it.

Well thank you gentlemen. I was concerned about the memory card issue, but didn't realize just how expensive they are!

I've looked into the Sony F-707, Krets, and it does look like a good camera. All the on-line reviews seem positive; the price looks more than right. As I said, I only half deserve this very generous gift. I would feel bad about spending the entire budget (thought I'm not limiting myself to half! )

I'm going to have a look down at the local camera shop, maybe see if I can rent one for a weekend or so...see what comes out. They rent out cameras pretty cheaply -- maybe $50 or $60 for a weekend. Then I'll look on-line and at the shop, see who has the best price.

I have a Canon S40. Very good camera. Pocket-able, 4MP, 3x optical zoom. They're up to the S45 and S50 now (S45 is a usablility upgrade, S50 is an S45 with a resolution upgrade to 5MP). It's a compact form of the G3, which is a fairly full-featured digicam. You can control all the exposure settings (aperature- or shutter-priority, full manual, etc.) Street price of $500 for the S45 or $600 for the S50.

I've been using it for over a year, off and on, and have had no complaints whatsoever. Very solid, well made, and quite small. It's longer (W) but shorter (H) than the digital Elphs, and about as deep. It has a lot more control than a digital Elph, though. Battery lasts for ages, too

here's a review



[This message has been edited by Das (edited 05-22-2003).]