Sloppy's Journal: Time to get a digital camera

People seem surprised that a "computer guy" doesn't have a digital camera. Six months ago I didn't even have a cellphone. I've also resisted getting a PDA (though sometimes the Sharp Zaurus calls to me like a siren). I'm not a luddite but I just never felt the desire to "Borg out."

But now I find myself sometimes wanting to take a picture, so I guess it's time to get one.

If anyone has any thoughts or advice on the subject, chime in. One of my main requirements is Linux compatability/interoperability. But other than that, I don't really know what I want. Currently, I have my eye on the Nikon Coolpix 2100 or 3100, but I'm still very undecided.

Update: Thanks to everyone who chimed in. Although they're not the specific models that anyone recommended, I'm waffling between the Canon Powershots A60/A70/A80.

Update: Ordered A80, 256MB CF, and a few related odds'n'ends.

Suggestions

[imroy]

I can personally vouch for the Kodak DC240. But that's probably not a good suggeston since it's over 4 years old and definitely not available anymore. My parents recently bought an Olympus C750 and it's pretty sweet. From what I gather, just about all digicams now show up as USB mass storage devices so Linux compatibility is no issue as far as getting the photos off of the camera. Just load the usb_storage module and it shows up as a(nother) SCSI disk with a FAT filesystem. Mount it somewhere and copy/mov

Don't overlook the Canon Powershots.

[Pii]

I've had a Canon Powershot S100 for several years. They are small, rugged (All aluminum), and take great pictures.

My model, long discontinued, continues to serve me well.

Canon -- I concur

[Ethelred Unraed]

I too have a PowerShot, the S10, and am very happy with it: rugged, takes good-quality photos, works great with Mac OS X, has nice functions (panorama shots, etc.) and so on.

Canon's digital cameras also consistently get high ratings in the press.

Cheers,

Ethelred

I know

[gmhowell]

I know the feeling. I was the last in my family to get a cell, last to get a digicam, etc, etc.

I have an Olympus C4000. I think it has been supplanted by a newer model. Works quite well. I'm happy with the results. visit my gallery [refundersrefuge.org] for some pictures.

Consider Toshiba

[PD]

I have a Toshiba PDR-3300. Ugly, brick-like, not too small. That's the downside. The upside is that it's cheap, takes excellent pictures, uses regular AA batteries (just buy multiple sets of NiMH rather than an expensive proprietary lithium battery), and has a real manual exposure mode. You normally have to pay a lot more for a camera that has a real manual exposure mode.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Zaurus

[Tet]

I've also resisted getting a PDA (though sometimes the Sharp Zaurus calls to me like a siren).

Well, funny you should mention the Zaurus. I've had an SL-5500 for a while, and it's great. But today, I got an SL-C860. And it's simply out of this world. If you'd been resisting getting a Zaurus, now is the time to give in to temptation.

Thoughts and advice for the undecided

[uofa1993engrmath]

I have a Sony DSC-V1. I'm happy with it. Favorite features: Live histogram, hot shoe for external flash, laser hologram autofocus assist, fairly fast autofocus, smart-zoom, full manual controls available. Basically, it's all you'll ever need, except you can't put a fisheye or big kick-ass telephoto lens on it. focal lengths are like 7-28mm, about like any other compact digital camera, so you can't get much shallow depth of field, if you ever have a desire to do that. But when I want stuff like that, I

Re:Thoughts and advice for the undecided

[Sloppy]

I appreciate hearing from you, as always. Most Slashdotters don't know about you, and they're missing out.

I'm concerned that the stuff you're steering me toward, is overkill and more than I can afford. I'm not trying to be the next Clive McLean, and you'll be disappointed that, in fact, porn is not what I had in mind. (Though who knows what the future may hold? ;-) But I'll think about your advice, and I thank you. The links you've supplied (both here and in your recent journals) really are useful, t

Clive McLean

[Sloppy]

I'm not trying to be the next Clive McLean, and you'll be disappointed that, in fact, porn is not what I had in mind.

Ok, this is a weird coincidence. Tonight's episode of "Frontline" is about porn (I think it's a rerun -- looks familiar), and this Clive guy just happened to be the very first person they talk with. My jaw just dropped when they said how much money he makes on his "Barely Legal" videos. I suppose that being the next Clive McLean might not be so bad.

"Hey babe, wanna be famous?" asked Sl