[Talk-GB] Cameras?

[Michael Collinson]

My specs were about the same as yours though I had to drop the 
Optical viewfinder - they are now rare at the lower end.  For brand 
new cameras, I came up with lower cameras in the Canon range (IXUS 
range and/or A450 or some such purely from memory) and in the Nikon 
LX range. Sony Cybershots are also worth looking at if you can live 
with the proprietary memory sticks.

I ended up with a Nikon Coolpix LX18 and am extremely happy with it 
for OSM. The LX16 is slightly cheaper and identical except for lower 
Megapixel.  Operatable one handed on a bike and has a neat "BSS" 
feature where you just keep pressing the shutter and it takes several 
pictures and saves the least blurred - great for OSM mapping as you 
don't have to steady your hand when pressing the shutter down, it 
just throws the first one away.

- Lower end cameras are improving very quickly. If you see a camera 
in a shop, check model number on the manufacturers web site. If it is 
not there it probably superceded by a better camera for the same price.

- Megapixel. Yes, you can save money here. 2M pixel is perfectly 
adequate for street signs across the road - you probably won't even 
be able to buy that low now.  I normally set my camera down to this 
value as I can take more pictures faster and, I think, with lower 
battery drain storing the photo.

- The newer the camera, but the better the battery life generally

- Optical zoom - I ran some tests and found that x3 is adequate for 
zooming in on street signs across a wide street or average junction 
(at 2M pixel).

- Splashproof - My very ordinary camera is usually useless due to 
rain splash on the lens before I start worrying about it getting 
wet.  Just carry a plastic bag.

Mike

At 02:15 AM 9/8/2008, Ed Loach wrote:
>I'd like a cheap digital camera to use when I'm out noting things 
>for mapping purposes; our existing camera eats batteries.
>
>Features I'd like:
>* Rechargable battery
>* Optical viewfinder - I struggle to see the LCD display on our 
>current camera in high light levels.
>* Optical zoom higher if possible.
>* Takes memory cards rather than relies on internal memory
>* Megapixel isn't really too important. As long as I can take a 
>photo of a streetsign with optical zoom from the opposite side of 
>the road, that should probably be fine. I don't intend printing 
>these images after all.
>* Splashproof would perhaps be useful if cycling in the rain, though 
>I guess this adds to cost and low cost is important (after all - I 
>do have *a* digital camera, and have to justify the cost of any other).
>
>Can anyone suggest either a camera or a good comparison website. I 
>tried Jessops who are overpriced, Amazon that don't have optical 
>viewfinder as a data item and Dabs whose website was down. The 
>Jessops site suggested that I can probably do without the 
>splashproof requirement...
>
>Alternatively if anyone can recommend some good quality, reasonably 
>priced, high capacity rechargeable AA batteries that work well in 
>their digital camera then that may work out a cheaper option.