My 1st Digital Camera?

[infitro]

Hi,

I plan to buy a digicam and am confused by the 3 options provided:
* Fuji Finepix A310
* Canon A70
* Nikon CP3100

Can someone please enlight me as to which digicam I should pursue?

Rgds,

[gibsonpd3620]

What types of pictures will you be shooting. Do you want to grow in the use of the camera or only need point and shoot.

[infitro]

Originally Posted by gibsonpd3620

What types of pictures will you be shooting. Do you want to grow in the use of the camera or only need point and shoot.

I shoot any type of picture actually, people, views, anything that I find interesting...

I'm not a pro in the use of camera if this is what you're asking. But of course would like to learn more in the usage of digicam, still it's more towards hobby though.

So, any suggestion on the provided options?

Rgds,

[DarkThrone]

Of the three I choose the PowerShot A70, which I almost bought. I ended up having an Olympus C-740 UltraZoom and am very pleased with it.

[gibsonpd3620]

I would look at a camera similar to the Olympus C740. It has both good auto modes and good excellent manual settings. The 10X zoom provides excellent opportunties for bringing objects close. The Oly 740 is very good for outdoor shooting or with the flash but lacks low light shooting. The Oly c4040 or C5050 has only a 3X optical lens but is excellent for low light shooting. I own the c740 and c4040 which provide a wide variety of shooting opportunties.

[infitro]

The reason Olympus is not on the list is that because the brand is not that common here, so after sales service might be a little problem I foresee.

Hence, can I conclude that the best of the 3 (Canon vs Nikon vs Fuji) is Canon A70 even its price is approx. 25% higher than Fuji?

Rgds,

[slipe]

I wouldn’t pay 25% more for the A70, but once you factor in the xD card verses the much more versatile and cheaper CF in the Canon you will probably find you won’t have as big a price difference. You need at least a 128Mb card. Cameras don’t come with cards large enough to use the higher quality cameras are capable of.

You will also have to buy a charger and two sets of rechargable batteries for all of those cameras. Alkaline batteries don’t take many pictures and the single use lithium can get expensive. You won’t use the camera enough if you have to supply one use batteries all the time.

I don’t know about the prices in your secret location, but in the US you can get a Nikon 4300 for about the price of an A70 plus a charger and two sets of rechargeable batteries. It comes with a battery and charger and is 4Mp. The proprietary battery will likely fill a 256Mb card if you are careful with LCD use and certainly fill a 128Mb card. You can also carry a one use lithium in case you run out of battery. Most cameras with proprietary batteries don’t let you do that.

You might look around locally for something that comes with a battery and charger if the 4300 is too pricey. Also look for cameras that use CF cards. Compare CF prices with xD and you will understand why.


Canon: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/a70.html
Fuji: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_...fuji_a310.html
Nikon 3100: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_...nikon3100.html
Nikon 4300: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_...nikon4300.html

[gibsonpd3620]

I would elect the Canon A70 over the other cameras in your list because it uses 4AA batteries and compact flash.

[slipe]

Well if you want to compare based on just AA and CF the Nikon is good too. It gets an hour and a half with just two AAs with the LCD on. There is no reason to use the LCD all the time so a single set will easily fill a 256Mb CF card. It is also easier and cheaper to carry a spare set with only two. I would prefer to not have the extra weight and bulk in the camera. The Nikon is lighter before you add the batteries and is much lighter after you add two rather than four. I also like the ergonomics of the Nikon. I would personally prefer the A70 because of the manual capability and night shot superiority. But the Nikon is probably the better choice for someone who doesn’t want all that. So gibsonpd3620’s earlier question about how the camera will be used and whether you want something you can grow into is significant in the choice.

But with all three you have to buy a charger and batteries. Proprietary lithium batteries are more space and weight efficient. Cameras are switching to them more and more. Even the large A1 and Sony 828 will use proprietary rather than AA. The Nikon 4300 will use up a 256Mb card with the battery and it comes with the camera along with the charger.

If someone is going to get very large cards and be away from a charger for a long time the proprietary batteries become more expensive as you have to buy extras. But for someone buying a 256Mb card the proprietary batteries are fine. Evidently the new larger cameras with proprietary batteries will at least fill a 512Mb card and maybe a Gb if you use raw.

[infitro]

Originally Posted by slipe

I wouldn’t pay 25% more for the A70, but once you factor in the xD card verses the much more versatile and cheaper CF in the Canon you will probably find you won’t have as big a price difference. You need at least a 128Mb card. Cameras don’t come with cards large enough to use the higher quality cameras are capable of.

I don’t know about the prices in your secret location, but in the US you can get a Nikon 4300 for about the price of an A70 plus a charger and two sets of rechargeable batteries. It comes with a battery and charger and is 4Mp.

You might look around locally for something that comes with a battery and charger if the 4300 is too pricey. Also look for cameras that use CF cards. Compare CF prices with xD and you will understand why.

Many thanks for all the feedback. I'm living in Indonesia, quite a distance from US, and Nikon 4300 is way to pricey for me...

Guess I'll get "my" Canon A70 then. Anybody can recommend an online store which can deliver oversea purchase? I'm comparing prize between Amazon and local store in my place, and sometimes it's even cheaper (after including the delivery cost + insurance) to buy online.

rgds,