Raoul's China Saloon (V5.0) Beta

The Bar Room => The Bar (ON-TOPIC) => Tech Talk, or If Yer So Damn Smart, What The Hell You Doin' Teachin' English? => Topic started by: mrozark on October 31, 2007, 04:07:12 PM

Title: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: mrozark on October 31, 2007, 04:07:12 PM
LE having just bought a new Canon inspired me.
It is soon time for a new camera.

I was looking at the new Olympus E3.

Any thoughts?

What's your dream camera? Which will be your next?
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: kcanuck on October 31, 2007, 06:16:02 PM
there's a camera thread in the saloon photo album with lots of helpful info.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Pashley on October 31, 2007, 06:51:41 PM
I was looking at the new Olympus E3.

Any thoughts?
I've also been looking at the E3 and the much cheaper E510, but I'd say
the Pentax K10D beats both. It has many of the E3 features, bright
viewfinder, weatherproofing etc. at a price similar to E510.

E3 is new; it may become a lot more attractive if the price drops.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: mrozark on October 31, 2007, 09:59:20 PM
I'm looking at this web site - (impressive site):
http://www.pentax-k10d.jp/english/

When I started using a camera somewhat seriously, it was
1975 and Pentax was kind of a 'b' grade in the 35mm arena.

It seems that now they have some very nice offerings.

I'll see if I can find someone carrying the K10D because 'feel'
is so important. I've had a couple of Sony's that I was very happy with.
Now I have a Fujifilm 9500s which is great for all around, but makes
me crave a true SLR with a nice feel and better performance.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Nolefan on October 31, 2007, 10:00:21 PM
I've been drooling over pro-style cameras for so long but will never buy myself one mainly because it will always stay at home! I've always been a point and shoot type of person! Most cameras now offer more than enough MP for your average home user so the only reason i'd upgrade would be to get a better zoom.

and I finally got a lead on a point-and-shoot with acceptable zoom: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ series... all the point and shoot goodness with a lovely 10x optical zoom... oh yeah!!! that might turn out to be my next B-day gift to myself

(http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/PanasonicTZ3/images/TZ3k_main_450.jpg)

(http://www.apeshop.com/images/digital_cameras/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC-TZ3_Blue.jpg)

Here is the dp review: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PanasonicTZ3/

Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Eagle on October 31, 2007, 10:14:02 PM
Nice camera, Nolefan.  Almost the same as my Sony.  I have an SLR in Canada and have left it there because it is too heavy, especially with all lenses and filters that I have an use with the camera.  Out of Canada, I want more instant photos, yet decent photos, without the weight.  Using a "great" camera requires careful attention to setting up shots, lighting, decisions on whether to use a wide-angle, a telephoto, lens filters, etc. 

Still, when back home and the itch strikes, I will likely by a digital SLR (a canon most likely hoping my other lenses work out with it).
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Nolefan on October 31, 2007, 10:17:25 PM

which Sony is that, Eagle? big optical zoom on it?

Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Pashley on October 31, 2007, 10:39:00 PM
There's some good advice about cameras for travellers at:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Travel_photography

http://photo.net/ is a very good site, lots of information on everything from choosing equipment to how to take better photos with any equipment.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: George on November 01, 2007, 02:04:12 AM
Get a camera you feel comfortable with. Hold it and feel for the important bits.. afafafafaf afafafafaf Buy it if it does all you want it to. The eye behind it is the most important bit!!
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Eagle on November 01, 2007, 03:48:39 AM

which Sony is that, Eagle? big optical zoom on it?



A DSC H-5 with a 12X optical zoom and 7.2 megapixels.  A very nice camera indeed for a point and shoot.  Of course it is already obsolete as the H-7 and H-9 have already replaced it. 
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Eagle on November 01, 2007, 03:49:56 AM
LOL!  I have a friend in Canada with a Nikon SLR digital (VERY expensive) who still takes crap photos.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Lotus Eater on November 01, 2007, 04:03:31 AM
I have an Olympus optical camera that I loved until I bought my digitals. Then I bought the Canons - a Powershot 45 that had an OK zoom for what I wanted at the time, then my Pro1 that had the better zoom, more mgs etc, and now of course my nice new baby.

The Pro1 or it's current replacement would be a good option for the high end point and shoot. Nice zoom, high mgs, not too heavy, settings you can play with.

What do I want now? More lens of course!! More filters.

This is an expensive game!!

But I have been really happy with the 3 Canons and when fixing is required in China - my favourite camera shop has a repair section as well.  So it hasn't been incredibly difficult.  When necessary they will send to HK for repairs. (I am tough on my cameras!) But the Canons have taken a lot from me and still kept shooting.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: mrozark on November 01, 2007, 09:05:53 AM
Since China is such an interesting place and full of surprises for me - even after so many years - I often wish I had a 'instant but decent' camera like Eagle is suggesting. That Lumix looks nice, Nolefan. And I like the good zoom because I often want to get in close without being in somebody's face. I often think I wish I had a 'point and shoot' hanging around my neck so I can just grab it when I see a photo-worthy situation. Does anyone do that? When I was 15, I had my Vivitar around my neck all the time (an early geek). Perhaps it caused some neck problems....
LE, I bet you bought the OM1 when it came out. A real ground breaker.
Some of these Sony's are really sexy, too. (http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/s/img/sony-cybershot-w55-177x150.gif)
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: kcanuck on November 01, 2007, 11:39:59 AM
http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/caplio/r7/ (http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/caplio/r7/)

here's the specs on my brand new baby, very new,released in September of this year.
it's one of the thinnest on the market and I love it.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: mrozark on November 01, 2007, 12:12:24 PM
Wow, I like the looks and specs on the Caplio R7.

Do you think the brand is very important?
I'm wondering if features are most important since
there are SO MANY manufacturers that make great cameras.

Kind of destroys the concept of brand loyalty - unless you
are used to a specific style or menu system. New menus like
new software can be a pain to learn. And once you learn one,
it becomes obsolete.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Lotus Eater on November 01, 2007, 12:22:10 PM
Really cute - and it comes in pretty colours!
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: mrozark on November 01, 2007, 03:30:00 PM
I know, I know, LE. You are more of a hard core photographer, which
I'd also like to be someday (when I grow up), but some of these
point and shoot cameras have really amazing specs.

And they have pretty colo(u)rs!  axaxaxaxax
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: dragonsaver on November 01, 2007, 07:09:28 PM
I bought a Kodak camera in Canada.  My brother looked at it and said that's a cannon.  Don't forget many cameras are made by a big manufacturer but sold under a different name.  For example store brands in Canada and USA are made by the big ones - they just put the store's label on it.  I would assume the same is true here.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: contemporarydog on November 01, 2007, 08:44:34 PM
LE having just bought a new Canon inspired me.
It is soon time for a new camera.

I was looking at the new Olympus E3.

Any thoughts?

What's your dream camera? Which will be your next?


Better luck with your canon than the B.s I have had with mine :(
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: mrozark on November 02, 2007, 01:14:47 AM
LE having just bought a new Canon inspired me.
It is soon time for a new camera.

I was looking at the new Olympus E3.

Any thoughts?

What's your dream camera? Which will be your next?


Better luck with your canon than the B.s I have had with mine :(

What happened? IS the info on another thread?
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: contemporarydog on November 02, 2007, 01:44:20 AM
Will post my tale of woe a bit later, when CD Jr is sleeping and I have time to type a full rant.

Google canon powershot s80 e18 error in the meantime
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Pashley on November 02, 2007, 10:11:50 PM
Olympus E3 was mentioned. Some commentary here: http://biofos.com/esystem/e_3ult.html

But can any of us, on Chinese income, afford it? It's in the $1500 range for body alone.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: mrozark on November 03, 2007, 09:34:47 AM
Olympus E3 was mentioned. Some commentary here: http://biofos.com/esystem/e_3ult.html

But can any of us, on Chinese income, afford it? It's in the $1500 range for body alone.

Great! Thanks for the link. I've just started reading it and can see it will
be very helpful. I wouldn't buy a camera on a Chinese income. I've opted for a 'web' income and only spending in China. Earning USD on the web and spreading it around...
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: contemporarydog on November 08, 2007, 04:43:40 AM
My camera woes...

Bought my canon last August in Wuhan.  Paid 4500 RMB for it.  Personally now I regret spending so much, as all I've really used it for is baby pics.

Anyway, was very happy with quality etc though.  In early July this year, I took teh camera out of its case, to find that the lens had got stuck about halfway out, and it was impossible to get it to move in or out.  It just whirred unsuccessfully (each time you turned it off and on again) then made some clicking noises and then said "E18" on the screen.  I googled and loads of canon users have had the same problem.  Luckily it was just within its guarantee period.  So we got it fixed at the Canon shop iN Dalian and then went on our trip to blighty.  A week into the trip, the same problem happens again.  Concerned, as by the time we return to Dalian the guarantee would have expired, we phoned the shop back in Dalian, who told us not to fear and they would fix it again when we got back.  So we got back to Dalian in mid August, took it to the shop, who fixed it and promised us that, if the problem occurred one more time within a 3 month window (by end of November) they would replace the camera for free. 

About two weeks or so ago, problem comes back once again :(

We took the camera to the shop, annoyingly the quite friendly shop assistant who sorted it the first couple of times wasn't there, and some rather officious looking man inspected the camera instead.  He said that this time WE had deliberately broken the camera, so the shop couldn't do anything about it!  asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas  He said that the only way to test this out was to send it to the big canon centre in Beijing.

Fearing that the guy in that shop was a bit dodgy, we located the other canon centre in dalian and took it down there for them to send to Beijing for us, complete with a letter outlining our grievances.

The good news though is that the beijing centre apparently called our house today and said that the problem definitely wasn't our fault and that the dalian canon shop should have replaced the camera for us for free.  agagagagag
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: mrozark on November 08, 2007, 12:52:53 PM
What a nightmare... I guess something like that could
happen with any brand. Canon overall seems to have
a great rep and be the industry leader. What model is it?

It seems like it will just keep happening - some kind of
a design flaw in the lens mechanics. I think they should give
you another model for free. The last think I'd
want is my camera to fail on vacation...
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Lotus Eater on November 08, 2007, 02:22:36 PM
Quote
The last think I'd
want is my camera to fail on vacation...

I carry back up cameras! (back up everything -cards, batteries!)
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: contemporarydog on November 08, 2007, 03:11:41 PM
Beijing have just been on the phone.  They're going to help us sort a new one.  agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag

Still  asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas asasasasasto Canon for having a camera with such a major inbuilt flaw.

http://www.e18error.com/posts/index.php
http://blogs.yucs.org/~dwallach/2004/08/canon_e18_error_repair_instruc.html
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Eagle on November 08, 2007, 07:15:44 PM
What LE said, extra camera, extra cards, extra batteries ... be prepared.
Title: Re: Camera lovers unite!
Post by: Newbs on November 08, 2007, 08:40:20 PM
Extra batteries, yep, especially in the cold of northern China in winter.  Battery life drops to zip very quickly.

After a few ugly experiences I have realised that for cameras which use AA batteries (there are some) go for price.  Bought el cheapo ones once when desparate and got a whole 4 shots out of the bastards.  Bought some super duper lithium something or other at 10 times the price, and man, are they sweet.  Digital cameras love to consume battery power.