Long-Zoom Digital Cameras.

[dsm]

Please help me pick a digital camera with at least a 10x optical zoom for pictures of birds and whatnot. $500 for just the camera is about my speed considering all the additional costs: extended warranty, better memory card thingy, a flash, case, rechargeable batteries and charger (I guess you need two sets of batteries), and whatever else those guys down at Sammy's Camera can talk me into buying. One big problem I've encountered is that a lot of these digital cameras don't have a hot shoe*(see photo at bottom) for a flash. A few hours ago I discovered this thing called a slave-flash that you connect to the lens, and this other contraption I wont get into.

Here's a few cameras I've looked at: [two of these cameras get mixed reviews, the canon is too new to get a good review on yet]

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/sc/31305784-2-120-0.gifKonica Minolta Z5 [5 mega pixels, 12x optical zoom, image stabilization, 2" LCD, Has a Hot Shoe, price about $450]

http://ai.pricegrabber.com/product_images/8650000-8650999/8650333_125.jpg Canon PowerShot S2 IS
[5 mega pixels, 12x optical zoom, image stabilization, 1.8 extendable LCD, no hot shoe, price about $500]

http://ai.pricegrabber.com/product_images/7668000-7668999/7668569_125.jpg Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 [5 mega pixels, 12x optical zoom, image stabilization, 1.8 LCD screen, No hot shoe, about $500]

Any other camera/s you can think of would be great, even if it costs a little over the $500 I was planning on.

Thanks, dsmhttp://www.megleechin.com/board/images/smilies/nu/009.gif

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/C5050/ZHOTSHOE.JPG *The Hot Shoe is on top of a camera for attaching a flash unit. http://www.precision-camera.com/graphics/59991.jpg

[Popinjay]

Panasonic FZ20. It's the same as the FZ5 but better and it has a hot shoe.

[ceyoung]

i got a konica minolta A200 for $600 bucks. The zoom is 7X, so maybe not exactly what you are looking for. but the camera and CCD are way better than the options you are looking at.

[dsm]

[ QUOTE ]
Panasonic FZ20. It's the same as the FZ5 but better and it has a hot shoe.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[dsm]

[ QUOTE ]
konica minolta A200 for $600 bucks. The zoom is 7X but the camera and CCD are way better than the options you are looking at

[/ QUOTE ]

7x might be okay. I was thinking of getting a Nikon with an 8x optical, but the reviews said the pictures were "Too Noisy" (camera slang I'm learning for meaning "not so clear pictures").

Thanks

[Popinjay]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
konica minolta A200 for $600 bucks. The zoom is 7X but the camera and CCD are way better than the options you are looking at

[/ QUOTE ]

7x might be okay. I was thinking of getting a Nikon with an 8x optical, but the reviews said the pictures were "Too Noisy" (camera slang I'm learning for meaning "not so clear pictures").

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Well a camera can be sharp and noisy at the same time. What they mean by noisy is that the camera is not very good at manipulating light in its digital sensor so that pixelization occurs. The focus may still be very sharp but it will be plagued by little spots all over.

This is mostly a problem for cameras in low-light situations when it has to up its ISO in order to be able to absorb enough light and still have a usable shutter speed (1/60 of a second is generally called the low mark for avoiding blur if you're handholding).

[Freakin]

I've got a Nikon D70 with a 400mm lens... that would probably do it....

Overkill and more than you want to spend, but it's pretty damn cool.

Freakin

[Gallopin Gael]

[ QUOTE ]
I've got a Nikon D70 with a 400mm lens... that would probably do it....

Overkill and more than you want to spend, but it's pretty damn cool.

[/ QUOTE ]

Which is the film equivilent of having a 600mm lens.

Let's just reflect on how cool that is for a moment.








Digital SLR's rock

Signed,

A proud D100 owner

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I've got a Nikon D70 with a 400mm lens... that would probably do it....

Overkill and more than you want to spend, but it's pretty damn cool.

[/ QUOTE ]

Which is the film equivilent of having a 600mm lens.

Let's just reflect on how cool that is for a moment.








Digital SLR's rock

Signed,

A proud D100 owner

[/ QUOTE ]


Dammit, now I'm jealous of YOUR camera.

Freakin

[dsm]

[ QUOTE ]
I've got a Nikon D70 with a 400mm

[/ QUOTE ]

I wish you hadn't mentioned this camera you bastard you /images/graemlins/wink.gif. I checked out sample photos and they're the first ones I've found to be really impressive under a variety of situations. This camera is probably $1200 to $1500 more than I was planning on spending (w/lenses and all the other sh**).

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I've got a Nikon D70 with a 400mm

[/ QUOTE ]

I wish you hadn't mentioned this camera you bastard you /images/graemlins/wink.gif. I checked out sample photos and they're the first ones I've found to be really impressive under a variety of situations. This camera is probably $1200 to $1500 more than I was planning on spending (w/lenses and all the other sh**).

[/ QUOTE ]

If you haven't yet, check out dpreview.com (http://www.dpreview.com). He has great comparisons of cameras in different classes, and there are plenty of knowledgable people on the forums.

Only downside to the D70 is the minimum ISO setting of 200.

Freakin

[IQ89]

[ QUOTE ]
I've got a Nikon D70

[/ QUOTE ]

The new Nikon D50 is coming out next week. It'll cost around $450 cheaper than the D70, about $750 w/no lens. It's supposed to be very similar in features and look to the D70. Some improved features too. We'll see.