What digicam should I get?

[cable]

I currently have a nikon fm10 and I have problems understanding the aperture and shutter times needed for different situations. I'm thinking of getting a digicam so I can test out the various settings on the digicam to use on the fm10. Digi will also be used by family, they got no idea how to use the MF fm10. Any advice on a digi with lots of manual controls?

And have anyone bought a 2nd hand cam or other electronic appliance with extended warranty. Will the shop honour the warranty, eg did they check if u're the original owner? What the shop say is that the extended warranty is not transferrable but I'll like to know if they actually check. Thanks alot.

 

[wilis128]

I currently have a nikon fm10 and I have problems understanding the aperture and shutter times needed for different situations. I'm thinking of getting a digicam so I can test out the various settings on the digicam to use on the fm10. Digi will also be used by family, they got no idea how to use the MF fm10. Any advice on a digi with lots of manual controls?

And have anyone bought a 2nd hand cam or other electronic appliance with extended warranty. Will the shop honour the warranty, eg did they check if u're the original owner? What the shop say is that the extended warranty is not transferrable but I'll like to know if they actually check. Thanks alot.

depending on your budget, but canon A70 & A75 series are generally regarded as one of the best 3megapix & value for money digicam in the market. both models give u plenty of manual functions..

A75 is the latest model. my understanding is that in terms of functionality, it is almost identical to A70. the only thing is the LCD screen is bigger...

brand new A75 will set u back $480..

good luck

 

[Witness]

upz for tt....true tt A75 will suit most of your needs...a friend of mine bought if for 420 at sim lim two weeks back...probably u could enquire...for warrent dun bother.....as long as u get the receipt and the warrently card the thing is as good as yours....otherwise juz get the warrenty card at least..

 

[clive]

what r the lighting situations that u r facing wif the fm10? :think:

 

[cable]

So far i only managed to take one roll. On one occasion, during chinese new year, i took a few pics with flash and the pictures turn out very different. Including some sharp but greyish one and overexposed a shot taken in the evening in eastcoast.

 

[TME]

So far i only managed to take one roll. On one occasion, during chinese new year, i took a few pics with flash and the pictures turn out very different. Including some sharp but greyish one and overexposed a shot taken in the evening in eastcoast.

Why dun u go for a entry level SLR? Saves u a lot of grief, allows u to use full manual as well when u want it..... a 2nd hand entry level Nikon would cost the same as the A70 or 75... maybe say a F65 or if u want something better a 2nd hand F80.....

 

[binbeto]

If you dun understand the aperture and shutter speed relation for certain situation. What you need is a good book.

Did you read the manual of your camera?

If you are getting a digital cam for your family anyway, there is a few good one in the market. Canon A and G series (i.e. A70/80 G3/5)

 

[justarius]

Why dun u go for a entry level SLR? Saves u a lot of grief, allows u to use full manual as well when u want it..... a 2nd hand entry level Nikon would cost the same as the A70 or 75... maybe say a F65 or if u want something better a 2nd hand F80.....

hmm, if he is just unsure of how to use the centreweighted metering pattern in the fm10, he would be better off getting a digicam to complement the fm10 and experimenting with exposure through the digicam. auto-everything SLR isn't really the answer as he already has a good entry level SLR. Other possible solution might be reading up on how to compensate for different situations and understand exposure more thoroughly.

 

[TME]

hmm, if he is just unsure of how to use the centreweighted metering pattern in the fm10, he would be better off getting a digicam to complement the fm10 and experimenting with exposure through the digicam. auto-everything SLR isn't really the answer as he already has a good entry level SLR. Other possible solution might be reading up on how to compensate for different situations and understand exposure more thoroughly.

In other words, he's got learn to shoot more.....

Anyway I was referring to an entry level AF SLR.... he's using a manual if I am not wrong..... I'm not familiar with Nikon models...

 

[dreamseeker]

hi,

You just have to shoot more and read more. The library is a good source of reading materials.

Also you can shoot with some one more experience and learn. If cost of film+processing+ printing is say $20 per roll, with a budget of $400 you can easily shoot 20 rolls of film.

 

[justarius]

In other words, he's got learn to shoot more.....

Anyway I was referring to an entry level AF SLR.... he's using a manual if I am not wrong..... I'm not familiar with Nikon models...

yup the fm10 is manual camera. I guess it's a personal choice. If I have a good manual SLR, I would rather get a good digicam than a AF SLR..

 

[Snowcrash]

So far i only managed to take one roll. On one occasion, during chinese new year, i took a few pics with flash and the pictures turn out very different. Including some sharp but greyish one and overexposed a shot taken in the evening in eastcoast.

IMHO, don't start with Manual Flash photography first. read up more on how shutter speed and aperture affect your pictures. And of cause the film you choose. (iso 100/400).

Using a digicam might not be very accurate as:
1) it might not be using a centred weight metering like your fm10
2) some digi cam iso setting 50 but metering closer to iso100 on other digicam, so which is correct?

 

[akdwivedi]

Hi... if you need a digicam for your normal/travel/family use, you cant go wrong with A-70/75.. Nikon has some good models coolpix 3700.. quite handy and easy to use..

However there is no shortcut to learning photography.. You have to understand the aperture/shutter speed relations.. A good book will certainly help... Clubsnap arranges short courses for newbies, they will be of great help... As suggested you should buy an entry level SLR and perfect your skills first.. Digital cameras though are THE technology of today.. It's easier to learn using film cameras.. You can easily get a used SLR and lens for a couple of hundred dollars and start your journey...

 

[TME]

yup the fm10 is manual camera. I guess it's a personal choice. If I have a good manual SLR, I would rather get a good digicam than a AF SLR..

.... I'm the other way round.... prefer to do it the more painless way.. get a DSLR.... experiment until familiar with aperture/shutter relationship... then maybe go onto a manual only (aka Minolta X700) system.... that's my direction at the moment... finding it expensive and time consuming to experiment using film.... (cos must develop, so also want to shoot nice stuff, which means must get out of the house out of my estate... haiz too busy).....

I would like to reach a level where 2 out of every 3 shots are good and the third is just decent....

 

[justarius]

So far i only managed to take one roll. On one occasion, during chinese new year, i took a few pics with flash and the pictures turn out very different. Including some sharp but greyish one and overexposed a shot taken in the evening in eastcoast.

What kind of flash are you using? I'm not too sure about this but the FM10 might not support TTL flash operation (determines the correct flash output by metering the amount of flash reaching the film when exposing0. The flash you are using might not be an auto metering flash (determines the correct flash output by a sensor on the flash itself.), in which case, you would have to manually compute the flash output yourself to get the correct flash exposure...

 

[Witness]

Fm sereis dun support TTL flash....only manual flash...if u put one tt got TTL in...then i tink most will either not work or give u full blast..

 

[Minoxman]

I currently have a nikon fm10 and I have problems understanding the aperture and shutter times needed for different situations. I'm thinking of getting a digicam so I can test out the various settings on the digicam to use on the fm10. Digi will also be used by family, they got no idea how to use the MF fm10. Any advice on a digi with lots of manual controls?

And have anyone bought a 2nd hand cam or other electronic appliance with extended warranty. Will the shop honour the warranty, eg did they check if u're the original owner? What the shop say is that the extended warranty is not transferrable but I'll like to know if they actually check. Thanks alot.

Your camera should have a meter. Set your aperture and shutter speed based on the correct reading of the metered scene or thereabouts to suit your needs.
What is there not to understand?
I doubt a digital camera will help you translate into how you would use the manual camera at the end of the day.