Help choosing a camera for reef shots

[Bojangles]

Hi all! I'm really looking into getting a digital camera now that I can afford it. This will be my first one and I will almost solely use it to take aquarium shots and random things I would normally take with a disposable camera.

I'm was looking at the cameras that people were using in the photo contests and these are the two I'm seeing in my price range of about $400 or less.

Canon PowerShot A80
Olympus C-4000 Zoom

These were the two cameras that I thought everyone was taking really good shots with and was wondering how people liked them, recommondations ect. Any help or feedback would be excellent in helping me choose.

Thanks 8)

 

[Bojangles]

Here are the two reviews...

Olympus C-4000 Zoom
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/O ... c4000z.asp

Canon PowerShot A80
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/C ... on_a80.asp

What I'm seeing is that the Olympus is about twice the price but has a 2cm macro focus range vs a 5cm canon, canon is smaller and weighs slightly less. Other than that I cant see very much difference with my untrained eye. Really I dont even see where it says if the cameras have interchangable lenses

 

[Bojangles]

Actually when I was looking I had seen the Olympus C7000. It costs about the same as the C4000 but has better features.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/O ... c7000z.asp

I'm gonna keep doing this huh? The list goes on and on

 

[Bojangles]

Anyone know if its going to be that much more effective to be able to change to a maco lense when shooting? I'm not exactly sure what I need to look for in a camera there are so many different features.

Olympus 5060
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/O ... c5060z.asp

 

[Bojangles]

Ok i've ruled out the 7000 due to the non changable lenses. As far as I could tell by this side by side the 5060 is better than the 4000 in pretty much everything, adjustable LCD, 5mp vs 4mp, both are lens ready, 32mb vs 16mb memory, has a remote control and gets rechargable batteries.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare ... z&show=all

The 5060 also costs twice the price and alittle bigger in size. The 4000 is about $200 on ebay and the 5060 is about $400 through some online vendors via the review website.

The one thing I cant dispute is the wonderful shots people take with the canon and the 4000.

 

[Bojangles]

Ofcourse theres always the Canon G6...I think I remember people loving this camera as well.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare ... z&show=all

 

[Bojangles]

AND now theres the fuji finepix S-7000 ...pics posted here http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=57962

review :
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/F ... xs7000.asp

hybrid SLR pretty cheap @ around $400 exactly on ebay $359 via dpreview. Plus REEFSOUL took some nice shots with it.

 

[Bojangles]

I've decided on the Fujifilm 5100 as my first digital camera. I handled one at Kits Camera in the mall and I really liked it. The only question now is where to buy...

Kits is about $500 with upgraded memory 128mb and case. Ebay is $380 with upgraded memory 256, case, tripod, cleaning kit, recharger and memory reader. I also had seen a few online stores with a similar deal varying in price...I just dont know which one I should trust. I mean ebay is cheaper but its well ebay and I have no idea what I'm going to get.

 

[Anonymous]

I just purchased a Canon 20D at buydig.com for the best price online. Great service. Not sure they have that model. Couldn't find it online.

My 2nd choice for online retailers would be buy.com. Not sure if this is the model either? Seems to be on sale right now?

http://www.buy.com/prod/Fuji_FinePix_S5 ... 38111.html

Might also check out B&H photo or Adorama


BMP

 

[Bojangles]

Well I just couldn't resist any longer. I had handled the FujiFilm S5100 in the store and I just love it. Yeah its my first camera but that only leaves room for improvement right?

I bought it from Ebay for $424 shipped and it came with everything I could possibly want. I dont like the soft case but I love the hard one. I dont like the 128mb and wish it were a 512 straight from get go, but at the price I had gotten it I can always upgrade later and still save major on the local $$.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... RK:MEWN:IT

-FujiFilm S5100 body new unopened
-128 mb memory card
-memory card reader
-telephoto lens
-wideangel lens
-adapter tube
-professional filters
-soft carrying case
-hard aluminum carrying case
-desk top tripod
-55" tripod
-cleaning kit

When I added it up basically it came to my buying the camera, soft case and memory from anywhere else...the rest was free

Thank you Broken_Marine_Phish
you were actually the only person to reply to anything I posted

 

[Anonymous]

Congrats...and you're welcome. Hope you enjoy the new digi. Don't forget to enter the monthly photo contest NOW.

Cheers

BMP

 

[Bojangles]

Hehe I'll be sooo picture happy once I can figure out how to work the thing. I have 5 tanks ranging from 55 to 200 and just added a 5g mantis tank for my spear version I just got this week 8O 8)