It's going to be hard to answer this question without details. I mean, are you going to use it mainly for tri action shots? Only print it on 3X5s or also 8X10s? etc?

I'd say an all around digital these days should be at least 3mega pixel, 3x optical, most with these features will be around $250 or so. You'll also want to get an extra memory card since most cameras have limited space.

They are almost all getting really good compared to 3 years ago. I have had good luck with canon and olympus.

Minimum: 4 megapixel nowadays, many are 6 megapixel ... These make good prints up to 8x10 or so. Don't go with a lot of zoom as the more it zooms the more shakey the photo will be (just like film cameras). Just not necessary, IMO.

I have found that the ones that require just 2 AA batteries only take about 100 pics before you need new batteries (or to recharge batteries), so I might suggest one that uses a special lithium battery, which I guess would cost 5-10x more for the battery but lasts 10x longer.

Don't expect something as tiny as you want to take good sports or wildlife photos. A digital SLR (just as big as film SLRs) is still required for that. But for your friends standing around and nature and portraits and just general pictures, you almost can't wrong with just about anything for $300 or more.

5-6 Mega pixels, 3x Optical zoom are fairly standard these days. This will give you images you can blow up to A4 or even A3. More Megapixels is not necessary. some cameras have the zoom function internal to the camera which is can be useful. There is one camera which has a 4x optical now.

Turn off the digital zoom as soon as you get the camera - they are generally crap. Plan to zoom the pictures on your computer instead.

Get at least a 512M or greater memory card.

Lithium batteries will take 100-200 shots without recharging (depending on whether you use flash or not). The bigger the screen, the more quickly the battery will be used up also. Decide on how frequently you will be able to recharge as to whether you want AA's or rechargable battery.

some cameras these days only have the screen and not a viewfinder. This can be a pain if you are in bright sunlight when taking the photo.

Check the startup time of the camera and how quickly you can take a second shot. Some of the cameras are quite slow, Canon is one of the better ones.

Check placement of the buttons and lens. Some of them put the lens too close to the side so when you are using two hands to stabilise the shot you get your finger in the image.

My Sony T1 (5Mp, 3x optical) is about 3 years old now - I got that one because I was going to the desert and I wanted one that was small and had the zoom internal so that I could keep it in a ziploc bag and just photo through the plastic. It works fine still and I have no plans to upgrade until I can get a model with more optical zoom.

I can't give you much int he way of technicalities, but I have to say that I would avoid olympus if you can. Their software is not user friendly, requires you to purchase an upgrade in order to actually do something with the pictures other than look at them within the software. It's only $20 for the upgrade, but that isn't the point. I ended up with one, and while the camera itself is pretty good, I would not want to deal with the software all over again.

---

"I can endure more pain than anyone you've ever met. That's why I can beat anyone I've ever met." Steve Prefontaine, Without Limits

details, hmmm now there is a question I have not thought about. I guess I can see some action shots when riding with others, some party shots, night and day, shots from tri's/bike races/road races. Some action shots of my dogs lounging by the pool.

Everyone keep the ideas floating along.

---

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

You don't need to use the Olympus software - there is nothing proprietory about the photos so you can use any photo editing software you like.

We use Picasa for most things - very simple and easy and free. go to www.google.com and click on more to get it.

IF you want something to shoot from the bike I would strongly recommend the Pentax Optio WPi which Tom D put us onto: Pentax Optio WPi Page: < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >



The WPi is designed as a go-anywhere camera for outdoor activities such as skiing, surfing, or even snorkeling, and has been designed to survive in extreme conditions. It is basically a ruggedised version of the lovely Optio S6 compact, sharing the same sensor, exposure system and software. It has a strong but light aluminium body with rounded and beveled corners for strength, with a profile only a couple of millimeters thicker and taller, and actually slightly shorter, than the S6. The non-extending, internal focusing lens is protected behind a scratch-resistant glass cover, and all the controls and external protrusions are recessed or smoothly rounded, leaving nothing to get snapped off or snag on pocket linings. The LCD monitor also has a scratch-resistant cover and the battery/card hatch has a locking catch so it doesn’t open accidentally while submerged.






The controls are nicely laid out, and are broadly similar to those on Pentax’s more mainstream compacts, including the idiot-proof Green Mode button. Most common options such as flash mode, self-timer, drive mode and macro mode are accessed as secondary functions on the D-pad, as are the shooting mode options. These include the usual portrait, night scene, landscape, sports and beach/snow modes, but also include flowers, candlelight, kids, pets, soft focus and an underwater mode. Yet more are available via a customisable menu. Also on the same menu is the movie mode and sound recording. Pressing the green button in this menu brings up a handy note explaining each function for beginners.

The controls on the WPi are a little stiff and clunky, but they have to be to withstand water ingress under pressure. They have a distinct ‘click’ when operated, which is useful if you’re using the camera with gloves or very cold fingers.


right click on the pictures to get the link to the rest of the review. I bought mine in Vancouver Christmas time when I forgot to pack my camera. In that short time I used it whilst riding in the rain with the guys for family shots and some running race shots. It is a pretty intuitive camera, tough as hell and a small and light camrea which still feels substantual. I think you mentioned batteries in an earlier post, as you can see from the above picture the battery is a tiny grey rechargable which spares can be bought for around $40 in the UK and therfore should be cheaper stateside. That is my suggestion for you, Brian.

---

"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Keep an eye out at Walmart, actually, go there asap. Right before IMAZ they were getting rid of last year's models to make room for this year's.

I picked up a 5.2 megapixel Fuji for $135 and a memory card for $40ish; walked out the door paying $180 for a sweet combo. It takes good pics. Here's one.

There were about 10 cameras left on clearance.

www.dpreview.com

www.steves-digicams.com

The above are all you'll need.

I second the Fuji. I'm a technical illiterate and it works for me. You might also want to look at a Kyocera.

---

_______________________

Thanks everybody.

---

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

FYI _ I would never buy a camera that does not take standard rechargable batteries like AA or AAA. Yes they burn up quicker than lithium but they are much cheaper in the long run. If you are worried about not having enough power to take the amount of pictures you want the answer is simple- pack a second or even a third set. I couple AA's will easily fit in almost any camera bag so the size is not the issue. Also if you buy a camera that needs special bateries and you run out away from your normal shopping area you may not be able to easily find replacements. AA's on the ohter hand can be found at nearly every store on the planet.

---

----------------------------------------------------------
I'm just a 10 cent rider on a $2,500.00 Bike

I just recently got an olympus stylus 810 - it's awesome. 8mp, super slim, "weather proof" (appears to be quite sweat proof), takes awesome pictures, good battery life, cost me $400. I'm still playing with the settings, but here's a picture I took the other day at just "average" quality

http://www.atcunderground.com/...4-29-06/P4290203.JPG

---

--
mcoker

That looks like a really cool camera, especially for ~$250. Can you post some pics for us so we can compare. I might pick one of those up.

---

----
Don't hold back

---

"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Nice dog.

---

----
Don't hold back

He didn't look that big at the pound ;-)

---

"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Batteries are not a simple issue. Li-Ion batteries are much smaller for the same amount of charge (mWH) vs NiMH or (gag) NiCd. Also, they do not self-discharge nearly as fast as NiMH, which means if you only use your camera every few weeks, your NiMH batteries will likely be nearly dead, but a Li-Ion battery will still be good to go. However, Li-Ion are never available in standard sizes like AA because they require special chargers (and protection circuits). They are also more expensive since they are lower volume.

If you are buying for small size, or you want your camera available for several shots without having to charge it first, I'd say Li-Ion is the type of battery you want. But for larger cameras they typically go NiMH. If your camera (or Ipod) has a built in Li-Ion battery, you can expect it to die in a couple years and if you want to continue to use it, you have to figure out how your going to replace it. Often it means taking it apart, figuring out what kind of Li-Ion cell it is using, and ordering that from a distributer...good luck and happy soldering.

For picking cameras, I look for features that are important rather than gimicks. Check the F stop range of the lense (lower is better, ie F2.0 or F2.8 is the mark of a good lense). Look for a brand name lense like Zeiss, Leica, or not quite as good is Nikon, Cannon, Olympus, etc. Check the flash range and how far it is from the lense. Manual controls for aperature and shutter. A wide angle lense is very good but hard to find. Understand how if focuses, how fast it powers on and how fast it can take repeated pictures, how much shutter delay, how fast and how slow does the shutter go, does it offer optical image stabilization, how much noise does it create at higher ISO settings. A quality camera is one that produces great photographs and will be a tool worth owning for a long time. But if you just want to take some snapshots of your dog and don't care if it is obsolete in 3 years, let price and size be your guide.