Number 237 - February 2003

What You Really Need To Know Before You Buy A Digital Camera
by Carla Cawlfield, HAL PC Users Group
The Woman's Point Of View    I don't fly a jet plane to the grocery store; all I need is a car. Don't buy more camera than you need. I almost bought the biggest, baddest, finest that Nikon makes, and it would have been a BIG mistake. It is a fine camera, but all of its features got in my way. These new super mega pixel cameras have their uses, but they also suffer from feature bloat. I test drove one of the cameras on a recent trip, and I hated it. By the time the camera had gone through all of its "automatic" adjustments, setups and balancing, my photo opportunity was 30 seconds down the road. I kept punching the shutter button until the camera finally accepted my command, but not in the-split second I wanted. I need something much faster and simpler. Then I tried a cheaper Nikon model with mid-range mega pixels and was very pleased. It took great pictures fast.    (Perhaps if you turn it on and leave it on between shots the setup procedures will be done only once, making candid shots feasible - but read power conservation comments under BATTERIES below - TOGGLE Ed) SETUP HASSLES    Many of the newer models of digitals, and some fihn cameras, use a menu-driven setup screen visible on their back LCD viewers rather than just push buttons. Sometimes when I turn the camera(s) off the settings are lost. Trust me, this is a big deal. It means I have to constantly check and reset the date, degree of resolution, flash options, and other features. This is a major pain and it eats up valuable time to use a menu. Push buttons are faster. It is bad enough if you have to reset all this stuff when you change batteries, but every time you turn the camera OFF? Too much hassle; throw that camera out of your life. BATTERIES    I have tried several kinds of digitals and their batteries. These things eat batteries like 35mms eat film. Some are now using newer generation batteries and/or are rechargeable overnight in a cradle like your cell phone. To conserve power you learn to turn the camera off when you know it will be a while between pictures. Like laptop computers, these cameras are with power-saver features, standby modes, and will automatically turn themselves off after a few seconds.    Inserting these batteries can be a pain. Of the last three digitals I used, only one battery compartment was easy to open. All three were designed with a spring-loaded release on the battery hatch cover. I have small fingers. I found the releases to be tiny and difficult, resulting in broken fingernails, and/ or me looking for a pen point or Palm stylus to get the hatch	open. This is frustrating and wastes time. To add insult, I could not always easily find or see the positive/negative terminal indicators.    Whenever I get ready for a shoot I make a trip to the store to load up on fihn and AA batteries. Most cameras take 4 AAs. This adds weight. I jumped for joy when I got a new camera that took only 2 AAs. Alas, my joy was short-lived. It meant I had to change batteries more than twice as often (see Setup hassles above). Not only that, when your digital camera won't run anymore because it says the batteries are low, there is still enough juice in those "dead" batteries to power clocks, flashlights and small California cities. CAMERA CASES/BUTTONS    How the camera fits into a protective case is actually a big deal. Most of these digitals do not come with more than a wrist lanyard. A case is a must (take care not to scratch that back LCD screen by bumping and jostling.) Most of these cameras will fit into a universal digital camera case that sells for about $10. CAVEAT EMPTOR!    Due to the location of their buttons, some of these cameras can be accidentally turned on, draining valuable battery power. I hadcllls happen with two different cameras. The one with a combination lens cover & On/Off switch on the front got the switch slid to 'COn" as it entered the case. The second one had a totally different fonn factor with the same problem. The On/Off switch up on top near the shutter button. As it entered the case, the handle on the switch caught on the case inside liner fabric and turned the camera on. So, when you go shopping, mind how easy it is for the camera to accidentally turn itself on. CHEEKY NOSE INTERFERENCE    Yes, you read that right, I said "Nose" - not Noise. When I put my eye up to the viewfmder, the LCD screen is in the way and my cheek skin oil gets all over it. (I have a small nose.) Somebody with a magnificently large proboscis would have a big problem. It is hard to review your shots or use the LCD viewer for macro shots when it has oil, fingerprints, and makeup all over it. This is a problem no matter which camera I am using. ZOOM AIN'T TELEPHOTO    Those digitals with 3X optical zoom and 2 or 3 digital zoom can't reach anywhere as far as a big, ol' telephoto lens. 'Nuff said.    Carla Cawlfield is a long-term HAL-PC member and volunteer. She welcomes you to join her conversation by emailing her at carla@hal-pc.org.
Number 237 - February 2003