The Future of Film

[RonFrank]

Personally for me things that would mitigate against or cause me not to seriously look at a camera is a camera that's slow to focus, slow operation (in menus, reviewing pics), uses proprietary batteries or storage media(such as XD).
Prefer cams that can use AA batteries (get rechargeable they'll save you many times overs)

Well by my defination, if you don't want slow focus or operation, you have just eliminated the entire PnS camera lineup!

As for proprietary batteries, good luck find a camera that does NOT use them (I realize that some do take AA's). Battery style would not be high on my priority list, maybe battery life. Recognize that one does not have to purchase spare batteries from very overpriced photo stores... battery manufactures on the net are plentiful, and one can pick up spares at usually 50% or less of the cost of the manufacture battery from a online photo retailer.

 

[tedtim]

Just want someting that will give me better than average "vacation" camera abilities.

Depth of field control, detachable strobe for better lighting control, etc.

TTL strobe control.

I'd prefer something that's not enclosed in a separate housing.

Any recommendations would be welcome.

Let's say a top budget range of $1500.

the K

My camera is "old" so for the same price you can get one with higher megapixels. I have not had any problems with quality when printing 8 x 10

Canon Powershot A70
Canon Case
512 meg CF card
Ikelite DS 50 substrobe
Ikelite EV controller

Total cost under $1000
Full manual control, aperature priority, shutter priority, it even takes short .mpg videos and has a number of other settings that I don't normally use. You can adjust the white balance and use exposure compensation as well. No problem syncing the strobe with the camera.

Pop it out of the case for topside photos.

Some of the photos I have taken are in my gallery http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=15319

Easy to use and the quality of the image is good for our use. Now, the question of compositon is a different matter. We do have a numer of the photos hanging on our wall.

I just bought a DSLR, but it will take more than a few months before my wife will let me buy the case.:nosmilie:

 

[The Kraken]

Thanks, Ted,
This is the kind of input I like.

the K

 

[Jamdiver]

Well by my defination, if you don't want slow focus or operation, you have just eliminated the entire PnS camera lineup!

As for proprietary batteries, good luck find a camera that does NOT use them (I realize that some do take AA's). Battery style would not be high on my priority list, maybe battery life. Recognize that one does not have to purchase spare batteries from very overpriced photo stores... battery manufactures on the net are plentiful, and one can pick up spares at usually 50% or less of the cost of the manufacture battery from a online photo retailer.

Well speed is relative of course, if shooting with a dslr and then use and p&s, then of course it'll feel fairly slow. They're ways to work around this (half press shutter button for example)

As far as I know most of the Canon's use AA's (with the exception of S70,S80 and some models), i prefer rechargeable AA's, have 2 sets of 2500Mah Energizer batteries and can get about 400-500 shots with each charge on my A610!

Depending on a person's situation and location then getting those proprietary batteries is not a big deal, but for me living in Jamaica, that would involve international shipping, taxes, duties, hassle et cetera, so I try and avoid that sort of thing.

So do you have any reccomendations for the Kraken ?

 

[steveann]

You can get a D50/70 and a housing for ~$1500?!?!?! Where? And what housing? I haven't found a housing for less than $1000, although I did findadecent deal on an aquatica.

 

[caveseeker7]

What future? I honstly believe that in the future it'll be history.
How many 16mm, 8mm and Super8 cameras and film do you see these days?

The camera manufacturers started abandoning film, as do the film manufacturers.
Because customers have started to abandon it. Digital has too many advantages.
It'll take a while, as have transitions to smaller film formats. But just as the quality
of film kept improving over the years (a 90's 35mm can beat a 50's 6x6 because
the films had vastly better quality).

I've seen stunning 16x20 (in, not cm!) prints from the old Nikon 950 (3MP) when
properly photoshopped (with Altimara's "Genuine Fractals"). And the digital darkroom
is a whole lot more comfortable than the chemical. I don't miss the days of dipping
and dunking, developer and fixer, Cibachrome chemicals and and thousands of negs
and chromes taking up shelves.

 

[Warren_L]

You can get a D50/70 and a housing for ~$1500?!?!?! Where? And what housing? I haven't found a housing for less than $1000, although I did findadecent deal on an aquatica.

I doubt if you can get both for under $1500. Ike's housings are probably amongst the lesser expensive ones and the MSRP on the D50/70 iTTL housing is $1400. That's not including the port.

 

[RonFrank]

You can get a D50/70 and a housing for ~$1500?!?!?! Where? And what housing? I haven't found a housing for less than $1000, although I did findadecent deal on an aquatica.

Fantasea makes a D50 housing the retails for $999 with a port, and can put purchased for $849 from B&H. The D50 body kit with a lens costs $559.

It's been a while since anyone made me to MATH, but by my calculation that leaves $90 for a strobe which might also be possible via the magic of Ebay One can pick up an Ikelite 100/150 strobe package for around that price.

 

[RonFrank]

You can get a D50/70 and a housing for ~$1500?!?!?! Where? And what housing? I haven't found a housing for less than $1000, although I did findadecent deal on an aquatica.

What deal did you find on an Aquatica.. do share!

 

[tedtim]

You can get a D50/70 and a housing for ~$1500?!?!?! Where? And what housing? I haven't found a housing for less than $1000, although I did findadecent deal on an aquatica.

The best quote that I found on the net for a D70 housing was around $1150 and that did not include the port! What was the decent deal on the aquatica?