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Americans Lured to Look at Digital Cameras
Associated Press via MyWay.com ^ | December 21, 2004 | Ben Dobbin

Posted on 12/21/2004 5:43:15 AM PST by RayChuang88

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - Millions of Americans who waited patiently for the quality and convenience to leap forward and the prices to roll back are now jumping on the digital-shutterbug bandwagon.

A novelty item just four or five years ago, the digital camera is shaping up as the most popular electronics gift in 2004, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. It was runner-up in 2003 to the DVD player, the No. 1 gift since 2000.

At age 75, Marilyn Smith discovered a wealth of reasons this holiday season to switch to a digital camera. Snapping away until she gets the right shot, without worrying about film, sounded enticing. So did packing a palm-size gadget on a baggage-laden trip to Hawaii in February. But she especially liked the idea of an image stabilizer that negates wobbles.

"Why? Because I sway very easily," the retired nurse's aide explained with a hearty laugh.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cameras; digital; electronics
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To: RayChuang88

I paid 100 bucks for the 3.3 meg vivitar about a year ago.


21 posted on 12/21/2004 6:08:32 AM PST by cripplecreek (I come swinging the olive branch of peace.)
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To: LTCJ
I just got a 5Mp Kodak Easyshare though Walmart which included a docking station and rechargable batteries. Price:$199.

But alas, the lower-end EasyShare cameras have not been well-liked by users. I would rather pay more and get either the Canon PowerShot A95 or Konica Minolta X50 instead.

22 posted on 12/21/2004 6:08:55 AM PST by RayChuang88
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To: Conspiracy Guy

Thanks for the info.


23 posted on 12/21/2004 6:09:46 AM PST by doug from upland (Vietnam Vets: FINALLY -- welcome home, heroes)
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To: doug from upland

Oh yeah and it's under $300.


24 posted on 12/21/2004 6:10:32 AM PST by Conspiracy Guy (Boycott Boycotts Warrior. If you aint buying call me!)
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To: scooter2

Could be....If they don't ban all the new medications....


25 posted on 12/21/2004 6:10:42 AM PST by Dallas59 ("A weak peace is worse than war" - Tacitcus)
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To: doug from upland

It is real easy to use. USB port and CD drive to load the software is all it takes. I'm sure they're all easy.


26 posted on 12/21/2004 6:11:48 AM PST by Conspiracy Guy (Boycott Boycotts Warrior. If you aint buying call me!)
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To: RayChuang88
I like my Canon Digital ELF for regular pictures. The problem I find with Digitals is that on indoor pictures they do not get the texture and coloring just right. I'm not talking about just my camera. I was talking with a professional photographer the other day and he has the same problem with his top of the line digital Nikon. He still uses a 35mm for pictures of wedding parties and the wedding event and uses the digital for general pictures of the attendees, band, etc.
27 posted on 12/21/2004 6:12:03 AM PST by reagandemo (The battle is near are you ready for the sacrifice?)
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To: RayChuang88

I am on my fourth digital camera....


28 posted on 12/21/2004 6:12:33 AM PST by Always Right
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To: RayChuang88
Just as a matter of interest, I also had been waiting for digitals. My family has always been into photography, and I grew up with a darkroom in the house.

Had an early Mavica, then a Nikon Coolpix. Finally, my wife and I each settled for our own Canon Powershot G5's.

The color darkroom (C22, CP5, E4,E6, Chromega enlarger, etc.) was given away to a niece. The Rolliflex and Pentaxes, lenses, strobes, etc. were sold at a yard sale.

3 megapixels seemed to be the magic number..once crossed, there was less rationale for film. At 5+ Mpx, there is little reason for film, at all, unless one is a pro who wants 20X26 dye transfers.

I am getting pictures I always TRIED to get with conventional cameras, but with which I was never quite satisfied. And of course, the "darkroom" is right on this monitor, rather than sharing the laundry room!

29 posted on 12/21/2004 6:13:27 AM PST by Gorzaloon (INFURIATE a Liberal: + MERRY CHRISTMAS! + Gloria, In Excelsis Deo+)
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To: Trust but Verify

I'll second the Kodak Easyshare line. I bought a CX6330 (3.1 MP) this past summer and it has just been a terrific camera. I can take dozens of shots and pick and choose the right ones myself. It also has a video mode where I can shoot up to nine minutes of video (with sound) on the 128MB SD card I use.


30 posted on 12/21/2004 6:14:26 AM PST by IndyTiger
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To: RayChuang88
I also have the Kodak 5mp easyshare and really like it. The quality compares favorably to my 35mm Canon T90 until you enlarge to near the breakup point. Then I can tell the 35mm is better.

I have been told it takes around 12mp to equal a 35mm with iso 200 film. Those cameras are still way too expensive for me.

31 posted on 12/21/2004 6:14:55 AM PST by Shanda
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To: RayChuang88

Kodak has the best digital camera for the money these days, at least insofar as we are talking about cameras for the masses, but they need a high-end digital SLR line in order to truly reclaim the leadership of the photographic industry. The Japanese makers are selling high-quality SLRs for in excess of $1,000, up to $5,000. There is no reason that we should cede that market to the Japanese, particularly given the exchange rate.

If nothing else, maybe Kodak should consider acquiring a Japanese maker.


32 posted on 12/21/2004 6:14:58 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: whd23
You definitely should. I've never seen a home-printed picture that looks as good as a photo lab print.

If you buy the professional photo paper and not the consumer paper and use a good inkjet, it is easy to surpass a photo lab print. Plus you have much more control over brightness and tint and red-eye elimination and cropping.....

33 posted on 12/21/2004 6:17:29 AM PST by Always Right
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To: RayChuang88

I bought my digital camera 6 years ago and have logged well over 10,000 shots with it. They are wonderful gadgets.


34 posted on 12/21/2004 6:19:50 AM PST by InterceptPoint
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To: RayChuang88
But alas, digital SLR's are still exorbitantly expensive. You might want to look something like the Canon PowerShot Pro 1 or the Nikon CoolPix 8800 instead for now.

Not really... The higher end EVF cameras will run upwards of $700, while the Nikon D70 runs $900, after rebate. Granted, the lens will add about another $300, bringing it up to $1200, which is why I'm waiting. Once I decide to "make the plunge," I plan on doing it right, and an EVF isn't what I'm looking for.

Mark

35 posted on 12/21/2004 6:20:20 AM PST by MarkL (Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. But it rocks absolutely, too!)
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To: RayChuang88

I like digital cameras, but find myself relying on my trusty 35mm SLR lots of times. Heck, with one hour film developing, it's not that far from the instant gratification of the digitals any more. Not only that, but you have to win a state lottery to afford a digital SLR that can accept different lenses. Hopefully, that Nikon digital SLR I am drooling over will come down from its $1200.00 price tag at some point.


36 posted on 12/21/2004 6:21:22 AM PST by Darnright
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To: Dallas59
A picture thread?
37 posted on 12/21/2004 6:22:47 AM PST by Lurking in Kansas (;&ôÀžUñj/ÈëžÕ “ ’· ....If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand)
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To: KarlInOhio
Caused by the shutter lag or just a personal choice of photo selection? Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I'm going to claim "shutter lag," since the camera can take nearly 1/2 second to focus and shoot, the enitire time of which the EVF is locked.

That's another reason that I want a Nikon D70. From what I've heard, the shutter lag is about the same as a 35mm film camera, it has a 1/8000 sec max shutter speed, and a 1/500 second flash sync. Plus, it's got a buffer that will hold up to 14 6MP fine jpeg images, at 3 frames per second!

Mark

38 posted on 12/21/2004 6:23:42 AM PST by MarkL (Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. But it rocks absolutely, too!)
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To: Shanda
I have been told it takes around 12mp to equal a 35mm with iso 200 film. Those cameras are still way too expensive for me.

The closest camera that meets your spec is the Canon EOS-1Ds with its 11.1 megapixel sensor. Mind you, the price of the camera body alone is a frightening US$6,000 from the cheapest online retailer.

39 posted on 12/21/2004 6:23:56 AM PST by RayChuang88
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To: RayChuang88
But alas, the lower-end EasyShare cameras have not been well-liked by users.

Like anything else, it depends on what you're looking for. For a hi-res point-and-shoot with optional lenses it does quite well. If you're wanting control over both shutter and aperture simultaneously, you gotta pay more.

40 posted on 12/21/2004 6:24:22 AM PST by LTCJ
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