Camera Buying

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Vegemite

Camera Buying
« on: May 26, 2007, 05:09:10 PM »
Help? I plan to buy a decent digital camera before I return home. What should I be looking for? I've tried searching the net but now I want advice from some 'real' people.

I want a camera that will zoom in and out, will be able to take pictures of people moving, will be able to take pictures of sun-rises and of dusk - a camera that can take good pictures.

What are people's favourite cameras? Which brands are safe to buy in China?

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George

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2007, 05:17:06 PM »
I have a Fuji Finepix s9500.
9 megapixels, 10x zoom. Looks and feels like an SLR, but without interchangeable lenses. Pretty good. Got it for 4500 RMB.
The higher they fly, the fewer!    http://neilson.aminus3.com/

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Newbs

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2007, 08:15:46 PM »
Can't remember what I bought in China but I know I got my mate, a local, to do a lot of the spade work for me.  ie.  I kept out of sight at the emporium where we were and he did the asking and bargaining as much as possible.  This came in handy, and he was also able to help out when it had to be replaced under warranty.

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Pashley

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2007, 08:22:42 PM »
Help? I plan to buy a decent digital camera before I return home. What should I be looking for? I've tried searching the net but now I want advice from some 'real' people.

I want a camera that will zoom in and out, will be able to take pictures of people moving, will be able to take pictures of sun-rises and of dusk - a camera that can take good pictures.

What are people's favourite cameras? Which brands are safe to buy in China?

Some good articles:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Travel_photography
http://www.photo.net/

I've seen several articles (including comments from pros who have high-end cameras but also want a small cheap camera they can carry everywhere) rating the Fuji F30 as having much the best low-light performance in its class. If you want a point-and-shoot, look at it. I think there's a F31 now.

Image stabilisation (IS) or anti-shake technology is becoming widely available lately. Quite a few of the lower cost point-and-shoot cameras have it, including some Olympus models that are also weather sealed, rain and dust resistant. A friend bought one of those (stylus 730?) for 2700 or so, was happy with it, had it stolen, bought another, FE190?, for 2000 or so, is happy.

People seem to be almost unanimous that the Canon 5D with its full frame sensor is among the best digital cameras available, but at over $2000 for the body alone and then you have to buy lenses, you won't be getting it on a Chinese salary. Also, it is large, heavy and complex to operate.

In digital SLRs Canon and Nikon are the most popular brands, but they build their IS into lenses which makes the lenses heavier and more expensive and means you don't get it for all lenses.

The Pentax K10D and cheaper K100D have IS in the body. Olympus has announced an E510 with IS in the body. To my way of thinking, those are the DSLRs to consider.
Who put a stop payment on my reality check?

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Nolefan

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2007, 08:52:45 PM »
a lot of choices out here...

I usually recommend going for last year's high end cameras since they usually drop in price when new models are released. MP are becoming slowly overkill and too many people are using 9, 10 MP cameras when a good old 3 or 5 MP would be more than adequate.

You need to then consider wether you want a heavy/bulky one or a camera that you can stick in your pocket and carry everywhere.  Slim ones can't get too good of a proper real zoom 3x or 5x at the most they balance it out with digital zoom which i personally am not a big fan of.

Each brand has pros and cons but I tend to stay away form high end and bigger names. Konika-Minolta makes amazing camera that are on par with just about everybody else's; so does Casio. Yet, their cameras are cheaper giving you more bang for your buck.

The only one i recommend staying away from is Samsung... their cameras are crap IMHO. I have yet to meet anybody that's happy with a samsung.

Right now, I'm using my konika-minolta 530C which I bought 2 years ago in Shijiazhuang. 5MP, normal features, can use both memory sticks AND SD cards, great battery life! I paid 2200 for it back then and it's running like a champ after being used and abused in multiple bootcamps, trips, etc..
alors régressons fatalement, eternellement. Des débutants, avec la peur comme exutoire à l'ignorance et Alzheimer en prof d'histoire de nos enfances!
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George

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2007, 09:26:31 PM »
I was tossing up between a KonicaMinolta and the Fuji. They both have a similar model. Can't remember what decided me on the Fuji.
The higher they fly, the fewer!    http://neilson.aminus3.com/

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George

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2007, 03:08:47 AM »
But us serious snappers need something more dignified!!
The higher they fly, the fewer!    http://neilson.aminus3.com/

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Eagle

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2007, 06:04:26 AM »
In my opinion, unless you want a Chinese camera, they will be cheaper out of China for out of country brands as they are more expensive to buy in China.
“… whatever reality may be, it will to some extent be shaped by the lens
through which we see it.” (James Hollis)

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Lotus Eater

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2007, 07:06:42 AM »
If you are buying a camera to take home - buy it at home.  WHY?  Because the warranty is only valid in the country of purchase!!  If you are going to be here for a while - buy it here.

I have 2 Canon digitals. One I bought in Oz and it is now my backup camera.  A 4mp Powershot 45, the other an 8 MP 11x optical zoom 22 digital zoom (which i NEVER use).  I have bought a 1.5 multipler lens for it to increase my zoom.  I also have an optical Olympus with the biggest zoom they have in PhD cameras (Push here dummy) - a backup backup.

I have a good relationship with my camera shop and they give me good deals on batteries, bits and pieces and my new camera.  But I walk in there and I truly truly LUST after the really fancy SLRs with the whacking great zoom lens.   I will have to succumb one day soon.  Only thing stopping me is weight.  Even carrying my multiplier increases every muscles I own.  But I really want to take fantastic close up shots of things.

This is an addictive process.

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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2007, 11:20:53 AM »
I have loved the Olympus digital camera I brought over here with me. It's been a brick- and taken some great photos- for many years now. Simple to use, great zooms both optical and digital, and came with reasonably good and friendly photo management software.

Mine's from the States but you can find Olympus here too.

I've always heard it suggested that things like this are a much better bargain in Hong Kong, if that option is open. Similar or lower prices, and better quality than what's sold in the Mainland market.
"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

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we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)

Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #10 on: May 28, 2007, 09:35:09 PM »
I have a canon powershot s80.  Bought it in march last year.  Good quality pics, Really good quality video (but very high memory intensive - but I resolve that by compressing them afterwards with Windows Movie Maker, the best free thing with windoze).  Fits into pocket easily.  Very happy.

Night shots not great though.  Sometimes using the flash at night I get weird splodges on the picture.  My friend with the same camera gets the same thing.
It is too early to say.

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Vegemite

Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #11 on: May 30, 2007, 10:08:57 PM »
If you are buying a camera to take home - buy it at home.  WHY?  Because the warranty is only valid in the country of purchase!!

Checking out prices, cameras cost a lot more in some countries than they do here. If I were to buy the camera I want back home, it'll cost me nearly 2000RMB more back in NZ.

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George

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #12 on: May 30, 2007, 10:58:41 PM »
Quote
For that price difference buy two!
Perzakkly!! Then sell the spare in NZ! agagagagag
The higher they fly, the fewer!    http://neilson.aminus3.com/

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Eagle

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Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #13 on: May 31, 2007, 04:45:00 AM »
It would cost me about 1200 RMB more to by my Sony here in China than it cost me in Canada.  DSC-H5 for those interested.
“… whatever reality may be, it will to some extent be shaped by the lens
through which we see it.” (James Hollis)

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Lono Tiki

Re: Camera Buying
« Reply #14 on: June 27, 2007, 11:40:37 PM »
Digital Photography Review has great information. I spent several weeks perusing that website before making a purchase.

Prior to coming to China, I bought a 3 megapixel Olympus. Within a month, it was dead from the humidity here.

A month and a half ago, my wife was on a business trip to Hong Kong and I had her buy a Ricoh Caplio R6. This isn't a "serious" photography camera... but what's great about it is that it has a 7.1x optical zoom (and a wide angle of 28mm) and still fits in your pocket with ease. It's worked absolutely beautifully so far and I'll post some pictures later to give an idea of what it's capable of.

I strongly urge you to take a look at this camera if you want something that has some oomph, but is comfortable enough to carry with you every day.

In Hong Kong, it cost about 2,800rmb.



Review 1
Review 2
« Last Edit: June 27, 2007, 11:43:15 PM by Lono Tiki »