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neohic
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I've been rockin' a Samsung Digimax S500 for about eight years now:

 

993569_100304221417_Samsung-Digimax-S500

 

Overall, it does its job. It takes pictures and it saves them. The problem comes in that I like to take pictures... lots of them. All too often, I grab it with intentions of snapping some history and it decides against it. It's hungry... and it loves to eat batteries. Would its age have anything to do with that? Lately, I've been able to get a couple dozen pictures before it thinks that it has had enough.

 

Anyhow, what's everyone else using for their picture needs? Obviously there's smart phones and whatnot, but I refuse to join that crowd... just too hard on phones. I'm looking for CAMERA cameras. Any opinions out there?

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I have several different ones, for several different things.

 

Fuji waterproof for kayaking,

 

Sony whatever it is for basic use

 

Older kodak for my parents...since my mother loses things for months or breaks them

 

All 10.2 megapixels or more, all with batteries specific to them that are rechargeable.

 

They take thousands of pictures each with the auto sense flash turned on before batteries die, and the kodak is 7 years old.

 

You need a new camera dude.

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Get a new smartphone and a really good case. Seriously. I've got an iPhone 5S and it takes marvelous photos, I use that 99.9% of the time. The odd time I pull out my DSLR but only on special occasions. Standalone daily use digital cameras are obsolete.

 

But... if you insist on buying a *camera* camera, I would recommend you get one that does not take AA or AAA batteries. I've had a few point-and-shoot digital cameras, I deliberately pick ones with their own batteries. That type tends to have smaller batteries that are rechargeable and last longer. I've had good experience with a Kodak camera, I'm not sure if they still make 'em though.

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I use some ancient fuji pocket camera. It's not even mine, I just borrow it when I want. I wish I had something small like that Samsung you have. I just use rechargeable batteries most the time, or lithium (these seriously do last the longest in a camera) if I'm out of rechargeable and need to buy something while out. If I don't have that with me I just use my Note 3.

 

If you get something new just remember this. It's not about the amount of megapixels, it's about the sensor size. An old DSLR that's only 6MP will take better pictures then even that 41MP smartphone, or any smartphone for that matter.

 

Personally I can't stand cameras with proprietary batteries. AA/AAA size is were it's at IMO, ensures an easier time when out and about when the thing dies. The fact that most modern cameras charge over USB isn't any better, still have to wait for it to charge. You have the option to spend extra for a spare battery and keeping it charged, or just toss in some AAs if it dies while in the field. This is becoming a dying feature in compact cameras though.

 

I've been looking at this one lately. http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/samsung-wb250f-smart-camera/4505-6501_7-35566965.html I love that the flash can be angled up, always hate how the direct flash can ruin a lot of pics but you can't do without. Plus the wifi features for direct upload is cool. All at a good price.

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yeah I've got a feeling they will all be superior to what you've got there in both capability and life.  hard to go wrong. :thumbsup:

 

fwiw, we have a Sony Cybershot that's treated us well. (though now that my dad has a canon SL1, I barely touch the sony)

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I have the Iphone5, great for documenting and emailing images of work I do to contractors I work for. Virtually instant and while I'm at the job. However, I use the camera for nothing else.

 

For forum stuff- I have a Panasonic Lumix and a Nikon.

 

Every electronic item I own uses rechargeable batteries, I have not bought a pack of batteries in a couple of years now.

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Smartphones are nice for daily use but if I'm taking pictures to look nice my phone (Samsung Galaxy S2) just doesn't cut it. I'm sure phone cameras have advanced since my phone was released, but still nowhere near the quality of a good digital camera. Most phones are pretty awkward to hold horizontally (which is how I take all of my pictures) and I've dropped it several times trying to take pictures, so you can definitely make an argument for having a real camera even with today's phone technology. I take my "nice" pictures with my Canon Powershot SX50HS:

 

Canon_PowerShot_SX50_HS_35438068_08_620x

 

It's got a nice flip-out screen and it's much easier to handle than a phone. I don't have a whole lot of experience with high end digital cameras so I don't know how well it stacks up, but I've had nothing but good experience with it. Beware the cheap aftermarket batteries, though. Any recent, halfway decent digital camera with optical zoom and manual controls will produce good results compared to a smartphone. :thumbsup:

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I'm an old die hard film man. Still use a Nikon F with 8 lenses which just about covers anything I need, motor drive, uses more film that way, and a complete dark room where I do my own film. Can do everything Photo Shop can do. Just takes a little longer is all. For the digital stuff I use a Kodak DX3900 and a Kodak easy share C195. That is one nice camera. Don't have the foggiest idea in H*ll how to take a pic using a phone. Still trying to figure out how to make, and answer a call on it.

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Get out of the stone age and get a smartphone already ya geezer! Most smartphones have a good enough camera for daily use and MJ stuff... Upload directly to your favorite photo hosting site, and are a great tool.

Rob

 

Harumph.

 

yeah I've got a feeling they will all be superior to what you've got there in both capability and life.  hard to go wrong. :thumbsup:

 

Kind of what I'm thinking. Might just go with a clearance something-or-other from Target. Any other opinions on standard batteries or camera specific? I like the idea of AA or AAA for its easy of replacement but can't help but think that one with its own battery would last longer.  :dunno:

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A smartphone will never replace a true camera. Plain and simple. The sensors will never be big enough to produce the quality shots that you want when you actually care about the subject. No amount of post processing can change that.

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Hard to beat a Powershot for all around all around - Got one for the Mrs. a couple yrs back - Before that she used Pentax Optios - - - Anyway, I hit a homerun on my 1st digital - - A Pentax EI2000 - Still my go to for all web stuff - 2.2mp & that excellent Ziess lens - - - My serious stuff job, which I just discovered is missing,(Time to round up the usual suspects)  is a Pentax K10D with a genuine SMC 28-200mm lens - - - Used my yr old, soon 2 B a dinosaur, candy bar, android 13mp & all that for the pic - Didn't want to do a selfie with the Pentax - - - - - - The phone's camera I'm starting to like, can't beat that it's always there, but sometimes have a prob with stuff like no polarizing filter, depth of field, macros - - BUT, it's always there, esp when they start flashin' 'em in my favorite Honky Tonk - - Will blame some BlueTooth Foo if what's buried deep in it's gallery is ever discovered

:cheers:

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For Smartphones it is tough to brat the Nokia Pureview on its camera merits with 41 MP. For a digital camera the olympus XZ2 is tough to beat at $299.

 

http://www.cnet.com/videos/nokia-808-pureview-with-41-mp-camera/

 

http://www.cnet.com/products/olympus-stylus-xz-2-black/

 

At $700 for the Nokia, I have the Olympus and my old iPhone 4.

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Count the megapixels usually leads to a lot of noise. I'm with GirsMJ86 on the size of the sensor. My Mom's ancient mid-level 1.2mp Canon (14 years old now!) takes much better pictures than the 2.2mp camera on my eight-month old Sonim, which was an afterthought stuffed into the phone, so far as I can tell. I was getting decent pics out of my PowerShot A1000IS until the telescoping lens jammed and stripped the gears last summer. I'm really missing it, as my Sonim really sucks for pictures.

I'm watching this thread for ideas, as I'm going to be picking up a new camera this summer. I'm looking at getting an Olympus TG-2 if I can part with the money.

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I have a Nikon D-90 with a couple lenses I try to use when I update my build thread or make a write up in DIY. Otherwise I used an iPhone 4S for 85% of my build thread prior to getting the Nikon. Now I have an iPhone 5s and it takes amazing pictures and so did my Nokia Lumia 920.

 

For taking pictures of the MJ an iPhone is fine, but when out taking pictures on the "wild" is where the DSLR shines. Most can have a shutter speed of 1/4000 or higher. At that speed I can take a picture of a dragonfly while it's flying and see the all the features in its wings. I mostly use the iPhone for on the spot pics or videos. Again most new smart phones can record in 1080P HD.

 

Batterie life on my Nikon is amazing. Without flash I should me able to take several thousand pictures. I only charge the battery once every other month.

 

I have a 64 GB SD card in the Nikon and it will hold 8,400 pics at 12.4 MP.

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I use a simple Nikon L28, works great. Point and shoot plus uses AA batteries that I pack everywhere for flashlights anyway. If I wanted I could use re chargeable in it. I hate proprietary batteries especially when they have to be in the camera to charge them.

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