>>> Official Black Friday DIGITAL CAMERA Discussion Thread <<<

[Iliveforblckfri]

 

Keep in mind battery cost, look for a rechargeable battery camera.

Two features I want in a camera are rechargeable battery and anti shake. I found one at a great price this summer for the anti shake. I kept it until I got it home and found that it wasn't rechargeble. (I didn't even think they made battery based ones at that level.)

 

I am trying to learn my camera this week so I know if I need a new one or not. My sons and nephews love when I decide to need a new one. They get the old one.(Only a few months old.)

[IceQueen]

Well, back after a year!!

 

I'm looking for a camera this year, too, although I'd rather get it earlier than BF. I need one with good zoom (to get DD on stage dancing) and the ability to take those pics without a flash!! My dad's old 35 mm does this, but it's 2007 -- you'd think one of the other Digitals would do this.

 

DH broke my Nikon coolpix that was 3 yrs old. That's okay though, my CELL PHONE takes better pics than that old thing! Anyways, thinking on the Nikon D40 or something similar.

 

Can't wait til the ads!

[debnmark]

Can anyone recommend a brand that is very simple to use and is fairly inexpensive? My mom is going to Italy after Christmas so I want to get her one, but she is not very good with technology!!!

[happysunshine28]

Can anyone recommend a brand that is very simple to use and is fairly inexpensive? My mom is going to Italy after Christmas so I want to get her one, but she is not very good with technology!!!

 

I have a kodak easy share, they are very simple.

[debnmark]

I have a kodak easy share, they are very simple.

Thanks for the input.

[abentley]

I also have an Kodak easy share, and just bought my DD a kodak v803 in pink!! Love em!! Use them and not be too afraid if something happens!!

[Guest shawna6676]

i got a kodak easyshare m753 a couple months ago and it is awesome!! 149.00+tax...the pics are clear and sharp and the audio and video on the recorder setting are great!!

[debnmark]

All right, Kodak Easyshare M753 or V803 it is. Now I start hunting for bargains and deals. Thanks for the help!

[happysunshine28]

All right, Kodak Easyshare M753 or V803 it is. Now I start hunting for bargains and deals. Thanks for the help!

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-EasyShare-Digital-Camera-Optical/dp/B000OQG9Y6/ref=sr_1_5/102-8626889-9518539?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1189112340&sr=1-5

 

they also have it in silver and otehr colors

[tjredsox4]

In the Kmart flier for 10/28-11/3, they have the Kodak V1003 digital camera for $179.99 (has 10 MP, 3X optical zoom and 2.5"LCD screen) also if you purchase this camera you get a Kodak 512 SD memory card free. They also have a Canon Powershot A550 dig. cam for $149 (7.1 MP, 4X optical zoom, and 2" LCD scren) limited quantities, may have extra $10 off in-store savings on Canon camera. Polaroid A801 dig. cam. is $89.99 (8 MP, 4X digital zoom and 2" LCD screen) Just wanted to let you all know. They also say on front page, $1 fee for layaway up to $200. Take an additional 30% off all clearance-priced electronics. Hope this helps someone.

[Spotted1]

Canon Powershot S5 is no longer on the Walmart website..... Anywhere else with a decent price?

Canon Powershot S5 IS at Walmart for $378.58 : http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5996061

[dmmiller]

Saw the Sears BF ad has the Nikon D40 for $459.99 and the Rebel XT on sale for $599.99, both with same type of lense.

Does anyone on here have either camera to give some info on either?

And ease of use?

I take a lot of action shots (being have 3 boys) so I need something that will

be really easy to use during those moments, w/o having to buy an expensive

lense.

Thanks. :)

[EmmyNavasMom]

Walmart has the Rebel XT right now for $599.

[pjacobi]

The price for dSLRs are tightly controlled by the manufacture. The retail store does not have a lot of margin for sale prices. That why prices are very consistant from store to store. The only thing that changes is the "bundled" options, such as case, extra battery, and filter, which you may or may not want.

 

Look for coupons for "%x off anything in the store". These are really valuable on (nearly) fix prices items such as dSLR.

 

A better option would be to buy the dSLR on-line from a NYC dealer, but make sure item are not "grey market" (without USA warrenty) and the dealer is reputable. If the price is too good to be true...it usually is.

 

 

-Paul

[tsa]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Nikon. I too take a lot of action shots and am a HUGE scrapbooker. Can't say enough good about my Nikon.

[pjacobi]

The Nikon D40 is regularly $549.99 at Sear, on sale at Early Bird special for $449.99.

 

At B&H, the regular on-line price if $489.99.

 

If you really want the Nikon D40, you can save about $40.00 at the Early Bird sale at Sears, not the $100 saving that the Sears ad states.

 

However, I think it is more important to get the best camera for your needs, rather thay the one with the 10% discount.

 

 

-Payl

[cjbryant]

The best prices for DSLR's are online from the large stores in new york (B&H Photo, Adorama, etc.) As stated above, the retail stores (Walmart, Best Buy, Sears, etc) do not have a lot of room to reduce the price. The price reductions come from wholesalers and manufacture discounts.

 

I cannot post links since I am new, but B&H Photo (search in Yahoo or Google) has a Canon Digital Rebel Xt for $510. You can get it for less ($429) without the lens.Typically you can find lenses for relatively cheap on Ebay.

 

Perhaps the most important part of the camera is the lens, particularly for sports and low light pictures. Canon (or Nikon) typically make good consumer quality lenses, but they can get pretty pricey. You may want to look at Sigma, Tamron or Tokina for lenses. They make them to fit pretty much every brand of DSLR camera and most of the time are much cheaper than the manufacturer's lenses.

 

Now, for consumer cameras (Point and Shoot).... Keep in mind that mega pixels are not all that important, unless you plan to make large poster prints (11x14, 20x30 and larger). You can make excellent 8x10 prints from a 3 mega pixel camera (I am a professional photographer and I have done that with the early DSLR cameras). The manufacturers make it sound like you need more mega pixels than you really need, increasing the price of the camera. Mega Pixels DO NOT make a better image... they only make enlargements better (less grainy).

 

Sorry for the long post. I hope this helps.

[dmmiller]

Yes all the input helps alot, thanks

[christib327]

I have a question.

I have a camera that has 10x optical zoom. There's a camera that's pretty much the upgrade of mine that has 12x zoom. I'm considering getting it, but I'm wondering how much of a difference that will really make. I use my zoom a lot. Actually, most of the time. Can anyone help me with that?

[mrn8]

Which camera are you looking at? The Zoom Magnifier is different between different models and brands of digital camera, so you really need to know the mm range to get a true comparison. For instance, the Canon S5 IS and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 both have a 12x zoom. The Canon's actual range is 36mm-432mm and the Panasonic is 35mm-420mm. Not a huge difference, but I just wanted to point out that you can get a greater zoom with different brands of a camera, even though if you look at the zoom rating, you would believe them to be the same.

[6digmans]

He is really wanting a camera for Xmas... willing to give the WII up to get one:eek: .

I already bought the WII and will use it as a family gift so my girls can play it( son tends to hog the video game stuff).

 

Wonder what kind of price I can get on a digital camera, I am thinking under 100.00. I saw the one in the Sears BF ad but have no idea if its a good camera or anything about that paticular one.

 

It needs to be rather simple to use , I don't want him to figure its to hard and it sits and collects dust

[christib327]

I'm looking at the Kodak cameras. I love the one I have now, but I thought if there was enough difference in the zoom that I'd like to get the newer one. The one I have (10x zoom) is 38-380mm and the 12x zoom is 36-432 zoom. That sounds like quite a difference, but I'm clueless :)

Thanks for any help! :)

[mrn8]

 

Wonder what kind of price I can get on a digital camera, I am thinking under 100.00. I saw the one in the Sears BF ad but have no idea if its a good camera or anything about that paticular one.

 

It needs to be rather simple to use , I don't want him to figure its to hard and it sits and collects dust

What I'm going to say is going to tick off a lot of people, but I've found it to be true. Avoid Kodak, Polaroid, and HP cameras. Their image sensors do not last very long in those cameras, so after about 1 year (sometimes even less), your images lose clarity and you are looking for a new camera.

 

My recommendation in that price range is the Canon A460. It's small and simple to use, as well as well built. If you don't like that one, I'd try to stick with Canon, Sony, Panasonic, or Nikon.

[Brad]

What I'm going to say is going to tick off a lot of people, but I've found it to be true. Avoid Kodak, Polaroid, and HP cameras. Their image sensors do not last very long in those cameras, so after about 1 year (sometimes even less), your images lose clarity and you are looking for a new camera.

 

My recommendation in that price range is the Canon A460. It's small and simple to use, as well as well built. If you don't like that one, I'd try to stick with Canon, Sony, Panasonic, or Nikon.

Agreed. A low end Canon model is usually a much better value than even a mid-range model from one of the other brands that mrn8 mentioned.

[christib327]

I've heard this before, but I've had my Kodak for about 3 years and the pictures are just as detailed and crisp as they were when it was new, so I'm having a hard time wanting to get any other brand. I guess I'll have to think about it. Maybe I just got really lucky with the one I have.

 

Brad or mrn8, can you help me with the difference in the zoom on the cameras I mentioned a couple posts up? lol..even though it's not one you would get...is the zoom significantly better or would I even notice?

[mrn8]

Not all Kodak cameras are affected by the quality issues, but the percentages are too high for me to be willing to recommend their cameras.

 

As far as the difference you'll get in that extra zoom range, it will be noticable, but it wouldn't be enough for me to upgrade if I had an adequate camera. The cameras that I'm using right now are both Canon and I didn't upgrade until it was going to be significant. My first is a Canon S110 Digital Elph, and it still works perfectly at 6 years old. The other is a Canon G5, which is now 3 1/2 years old. The pictures that my oldest one take were often better than the Kodak camera's the my friends and family had in the past couple of years. The G5 is still an excellent camera, and it will stick with me at least until I get an SLR, but I'll probably keep using it like I have with my S110. I guess my point here is that if you buy a Canon, you know that the quality is good, because they filter down technology from their upper end cameras into their entry and mid-level cameras.

 

Take a look at www.dpreview.com and www.steves-digicams.com to find reviews of the cameras that you are specifically looking at. Steve's has a "best of" link that gives you his recommendation on the best cameras in a given category (entry, compact, ultra-zoom, etc).

[christib327]

Thank you! :)

I will check out those links....and I'll definately do my homework before I buy another. I don't really need one. Like I said the one I have I really do love, I just thought if I could get better zoom I would like that....but....maybe I should just stick with what I have right now and look around at others a little.

Thanks again for your help!! :)

[debnmark]

My recommendation in that price range is the Canon A460. It's small and simple to use, as well as well built. If you don't like that one, I'd try to stick with Canon, Sony, Panasonic, or Nikon.

I can't seem to find the Canon A460 anywhere other than Amazon. Is it an old model? If so, is there a newer, comparable model?

[Woody67]

I agree that Canon produces quality cameras, especially at the high end, but you are way off about Kodak. For the money, they produce the most user-friendly and best quality cameras on the market. They tied for the top ranking in the 2007 JD Power consumer satisfaction study, and won the top award outright in 2005 and 2006 in the point-and-shoot category (well ahead of Sony). I have three of them in my family, and they have all performed extremely well - no degradation in the sensor or any other issues (one is almost 4 years old - time for an upgrade).

[jrudy01]

Consumer Reports does not rate Kodak as having a high repair probability. Sames as Sony and Canon. Panasonic was best. I still love Sony and Canon. Never owned a kodak except for a poloroid years ago. Just won't tell you how many years ago. Ha ha ha ha.