Posted on 04/25/2006 12:05:07 AM PDT by SWAMPSNIPER
I bought the Kodak P850 I was interested in. With my focus on wildlife I needed the 12X, and the image stabilization is an extra bonus. The learning curve hasn't been bad, but the P850 has enough external buttons to keep any button pusher happy. The original file will print out far larger than I will ever need.
looks great! :)
Good work!
That is an interesting machine, but I'd want to see some sample shots. 10X handheld is dicey without IS or a tripod.
I would just as soon skip video and sound, and have them aim resources at even better glass, and denser viewfinder screens. I don't mind a large camera, gives me a grip when it is covered with frog spit. I very seldom use a camera indoors, just kids at Christmas stuff.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v244/tsiya/
I can't figure out how you'd put filters and accessory lenses on it, or run an external flash unit. You need, at least, good UV and polarizer filters. I shoot stuff I am serious about in TIFF or RAW, they give more room for correction. If they can get the horsepower in that small box I'll be amazed. Digital cameras generate a good bit of heat if you push them hard, unless they found a way around that. Camera bodies work as heat sinks.
I'm no Pro, if I was, I'd get a DSLR, but I need something that works hard and lasts. There are 3 battery chargers working right now, just so I'm ready for tomorrow. I've had the P850 for about 2 weeks, it has almost 400 shots on the counter, and I've used 3 other cameras in the same time span.
There will be a market for it, just not much use to me.
yea, the larger cameras are better just showing you the smaller ones i was suprised that they have 10X out for them now. I don't think you can hook up external lenses or anything. Your camera sounds really good and newer ones will be available soon also if you need something more.
I did some searching, the 10X they claim is 3X optical times 3.3X digital. Digital zoom just takes the same amount of data and spreads it thinner. The only time I use DZ is to identify a critter so far off I can't tell if it's worth stalking or not. At a thousand yards it will distinguish between a heron and a stork, but the image will be pixellated and undersaturated. The MP race is a lot of hype, a good 4 MP camera can pack more data into each pixel than some others put in 2. The little Olympus 2100UZ1 was only 2.1 MP, but 6 year old used ones are selling like hotcakes today, for top dollar. I have an Olympus C2500L now worth at least as much as it was 5 years ago. Olympus has abandoned the "prosumer market, for high end DSLRs, and "Bling" cameras. Kodak makes the P880, and the P850, and then, they too get into the bling race.
Most people won't read a 150 page manual, they don't want to know any more than how to change the battery, and push the button. If they get a shot of Aunt Minnie standing by a dumpster in the theme park, and can tell that it really is Aunt Minnie, they are pleased.
The P850 has a lot of circuity dedicated to using their printer dock, and what they call "photosharing". I didn't even read that part of the book, but, the tourists eat it up, and Kodak wants to sell cameras. I'd have been happier if they crammed in a larger battery, or anything, to improve any function related to image quality.
I know that the metrosexuals buy a lot of cameras, damned sure don't want to know what they take pictures of! Where I go, I sometimes need an S&W, a machete, and the camera.
Wow, you got me started, I am just damn fed up with "Bling".
I added the 1 gig memory card. Again love it. This pic is scaled for the web, but the orginal is so vivid.
Yeah it's big. makes nice wallpaper.
Big ain't the word for it.
Here is what you have in that shot;
Make = EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Model = KODAK P880 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA
Orientation = top/left
X Resolution = 230
Y Resolution = 230
Resolution Unit = inch
Software =
YCbCr Positioning = centered
Exif IFD Pointer = Offset: 228
[Camera]
Exposure Time = 1/1000"
F Number = F4
Exposure Program = Normal program
ISO Speed Ratings = 50
Exif Version = Version 2.21
Date Time Original = 2006-04-13 16:51:46
Date Time Digitized = 2006-04-13 16:51:46
Components Configuration = YCbcr
Shutter Speed Value = 10 TV
Aperture Value = 4 AV
Exposure Bias Value = ±0EV
Max Aperture Value = F4
Metering Mode = Pattern
Light Source = unknown
Flash = Flash did not fire, auto mode
Focal Length = 21.4mm
Maker Note = 4406 Byte
Flashpix Version = Version 1.0
Color Space = sRGB
Exif Image Width = 3264
Exif Image Height = 2176
Interoperability IFD Pointer = Offset: 896
Exposure Index = 50
Sensing Method = One-chip color area sensor
File Source = DSC
Scene Type = A directly photographed image
Custom Rendered = Normal process
Exposure Mode = Auto exposure
White Balance = Auto white balance
Digital Zoom Ratio =
Focal Length In 35mm Film = 102mm
Scene Capture Type = Normal
Gain Control = None
Contrast = Normal
Saturation = Normal
Sharpness = Normal
Subject Distance Range = unknown
[GPS]
[Interoperability]
Interoperability Index = ExifR98
Interoperability Version = Version 1.0
[Thumbnail Info]
Compression = JPEG Compressed (Thumbnail)
Orientation = top/left
X Resolution = 72
Y Resolution = 72
Resolution Unit = inch
JPEG Interchange Format = Offset: 8180
JPEG Interchange Format Length = Length: 4919
[Thumbnail]
Thumbnail = 160 x 120
I would have tried spot focus instead of area or multiple spot, and cranked the exposure down to -07 or -1, and tried spot exposure instead of "Metering Mode = Pattern".
There is just so much contrast in the scene that the average the camera finds loses detail in the bird. You may also have a "bracket" setting, the camera takes several consecutive shots at different exposure values, with one push of the button.
Did you know that all that text was hiding behind the bird?
Go to panda software, download their free exif reader, it is a big help in analyzing images.
Ugh! Pelicans!
I saw one of those big frakin' pteranadons squirt a hugh dump onto this LTJG that everyone hated while he was walking down the middle of the pier from my ship. We all almost had to change our shorts from laughing so hard.
He was wearing his dress blues, too.
Damn thats a good pic!
DSLRs have come way down recently - the Canon Digital Rebel is not much more than what you probably paid for the Kodak, but you gain a higher res CCD and access to a zillion ES-compatible lenses and filters. You seem pretty serious about your photography, despite not being a pro, so it might be worth checking out.
Wow. That's good stuff! That has to be about as good as a digital camera can get. Best I've seen for sure.
Most of the R&D is going into digital, Kodak isn't even going to make film anymore.
I didn't know all that was in there, thanks for the tip. I'm just learning the ins and outs of it still.
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