[WEB4LIB] digital camera recommendation?

[Dennis Brantley]

Wes Edens wrote:
> 
> I'm looking at Consumer Reports 11/98, which I fear is already too dated, for recommendations on a digital camera for our library.  We will be using this only for web/PowerPoint displays, so I don't think we need to go to the high resolution models.  I'm thinking about a Sanyo VPX-X300($500) or Ricoh RDC-300Z($450) but even these are a little more expensive than I want.  Can anyone suggest a relatively inexpensive digital camera that takes pictures suitable for putting on the web?
> Thanks--

I'll apologize in advance for the fuzzy memory, but such is aging.  I
went through _many_ digital cameras some time ago, searching for what I
envisioned as the 'right' feature set.  I tried Ricohs, Sonys, and
Kodaks.  I ended up with a Kodak DC-120.  I found that the common 640 x
480 resolution often did not produce resolution of the quality to use on
a professional web site.  The DC-120 has 1280 x 960, and a 3 to 1
motorized zoom.  I liked the zoom to allow you to change perspectives
without moving around a whole lot.

There were some common issues that came up when I was trying these out.
1) how do you get the pictures into a PC?
2) how many pictures will the camera hold?
2) parallax

1) Moving the pix to your PC.  All the Ricohs and Sonys I tried used a
serial cable to transfer pictures to the PC.  After a short time, this
became a real pain, particularly when dealing with higher resolution
photos.  The Kodak accepts a memory card, and I purchased a PCMCIA
adapter ($25, I think) that accepts the memory card.  This allowed me to
move pictures from the camera to my notebook almost as fast as reading a
hard drive.  I also added a PCMCIA slot to my desktop system to
accomplish the same.  The 8MB flash adapter I use will hold something
like 35 high resolution photos, which leads to number...

2) Number of pix.  This is something to watch carefully.  One of the
cameras I tried (sorry, can't remember which) would only hold something
like 7 high resolution pictures.  What a pain!  Always having to connect
that darn serial cable and transfer after 7 shots.  Granted, with an LCD
panel (highly recommended, but a serious battery killer...look for
rechargeable batteries) you can delete unwanted shots, but still the
limit can be a party pooper.

3) Parallax.  This was a really tough one.  In a nutshell, if you take a
picture of a cube, the result should look like a cube.  I was doing
products shots (some can be seen on our web site at http://www.dati.com
[sorry for the plug]), and with the Ricoh particularly I found that
straight lines would come out curved to some degree.  To a lessor degree
with the Sony, and lessor yet with the Kodak, as seen on the web site. 
I was unable to find a digital camera that lacked some degree of
parallax, but the Kodak combined with its other features was
(marginally) acceptable.  I am told that SLR digitals will eliminate
parallax, but you're talking quite a bit more money for an SLR.

My data is dated.  I bought the Kodak well over a year ago, and I
imagine technology has moved on.  Doesn't it always?

--
Dennis Brantley
Data Access Technologies, Inc.
770-339-6554 Voice
888-4DATI-CD (432-8423) Toll Free