best digital camera for video recording 2012 image
Alicia
My husband and I are missionaries going to the Congo in Africa (jungle) for the next few years. I am looking for a water resistant, shock resistant camera (very humid environment). I need one that will focus on close ups of items without it blurring or making the objects further away in focus. My current camera is a standard digital camera but it does not focus on close objects and it is not water resistant. The camera will also need to be able to use a memory card so I can email pictures of my daughter back home to the states. Bonus points if it records videos as well.
Answer
I don't know why Jim A continues to tell people that there's no such thing as a shock resistant camera. Just search for "shockproof camera" on Amazon. There's dozens of them!
Try the Panasonic DMC-FT4 or DMC-TS4 as it's called in the USA. It's waterproof to 12 meters, shockproof for a 2 meter fall, freezeproof to -10 celcius and dustproof. It's got the macro closeup facility you want and uses standard SDHC memory cards. And it records full HD 1080p video. Even underwater!
Review here with a few other waterproof cameras: http://www.lenstip.com/134.5-article-Waterproof_cameras_test_2012_-_part_I_Panasonic_Lumix_DMC-FT4.html
I would advise buying and testing it well before you leave. The biggest recurring complaint I see with waterproof cameras is that they have quality control problems, meaning you don't always get a good waterproof one. It's not the easiest piece of equipment to make because the rubber waterproof seals are quite difficult to design install in a way that guarantees that water can't get in. Usually if they work then they do continue to work well for several years, but it's easy to end up with a duff one.
The problem with closeup macro work is that when you are very close to an object, your depth of field (the amount in focus) is not very great, so things behind the subject do tend to be out of focus. That's just part of the physics of photography.
You can compensate a bit by setting the camera into aperture-priority mode and setting a small aperture, but that in turn means using slower shutter speeds, so you are more likely to introduce blur through camera shake (unless you use a tripod) or through the object moving.
You can compensate for slow shutter speeds a bit by increasing the ISO setting, but that tends to add more "noise" to the image.
This balance of shutter speed, aperture size and ISO setting is at the core of all photography. To get a lot in focus with macro pictures you need a lot of light, a lens which stops down to very small apertures and which focuses close up and a good tripod. That's only really achievable with a Digital SLR camera with dedicated macro lens - and that isn't cheap.
Often the best macro shots are obtained by deliberately throwing everything completely out of focus except for the main object.
I don't know why Jim A continues to tell people that there's no such thing as a shock resistant camera. Just search for "shockproof camera" on Amazon. There's dozens of them!
Try the Panasonic DMC-FT4 or DMC-TS4 as it's called in the USA. It's waterproof to 12 meters, shockproof for a 2 meter fall, freezeproof to -10 celcius and dustproof. It's got the macro closeup facility you want and uses standard SDHC memory cards. And it records full HD 1080p video. Even underwater!
Review here with a few other waterproof cameras: http://www.lenstip.com/134.5-article-Waterproof_cameras_test_2012_-_part_I_Panasonic_Lumix_DMC-FT4.html
I would advise buying and testing it well before you leave. The biggest recurring complaint I see with waterproof cameras is that they have quality control problems, meaning you don't always get a good waterproof one. It's not the easiest piece of equipment to make because the rubber waterproof seals are quite difficult to design install in a way that guarantees that water can't get in. Usually if they work then they do continue to work well for several years, but it's easy to end up with a duff one.
The problem with closeup macro work is that when you are very close to an object, your depth of field (the amount in focus) is not very great, so things behind the subject do tend to be out of focus. That's just part of the physics of photography.
You can compensate a bit by setting the camera into aperture-priority mode and setting a small aperture, but that in turn means using slower shutter speeds, so you are more likely to introduce blur through camera shake (unless you use a tripod) or through the object moving.
You can compensate for slow shutter speeds a bit by increasing the ISO setting, but that tends to add more "noise" to the image.
This balance of shutter speed, aperture size and ISO setting is at the core of all photography. To get a lot in focus with macro pictures you need a lot of light, a lens which stops down to very small apertures and which focuses close up and a good tripod. That's only really achievable with a Digital SLR camera with dedicated macro lens - and that isn't cheap.
Often the best macro shots are obtained by deliberately throwing everything completely out of focus except for the main object.
What kind of digital camera should I get?
Anonymous.
I have a 2009 panosonic lumix (digital not HD - forget type though), but it's kind of broken because the lens won't open fully. I think it's time to get a new camera since I haven't gotten one since early 2010. I plan to be a photographer in the future (as a side job). I am also going to work at a camp and plan to take pictures there. I don't feel like bringing my big EOS digital 2008 cannon. Here's what I'm looking for:
1. Price range no more than $250. I would prefer less than $200, but if it would really suite me, then I'd go for it.
2. I'm not quite sure what I like. I know there's no such thing as a total all around digital point and shoot because I've been doing some research. I'd probably be doing photo shoots, but I also want one that would take like pictures of people doing sports since I'm in the horse world and like to take pictures of people horse riding and stuff. I guess I'd mainly focus on pets and kids and stuff.
3. I know optical zoom. I have photoshop CS5, so I don't need the pixels taken up like that.
4. I don't need a video recording. Would be nice, but eh I'd rather save my money and just use my phone or something.
5. I have a 2010 mac book pro laptop, so I'd like the card to be able to read/format on that.
6. If I print out images, it doesn't need to be more than 8X10 photo paper printed pictures. I mean I'd use my bigger camera for larger photos, so yeah. I'll probably just post the pictures online/email them if anything so won't need them really printed big.
7. I'd like to have a camera that has a decent battery life. At camp, the power went out for 8 days last year. I was able to take pictures the whole time and took over 300 pictures and still had battery life. I wouldn't mind having a long battery life like that camera.
8. My hand does shake a tad sometimes, so I'd prefer a not SOOO sensitive camera.
9. I'd like a camera that has the ability for manual settings and as well as auto or/and preset settings.
10. I'd prefer like Cannon, Nikon, Panasonic (nicer brands rather than the not so trustworthy brands because I know how to use those types of cameras).
Which camera(s) do you think would best suite me?
Answer
http://keerok-photography.blogspot.com/2012/09/cannon-is-weapon.html
1. Price is right smack in your budget.
2. Zoom is enough on this camera for taking horses and their riders. This is also good for shots of pets, kids and stuff which are near you or relatively out of reach. Just remember to shoot under lots of light. Indoors, use flash.
3. Optical zoom is not extravagant but not wanting either. Don't worry. What it lacks in zoom, it makes up with optical quality.
4. This has HD video which you can completely ignore until you find a lustful desire for it later.
5. As a standard feature, all cameras follow the FAT filesystem. With memory cards 4GB and larger, FAT32 is imposed. Mac computers can recognize FAT/FAT32 without problems. You can even format the memory card to FAT/FAT32 using your Mac (no matter how many pro photographers advice you not to). It will work.
6. This is a 16MP camera. You can print to 11x16" as long as exposure quality is gloriously good enough.
7. Four AA batteries. The best would be Energizer Lithium but you can also get rechargeable Ni-MH. Just make sure they're at least 2100 mAh for very long lasting shooting. In the event you run out, just slide over to the nearest store for some Alkaline AA's. That's the beauty of it.
8. Oh, this camera's sensitive. Apart from excellent optical glass quality, it has a triple-shake-reduction technology so don't worry about shaky hands. You're covered on that one.
9. Manual exposure? Manual focus? No problem. It's not as intuitive as a dSLR. This is after all just a bridge but, if you want manual, this has manual.
10. Since you can't spell Canon correctly, I'll take it you don't know that this brand is older than them and just a tad younger than Nikon. There was a time in fact when all cameras sold by all other brands (nice and not so trustworthy) were lesser than that sold by this brand alone. So there.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/887285-REG/Pentax_12772_X_5_Digital_Camera_Silver.html
http://keerok-photography.blogspot.com/2012/09/cannon-is-weapon.html
1. Price is right smack in your budget.
2. Zoom is enough on this camera for taking horses and their riders. This is also good for shots of pets, kids and stuff which are near you or relatively out of reach. Just remember to shoot under lots of light. Indoors, use flash.
3. Optical zoom is not extravagant but not wanting either. Don't worry. What it lacks in zoom, it makes up with optical quality.
4. This has HD video which you can completely ignore until you find a lustful desire for it later.
5. As a standard feature, all cameras follow the FAT filesystem. With memory cards 4GB and larger, FAT32 is imposed. Mac computers can recognize FAT/FAT32 without problems. You can even format the memory card to FAT/FAT32 using your Mac (no matter how many pro photographers advice you not to). It will work.
6. This is a 16MP camera. You can print to 11x16" as long as exposure quality is gloriously good enough.
7. Four AA batteries. The best would be Energizer Lithium but you can also get rechargeable Ni-MH. Just make sure they're at least 2100 mAh for very long lasting shooting. In the event you run out, just slide over to the nearest store for some Alkaline AA's. That's the beauty of it.
8. Oh, this camera's sensitive. Apart from excellent optical glass quality, it has a triple-shake-reduction technology so don't worry about shaky hands. You're covered on that one.
9. Manual exposure? Manual focus? No problem. It's not as intuitive as a dSLR. This is after all just a bridge but, if you want manual, this has manual.
10. Since you can't spell Canon correctly, I'll take it you don't know that this brand is older than them and just a tad younger than Nikon. There was a time in fact when all cameras sold by all other brands (nice and not so trustworthy) were lesser than that sold by this brand alone. So there.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/887285-REG/Pentax_12772_X_5_Digital_Camera_Silver.html
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