Digital camera's cheap'n'nasty

EA2BA · 05-05-2005, 01:03 PM

I am thinking i need a cheap and simple digital camera, nothing special, as long as it can take a memory card, and use ordinary batteries.

I do mods and dont take pics so need something that I dont care if I step on it

So who has bought a really cheap semi decent digi camera from where, and what have you thought of it.

neb · 05-05-2005, 01:06 PM

i wouldn't get one with normal batteries... my mum bought a cheap one off of ebay.. it takes 2 AA batteries... only lasts a couple of hours until the batteries are flat

i would save up a few hundred and get a canon... great cameras.

EA2BA · 05-05-2005, 01:09 PM

The camera will just kick around so I dont want to spend alot, and a couple of hours is fine.

Casper · 05-05-2005, 01:10 PM

or rechargable batteries. They work well and have no cost after buying them.

As for cheap cameras, I've heard of 3.2megapixal jobbies going for $99 now.

neb · 05-05-2005, 01:19 PM

well theres heaps of dodgy cheap cameras on ebay for less than $100 and up to around 12megapixels... so try that.

Casper · 05-05-2005, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neb

well theres heaps of dodgy cheap cameras on ebay for less than $100 and up to around 12megapixels... so try that.

12 megaqpixel for $100????? Link please, I'll get one for sure. Or are they SERIOULSLY dodgy?

_

EA2BA · 05-05-2005, 01:56 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....512434943&rd=1

Casper · 05-05-2005, 02:00 PM

lol, its a 3.0megapixal pretending to be a 12 megapixal.

12.0 Mega Pixels : 4000x3000 via Interpolated
3.0 MP : 2048x1536 / 2.0 MP : 1600x1200

RED_EL_XR8 · 05-05-2005, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dellboy999

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....512434943&rd=1

Wouldn't touch that with a stick, well I certainly wouldn't pay hard earned for it. Megapixals are easy and cheap to produce, optics, good battery life, quick ram writes are not.

If you want a cheapie camera name brands are consumer items you can by a great 3mp name brand with optical zoom from K-mart, myer etc for the $299 mark, ant it wont be in the whizz bin in 12 months.

Batteries, I'd go the AA route, you can get high capacity 2500ma AA's NiMh batteries and a charger for not many $$ and you wont be stuck unable to get a replacement when your camera is last years model.

my 2 bobs worth.

neb · 05-05-2005, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

lol, its a 3.0megapixal pretending to be a 12 megapixal.

12.0 Mega Pixels : 4000x3000 via Interpolated
3.0 MP : 2048x1536 / 2.0 MP : 1600x1200

lol whats interpolated mean? i knew it was dodgy but i didn't think they could faslely advertise the megapixels.. either way i wouldn't waste my money on one lol

Casper · 05-05-2005, 02:15 PM

Basically it is a 3.0mp that pretends to be 12mp by creating (guessing) the extra pixals electonically.
Basically it takes a picture and then fills in the gaps between the pixals with "estimated" or "guessed" pixals.

As a test, take a pic of a zigzag pattern with it set to interpolated set to max and watch it freak out. It wont guess right and the lines will be all screwy.

edit: From the dictionary:
To change or falsify (a text) by introducing new or incorrect material.

neb · 05-05-2005, 02:21 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....sPageName=WD2V

hey this is the camera my dad bought for my mum and he was bragging how its 9.7megapixel more than my 4megapixel canon camera lol. i'll be laughing at him now that i know the truth... 3.14mp hehe

Casper · 05-05-2005, 02:23 PM

yep, 3.14mp with in inferiority complex

:

JTFG · 05-05-2005, 04:57 PM

why not something like this...they have been seen for $99

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.st...ct/View/XG4729

Racecraft · 05-05-2005, 05:13 PM

If you are looking for a cheap'ish camera narrow it down to a few then use

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

its not worth buying a POS imho no matter what price if you can't actually take the occasional decent image with it.. If all you want is a grainy image just upgrade your mobile phone to a camera phone.

M14A-Mclaren · 05-05-2005, 05:22 PM

My sister was asking about a cheap digital camera the other day too, I think I'll set her on to some of these links. Cheers guys.

bindi · 05-05-2005, 05:55 PM

Ok cheap = nasty, sorry to say. Our family have found this out the hard way. My mother in law has become a digital photographer, it's such a serious hobby now that she has upgraded her camera twice.

She used to have a Ricoh 3MP but it died relatively quickly and the quality wasn't too good.

Then she went for the Fuji Finepix 6MP, it is a bloody lovely camera even now but it's now having charging problems (1.5 years down the track).

Now just before Xmas she spent $1800 on a Canon EO300 (I think that's the model) and it is so amazing - it outstrips anything I have ever seen. The best thing about this camera is that the old old lenses for the really old 35mm professional cameras are interchangeable with this digital camera. Amazing - you can retrofit old technology onto their new technology.

big_pete · 05-05-2005, 06:24 PM

i hear Strathfield has some cheap camera's - 3MP for $100

on another note i just got my new camera, a Fuji Finepix S5000.
very good camera for the price ($400) as it has almost all the features of the next model (s5500) but heaps cheaper. its got manual controls and can have different lenses. so im stoked

DanXR6T · 05-05-2005, 06:43 PM

Not much wrong with the Kodak 3MP fixed zoom on sale at Harvey Norman at the moment for $99.

MotherNatureVer2 · 05-05-2005, 07:38 PM

Ive got a Vivitar Vivicam 3740 ...... 6MP .... got it from the Good Guys for $99 ....... have taken a heap of piccys on it with rechargable batteries .... can use noraml AA's ......

I have no probs as Im not photographer ............. best buy Ive got in ages ;)

EA2BA · 05-05-2005, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bindi

Ok cheap = nasty, sorry to say. Our family have found this out the hard way. My mother in law has become a digital photographer, it's such a serious hobby now that she has upgraded her camera twice.

She used to have a Ricoh 3MP but it died relatively quickly and the quality wasn't too good.

Then she went for the Fuji Finepix 6MP, it is a bloody lovely camera even now but it's now having charging problems (1.5 years down the track).

Now just before Xmas she spent $1800 on a Canon EO300 (I think that's the model) and it is so amazing - it outstrips anything I have ever seen. The best thing about this camera is that the old old lenses for the really old 35mm professional cameras are interchangeable with this digital camera. Amazing - you can retrofit old technology onto their new technology.

That would be an EOS300D, and yes the old lenses fit, but do not work at a 1:1 ratio so are not quite but will work, you need the newer EF lenses for the digital cameras, the next model up EOS350D looks to be a better camera for the the $'s and has just been released.

Dez · 05-05-2005, 09:35 PM

heard the same ads as casper....$99 for a half decent camera with 3.X MP ....and i think it was a reputable brand too...

if you dont care about pic quality etc, do what others have said and upgrade to a phone cam...hell half of them are decent now anyway ( my new 1 is 1.XMP) and that way you'd kill 2 birds with 1 stone...new phone and a cam ;)

My digital cam is a canon IXUS430 and i love it. got it for christmas and the pics it takes are fantastic imo.

Laminge · 05-05-2005, 09:45 PM

greys online have some great deals every now and then

well worth the look anyhows