New Camera...

[aggman]

hey guys i got this casio exilim that takes great outdoor shots for work but for some reason every shot i take of my tank comes out crappy and very blurred. i was wondering if there was a good digital camera i could score for less than 250 bucks. if anyone knows, please let me know the brand/model so i can do some research. hopefully it is something best buy has in stock because i need one real soon. thanx for the info...

~alex

[texasfootball21]

http://maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=46309

Most the cameras they talk about are over $250 I believe, but this may help you out a bit.

[glennr1978]

you can get decent pics without using a $1000 camera. I think mine was about $220 (sony). I'm not saying I take the best pics in the world by any means, but theyr aren't bad.

You just have to play with the settings a little and a tripod is a good idea. You can get cheap little tripods for about $20.

i took this pic with my little P&S sony.

[hobogato]

you are right glenn - use the self timer on the camera and a tripod - you will be amazed at the diffence it makes. also, if your camera has a macro mode (denoted by a small flower symbol - usually looks like a tulip) use it and no flash. if your camera has manual settings modes, start playing with those and read some photography help articles to learn about the settings.

[aggman]

ok i will try to figure out my camera, i don't know i tried the macro setting and no flash and auto iso but i can't zoom in. when i take any tank shot it gets all blurry. i wll look for a tripod. thanks for the info. if anyone else knows of a cheap camera that has good reviews let me know...

~alex

[tony]

stand farther away from the tank, then zoom in

also, make sure you have the digital zoom turned OFF

[aggman]

what are the most important features i should look for in a new camera?

[caferacermike]

One thing you don't need to worry much about is the megapixels. From what I've learned 99% of us don't need anything higher than 5.0MP. 5.0MP is excellent quality print all the way up to 8x11. So spending gobs extra on the 11 when they have an identical 7 is not worth it unless you are a professional. At least it seems all the new 10MP are as cheap as the 5's used to be.

The single most important feature for what us hobbyists need in a PAS would be a high quality MACRO. Next would be a quality lens. The glass can be what makes or breaks a good camera.