Suggestions & Recommendations Needed

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K

Kirby Ball

Guest
My 15 year old son is taking a digital photography class next semester.

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on a camera that might be appropriate for him to use in this class. And no, he's not using our Nikon
D-70...LOL...

The following is what information the teacher provided.

Hello,

A simple point and shoot digital camera will work for the
class. I would suggest one that has an optical zoom on it
however so that it is easier to take pictures with the selective
focus technique. He will also need to make sure the camera
has enough memory to take 25-30 hi-resolution images. Some
of the accessories that he will need are a card reader or usb

Thanks,
Ryan Bandy
Thanks!

Kirby
 
I would just buy something cheap on eBay. Cameras that were several hundred dollars a few years ago (under 5 megapixel) are now under a hundred. Sometimes even under 50, or under 30... I run a pawnshop during the day and often find myself buying digital cameras that are about 3 megapixels for 15 or 20 bucks and eBaying them for 30-100 dollars. If I needed a digital camera that didn't have to be the best, that's what I would look for.

And no, I don't have any in stock right at the moment. Sorry! But here is the last one I showed to give you an example of the affordability:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MESO:IT&viewitem=&item=320056305531&rd=1&rd=1
 
Don't screw around with Ebay . . .

You can buy a brand new digital camera for $100 that is far better than any of those older digital cameras selling on Ebay for $100!

Tell me how much you want to spend . . . I'll let you know a few good ones to consider!

Also, look at my Holiday Wish List topic thread here . . .

Holiday Wish List 2006 . . . - Our DJ Talk - DJ Help and Resources Chat!

Lots of ideas there!
 
From reputable dealers . . . buying online is fine!

Buying used items from unknown sources is a crap shoot at best!

Digital cameras are cheap enough nowdays that it is just worth it to buy new!

Plus . . . new you get a warranty!

And . . . digital technology is much better today than three years ago . . .
 
My Experience Is Limited To The "Records" Category

mysoulishome said:
Don't "mess around" with eBay? You can often find used and new products cheaper there, so I disagree with your advice.
Click to expand...

Dear Grumpy,

I shall disagree with you, for I sold and bought records from eGay for years. I quit this year because of garbage sellers and shady bidders from whom PeePal does not protect me.

Read a nice story that is specific to Sh1tPal, here: http://www.thevinylspinner.com/peepal.htm

Ya, I'm grumpy too, bud.

Yours In Grumpiness,

Johnny
 
ballphotodj said:
My 15 year old son is taking a digital photography class next semester.

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on a camera that might be appropriate for him to use in this class. And no, he's not using our Nikon
D-70...LOL...

The following is what information the teacher provided.

Hello,

A simple point and shoot digital camera will work for the
class. I would suggest one that has an optical zoom on it
however so that it is easier to take pictures with the selective
focus technique. He will also need to make sure the camera
has enough memory to take 25-30 hi-resolution images. Some
of the accessories that he will need are a card reader or usb

Thanks,
Ryan Bandy
Thanks!

Kirby
Click to expand...

I found the Nikon CoolPix 5200 series to be versatile and very decent quality.
 
I buy most everything on e-bay...BUT...

... I've gotten burned three times in the last 6 months. You have to be careful and pay attention the the sellers feedback.

I just recently bought two ADJ color 150's from a DJ in Miami. He claimed that they "worked perfectly" in the auction, when they really did not. They only worked in "sound active" mode and NOT in DMX mode. He told me that I didn't ask the "right questions"... "too bad" was all he had to say.

He got a kick out of it that I wanted my money back, and used profanity and was very nasty in his e-mails. In short, he screwed me and is very happy with himself.
 
What I'm trying to say is this . . . being that I am a full-time 40 hour per week camera salesperson:

Digital cameras are cheap enough in price these days that you don't need to screw around with used ones!

The loose over HALF of their value the second they walk out the door when they are originally purchased!

Plus . . . 75 percent of the time, when you find a used digital camera, you can buy the new version (or even several generations newer model) of it for the same, if not less, than what the used camera is being sold for!

Plus . . . more than half of the time you'll find they are either defective or have been damaged in some way . . . and chances are the seller ain't gonna tell you about it!

Not to mention that you will have NO WARRANTY from something you'll buy off of Ebay sight unseen or from a pawn shop!
 
musicdoctor, you are correct sadly, as long as you specify your generalization. When you say "eBay isn't worth your time" my ears here it the same as when someone says "DJ's are mostly overpriced jackasses." Ah! But of course, there are jackasses on eBay and in the "professional" entertainment world that make those statements true! Many sellers say something like "It works perfectly, but is sold as is." Then you get it and you say "It doesn't work" and the seller says "But it is sold as is, tough luck."

First of all, this is how you guarantee yourself pissed off customers, and second of all, if it works why not just guarantee it works and get more money? I would rather throw a defective product away and save myself the grief of an unhappy customer and a bad reputation. You have to ask yourself as a seller, what service am I really trying to provide? Selling crap to poor saps by giving them the hope that it might actually function properly?

Would we sell our DJ services by saying "For $50, I'll DJ your wedding. I'll be there at 5PM and play for 4 hours. But, I might not. I might not show up at all, or show up drunk and not be able to get my equipment working. You never really know, but hey WHAT A DEAL!"

That is tantamount to outright scamming people for a living. I personally think if something seems to work you should test it thoroughly and guarantee it. I offer a 30 day warranty on everything I sell, and of course you open yourself up to getting screwed but you will have happy customers and you will get more for what you are selling. In my mind, I am providing a service by selling something at a used price but guaranteeing full functionality. If you aren't doing that, what are you doing? Peddling junk, I guess, with no thought as to what happens to your customers, products, or reputation.

This is my tirade on eBay selling! Sadly, you have to be very careful when buying on eBay or from a pawn shop. You have to look for the good sellers, I guess, and I try to be one of those.

Funny, as I am saying all of this I see SO MANY PARALLELS to being a DJ.

IF you buy on eBay, find a seller who clearly backs what they sell, and will go above and beyond to make sure you get what you paid for.
 
BallPhoto . . .

A good camera that is fairly inexpensive is the Canon PowerShot A540 . . . $150

canon_a540_front-001.jpg
canon_a540_back-001.jpg


6 megapixel, 4X optical zoom, has manual exposure just in case it will be needed for photo class . . .

Great little camera . . . I'm buying my wife one for Christmas!
 
Colleagues: Having followed John's posts for years, there's no one else that has exemplified a depth of knowledge and personal experience in photography equipment.

Though he has been a bit justifiably critical on high-end Canon from time to time, he would be the first person I'd PM about help in making an enlightened camera decision.
 
I personally don't care for Canon's that much but it's just my preference. I prefer Minolta, Nikon, & Olympus.

I think my thing against Canon is that so many pawn customers hawk them...I see "Canon Powershot" and think junk! They must have some good marketing or something. Lots of people have them.

Maybe it's the same as it is with SLR cameras. The Canon's are worth less used, but not necessarily because they're not as good, because they sell so damn many! Everyone has them. Like an AE-1 for example. Is it worse than a Nikon F-1, or are the Nikon's just not as plentiful?

Eh. This is probably only interesting to me. :p
 
Aaron : Now there's a comparison factoid one doesn't usually think about in comparison shopping...pawn shop resale value. :sqwink:

Are you in the pawn business? If yes, that has got to be one wild business filled with unbelievable characters and stories.

The only influence I had in my camera purchase was never having owned any other brand, none in evolutionary chain ever having fault or failure, and great results on film (now dye sub). Guess I'm one of those ancients the historians identify as a "loyal customer". .:sqlaugh: Another reason is the lens compatibility. Spend a couple of grand on Nikon mount lenses and the Canon or Minolta is almost totally eliminated for that reason alone.

I use the 20D w/580ex (several Canon and Sigma lenses) and my wife uses the ProShot-1.
 
Hee is a dandy little camera for $100 (at your local Wolf/Ritz Camera store) . . .

4 megapioxel Nikon L4 . . .

nikon_l2_frontback-001.jpg


This is a cool little camera . . . definately can't beat this price!

Even from a pawn shop! :sqwink:

As for the camera brand discussion, the reason you'll see lots of used Canon PowerShots around is not only because they sell of lot of them, but also because most of them still work by the time they reach Ebay or pawn.

Which is more than most other brands can boast . . .

When it comes to cameras, my brand of choice for 35mm film cameras is Canon . . .

But with digitals . . . Panasonic Lumix and Fuji FinePix!

Am also axiously awaiting the arrival of the new Pentax K10D . . .
 
John : Do you have a link to a site that really dissects the Pentax reliably?
 
Through a pawnbroker's eyes

Cap Capello said:
Aaron : Now there's a comparison factoid one doesn't usually think about in comparison shopping...pawn shop resale value. :sqwink:
Click to expand...

Yes, my wife and I run a pawn shop during the week. I started DJing in the summer of 2005 when I got some DJ equipment in...assembled a system and DJ'd during pre-show and intermission of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" that was being put on at a theater I volunteer at.

The show ended and I said to my wife "...I don't wanna sell it! I wanna be a DJ!" It's all snowballed from there. I had borrowed equipment a few years prior and DJ'd my sister's wedding and REALLY enjoyed it but knew I could never afford the equipment without a big loan and worried about investing without knowing if it would succeed. I have a friend across the street from my shop who runs a music store, so between him and the pawn shop I have put together a decent system risk free...because I can sell it at any time not just at a loss...but at profit. lol Except for my lights, probably.

Anyway, I can't help but consider used retail value. For example, black and decker might make some decent tools for the money, but from a pawnbroker's point of view they are CRAP because I can't sell them used in the store or on eBay. They are just too cheap. Canon makes good cameras but the market is saturated with them because they sell so many...and on and on.

The Bose company, as an example...sells on quality and has a great reputation, and they keep their prices high and seem to go for customer satisfaction? I'm guessing. Selling expensive stuff that aims to be worth the money. So you can bet Bose stuff is a breeze when it comes in. Always worth something. Heck, I sold a used Bose wave radio (CD player) on eBay and got nearly what they sell for new...$400+. I can't remember the exact amount, but I had loand $150 on it and I was amazed.

Anyhow. Enough thread hijacking for me. :p
 
Aaron: What a great story and personal bio. Excellent writing and superb reading.

Continued success in both ventures.
 
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