Canon Cameras

[juanchie]

I was looking for some advice on cameras:

First, I would like to mention most of my pictures are going to be from the flight deck and on non-rev trips, vacation type pics. Also, I would like to have the ability to take good pictures at night.

Right now, I am looking at the canon A630, A640, SD450. Anybody have a recomendation and what kinda stuff should I be looking at? I am already mentally prepared to have to buy a larger memory card, just shy of the 1gb range.



Juan

[Fly_Unity]

Originally Posted by juanchie

I was looking for some advice on cameras:

First, I would like to mention most of my pictures are going to be from the flight deck and on non-rev trips, vacation type pics. Also, I would like to have the ability to take good pictures at night.

Right now, I am looking at the canon A630, A640, SD450. Anybody have a recomendation and what kinda stuff should I be looking at? I am already mentally prepared to have to buy a larger memory card, just shy of the 1gb range.



Juan

I have the SD 450, great camera except it takes terrible night pictures. So I dont recommend it that one if your going to do night photos.

[JaceTheAce]

Originally Posted by Fly_Unity

I have the SD 450, great camera except it takes terrible night pictures. So I dont recommend it that one if your going to do night photos.

bleh...... it's called aperture priority or tweaking of the manual settings

<--------- This night shot was taken with a 5-year old Canon A70.



Get the Canon... either an A-series or SD-series. I highly recommend the A-series for it's hand-held stability since it's larger and heavier. The SD is too small for my tastes and not as ergonomic as the A-series.

[BobDDuck]

That night shot was also taken while you and your subject were standing still. It's a little bit harder to capture an image at night when you are moving at 200 miles an hour. Doable, but not so easy.

[JaceTheAce]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

That night shot was also taken while you and your subject were standing still. It's a little bit harder to capture an image at night when you are moving at 200 miles an hour. Doable, but not so easy.

Well, he did not specify where he was shooting from. He could have been referring to a night shot he attempted to take at a party where the subjects stayed still... but maybe he didn't recognize that if he's using a camera's auto setting it may force the shutter speed too low for the "average camera taker that shoots as if flash is on" ....or he could've had the camera meter the dark foreground, causing the shutter speed to low for the background image, causing a disappointment of the results. Maybe he knows how to operate the camera and it just takes crap night shots no matter what he does... I don't know that.

It's almost impossible to use a point-and-shoot digital to get a decent night shot to come from a moving plane at 200 miles per hour low to the ground. Better to use a DSLR with a fast lens. With a DSLR you can set the ISO very high without worrying too much about grainy images whereas with an ISO setting of higher than 200 on a point-and-shoot, you'll get an image that is WAY too grainy.

[juanchie]

Too clarify, I meant night shots standing still, I am not expecting any miracles. For what its worth, I am definently a novice but interested in learning different tricks, not just capturing drunk buddies...

Is the A series tough to lug around on trips?


Juan

[JaceTheAce]

Originally Posted by juanchie

Too clarify, I meant night shots standing still, I am not expecting any miracles. For what its worth, I am definently a novice but interested in learning different tricks, not just capturing drunk buddies...

Is the A series tough to lug around on trips?


Juan

I take the A-series with me flying all the time. It pretty much stays in my flight bag along with my Canon Rebel G SLR. It's been all over the place and still works pretty good.

For what you want to use it for...I think the Canon A would be a great choice.

[juanchie]

It sounds like the A series is a good choice, gonna have to go take a look at some in person.


I appreciate the helpful responses

Juan

[intern_mike]

I searched for a camera for 4 months before making my choice. This is the best camera I could find for the money. Canon PowerShot A710 IS. Picture quality is superb. It also has image stabilization.
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ca...t_a710-review/

[launchpad]

The Canon cameras are awesome..I have an SD600.....it's a really good camera, takes nice night shots, and is nice and small (if you're looking for something that won't get in your way). The A series cameras are nice, but a little bigger. My camera takes nice pictures and you can change the shutter speed from 80 to 800 without getting the pictures too grainy....it's not as good as an A series, but it does what I need it to.

I'd say get one of the newer A-series cameras if you don't mind a normal size camera. The SD's are good for basic pictures and their size.

As for the memory, get a 2 gig card. They're not much more expensive than the 1 gig cards and can hold a ton more pictures.....get it online or at Fry's and you'll get a good deal. Walk into Best Buy and you'll get ripped off.

[Tram]

I've been looking for a good camera I could carry in my flight bag.. I've got a Nikon D50, but that thing is a bit big to carry all the time..

[JaceTheAce]

Originally Posted by Tram

I've been looking for a good camera I could carry in my flight bag.. I've got a Nikon D50, but that thing is a bit big to carry all the time..

But it's a DSLR and it takes such good pics!

[Tram]

Originally Posted by JaceTheAce

But it's a DSLR and it takes such good pics!

Yeh, I need to learn how to use it..

I took these last summer at the condo..

[dieselman1220]

I have an SD450 and love it, does everything i need it to do.

[Fly4Pay]

Originally Posted by Tram

I took these last summer at the condo..

I like the pool shot!

[Tram]

Yeh, it's a beautiful place.. I love it there..

[Fly_Unity]

Originally Posted by JaceTheAce

Well, he did not specify where he was shooting from. He could have been referring to a night shot he attempted to take at a party where the subjects stayed still... but maybe he didn't recognize that if he's using a camera's auto setting it may force the shutter speed too low for the "average camera taker that shoots as if flash is on" ....or he could've had the camera meter the dark foreground, causing the shutter speed to low for the background image, causing a disappointment of the results. Maybe he knows how to operate the camera and it just takes crap night shots no matter what he does... I don't know that.

It's almost impossible to use a point-and-shoot digital to get a decent night shot to come from a moving plane at 200 miles per hour low to the ground. Better to use a DSLR with a fast lens. With a DSLR you can set the ISO very high without worrying too much about grainy images whereas with an ISO setting of higher than 200 on a point-and-shoot, you'll get an image that is WAY too grainy.

Actually most of my night shots was from a plane, the SD 450 didnt bring out the light except if you slow the shutter speed way down, then it was blurred. My sister has a SD 600 and its quality is much better, My dad is a pilot and does aviation photography with a Nikon D200, which is better yet, but also paid 2 k for it and its big and balky, I would go with the SD600.

It may be a camera setting that your talking about, I dont know

[Fly4Pay]

Originally Posted by Tram

Yeh, it's a beautiful place.. I love it there..

Where's "there?"

[Tram]

The Garden Of Eden condo's in Perdido Key, Florida..

My wife and I got married there behind my pops condo..

[bike21]

Nice pics! Can't wait to get my new DSLR soon! You guys got me stoked!

[Tram]

I can't wait to learn to use the freakin thing..

I got it to take photo's of my review aircraft. I'm a writer for a e-zine and needed it..

I really want to learn to take pictures of lighining..

[PanJet]

I haven't had the opportunity to use many A series, but I'm a big fan of the SD series. My brother has an SD550 and my friend has one of the new SD1000's. Great little camera.

I personally have a 350D (aka Digital Rebel XT). It's an awesome camera, but bulky to carry in a flight bag, especially if you have all the lenses and stuff. Plus they require a little more manual know-how than the SD's (which I don't have enough of )

[Tram]

Anyone have an opinion on the Canon SD850?

[blimpguy]

Originally Posted by juanchie

I was looking for some advice on cameras:

First, I would like to mention most of my pictures are going to be from the flight deck and on non-rev trips, vacation type pics. Also, I would like to have the ability to take good pictures at night.

Right now, I am looking at the canon A630, A640, SD450. Anybody have a recomendation and what kinda stuff should I be looking at? I am already mentally prepared to have to buy a larger memory card, just shy of the 1gb range.



Juan

I wandered in to Target tonight and they have the Panasonic DMC-LX7 I bought a few weeks ago for $179 on sale for $159. (Note: First cardinal rule of purchasing technology: Once you buy something, never look back.).

I am a Canon SLR guy, but Panasonic makes excellent digital point-and-shoots, too. I chose this for the following features:
-7.2Megapixel
-6x optical zoom
-optical image stabilization
-all features, menus and settings can be worked with your right hand, freeing your left for flying
-19 preset scene modes including "Aerial Photo" which has the following warning every time you select it: "Turn off the camera during takeoff and landing. Follow the instructions of cabin attendant."

I haven't really tried to take too many night pictures with it, but haven't had much luck. I've never had a camera that would do well at night, so I hardly bother anymore. That is to say, in flight at night. Otherwise, I'm really impressed with this camera.

Check any camera you are interested in per the very detailed reviews at www.dpreview.com They have a lot of great information.

Also, a few weeks ago, Radio Shack had a three pack of PNY 1GB SD cards on sale for $29.

Canons rock! My next DSLR will be the EOS-1Ds Mark III. Well, I wish anyway. Good luck

[Kristie]

ya know....we have an SD600 (Canon) and i'm not all that fond of it.. to me, it seems like the pictures are awful grainy on a zoomed image....to me, it seems stupid to have a camera that you can't zoom because of "grain levels"...any way to fix that or do i just need a better camera?