Tool Gloat **PIC**

[Ken Salisbury]

Some will say this is not a woodworking tool per se. However people like Tyler will dispute that since they think pictures are the best things that come out of the shop :D So therefore I consider this a "woodworking tool gloat". To also be used for other things.

I got sorta carried away looking at new digital cameras Wed and Thurs. After on-line research and hands on evaluation at several stores I purchased the Sony DSC-F828 8 megapixel camera.

I already had a Sony Cyber Shot 3.2 mega pixel camera (which the pic below was taken with). I have several Grandkids envolved in sports and wanted something more versitile for taking action shots. The features of this camera will certainly allow me to do that although the price made me choke a little :D. Especially after adding an extra battery, camera bag and a stand-alone battery charger and a memory stick (another $210.00) :( . List on camera w/o any storage media was $999.95 + 8% sales tax. Managed to find one for $850 + the rest = $1185 :(

The only problem is the complexity of the darn thing - it might take me until next football season to learn how to use it. Once I do I will be putting my Sony DSC-P71 on the Classified Forum

[Mike Evertsen]

Nice camera Ken .I just upgraded from a 1.8 w/ no zoom to a 5.3 w/ 3x optical zoom it's all I need for now.

[Tyler Howell]

Hey Thanks for sharing Ken.

As a teacher and student the only thing better than a picture for seeing how things are done is getting down and doing it. Since some of you are getting tired of me drooling in your shops, the pix drive home the point. I tell yah I've learned so much from you ladies and gents it's scary. Keep the pix coming and I'll keep stimulating the economy by trying to keep up.;)
Now the specs on the camara I have to have to post great pix are.......?

[Kurt Loup]

While we're talking cameras, I'll put in a plug for my Fuji Finepix S5000 with a 10x optical zoom. I like it. The bottom photo was taken with it from my canoe.

Kurt

http://www2.buydig.com/assets/product/images250/CB89AB866EA14709BF4531C0C0EF36C3.jpg

http://www.loup-garou.net/gator3r.jpg

[Todd Burch]

Kurt - tell me you used the 10X zoom on that picture!!! PLEASE!

I may get a commision (non-woodworking) to take a bunch of digital pics and organize a new website for a friend, and if I do, I'll be upgrading my digital Nikon Coolpix 990. I haven't researched enough, but it will be one of the 4 Nikon digital SLRs: D70, D100, D1X or D1H.

Todd

[Zahid Naqvi]

Ken,
Why don't you ship the camera to me I am sure in about 6 months time I will be able to re-write the instruction manual in a more "user friendly" format and learning to use it after that would be a breeze :D
Congrats, it's a good investment.

[Terry Hatfield]

Yo Grandpa,

NICE!!!!!!!! I'm jealous. All I got is a old Cannon A20.

t

[Boyd Gathwright]

Like Terry says, grandpa or not, that’s a nice camera. Now, to complicate matters, you also need some good software to manage your shots so you can post them here on SMC.

Good shooting.

Boyd :)



Some will say this is not a woodworking tool per se. However people like Tyler will dispute that since they think pictures are the best things that come out of the shop :D So therefore I consider this a "woodworking tool gloat". To also be used for other things.

I got sorta carried away looking at new digital cameras Wed and Thurs. After on-line research and hands on evaluation at several stores I purchased the Sony DSC-F828 8 megapixel camera.

I already had a Sony Cyber Shot 3.2 mega pixel camera (which the pic below was taken with). I have several Grandkids envolved in sports and wanted something more versitile for taking action shots. The features of this camera will certainly allow me to do that although the price made me choke a little :D. Especially after adding an extra battery, camera bag and a stand-alone battery charger and a memory stick (another $210.00) :( . List on camera w/o any storage media was $999.95 + 8% sales tax. Managed to find one for $850 + the rest = $1185 :(

The only problem is the complexity of the darn thing - it might take me until next football season to learn how to use it. Once I do I will be putting my Sony DSC-P71 on the Classified Forum

[Kurt Loup]

Todd,

Actually, I didn't need much zoom because he wasn't more than 10-15' away. Most gators don't let you get that close. I suspect someone may have fed him a time or two and he was hanging around for a handout. A couple years ago on the trip below (I'm on the left in my friend's kayak and he's in my wife's), I didn't notice a gator in the duckweed. I literally could have slapped him on the snout. Since then, I stick to my canoe in the gator areas.

Kurt

http://www.loup-garou.net/rick_kurt_2.jpg

[Chris Padilla]

While we're talking cameras, I'll put in a plug for my Fuji Finepix S5000 with a 10x optical zoom. I like it. The bottom photo was taken with it from my canoe.

Kurt

Nice bookmatching on that gator!! ;)

[Brian Hale]

For image management software i strongly recomend BreezeBrowser http://www.breezesys.com/index.htm

There's a free trial download and if you decide to spend the $50 for it, all future updates are free. For those that like shooting in RAW mode, BreezeBrowser has a very good converter built in.

No, i'm not associated with them in any way but i've been using it for ~4 years. I've spent thousands of dollars on image managment/manipulation software and, other than Photoshop, BreezeBrowser is still my first choice. It even does slideshows.....

Brian :-)

[Jerry Olexa]

I too struggled w the choice among the new 8mp cameras> My decision narrowed down to the Sony 828, Canon Pro1, Nikon 8700, Oly 8080 and Minolta A2. After much shooting, testing etc and craving a big optical zoom, I settled on the A2 and love it. I've had it about 10 weeks and still learning the complexities and options, These high end 8mp prosumers are that way, Watch out for noise when shooting @ higher ISO's. I've got some good forums for you if you need em. Enjoy your new dcam. Jerry

[Jim Becker]

Kurt I'll be upgrading my digital Nikon Coolpix 990. I haven't researched enough, but it will be one of the 4 Nikon digital SLRs: D70, D100, D1X or D1H.
If you're doing Nikon, best buy in a digital SLR is the D70...it's actually a better camera than the D100 in many respects since it's two years newer in technology. I'm VERY pleased with mine after using it for a little more than a month now. Awesome. The D1X and D1H get into even more serious money and for most of us, they will not give you anything more than the D70 will. I bought the "kit" with the excellent 18-70mm (28-110mm film camera equivalent) as well as a 70-300mm ED lense (110-400mm film camera equivalent). I use the "standard" lense most of the time as the longer lense is usually best with a tripod, especially when zoomed to the max. (I kept my CoolPix 880 around as a quick and diry travel camera since it fits in my notebook case very nicely)

Good comprehensive reviews on all at http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/

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Ken, that Sony looks like a very nice tool! Congratulations...now go take some more pictures and start posting!

[Michael Ballent]

I do not think Nikon even makes the D1H anymore... Its been replaced by the D2H, an 8FPS 40 image buffer monster. You can even by an WiFi attachment and ftp the images to a laptop as you take pics... But as far as the sub $1000 DSLRs (body only) are concerned the D70 is the cats meow :D