Digital Cameras Discussions

So has anyone figured out how many pictures you have to take on average to warrent purchasing a digital camera in order to offset film processing costs?

First off you need to explain what zise prints you will be printing.  Are they 3x5, 4x6, 8x10 etc.  A good five megapixel can produce excellent 8x10 prints.  Also look for optical zoom not digital and image stabalization if you are getting a camera with a powerful zoom.  As far as digital slr are concerned to me they make no sense if you already have a film slr.  The point of getting a digital is so that you wouldn't have to change lenses and carry all that extra equipment around.  My friends have several digital camera's the panasonic fz20 and the cannon g6 i beleive and the results they have with those are excellent.  Just my two cents.  The cost of printing them out yourself all depends on the printer and photo paper you purchase.  I have an HP that works great.

Thanks uc!  I guess I was thinking mainly for travelling, in which case I agree that an SLR does get a bit bulky.  So for serious photography do you use your film SLR and for everything else your digital?

RIght now I stilluse my minolta maxum for pictures.  I have borrowed my friends panasonic FMZ20 and another cannon G6.  Both digitals have produced wonderful photos that I have printed and thats what is making me look at the digital cameras.  I was skeptical that they could produce the results that they did.  The panasonic has a 12x optical zoom with image stabilization and a leica lens.  I was very impressed by it and the cannon also produced great pictures.  I pronted a couple of 8x10's from both and was not disappointed at all.  Each camera has its good points and its drawbacks.  I suggest you check out some reviews at www.dpreview.com,  www.dcresource.com, www.dcviews.com, and www.steves-digicams.com to get some ideas. 


I suggest you check out any digital camera to see how it fits in your hand.  Once you find one you like I don't think you will be lugging around the film slr on vacation anymore.

good luck.

uc113 wrote:

There is a reason the eqipment is the size it is. 

 Smaller cameras (film of digital) do not have the response time or the features to work the shot as fast or at all. 

  BUT, if your camera is to big to luggg around, then the smaller one is the far batter chioce.

  ( I get frustrated with point and shoot cameras (film or digital), if I am doing more than point & shoot)                                      

                                             my $0.02                                       18 degrees

I agree with you as far as the point and shoot camera's out there.  However the panasonic and cannon I have tried have some nice advanced features as well.  The bonus is that they are no where as bulky as the slr's and still produce great results.  Plus they can be as basic as a point and shoot and the person can grow into them as well.

Hi Roger,

I guess that depends on how much you spend on the film, the processing and the camera. And how long you keep your digital camera. Purchasing and processing transparency film today is expensive, total about $30 - 40 per roll, so ten rolls would buy an intro digital.