Digital Cameras ??? !!!

[KITKAT]

What camera do you use for photos of your snakes? Does your camera have extra features that make pictures clearer, more focused, etc.? Do you have a manual override that allows you to focus?

[mikm]

hey KITKAT ... it's been my experience that the most successful shots of garters requires a macro lense or a macro setting on the camera. I believe it's less the manufacturer as I had a Kodak, now I have a Cannon and both do an equally good job. Without the macro however the clear, close ups were not possible as our subjects are too small ...

best of luck,
marian

[abcat1993]

I have some panasonic camera thats pretty good. I'll figure out which one it is later.

[Stefan-A]

I use a Panasonic DMC-FZ5, with a macro function of course. The nice thing about that camera is that it will still focus on objects just 5cm away, the picture quality is pretty good and it is (was) cheap. Has been replaced by the FZ7 on the market and you can expect that model to be replaced by the end of the year if it hasn't already been replaced.

I agree with marian, it's not really the (camera) manufacturer that it depends on. The optics are usually made by some other company and many of the big brands use the same lens manufacturer. As a result, cameras in any given price/size class will be very evenly matched. The ergonomics and the battery life will still vary, but the overall potential depends on what the optics are capable of.

I also have a fairly new 6Mpix Panasonic FX3 that can barely compete with my old antiquated 2Mpix Fuji Finepix 2600 Zoom in terms of image quality. There may be years of development between the two models, but when you want to squeeze a lense into the smallest/thinnest frame possible, you have to make compromises.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz5/)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX3: Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0607/06071902panasonicfx3.asp)
Fujifilm FinePix 2600 Zoom digital camera specifications: Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Fujifilm/fuji_finepix2600z.asp)

[Gijs & Sabine]

We use an olympus FE-140 with 6.0 megapixel. It works really nice and it's small, so easy to use. It's got different options for macro pics.
But I can make better pics with my old camera, but that's not a digital one:( I have many lenses that go with that camera.
In the future we want to buy a bigger digital camera so we can use our different lenses again, but that's a lot of money:o

[adamanteus]

I agree, digital cameras (compact models), whilst being small and convenient to use, can't compete with conventional photography for close up work. I've never tried one of the digital SLRs that are available, I'm betting they're pretty good. I only ever use a conventional SLR for macro work, and a pocket digital for holiday snaps. No doubt somebody will prove me wrong by posting a fantastic photo taken on a digital now!!

James.

[GarterGuy]

I use a Cannon Dgital Rebel XT SLR with a 18-55mm lense for regular shots, a 75-300mm lense for trying to get shots of those snakes or other critters from a distance, and I just got a 50mm compact macro lense that I'll be trying out this year. The SLR is an 8 megapixel, so the detail is very good and I find that even if the picture isn't a real close up shot, the detail is good enough that I can just zoom in using editting software. As far as proving James wrong with pics.....well check out my gallery of pics and you be the judge.:D
Roy

[adamanteus]

Roy,

When you're using the digital SLR is there still that annoying half second delay between pressing the shutter realease and the camera actually taking the picture? The compact digitals I have had always seem to pause just before firing. Very frustrating when you're trying to capture the moment! Just wondered if digital SLRs are the same, before I consider buying one. My favourite camera is my Canon A1, it's older than God and weighs about 250 pounds, but I love it! Over the years I've used it for some serious macro photography.

[drache]

Thanks for starting this thread, KITKAT - this is great!

[Thamnophis]

Since some six weeks I use a Canon 400D with a 18-55 mm lens and a 50 mm lens. The first lens has a macrofunction.

Before this camera I used a Sony digital camera. A CYBERSHOT DSC F 707.
Also a great camera with macro function.

[abcat1993]

Stefan, I think I have the same camera as you. Weird.

[GarterGuy]

Roy,

When you're using the digital SLR is there still that annoying half second delay between pressing the shutter realease and the camera actually taking the picture? The compact digitals I have had always seem to pause just before firing. Very frustrating when you're trying to capture the moment! Just wondered if digital SLRs are the same, before I consider buying one. My favourite camera is my Canon A1, it's older than God and weighs about 250 pounds, but I love it! Over the years I've used it for some serious macro photography.

It acutually depends on what settings you have the camara on. On autofocus modes you can have shutter delay if your taking pics of wildlife, since the camara seems to have a problem figuring out what to focus on. I've had to take several pics of snakes that were streaking by and was able to get good pics of them with out missing due to shutter delay. I'm still trying to figure stuff out though.....I've been pretty much self teaching my self in photography so I'm still a bit new to this, I don't consider myself an expert.....yet!:D

[adamanteus]

Maybe I should be less lazy and go to a camera shop and try one out for myself! But that's pretty scary because I know I'd end up buying one I can't really afford! Perhaps for now I'll stick with my neolithic Canon!

James.

[drache]

I did it
I bought one I can't really afford.
Well - the equipment I'm selling should more than cover it.
I couldn't wait though - people here are giving me lens-envy.
I got the Canon Rebel XT.
As soon as I figure out all the functions, there'll be pics
Rhea

[Gyre]

I was using an olympus D-395 but it wasn't a great camera. No extra functions and a cruddy flash..

Since Christmas, I've been using a Finepix F20. Great camera with all the bells and whistles. Good price, and very sturdy.. I end to drop things in the creek while hiking..

[adamanteus]

I did it
I bought one I can't really afford.
Well - the equipment I'm selling should more than cover it.
I couldn't wait though - people here are giving me lens-envy.
I got the Canon Rebel XT.
As soon as I figure out all the functions, there'll be pics
Rhea

Hi Rhea,

I just looked at the Canon Rebel XT online.....nice piece of kit, but very expensive...in my dreams!

[drache]

I know
I am in total shock myself
Jeff hunted down the best price for me, but still . . .
My old equipment will actually still bring in that much and quite a bit more, even if I go the safe, low-yield route. So I can justify it as an equipment trade.
I had planned to have a bit more toward dental work.
I'm starting to figure out all the things I can do with this thing and - I am way happy I went for it.
Jeff needs to show me how the memory card reader works.
I took some pictures in fairly low light, so I have no idea what they'll look like bigger.
This handles totally like a "real" camera. No delay; I can do everything manually - this is everything I never thought a digital camera could be.
Expletive!
A lot more of my old equipment has suddenly in my mind become of questionable usefulness.

[stonyloam]

I thought I would put in my 2 cents worth. First off I will make a disclaimer; I have a dog in this fight. I am retired from Kodak (I used to do research for Ektachrome film and digital put me out of a job). Anyway I thought I could show what you can do with a relatively cheap camera (with a good lens). The photos below were taken with a Kodak Z7590 camera. 10X optical zoom, 5.0 mega pixel. The first photo was with some zoom from about 3 feet, the others were enlarged using the Kodak software that comes with the camera. You can see the resolution is pretty good. What you would like is the maximum optical zoom with the maximum pixels. So anyway if you go the Kodak (KODAK Digital Cameras & Consumer Photography | Graphic Communications | Medical & Dental Imaging (http://www.kodak.com)) web site you can get a refurbished Z710 (10X optical zoom, 7.0 mega pixel) camera (40% better resolution than mine) for $159.00. So you don’t have to spend a lot for a decent camera. Hope this helps a little. I always buy the refurbished stuff. Good luck!!

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/normal.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/zoom_1.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/zoom_2.jpg

[stonyloam]

I just kept fooling around to see how close in I could get. Remember this was taken from about 3 feet away.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/eye1.jpg

[Eightlegged]

Though I'm not taking photographs of snakes yet, I do take a lot of pictures of my other critters which are often very much smaller than snakes. I'll put up a photo album in a minute where you can see some shots.

The camera is a Fuji Finepix S5500, which is absolutely awesome stuff for little money.

[adamanteus]

Nice pictures Marieke, I particularly like the Avicularia in silhouette through the leaf.

[drache]

Yes - that silhouette one especially is very cool

[stonyloam]

Nice photos! Nice camera, good 10X lens, reasonable price. Similar to mine, they are a little bulkier (kinda like a mini SLR) than the “pocket” cameras but are better if you are planning to do much close up work.

[Eightlegged]

Thanks guys! By the end of this month that silhouette pic hopefully won me a terrarium, I entered it in a photo contest!

The Fuji can also be expanded with polarization filters, small macro lenses and stuff. I'm planning to get a Raynox DCR 250 macro lens for it, the shots you can get with a little gadget like that are awesome.

[GarterGirl]

I just have a regular digital camera that has an automatic focus, can take movies unlike my mom's:D, you can listen to music on it, and you can zoom in and out (and oviously you can take pictures.)