I am sorry

[elderofeld]

to do this. Being an avid mt biker aND SOMEONE WHO PERUSES mtbr I SEE IT ALL THE TIME. What bike do i buy? Foes, turner, or Intense?????? All great brands but subtle difference, is there a best? IMHO yes due to design superiorty, TURNER. anyhow I digress, my question is what camera do i buy? I hate being what i sometimes despise but cameras are tough. I read all the site and reader reviews yet get no where. I do not understand enough and I NEED SMEONE TO MAKE MY DECISION FOR ME! Pleae help!!

Ok here are the choices.......

Canon G6
Sony DSCV3
Olympus c7000
Panasonic zf20

Or something similar in price but better??? Anyhow you get the picutre another newbe asking the ssame old quesiton. I do promise to post of review of what i buy though!

Thanks and sorry in advance.......

PS-sorry about the off-kilter capitalization but the button was on and off before i looked up to see what i read and to re-type would not be possible since i am too frazzled about the new Turner Highline being not what i wanted.

[Trevor Ash]

Go to the local camera stores/Best Buy/Walmart etc and play with each camera for a few minutes. You'll be amazed how quickly you will weed out the ones you don't want. Then your decision will be easier.

[mtbbrian]

For someone who knows EXCELLENT bikes, I would think you'd want a comparable camera...
My suggestion, Nikon. Inparticular, the Coolpix 5700, 8700 or 8800.
Of your choices, however I think the Panasonic ZF20 is a good choice. I think a few mtbr photog's use it.
Make sure you check out the reviews here. Make sure you also come back here from time to time. PR.com is just as great of a community as MTBR. There is a wealth of information here!
No need to be sorry either.
Brian
Ride On!

[mtbbrian]

Trevor's advice is good too.
You would more or less do the same with a bike.
That is go to the shop and ride around the parking lot.
Brian
Ride On!

[elderofeld]

i did that and am still undecided. i want a quality level review. I want you picture people to say "only the cool guys buy...... and dorks who do not know what is the real deal buy......."

Another question i am sure you see al the time is the panasonic is 5 meg and the others 7ish is the difference worth the price???

[tijean]

i did that and am still undecided. i want a quality level review. I want you picture people to say "only the cool guys buy...... and dorks who do not know what is the real deal buy......."

Another question i am sure you see al the time is the panasonic is 5 meg and the others 7ish is the difference worth the price???

Maybe I am completely off on this, but I don't really see the use in those 2 extra MP. I print 8x10s off of my 4MP digicam all of the time without any size related problems. My main problem is that with a lighter camera (lighter than an old metal SLR) and the position is is being held in (away from your face) add to camera shake. A lot. I can hand hold a decent SLR at 1/30 safety and a rangefinder to as low as 1/8 sometimes, but if the digicam is at anything below 1/60, I'm can forget about a clear image.

I'm liking the Panasonic zf20 here. I think that the image stablization, speed (I've never used one but "speed" seems to be the zf20's middle name), and zoom would all also be really helpful. Other cameras has pretty decent zooms, but without the image stabilization I would imagine a 10x (on, say, the Kodak) would beuseful in only optimal conditional.

Side note: last time I was at Wal-mart, I had a guy try to sell me a DX7590. He said it had "SLR features like shutter speed and aperture control." I was nice enough to not forcefully reeducate him. I should get a Nobel Peace Prize for that.






Then take that piece of junk back and get a Foes!

(disclaimer: I know less than nothing about bikes)

[Speed]

For someone who knows EXCELLENT bikes, I would think you'd want a comparable camera...
My suggestion, Nikon. Inparticular, the Coolpix 5700, 8700 or 8800.
Of your choices, however I think the Panasonic ZF20 is a good choice. I think a few mtbr photog's use it.
Make sure you check out the reviews here. Make sure you also come back here from time to time. PR.com is just as great of a community as MTBR. There is a wealth of information here!
No need to be sorry either.
Brian
Ride On!

But then, great minds think alike!

I have a Coolpix 5700 and I love it. I've made 8X10's with no problem - the image quality is there. (Penny made 12X18's with her Coolpix 5700!) It has most of the features you'll find on an SLR - Apeture and Shutter Priority, Program mode, and manual mode. It is a very capable package.

The Coolpix 8700 is more of the same, with 8 megapixels instead of 5. The 8800 has 8 megapixels and Vibration Reduction (Image Stabilization) built into it. Any of these would make a great choice.

[elderofeld]

you guys have really done it now. I though it would be a hands down concensus, BUY THE CANON G6. I was under the inmpressioj that the G series was what everyone who is anyone wanted.

though maybe it is just that people who like Nikon are people who like to type on websites whilst the Canon afficianados are more of a anti-website, marxist community.

Still I have asked for help and only been more confused. I have compared the pictures from the digital imaging website and really can not see much difference. I actually though the Panasonic might look better but it is like smelling too many colognes.

So here is the skinny, Dell sells the G6 for like 589.oo, pretty cheap. I have not found the Panasonic all too much cheaper. This is a last ditch cry for help if one more person recommends Nikon I may actaully HAVE TO CHANGE MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT........

[paulnj]

the G6 , while I never shot it, is just as good as the 8700 IF that camera's features suit you. MP is just a number! 5, 6, 8... who cares! they will all be enough in capable hands. Your usage is where the clear winner may surface, not the name on the camera Are you going to shoot bikes moving, bikes parked on a trail, your GF , pretty flowers, in darkness, fast action?

the NIKON suggestions came from NIKON users.. I on the otherhand OWN capable PRO gear in both brands ;)

[mtbbrian]

Just go with your gut. You know when you see "the bike", "the one". You just know it is the one for you. It sounds like you have done all the research. Just buy the one that you think is for you. Don't make this harder than it is.
I'd recommend the Nikon. I am a Nikon photographer and besides Nikon Rules!
;)
Let us know!
Brian
Nikon Samuari #2!
Ride On!

[Trevor Ash]

None of the camera's you listed are cool. Real photogs only buy the Canon 1D MKII with 70-200 f/2.8 IS lens for biking shots. But if you want something partially cool you could go with the Canon G6. All your biking buddies would think it was pretty damn cool but us real photogs would know that it's not cool enough for us. Do you need to impress the bikers or the photogs? If it's just bikers I think the answer is clear.


Yes, this post is sarcastic.

[mtbbrian]

Yes, this post is sarcastic.

I'd say it is dripping with sarcasm... ;)

[elderofeld]

i really want to impress the other guys who think digital prosumer cameras are cool. the guys who think guys who have professional cameras are not cool cuz really who needs anything better tha the disposable cameras at Wal mart, and on that topic you can not buy those cool pro cameras at Wal Mart and if you can not buy it at Wal mart do you really need it???

so i have decided to buy the g6 cuz i heard a rumor that people who buy nikon's also believe that kurt cobain and jimi hendrix are still alive and collaborating on songs written for britney spears and Ricky martin!

so again g6 it is, i mean think about it in the Hood as Snoop Dogg will tell you it is realy cool to be a G and anytime i can buy some extra coolness I jump at the chance!

[Trevor Ash]

Good choice And I'm glad we're appreciating each others sense of humor! I hope to see you around these parts in the future!

Be sure to post some shots when you've gotten the hang of things

[elderofeld]

man i truly know nothing, the more money i burn and websites i read the more i realize this.

another NEWBIE but cool g question!

Lexar Media 1 GB 80x Pro Series Compact Flash Card

I bought this card but then read something about canon not supporting it. it was only like 10 bucks more but since canon does not support shouldi return it for anotehr card?

[mtbbrian]

[QUOTE=elderofeld]i really want to impress the other guys who think digital prosumer cameras are cool. QUOTE]

I see, and now understand your real motivation in your selelctions..
No Worries.
It sounds like you made a good choice, even it wasn't Nikon.

Good Luck! Happy Shooting!
And keep coming back here, make sure you post some stuff and make sure you check out the other forums too!
Especially in the Critique forum!
Brian
Ride On
Nikon Samuari #2!

[coachgns]

so i have decided to buy the g6 cuz i heard a rumor that people who buy nikon's also believe that kurt cobain and jimi hendrix are still alive and collaborating on songs written for britney spears and Ricky martin!

I just chose the Nikon 8800 over the G6. It just "FELT" better when I tried them out.
But I don't think that about Jimi Hendrix. I think he's writng stuff for Sinatra now, isn't he? ;)

[tijean]

the NIKON suggestions came from NIKON users.. I on the otherhand OWN capable PRO gear in both brands ;)

And the Pentax user suggested the Panasonic. Maybe I just like the underdog (brand, not camera, since the Panasonic has one heck of reputation). Though the little digicam that could (the "purse cam") is a Nikon 4500.

And yeah, Like Paul(ie) said - application, application, application. The problem with all of these being great cameras is that there's no one best, If there was, they would sell if for more, the next camera down the product line latter would get bumped up, and there would, again, be no best. God bless Marketing.

[paulnj]

Paul(from NJ) not Paulie I am a 33 year old rough around the edges MALE ;)

And yes.... no one camera can be or ever will be the best ! besides, too many cameras to know for me anyway ;)

[Mando327]

I personally have the new canon 20D which is THE BEST (next to trevor's camera that is, which is CANON)! However, for our friend here, i would recommend the Panasonic... razor sharp12x zoom with Image stabilization and enough megapixels for any beginner (also relatively fast). Some people here mention that you really don't need more pixels like 6,7,or 8 and that's overkill...the nice thing about more pixels is that it gives you the liberty of cropping (something that EVERY beginner would benefit from doing ;) but i think 5 is good 'nuff

Mando