Re: off-topic digital camera suggestions

For what it's worth, the New York Times Circuit section this past Thursday
had a feature titled, "All This and They Take Pictures Too," comparing 12
digital cameras under $300. I assume it's still on the Times website.

I found the article extremely informative, not just for comparison and
description of features, but because, unlike the websites that might list
some/all of the same info, the writer (David Pogue) supplied his own
opinions. For instance "Other cameras offer similar quality without giving
up so many features (read on)." Even if you don't agree with his
priorities, this gives a lot of context.

The cameras are all shown and their vital statistics/dimensions given...
None, BTW, are less than 4 megapixels, and the Vivitar VivCam 4000 is 6.4
mpixels... not bad for $294 -- but Pogue also points out possible
downside.

PS. Although the Canon Powershot A95 (similar to my G5) comes out well in
all categories, Pogue doesn't address what bothers me, including the badly
configured controls: The picture quality is (I know & he says) excellent
-- but that's little use if you mess up because the controls are a mess.

Meanwhile, I am still trying to sort out the differences from analog
photography, much greater than I've seen addressed -- some good, some bad.
Everybody talks about shutter lag -- that can be gotten around. What I
find most perplexing, both for good and ill, is the difference in range.
An incredible amount of info can be pulled out of darks. An area that
looks purely black can be pumped up in Photoshop until detail (grainy no
doubt, but much better, at least for my purposes, than featureless black)
miraculously appears. I've never seen a film with such reserves.

On the other hand, there is NO leeway in the highlights, in fact you get
less than meets the eye. This summer I often had no choice but to shoot in
bright sun plus heavy shade. I could get one or the other, not both. All I
can do is go back (most of it's near by) in December gloom and retake what
disappeared in summer sun. Then... remember how they moved the pyramids
closer together for a magazine cover and the scandal that ensued ? I would
never do such a thing! (I move the figure onto the exact same background.)

cheers,

Judy
Received on Sat Dec 11 23:03:22 2004