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Advice Needed on Digital Camera Purchase

I've decided to take the plunge into the wide world of digital photography, in large part to begin selling off some of my less-cherished collection pieces on the Bay of E. I'd like to economize, as anything I spend on a camera will be money out of my coin budget. I can get a brand name 3.2 megapixel with 3x zoom for $99 bucks, but fear that might be inadequate. Any advice?
"The Internet? Is that thing still around??" - Homer Simpson

Comments

  • I got a Konica-Minolta DImage Z10 at Walmart for about $197 that has 3.2 megapixels and 32x combined zoom. I could use more zoom but it's a great and easy to use first digital camera for me.
    Brad Swain

    World Coin & PM Collector
    My Coin Info Pages <> My All Experts Profile
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  • MrSpudMrSpud Posts: 4,499 ✭✭✭
    A really cheap one that takes adequate coin pictures is the Ricoh 4200. They don't make them anymore, but you can usually find them on ebay for anywhere from $30 to $45. They are weak in the megapixels but have a great macro lens feature. I got one after finding out that Russ over on the US Coins Forums uses one and I thought his Kennedy pictures were pretty good.
  • I use a Nikon Coolpix 3200 with 3.2 mp and 3x zoom. It has good macro capibilities for coin pics. Bought it off www.stevesdigicams.com

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    The camera is only half the battle. Good lighting is just as important.
    Terry

    eBay Store

    DPOTD Jan 2005, Meet the Darksiders
  • MSD61MSD61 Posts: 3,382
    I use a Nikon coolpix 4300 4.0MP. It also has good macro capibilities for coin images and easy to use. I picked off the bay of E for $199 buckaroos.
  • harashaharasha Posts: 3,097 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Also use the Nikon Coolpix 4300. Like some of the others of that series, you can obtain a macro lighting device that fits over the lens.
    Honors flysis Income beezis Onches nobis Inob keesis

    DPOTD
  • UdoUdo Posts: 984 ✭✭
    I use a Ricoh Caplio R1. Your camera should have a good macro feature, maybe you can make some "test-shots" with different camera types at a store.
    imageimage
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,967 ✭✭✭
    My camera is an Olympus Z560 zoom. It has a 3x analog zoom with macro capability. It has a poor minimum focal distance of around 10-11", meaning that I really can't get close in on the coins I shoot. That's not a problem with coins down to about a shilling, but small coins that I really like are very hard to photograph without sticking them into an airtite such that the coin surface and the airtite surface are coplanar. It has 3.2 Mpix, which IMO is enough to take shots for auctions.

    Example picture of the 6d shown in my sig line.

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    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • LuvdawgsLuvdawgs Posts: 1,512
    Here is some more advice on digital cameras, including
    some from yours truly. image

    Here are a couple of URL's for digital camera reviews, and the beginner's guide to digital photography:

    www.RitzCamera.com

    http://www.steves-digicams.com/
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    image
  • theboz11theboz11 Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭
    The Fuji FinePix 3.2(3200) is a top rated for the price and more that sufficient for internet pictures. I use a Fuji 2.3(2300) and can't complain about any of it's features, plus it's cheap.
  • NJMark1NJMark1 Posts: 479
    Funny this post shows up now. I just bought a cannon sd 400 today. Battery is charging now. Software instaled on PC. We shall see how it does on coins shortly.

    Mark
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