Need help buying digital cameras

prospect

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone here in 'the know' could offer me some advice on choosing some digital cameras. The background is, I work for a construction company, and we want to issue oll our foremen (15 of them) with digital cameras to keep a photo record of their works progress on sites. The cameras need to meet the following criteria:

1. They need to be fairly robust, as they will sometimes be in dirty/dusty enviornments. Also, sites can be demanding, so they could receive the occasional knock. (I understand that dropping a camera onto solid concrete from 2 or 3 meters will kill it, I just don't want anything too dainty or delicate)

2. An absoloute must is the Date featuring on the photographs. We currently have one Olympus camera that doesn't have a date feature, and it is proving to be a pain in the ass.

3. Easy of use. I don't need any fancy features like B&W or sepia, or macro functions etc. Point and shoot, auto flash if required.

4. A LCD viewfinder is required

5.Price. Anyone who works in this business knows that price is a big player. Nothing too expensive (e.g. under €300 per unit)

6. Batteries. A camera that uses off the shelf batteries is a must.

7. A reasonable zoom would be good.

I think that is it. I am a novice, and would appreciate any advice and recommendations you guys have to offer.

Thanks
P.

440Hz

hmmmmm well you made a good start with your precise list.

off the top of my head i cant think of anything. This is a toughie. The batteries will be your biggest issue on that list, very few camera use regular batteries these days.

Are you sure your existing camera does not have a date function that you just have not found in the settings? That has been a pretty standard feature on cameras for a good while now. What model of Olympus camera is it?

Presuming from point 4 that you are looking for something with a viewfinder AND an LCD? Again, something that most cameras these days are not offering.

I am sure there is a camera out there to meet all these needs though. Ill think it over!


EDIT:
quick dpreview search says the following cameras match almost everything you asked for including batteries, lcd, viewfinder, date etc

Canon PowerShot A410 Canon PowerShot A430 Canon PowerShot A520 Canon PowerShot A75 Canon PowerShot A530 Canon PowerShot A400 Canon PowerShot A310 Canon PowerShot A610 Canon PowerShot A540 Canon PowerShot A620

All priced at less than $300. Fairly big difference in quality from the A410 to the A650 (mega-PIXIE wise) so google some of these and see what you think. The bigger bodies would be the '6's, so probably that bit sturdier and bulkier ie what you want.

Anyway, hope that helps

peter1892

Something along the lines of a Fuji A500 would be ideal. Uses regular AA batteries, has 3x optical zoom, LCD screen, easy to use point & shoot camera. They sell for around €200, if you were buying a lot of them you should be able to get a good deal somewhere.

prospect

Thanks for the help guys.

A few points to add:

1. If I understand 440hz correctly, you thought I meant it had to have an LCD and then a seperate part that you can look through, (like on a disposable camera). I probably have the terminology wrong, but what I meant was that I want one that deffo has an LCD screen to review photos that were taken. I know some cameras only have the old style viewfinder thingy and no screen. I don't need the old style viewfinder.

2. 2 megapixels is plenty for the photos, as I have a 1.3 megapixel camera and it suits fine, so the extra 0.7megapixels should cover all eventualities nicely.

3. The current camera is an Olympus mju 300 Digital.

4. What is a dpreview search?

Thanks kindly.
P.

DrummerBoy

PM sent!

JMcL

As 440hz said, the Canon Axxx series use AA batteries. They're also quite small, easy to use, reasonably robust (though this is relative, as you are talking about the construction industry), and take good photos. All the ones she mentions the same series, so you won't find the A3xx, A4xx anymore. It might be worth looking around the net for end of line A5xx cameras, they're excellent little cameras, and you could turn them up cheaply.

One more thing, I'd recommend if possible using hgh capacity NiMH rechargeble batteries, you can get chargers which work with inverters plugged into a car cigarette lighter. Dgicams absolutely chew up alkaline batteries (well, used to at least). Hgh capacity NiMH rechargeables will last much longer

leinsterman

Hi

If I recall correctly some of the cameras in the Nikon coolpix range take aa batteries ...

In addition pretty much all digital cameras record the date as far as I know. It may not appear in the photograph but the information is contained within the jpeg file. You can retrieve it from using file properties in windows. If you want the date actually printed on the picture, that is another thing, but at a guess I'd say the coolpix does it. The other thing about the Nikon coolpix is the fact that it is pocket sized. Could be useful on a building site. Try the coolpix L2 for example.

For the money your are spending you will not get anything particularly rugged. Though you may want to consider one of the under water digital varieties ... they are at least completely waterproof. Not sure if Nikon do this but Sony do ...



One final option you may want to consider to save money is the Sonyericsson K800i ... this is a 3.2 Mpixel camera phone ... not great lens but it takes decent pictures for some applications ... and it has a flash with a short range for indoor use. It also features a digital zoom and image stabiliser.... and it is a 2G/3G phone with a walkman, calendar organiser and radio ... I recently got my hands on one as part reward for doing a shoot for SonyEricsson ... seems pretty solid to me ... and is definitely the best phone I have ever owned ... not available to Meteor customers ... though it will work on the Meteor network.

I am assuming you are not paying VAT so buying in Ireland is an option for you ... stay away from Conns they will be too expensive ... I always recommend Gunns of Wexford St ... if you are paying VAT then it will be cheaper for you to fly to New York with your missus for a weekend shopping spree ... head into B&H photo to get the cameras (but not on the Jewish sabbath as BH is closed) ... or better still visit as friend in one of the other states and have the cameras shipped to him in advance ... saving yourself an addtional 8% in New York state tax ...

I'd stay away from Canon in Ireland at least until the new year, buy from Germany ... they are overcharging in Ireland and sometimes UK ... but their prices will be rationalised across EU after Christmas some time.

JMcL

Following on from my previous post, the Camera Exchange in Dublin are listing the Canon A420 on their website for just under €150 inc VAT. It's 3.2Mp which from what you say is fine for your needs, and the price is well within your budget. Had a quick look on Technik Direkt, and their price is €124 inc VAT, but that's before shipping

prospect

Excellent advice, and I really appreciate all your time.

I do require that the date appear on the printed photos.

Thanks,
P.

rymus

JMcL wrote:

Had a quick look on Technik Direkt, and their price is €124 inc VAT, but that's before shipping

Bear in mind though that shipping is €22 per order so you'll still save a few quid.

leinsterman

Can you still claim the VAt if bought in another EU country ?

I presume the answer is yes ...