Desperately need help with my new camera - HELP!!!!!!!

[TinysMom]

I bought my camera (Kodak EasyShare CX7330) in October of 2004. It is now about 2.5 years old.

I think it has bit the dust. The USB port inside the camera is nowpushed in too far and needs to be fixed. The battery door doesn't stayshut tight and I never realized it till now (no wonder I kept needingto charge my batteries...they weren't in tight) and the knob to turn iton/ off and to different settings almost needs a wrench to turn it.

I was taking videos tonight and couldn't get them off thecamera....finally got it off by putting the memory stick in hubby's mp3player and getting it that way.

I really like the Kodak EasyShare cameras but am wondering if I should go with something else....

If I buy one now - I have to stay under $150 and even that isstretching it - but if hubby (who works in electronics) can make ithold together till my birthday in Sept (or even after Nationals in May)- I may be able to go up to $250....

So did my camera last as long as it should - or should I go with a different brand?

HELP!

Peg

P.S. I've used it a TON.....with videos and pictures - so I'mpleased with how much use I've gotten out of it...but I do wish itwould/could last a bit longer....

But I need it for putting rabbits on my website, etc.

 

[myLoki]

My old camera was a Fuji 5200 and it's stillgoing. I gave it to my parents because I wasn't using it. Too bulky totake anywhere. I only used it for my photography class. It's about 2years old. I bought another Fuji. A Z5 this time and I love it. It isvery compact and has great picture quality. I take it everywhere. It'sonly a few months old so I can't really say how long it's going to lastbut I take really good care of it. has it's own little case andeverything.

The Z5: it cost me around $200.

t.

 

[TinysMom]

Thanks. I really like the zoom function on theEasyShare and the video function - plus the fact I can crop picturesright on the camera (not that I ever really do that..).

I've only started using the video function now that I have a 1 gigabyte card and I love it.

I just checked my photobucket account. I have maybe 1/2 or less of mypictures and videos on there and it is almost a gig.....so I guess Ihave used the camera a lot.

ARG...what to do....

I know there was a discussion recently about digital cameras in the off topic area - I guess I'll go look it up.

I'll never be the photographer that Pet Bunny is (then again - myrabbits aren't Pebbles).....but it would be nice to have a nicercamera..

Peg

 

[pamnock]

My daughter and I have this camera:

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PRODUCT&PROD_ID=2324374&cid=97241&fp=F

I've got the silver, she's got the red. I really like thequality for the price. (I paid about $150 at Walmart).Battery life is pretty good if you set the size to VGA 640x480 and itholds a lot of photos. Easy to use. Small - aboutthe size of a credit card (9 x 5cm and about 2 1/2cm thick). Also has a close-up feature.

Digital cameras should have a very long life - but you know howelectronics are. My son has my 5 year old digital camera andit's still working.

Pam

I took this photo of Heart with this camera.

 

[JadeIcing]

I dont blame you I have a kodak easy share andLOVE it! My mom has a newer version. Mine is Kodak EasyShare Z740. Notsure what hers is.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

My husband researches everything electronicsbefore buying it. But-you could maybe do some searching tosee if others that bought the one you have are saying thesame. There are message boards/forums for mostcameras. Hope that helps a bit.

It does sound like you got your use out of it, especially if the mechanisms are loose and/or shifting.

 

[TinysMom]

Well....I have got to say that my husband spoils me rotten. So anytime I complain about him - someone remind me of this thread.

First of all, I have folks waiting on photos of rabbits. Since I sellrabbits and have a website - I NEED a camera - it isn't just a 'want'.

So after shaking my camera (lightly) this morning and hearing thingsrattle around inside (like the USB port), my darling husband said,"Hon...I may be able to fix it - but it doesn't really soundgood..". He talked me into going to Walmart.

I was all set to buy a Kodak EasyShare camera. I just lovethe EasyShare - it is so easy to use - and I'm a dummy when it comes tocameras. I just recently started using the video feature on mine and Ilove it....as folks can tell from some of my threads and the videosI've shared on Maherwoman's thread about Dusty and Drew.

But the "cheaper" EasyShares were out of stock. They had one that wassort of in my price range (on the very high end) that was a 7.0megapixel.

But Art's eye got caught on a different model - one that was onclearance. Although it was only 4.0 megapixels...it had an 8.3X zoom(which I love for the bunnies when they get loose in theyard...although I hate them getting loose). We went back and forthbetween the two models.

I knew that my EasyShare was hard on batteries and I'd read that in areview. We looked at all of the different features of the two camerasand even considered practical things like knobs, etc. and would theyeventually go bad like they did on my EasyShare.

We finally decided to get the model he first pointed out.

And to quote the dad from the very OLD movie Gotcha when his son asks about borrowing his camera.

"It's not a camera ... its a Nikon".

So with all that said....I got a Nikon CoolPix 4800.

The batteries are charging and I can hardly wait to play with it. Itlooks so much more complicated that my last camera - for example - ithas something like 15 "scene assist" thigs - like I can set it for afireworks display - or a museum (where you can't use a flash). I cantell it that in a scene I want the people on the right - or the left -or the middle - and it will show me how to line them up right. (Now ifit can help me to keep from cutting off the top of their heads - I'llbe thrilled).

It also does video - and I forget what all else.

Here is a review of it:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/nikon4800.html

So I now look forward to taking more pics and sharing them with everone here...

Peg

 

[TinysMom]

I just wanted to add that my old camera had beendropped a couple of times (NOT on purpose) and that I think I wasprobably pretty hard on it. I used it a TON of times and I have a lotof photos and memories saved from it.

So I don't feel bad that it quit after 2 1/2 years....

Peg

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Art is just wonderful! I bet you'reexcited to use it. For the record, I got for Christmas, aNikon Coolpix 6. I like it, but sometimes it seems like theshutter speed is too slow to capture the active bunny (in which caseone should use the sports mode-which I tried, but the flash doesn'tfire with it on:huh.) The book on it is quite big.The other night I was taking pics of Angel while we were outside and Iheld the button halfway down like it says to, but this time when I didthere were 2 letters that came up on the screen that I haven't seenbefore and it fired very quickly :dunno:. I guess I'll haveto read more on it.

Otherwise, I really do love it. I'm not even close atlearning all it is capable of yet. I think you'll really likeyours too! Can't wait to hear what you think!

 

[shootingstar]

Hi, I also have a Kodak Easy Share but anothermodel and I love it! Good video, picture quality and very nice menu,i've had it for 1.5 years and I love it! I think it's a C360, i have tocheck.

 

[maherwoman]

YAY!! Congratulations, new Nikon owner!!

That's wonderful!!

I can't wait to see pictures from your new toy!

 

[pamnock]

Can't wait to see photos with the new camera!!!

Pam

 

[TinysMom]

I'm so frustrated with the new camera - I haveall these shots I need to learn...like it flashes five times and picksthe best photo or something? (I turned that one off finally).

I need PetBunny or someone here beside me walking through what optionsto choose...I feel like a little kid in the candy store......so manyoptions....so hard to decide..

Here are some of my very first bunny photos with it. (Yeah - Drew has a dirty nose still...).








Edited to add: I love the fact that once I upload the photos to thephoto program, I can choose something called "auto enhance" orsomething and it makes the pictures more vivid looking. It reallybrings out the color in Dusty's fur (the tort) and just makes thingslook so much nicer!.

But all these settings - ARG!

Peg

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

TinysMom wrote:

I'm so frustrated with the new camera - I have all theseshots I need to learn...like it flashes five times and picks the bestphoto or something? (I turned that one off finally).

I need PetBunny or someone here beside me walking through what optionsto choose...I feel like a little kid in the candy store......so manyoptions....so hard to decide..

Here are some of my very first bunny photos with it. (Yeah - Drew has a dirty nose still...).








Edited to add: I love the fact that once I upload the photos to thephoto program, I can choose something called "auto enhance" orsomething and it makes the pictures more vivid looking. It reallybrings out the color in Dusty's fur (the tort) and just makes thingslook so much nicer!.

But all these settings - ARG!

Peg

Peg, I think it might be either fast azz shutter or on sportsmode alreadt-or just killer camera! Great shots!Really! Whoa! Now, I REALLY want aLionhead:shock:.:embarrassed:My hubbt won't let me. I justlast night talked to him about a rescue-yes-our section. Iwould like to save somebunny, if I could.

 

[TinysMom]

I've already shared some photos w/ my new camera but I've got to say that I feel like an idiot when it comes to the settings...

Why oh why did my EasyShoot have to EasyDie on me????

Ok - here is where I'm struggling.

The majority of my photos - at least for now - are going to be of myrabbits on the grooming table - to show them to people. I will also bedoing some videos of bunnies - maybe for the board...

• Image mode
  • High 2288 X 1712 pixels - compression ratio 1:4 - suitablefor enlargements
  • Normal 2288 X 1712 pixels - compression 1:8 -best for most situations
  • Normal 1600 X 1200 - compression 1:8 -smaller size for more photos to be stored on memory card (I have 1 GBcard)
  • PC Screen - 1024 X 768 - compression 1:8 - for displayingon computer monitors
  • TV Screen - 640 X 480 - compression 1:8 -for full screen on tv or 13" monitor or for distribution by email or onweb
• WhiteBalance
  • Auto
  • Daylight
  • Incandescent
  • Flourescent
  • Cloudy
  • Speedlight(use with the flash??)
• Continuous
  • Single - oneshot is taken each time shutter button is pressed
  • Continuous -While shutter release button is pressed, camera takes pictures at 1.5fps until wait icon is displayed (huh???)
  • Multi-shot 16 - Eachtime shutter release button is pressed, camera takes 16 consecutivepictures 572 X 428 pixels in size at rate of about 2 fps and arrangesthem in four rows to form a single picture of 2288 X 1712 pixels. Imagemode automatically set to normal
  • 3 shot buffer - Camer shoots atup to 1 fps while shutter-release button is pressed but only last fewshots are saved number of pictures recorded depends upon current imagemode setting) - NOW CAN THEY EXPLAIN THAT INENGLISH???
• BSS (Best Shot Selector) - I tried playing withthis one and wanted to bang my head on the wall
  • BSS off -camera functions normally (maybe this is best for me?)
  • BSS on -Camera takes shots while shutter release button is pressed, to amaximum of ten, but only sharpest picture (picture w/ highest level ofdetail) is saved. Flash turns off automatically and focus, exposure,and auto white balance are determined by the first picture in eachseries. Recommended for situations in which inadvertant camera movementcan produce blurred pictures (What about inadvertant BUNNYmovement?)
  • AE Exposure BSS - Camera takes five shots eachtime shutter-release button is pressed (I think this is the one Itried) but only picture that best meets selected criterion issaved. Flash turns off automatically and focus and whitebalance for all photographs are determined by the first photograph inthe series.

I'm not even going to get into things likeimage adjustment and image sharpening. I have chosen "vivid color"versus normal color. Oh - and I have an option of blue tinted photos("hey mister...wanna see my blue bunny??")..along with sepia.

HELP?

I think I got more camera than I can handle....

Peg

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Peg, look! We posted at the same time.

 

[TinysMom]

Now that I think about it - I may have had it on the sport setting too.....I figured in case they moved I wanted photos?

I don't know.....I'm about ready to cry.

I love the camera - I really do. But there is just so much to learn.

Peg

P.S. Should I not have had it on the sports setting?

 

[Haley]

Peg, you should send Pet_Bunny a pm. He knows all about cameras!

Let me know how it works out. I have an old Kodak Easy Share that takesgood pics but is a pain in the butt to use. The flash has a delay soanytime the bunnies are doing something cute theyve usually movedbefore the picture actually takes. And it sucks batteries dry so fast!

Good luck and keep us posted. I wish I could help, but Im clueless on cameras.

PS. Ive used the sport setting sometimes, if theyre moving a lot. Otherwise, you shouldnt need to.

 

[TinysMom]

Yeah, I think I'm going to PM Pet Bunny and beg him for help.

Fans of the original Star Trek will probably get this. My husband justemailed me - after taking my original camera to work to fix it.

The subject line of the email?

"It's Dead, Jim"

He said that he couldn't fix it...so he was glad I'd bought a new one.

Me too!

Peg
(off to get frustrted by taking more photos for folks)

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Ok, We just discussed this. Don'tchange Image Mode. It's actually after you take the pic,menu, and it asks pic size- that's where you want to make it formessage boards, forums, websites. Sorry, every camera isdifferent, so it should be like that on one of the menus.Hope that helps a bit.

Edited to add to Peg: If you look in my blog, I actually hadpics that were a bit big, and after looking at the camera settings, itis not in the Image Mode, so , let me look at it tomorrow.Sorry, still working at it. Find out from Pet_Bunnt in themeantime. Hee Hee. Good Luck and I'm so glad yougot a new one, thanks ART!:colors: