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Thread: What Camera do I want?

  1. #1
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    What Camera do I want?

    I just purchased a 24" Light Tent to take pictures of my Woodturned Ornaments and Segmented pieces, my Samsung S3 Smart phone does OK but I think I can get better results with a camera.

    I want to stay with "Point and Shoot" and WiFi would be terrific!

    Anyone have recommendations for the Light Tent application?

    Thanks,
    Tim

  2. #2
    I just bought a Samsung WB350F. It does everything I want. It has a few weak points but for what you want to do, they shouldn't matter. Of course, if you want to go high end, then a 35mm digital camera - Cannon or Nikon - is the way to go.

    The cell phones have wide angle lenses on them which distorts the image when you have the camera too close to the subject. A camera with an optical zoom will give you better results. You can shoot from some distance away and get a good perspective image while filling the frame with the image.

    Mike
    Last edited by Mike Henderson; 11-02-2014 at 1:21 PM.
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  3. #3
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    Hey Mike,

    Thanks for your feedback, sure looks like what I have in mind.

    Tim

  4. #4
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    Check out the Nikon D3200. Good price and it will do everything your looking for.

  5. #5
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    Hi Sean,

    Thanks for sharing, the Nikon D3200 may be more camera that I need or can afford for the limited tasks I'll need it for.

    Tim

  6. #6
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    A few years ago I bought a little Casio for taking golf swing videos. It's a point and shoot small camera. Casio came up with a way of overcoming the shutter lag with such cameras with software that makes the camera start buffering frames for a half second when you halfway depress the button. It keeps buffering, but only saves the last half second before you depress the shutter release, and then you can look about 30 shots over for the best one, if you like.

    In the process of doing this, they easily added the function of high speed video. I bought it solely to take golf swings videos up to 1000fps, but it turns out it also takes pretty decent stills. We already had a DSLR, but this thing is so small that I keep it in the truck for when I need a camera at work. Probably half the photos on my website were taken with it.

    I haven't kept up with what they offer now, but it's worth a look. I would bet that Casio will have some cheap tiny ones that take decent pictures.

  7. #7
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    I bought a Samsung nx1000 (essentially the same as the nx2000, and I see they have an nx3000 now) a year or so ago for around $250 or so when they were closing them out. It's a great Camera at a great price point. I read that it has almost the same quality as a DSLR but without the bulk, cost, and some functions. We use it as our "nice" camera for things like pictures of the kids, and there is a clear upgrade over the iphone.

  8. #8
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    QUOTE=Matt Day;2328976]I bought a Samsung nx1000 (essentially the same as the nx2000, and I see they have an nx3000 now) a year or so ago for around $250 or so when they were closing them out. It's a great Camera at a great price point. I read that it has almost the same quality as a DSLR but without the bulk, cost, and some functions. We use it as our "nice" camera for things like pictures of the kids, and there is a clear upgrade over the iphone.[/QUOTE]

    Hey Matt,

    Samsung is a product the has earned it's keep in our home, several large TVs and my S3 phone have all done well ..... your recommendation is sure a nice camera, the Samsung that Mike suggested also looks good. Unfortunately cost has to be a deciding factor.

    Tim

  9. #9
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    Agreed Tim, we like Samsung as well.
    What's your budget?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Day View Post
    Agreed Tim, we like Samsung as well.
    What's your budget?
    Prior to doing any research I was thinking $200 max ...... not sure that has changed. I have to always remember that the "Bells and Whistles" are rarely utilized. At least in my case, I don't do complicated well.

    Tim

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tim Boger View Post
    Hi Sean,

    Thanks for sharing, the Nikon D3200 may be more camera that I need or can afford for the limited tasks I'll need it for.

    Tim
    My wife decided to get back into photography, bought a Nikon D3300. A few books and a class at the nearby community college later she's still scratching the surface of the camera's capabilities. Very nice camera though. I even took a picture with it but with everything set to automatic. That much even I figured out.

    Me, I use a 10 year old Fuji Finepix a340 so my opinion is covered with dust, rust, pretty worthless.

    -Tom

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Stenzel View Post
    My wife decided to get back into photography, bought a Nikon D3300. A few books and a class at the nearby community college later she's still scratching the surface of the camera's capabilities. Very nice camera though. I even took a picture with it but with everything set to automatic. That much even I figured out.

    Me, I use a 10 year old Fuji Finepix a340 so my opinion is covered with dust, rust, pretty worthless.

    -Tom
    Tom, I give your wife credit for making it happen, I find the whole process of manual camera settings over my head.

    Point and shoot is right up my alley.

    Thanks for your opinion.

    Tim

  13. #13
    I was just looking at the December issue of Consumer Reports - "Best Gear of the Year"

    Under their 'budget' category - they recommend the Canon PowerShot SX700 HS which is around $300
    http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerSho.../dp/B00I58M26Y

    They have an 'also consider' listing the Nikon Coolpix S9700, also at $300
    http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-COOLPIX-.../dp/B00IA9LVOC

    And the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V at $350
    http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DSC-HX50V...shot+DSC-HX50V


    A good site I also use when looking for cameras is
    http://www.steves-digicams.com/best-cameras.html#entry

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Huds0n View Post
    I was just looking at the December issue of Consumer Reports - "Best Gear of the Year"

    Under their 'budget' category - they recommend the Canon PowerShot SX700 HS which is around $300
    http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerSho.../dp/B00I58M26Y

    They have an 'also consider' listing the Nikon Coolpix S9700, also at $300
    http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-COOLPIX-.../dp/B00IA9LVOC

    And the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V at $350
    http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DSC-HX50V...shot+DSC-HX50V


    A good site I also use when looking for cameras is
    http://www.steves-digicams.com/best-cameras.html#entry
    Morning John,

    A wealth of great information, I really appreciate your input.

    Tim

  15. #15
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    http://www.stwt.org/The%20Phrugal%20Photo%20Studio.pdf

    "The most important thing to becoming a successful woodworker? Take great photographs."
    - Gary Knox Bennett

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