[at-l] Digital camera ideas?

[David Addleton]

my olympus stylus 710 is light, weatherproof and uses the cards you like BUT
takes proprietary batteries and uses a video display instead of a view
finder, two compromises I made when I bought the thing.

I've learned to live with the battery issue. Though I've not spent days on
the trail since buying the camera, I've noticed the batteries will last
longer if I turn the camera off after taking a picture; leaving it on runs
down the batteries. It'll last a couple days or more if I don't take too
many pictures. I can run down the battery in in a single youth soccer game.
Also, it doesn't charge the battery when its plugged into the computer.
Leave it plugged in to the USB port overnight and the battery is dead the
next morning.

As for no view finder, I still miss the view finder. I cannot really see the
screen on a bright day. I get good action shots of my nephew playing soccer
only by accident it seems. The screen just isn't fast or bright enought to
keep up. The camera takes too long between shots.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/497375185_5905c29617_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/497375179_11e266d6dc_b.jpg
I'm happy with the close up "macro" setting results.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1191/577495938_054ef27240_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/359055433_8707ee59f4_b.jpg
I have yet to put the camera through its paces for landscapes and vistas,
although I've taken a few good shots from a medium distance.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/208/516717356_115c6823c5_o.jpg

All the pics seem to require some tweaking in a digital processing program.
Compare this original:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1346/558355833_89de5ae232_b.jpg
to this "enhanced" version:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1105/558355823_b81634818d_o.jpg
I'm still a newbie when it comes to digital processing, which is why I put
"enhanced" in quotes!

It's a lot better than the cheap $40 walgreens digital I had for several
years (and still have!). But it looks like I'll have to spring some major
bucks for a really good camera that measures up to what I recall getting
from the film days AND PhotoShop, eventually . . .

On 6/20/07, Paul Magnanti <pmags at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> My digital camera has croaked. A shame, the only thing wrong with it is
> the button. No parts are available as the camera is discontinued. My
> local camera shop was told by Olympus it would cost ~$150 to fix. :O
>
> Looking at prices, I can find newer cameras in the price range.
>
>
>
> So I am now in the market for a camera. I am looking for a point and shoot
> camera. Preferably with the following criteria:
>
>
>
> -I have many xD cards, so Olympus or Fujitsu is preferred
>
> -Runs on AA batteries
>
> -The last one is a toughy: I prefer an optical viewfinder as it is how I
> take pictures AND it saves battery life
>
>
>
> Any suggestions? Price range no more than $200-$250
>
>
>
> Many thanks fellow hikers!
>
>
> ************************************************************
> The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust
> caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
> --Thoreau
> http://www.pmags.com
>
>
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