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?

Since digital cameras range from a couple of hundred dollars to Canon's $7999.00 EOS-1Ds Mark II, the factor for going digital should not be price.

Are you on your computor every day?

Will you use your printer for something every 3 days so it does not dry out?

Do you or family need hard copies photos to show others?  ( in real life-husbands are slow to get the digital photos printed out in a timely manner )

how many photos do you shoot now?   3 rolls per year?     5?     12?      1?        40?

The digital camera you but now is "locked" into March 2005 technology, but a 20 year old film camera benifits from new film technology.  Make the jump to digital when your ready, but don't flinch at the time it takes OR the cost of camera,paper,memory,ink,printer,cables, and software.                   

                                                                                                                                                                                           18 degrees

18Degrees wrote:

Thanks 18 degrees!

I am on my computer several times a day.  I print about every day, but at the moment I dont have a printer especially made for digital photos.  Could you recomend a good one? 

I would like to be able to print out photos and frame them.  I probably shoot about 12 to 20 rolls a year.  Manly on my annual trips.  Last year I did an around the world trip and shot like 10 rolls in two weeks! 

Roger

This is just out from Canon.

High-performance digital SLR with 8.0 Megapixel CMOS Sensor and DIGIC II Image Processor.      

Fast 3 frames-per-second shooting with a 14 frame burst and 0.2 second startup time

Canon Digital Rebel XT SLR Camera Body Kit, CHrome Finish with EFS 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens - U.S.A. Warranty
	$999.99

I'm still waiting for the prices to come down (something like the Canon 20D, but with a full frame 35mm sensor) before i make the jump.  But when i do all my Canon fashes and lens and remote will fit the Canon I buy.  Canon and Nikon (like    Ford vs Chevy-    Coke vs Pepsi   -   PC vs Mac   -    prunes vs enema  )     have been pushing each other to make better cameras, that is good for us.

I have a 6 ink tank canon print but no digital yet. I would sugest getting the camera first then the printer, learning what you do not like on about your printer first. 

Important=get a fast memory card-or it slows down the camera. The prices on these are falling too.

                 18 degrees

Thats a sweet Cannon!  Is there a Nikon equivalent?  I am in the same boat you are in with Cannon in that I already own a Nikon F80 and have lens for it. 

What model Cannon SLR do you have 18 degrees?

I have a Elan 7e with Eye Control

Canon 28-135 Image Stablizer lens

dead Sigma 28-200 lens (it quit autofocusing)

2  550ex flashes (for wireless falsh)

bogen tripod

stroboframe PRO-T

Nikon has the D70 ($999.95 body only,  $1299.95 for the kit) but if you wait for septemberish i sure nikon will answer Canon for the christmas season( I usally see new cameras released then).

      18 degrees

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.