Digital cameras - What do you use?

[chrisvonc]

What are you using on the trails? Make, model, price range you paid at the time. Please also feel free to post 3 or 4 pictures you have taken with it. How does yours do in low light, motion, handle being on a trail, easy of use?

thanks :)

[Mike Hippert]

Sony DSC-P8, 3.2 Mega Pixles, I think $350 to $400 + $65 for a 128 meg stick. Low light it does pretty good with the flash turned up all the way but you need to hold the camera very still. Motion shots it does fine just set the ISO to 400 and snap away. Trail use I can fit it in my pocket, hit one button and take pics. It has different modes, it can be set so that it auto compensates for evrything or you can manualy control everything. It also has the ability to take MPEGs, and can be set for 640 x 480 and record to the full length of the memory stick, then it has a cable so you can play back the video on a TV.

[dmarchand]

I run the Canon Powershot S500. It's decent. I can't remember if it's 4 or 5 megapixel. It does 90 second videos with sound which is very cool. It's got great battery life. Picture quality is decent with the very limited zoom. The lighting is very good. It's perfect for trail use in that you can slip it in your pocket. But for the good trips, I'm definitely looking to upgrade in my zoom and quality to something like the Nikon D70 or Canon Rebel Digi.

[dnewman9]

I use this site every time I buy a new camera, http://www.dpreview.com/. I currently have a Nikon 990, its getting old but it works great. I have gone through the early Kodaks and was not happy. If I were to get a general use camera I would buy a cheapy that is looseable and for quality shots where I could ensure the camera's safety I would buy one of the newer digital SLR format cameras either fron Nikon or Cannon. The site above though is really the best IMHO.
Dennis

[januconn92]

Hi, I also use a Sony DSC, mine is the 4 megapixel, and Mike's review was right on. It is cool because it is very small. Now if I can figure how to insert a picture into a post (not a file link), I would be all set.

Jan

[chrisvonc]

I currently have a Sony digital video camera with an additional digital still camera built in that takes its pictures to a seperate memory stick. Seeing how my laptop has built in compatibility with Sony stuff including built in reader, not to mention the additional memory sticks I have, I would lean towards a Sony unit. As the pictures are for publishing both on web and for hi-res convertions into site artworks sometimes, I definatly dont want to skimp out on the picture quality, but does need to be easily accessable and survive jumping in and out of trucks on the trail.

Dennis, thanks for the link.. I will have to read up over there.

[smenzel]

I use a Nikon CoolPix 775 that I bought two and a half years ago for a little over three hundred dollars (US). It's only 2.1 MegaPixels. The current version is 3.x. Low light is tough but manageable. The delay to exposure is annoying but no worse than most other cameras. Optical zoom is decent.

Best feature is that it's small and fits in my shorts pocket. This is a big change after carrying around the huge case for my 35mm SLR plus four lenses that weighs fifteen pounds. :)

[Glenn_Guinto]

Chris,

I have an older Sony Cybershot 2.0 Megapixel (DSC-P31). Not the BEST pics but decent enough. Not that great in low light and zoom conditions but a very decent bright light picture. The thing is bulletproof, it swam inside my disco when I flooded it, dropped it countless of times, has nicks and scars but it still works. In other words, great on the trail.

Like you, I also have a VAIO laptop and desktop so I'm pretty tied with memory sticks and sony products. While the Canon SLR digitals are super nice, I think you can't go wrong with the cybershots IMHO.

Glenn

[Trigger]

I use a Nikon CoolPix 775...

I have this same camera. It's not the latest greatest and it's only 2MP but it does a decent job in the field and it's small. Now that it's a couple years old I'm not as paranoid about taking it everywhere. All the pics in my gallery at http://www.nnin.net/gallery/ were taken with it. Nikon makes some of the best digicams in my opinion.

[c2sox]

Chris,

I've got the Canon digital rebel and I'm quite happy with it, I paid $1K with the lens kit. I've had a Canon EOS so the decision was easy as far as getting a digital SLR, I'm able to use all my existing lenses. Sorry but I don't have any off roading pics that I could share at the moment but I've attached a couple of pics that I took on a recent vacation from St. Augustine, FL. I've also attached a pic from a Sony DSC-S85, I'm not so thrilled with that one, I should've ponied up the extra pennies for the DSC-F707. Personally I've opted for the larger camera's mainly due to the feel.

Al

[wicks]

Casio Exilim with Optical Pentax Zoom lens work pretty good and shoots videos too.

http://www.casio.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.content&catalog=Cameras&section=EXILIM%20Series&product=EX%2DZ40&content=Technical%20Specs

Made that Nevada Trophy Movie with it.

[newfD90]

Canon digital ELPH S410. 4M pixel. Around $400 or so. Great camera!

[Burke]

I use the Olympus Stylus 400. Good pic quality, paid @ $400. The selling point on it to me is that it is weather/ sand/ mud resistant. Good for the trail, or beach!

[chrisvonc]

Good stuff.. keep the opinions coming if you got them! :)
Thanks

[ballred]

I use a Nikon D1x. Price: Don't ask, but I have seen vehicles advertised for sale on this site for less! That's the bad news, the good news is that the photos are fantastic. 5.6 megapixels and full SLR compatability. I have blown photos to 20x24 with far better quality than film. It is heavy and due to its cost, I try not to knock it around too much. For general use I have an older Nikon 990. I get about 80% of the quality with a lot less weight.

Any of the newer model Nikons with about 3 megapixels should be enough for anything anyone would want to do particularly posting things on the web or making prints of up to 8x10. I'm sure other cameras are good. I'm just a Nikon guy.

[Eric N]

Chris, I have a Nikon Coolpix 885 ( was about $500 when I bought it a few years ago ) I believe the new model number is the Coolpix 3200. One thing that I like is that it is small and works great for a point and shoot camera. However, there are a few things that bother me about digital cameras in general. Well, unless you are going to pay big bucks for a high end digital SLR or one of the entry level ones starting at about $999. Some come with a lens, some don't.. Ok, the things that bug me.. There is a delay from the time you hit the button till the time the camera actually takes the picture. Depending on conditions could be a little delay could be alot.. Digital zoom sucks.. Why they even added it is beyound me except to bilk money from people that don't know better. Just look for a good Optical zoom range. Batteries.. Mine uses nikon battery packs that I had to buy special. Nothing wrong with them, however, if they die, well, you need to recharge them.. No taking AA's out of a flashlight to snap some more pictures since they won't fit.

For the most part I like the Digital camera that I have. It has a few querks but, it takes great pictures for a 3.2 mega pixel. However, at only a 3x optical zoom it is and always will be a point and shoot camera. The couple of trips that I have taken to Alaska have proved that over and over again with missed shots due to delay and low light. Then there is the shots that I couldn't get due to lack of zoom. I do however, have a nice film camera that I also take on trips for the shots that I know my digital will never make. For a trail ride camera point and shoot is just fine. They are even one or two out there that are made to get wet. From what I have seen they are all pretty much the same in the lower pixel range so just look for one that has what you want in your price range.... Just make sure it says Nikon on it and then you know you got a good camera :)

[loykd]

CVC, Websites to check out for reviews:
www.dcpreview.com
www.dcresource.com
www.imaging-resource.com
www.steves-digicams.com

I've got a Canon S45 and a Digital Rebel and photos attached. Both do great, with slightly different purposes. When you look for cameras, I'd suggest that you look especially for start-up time and time to take a picture from the time you press the shutter button. Pretty important so you don't lose a shot. I'm sure you've already experienced that. The Sony DSC-F828 is very full-featured if you want to spend that much money and stay with Sony, but I think the point-and-shoots do pretty well at less than half the price.