Best cheap end camera

jerryc · Sep 12, 2008

I need a new camera and dont wont to spend $$$$$ for something i wont no Howe to use anyway. Just something that will give decent tank pics
with a bad amateur

behind the liens. preferable as much point and shot as possible.
I have a 6 mag Kodak that i can get maybe one descent pic out of
15 but the color is always off for some reason.

Poseidon · Sep 12, 2008

Budget figure?

jerryc · Sep 12, 2008

I dont mind spending some $$$ just dont wont to spend them for something im not going to no anything about or the time to learn. :hammer:

Poseidon said:
Budget figure?

FateX8 · Sep 12, 2008

for point and shoot i like the canon sd series, for dslr i like nikon (but only because i like the size of them and the feel of them more)
im gunna be getting a canon sd series soon but dont know which model yet

Poseidon · Sep 12, 2008

Without knowing what you have have in mind for dollars, I would suggest the $300 range as a starting point. There are lots of camera's cheaper then that, but most are program mode only, and lack a macro or super macro mode.

I like the Canon S5 IS in that price range. If you want to spend less, then you will sacrifice ISO range, Macro, and manual modes in most cases.

iani · Sep 12, 2008

I believe people have really good results with this waterproof camera.
http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Stylu...4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1221238540&sr=8-4

cparka23 · Sep 12, 2008

so do you want to upgrade from a 6MP Kodak? If all that's wrong is the color, that's usually a simple white balance issue.

No matter what camera you get, you're going to have problems taking pictures of your reef unless you adjust the white balance. The lighting that is used over aquariums isn't 'natural' enough to photograph correctly without making that adjustment. So if the only reason for getting a new camera is to get one that has better colors, I'd stick with what you have and learn to adjust the white balance. A new camera won't fix that.

Is there a mode/scene button on the camera you have?

jerryc · Sep 12, 2008

No just settings for auto sport-night -landscape-close up that is it.
but it dose have a setting for exposure time i may play with it some

cparka23 said:
so do you want to upgrade from a 6MP Kodak? If all that's wrong is the color, that's usually a simple white balance issue.

No matter what camera you get, you're going to have problems taking pictures of your reef unless you adjust the white balance. The lighting that is used over aquariums isn't 'natural' enough to photograph correctly without making that adjustment. So if the only reason for getting a new camera is to get one that has better colors, I'd stick with what you have and learn to adjust the white balance. A new camera won't fix that.

Is there a mode/scene button on the camera you have?

johnr2604 · Sep 12, 2008

I'll throw my 2 cents in. I recently went thru the same thing and didn't want to go DSLR. I would highly recommend the Fuji Finepix s1000. It takes great pics easy to use auto setting and about 10 other specialized presets for different situations. It will also do manual mode and has a great Macro and super Macro setting. I actually had people asking me what kind of camera I was using when posting on my local reef club. Surprise its a point and shoot. If you want check out my MACNA pics thread they were all shot with this camera.

rebelprettyboy · Sep 12, 2008

One of the sony cyder shots is what I use, DSC H10 it was 299.99 and im happy w it. U can broswe here for some pics ive taken with it

fly guy · Sep 12, 2008

jerryc said:
No just settings for auto sport-night -landscape-close up that is it.
but it dose have a setting for exposure time i may play with it some

Agree with thinking you probably dont need a new camera, and that you need to just learn how to use the white balance and practice a little. that camera you have will tke perfectly good pics with a little practice. Buying another camera will have the same learning curve as the one youve got

Especially considering if you are going to spend $300.......for just a $200-$500 more you can get a DSLR and take ti to the next level without too much effort in learning how to take great pics.........ift of curse can take lots of effort to get really good at it, but a dslr will make all the difference in the world.

Another fix for your white balance woes is to google lightroom. Download their full version trial for 30 days. The rpogram isn tcheap, but maybe you can find a friend with the program. The program rocks, especially for the marginally copmputer illiterate like me. Its like photoshop but you can learn how to use the basics in like 30 minutes and fix that white balance in seconds by simply mvoing a couple fo bars around

iani · Sep 12, 2008

In order to take really good pictures with a dslr, you also need a fixed macro lens. The cost for one is pretty prohibitive for most people. Do a search or RC and see the shots people are taking with the camera I previosly posted. You will be impressed like I was (this is comming from a person with a Nikon d300).

jerryc · Sep 12, 2008

OK thanks all for some things to thank about. a lot of good points from all of you

I thank i may just go with one of the suggested mid rang cameras with adjustable white balance.
And see whit i can do. As im not concerned with great pics just descent pics.
And the one i have you cant adjust the white balance at all.

ahayes13 · Sep 12, 2008

i have a sony cybershot as well and love it. i think it takes reallly nice pictures, easy to use, and small enough to take places. also pretty affordable.

cparka23 · Sep 13, 2008

I have a Kodak V610, by the way. It's pretty nice and has several 'settings' to adjust the white balance before you take the pictures. It also has a potentiometer so the pictures rotate from portrait to landscape on the LCD screen depending on which position you hold the camera. Same thing used in the iPhone to get into Coverflow, if you're familiar with that. It's kind of gimmicky as a 'dual lens' camera, though. It has a second lens that can be used for wide-angle shots. At the very least it extends the range of optical zoom, so it's useful.

The other cameras recommended here so far are also fine for your described use. Canon powershots are pretty well-reviewed. I like the Fuji Finepix lineup, too. I'm not a fan of Nikon Coolpix after owning one. If it boils down to making a choice between a couple of cameras, I'd go for the one with the largest optical zoom (not digital zoom). The number of megapixels in many of these cameras won't matter too much, since they'll all be in the 8-10 MP range.