Digital Cameras

Jim Jensen · October 13, 2009, 02:39:27 PM

My digital camera for the agency just went on the blink. Naturally it occured 100 miles from home while taking photos of claim damage. So I need to get a new one. It's for agency work, so it doesn't need super high resolution (the old one is 4 megapixel as was fine). I prefer using AA batteries (easy to find in a pinch if the NiMH ones die out). Zoom (not digital zoom) is good to have and I have a few CF cards that I'd like to continue using, if I can, but I'm not inflexible about it. I also like having a viewfinder so I don't have to worry about bright sun on an LCD screen to frame the shot. Any suggestions?

Hans Manhave · October 13, 2009, 02:47:36 PM

Canon Powershot? A 10 or 12 megapixel sells for around $149 at BestBuy. An A1000IS or A1100IS.

My daughter uses one. We use rechargeable AA. We're married to SD cards.

There are so many to pick from. I have a Nikon dSLR. Casios are good too.

Jim Jensen · October 13, 2009, 02:51:39 PM

My now not-so-happy one is a Canon Powershot A85. I liked the size. I have a Nikon Coolpix that my wife uses (borrowed now for agency), which did great on vacation, but no viewfinder - have to use the LCD screen. I recently borrowed a Nikon dSLR, but way overkill for this use. I *might* someday get a dSLR for personal use, but don't relish reinvesting in new lenses and filters, or the current price compared to the SLRs I've had in the past. They do shoot fast though and can I take tons without burning through film.

Gene Foraker · October 13, 2009, 04:07:15 PM

I have no idea what the budget is. You are right about MP, any camera on the market today will have more than enough megapixels. For insurance work, I like a superzoom range of at least 10X and IS image stabliization is nice. Canon PowerShot SX120IS is only $229 at Amazon. Canon Powershot SX10IS is $390 and has a 20X range.

Jim Jensen · October 14, 2009, 02:29:40 PM

I picked up a Canon PowerShot A1100 IS. Gene, they had a SX120 that I looked at. I decided that the 4x zoom has usually always been sufficient, especially with the higher resolution - if I can zoom enough, I shoot higher rez and crop in. The 1100 is sufficient and has a viewfinder I can use in bright sun. I was tempted by the SX120, but decided sufficient is fine. It's a bummer to switch to SD cards only because I have so many CF cards. I have an old small stashed in the car along with AA batteries after leaving the card in the computer a few times and not being able to take photos. Now I'll have to get another SD card or two. I also have the CF card adapter to use them in laptop PC slot. I'll have to take along a USB adapter now. Although, since I'm going to have to get a new laptop too soon, it looks like most have SD card slot (who likes carrying mini-USB cables around?).

Hans Manhave · October 14, 2009, 02:58:22 PM

I have two miniUSB cables in the car. Also, an inverter, a 25 foot extension cable, an audio transmitter (for the occasional mp3 player over the radio), one or more 12 volt splitters, usually a AA battery recharger. I won't mention the set of jumper cables and other boring diagnostic and entertainment stuffs. No, it contains no food or water, but there are several 12 packs of soda/pop/coke.

Jim Jensen · October 15, 2009, 08:41:25 AM

Hans, you have a pac-van, not a car! Of course you like long driving trips, so I can understand. The cases of soda are also auto-accessories - caffeine power. I do have an inverter in mine, plus some AA batteries and an iPod transmitter, but not the rest. My car's now 5 years old, so it may be time to put the jumper cables back in. Now I'll add the SD card to the batteries. I don't know how many times I've been out on the road and camera batteries died or I found that I left the memory card in the computer. I have micro SD card in my phone now as extra backup.

Hans Manhave · October 15, 2009, 10:42:08 AM

Yep, pac-van. Ford, diesel, just passed the 100K. Going for another 100K.

I hope you can make the switch to SD cards nicely. I am waiting for the price of 16GB models to go down. Now one can buy a netbook that boots from an 8GB SD card and still has more than half remaining for user files, the days of hard drives are numbered.

Gene Foraker · October 15, 2009, 11:01:40 AM

Carrying jumper cables is obsolete. I have had one of the new jump start batteries for several years and they really are handy. No need for another car to start a dead battery. Many even have air compressors to pump up a low tire, great since most service stations now charge for air. There is a 12 volt accessory outlet to plug in most anything. Just don't buy the cheapest one out there.

I have even used an inverter plugged into the 12 volt outlet to run a dremel tool where there was no available power and the car was too far away.

Hans Manhave · October 15, 2009, 11:39:48 AM

I have two big Interstate batteries in my vehicle, one under the hood, another about half way under the car. It won't just jump nicely from a regular passenger vehicle... Tried.