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Another Newbie Question

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Carla D.

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I've been spending my day off reading up on digital cameras and comments from all you "pros" out there. I'm new to this and trying to decide on which camera to purchase. I've kind of narrowed my choices down to Olympus (great reviews on them). I'm looking at the C2100 (found at Walmart for $499), or the 3040 ($699 at another local store).

I basically take pictures of people, events, vacation, grandchildren, etc.. I want something that is fairly easy to operate - Don't really know anything yet about different settings for different type shots - but I do want to learn and want something that I can grow with. My husband is an avid hunter and I think he would love the zoom of the 2100 - but what about the difference in the pixels? I will be enlarging pics to 8 x 10 - will I lose quality and clarity on my enlargements if I go with a lower pixel? I have been reading so many different comments, my head is spinning!

When you go in the store, they have four different pictures taken and printed to 8 x 10 - the only two that really look decent are the 3 and 4 megapixels. (Of course I'm sure that's what they would like to sell). Then I read some comments about the Olympus E100RS, (less than 2 megapixels) that say that doesn't matter!?

What's the real truth out there?? Please help me if you can..--Confused and tired!
 
Juli Valley said:
I have both cameras. The 2100 makes fine 8 x 10s. That 10x image
stabilized lens is a wonder. I don't use my 3040 that much.
--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
21oo, B-3oo
3o4o
Juli
Click to expand...
Thanks for responding so quickly. Does the 2100 have an "auto setting" button that you can just leave on and point and shoot for your shots if you prefer? ( Like if I'm inside or outside and I don't know which settings to pick.) If so, do these shots come out good? Like I said, I'll mainly be using it for people pictures.
 
Carla D. said:
I think he would love the zoom of the 2100 - but what about the
difference in the pixels? I will be enlarging pics to 8 x 10 -
will I lose quality and clarity on my enlargements if I go with a
lower pixel?
Click to expand...
I think the quality would also depend on the compression you are using. SHQ or HQ. If you want to print 8 x 10s you might be better off taking the pics at SHQ. (I'm talking about a 2 megapixel camera here).

If you think you'll print only 4 x 6 you can take at HQ. You can fit about 2-3 times more pics on your card.

It also helps if you adjust the pic with photoshop or some graphics program to get good 8 x 10s.

Regarding the C2100, the 10X zoom is a definite advantage for outdoor pics. Cropping a 3 mp image wont bring you anywhere near that.

Again 3040 has a 'faster' lens which is a definite advantage for indoor pics and it is also smaller and easier to carry around.

If you print 8 x 10s only occasionally I'd say a 2 mp is enough. But it is your choice!!
Carla D. said:
What's the real truth out there?? Please help me if you can..
--
Confused and tired!
Click to expand...
 
kumarrj said:
rkumar said:
I think he would love the zoom of the 2100 - but what about the
difference in the pixels? I will be enlarging pics to 8 x 10 -
will I lose quality and clarity on my enlargements if I go with a
lower pixel?
Click to expand...
I think the quality would also depend on the compression you are
using. SHQ or HQ. If you want to print 8 x 10s you might be better
off taking the pics at SHQ. (I'm talking about a 2 megapixel camera
here).
If you think you'll print only 4 x 6 you can take at HQ. You can
fit about 2-3 times more pics on your card.

It also helps if you adjust the pic with photoshop or some graphics
program to get good 8 x 10s.

Regarding the C2100, the 10X zoom is a definite advantage for
outdoor pics. Cropping a 3 mp image wont bring you anywhere near
that.

Again 3040 has a 'faster' lens which is a definite advantage for
indoor pics and it is also smaller and easier to carry around.

If you print 8 x 10s only occasionally I'd say a 2 mp is enough.
But it is your choice!!
rkumar said:
What's the real truth out there?? Please help me if you can..
--
Confused and tired!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice. I'm thinking about buying the 2100 from Walmart and just trying it out - (I can always bring it back if I'm not satisfied!)
 
Carla,

I suggest that you download some of the pictures form each camera and try printing them as 8x10's yourself. I did this and it helped me decide.

I have the UZI and am biased. I print 8x10's on my HP 722C printer and I like them just fine. As Juli indicated, the UZI has a very easy to use Point and shoot mode but also has all the advanced features you will grow into. I don't have the other camera so I can't give you a comparison.

Your idea of getting the UZI to try is good. But I bet you won't return it after you use it! --LeeTee
 
Carla D. said:
Maybe one day I'll understand what all
this "talk" really means! Have a blessed day.
Click to expand...
The more you shoot, the more you WANT to shoot. The more you want to shoot, the more you want to try new stuff. Ya buy a photo book (or 2), ya subscribe to a photo magazine (or 2) and read alot. The more ya read, the more ya learn and hopefully the more you start to understand. This leads back to taking more pictures and having fun while you're doing it all.

The above paragraph is a 100% accurate depiction of what has happened to me since I bought my digital cameras. If ya stick with it, the same may happen to you. By the way I have the C-2100 and a C-3000...love both of them (sorry didn't mean to make your deciding process more difficult). Both of them can be used by the most novice of persons and yet they both have enough advanced features waiting for you as your picture taking skills and desires grow.

Words of encouragement
dboogie--Free your mind and everything else will follow
 
I bought a 2100 as a Christmas gift for my wife and this is her first "serious" camera ever. Here are a few of her pictures...






Carla D. said:
Juli Valley said:
I have both cameras. The 2100 makes fine 8 x 10s. That 10x image
stabilized lens is a wonder. I don't use my 3040 that much.
--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
21oo, B-3oo
3o4o
Juli
Click to expand...
Thanks for responding so quickly. Does the 2100 have an "auto
setting" button that you can just leave on and point and shoot for
your shots if you prefer? ( Like if I'm inside or outside and I
don't know which settings to pick.) If so, do these shots come out
good? Like I said, I'll mainly be using it for people pictures.
Click to expand...
 
dboogie said:
dboogie said:
Maybe one day I'll understand what all
this "talk" really means! Have a blessed day.
Click to expand...
The more you shoot, the more you WANT to shoot. The more you want
to shoot, the more you want to try new stuff. Ya buy a photo book
(or 2), ya subscribe to a photo magazine (or 2) and read alot. The
more ya read, the more ya learn and hopefully the more you start to
understand. This leads back to taking more pictures and having fun
while you're doing it all.
The above paragraph is a 100% accurate depiction of what has
happened to me since I bought my digital cameras. If ya stick with
it, the same may happen to you. By the way I have the C-2100 and a
C-3000...love both of them (sorry didn't mean to make your
deciding process more difficult). Both of them can be used by the
most novice of persons and yet they both have enough advanced
features waiting for you as your picture taking skills and desires
grow.

Words of encouragement
dboogie
--
Free your mind and everything else will follow
Click to expand...
I think you're right - all I've been doing today is reading. (Think its about time to get the old eyes examined again!!) Thanks for responding.
 
Terry Thorn said:





Carla D. said:
Juli Valley said:
I have both cameras. The 2100 makes fine 8 x 10s. That 10x image
stabilized lens is a wonder. I don't use my 3040 that much.
--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
21oo, B-3oo
3o4o
Juli
Click to expand...
Thanks for responding so quickly. Does the 2100 have an "auto
setting" button that you can just leave on and point and shoot for
your shots if you prefer? ( Like if I'm inside or outside and I
don't know which settings to pick.) If so, do these shots come out
good? Like I said, I'll mainly be using it for people pictures.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Great pictures! All the pictures I see with the 2100 look so good! Think I'm going to head to Walmart tomorrow (found one there for $499). Doesn't look like I can go wrong (if I can figure out how to turn it on, that is..HA)
 
Terry, Tell your wife, Great pictures!! I'm a newbie to the 2100 as well and would like to know what settings are used for the butterfly? I'm trying to understand the Macro and Zoom thing.

Tell her to keep at it, they are great!

Kim
Terry Thorn said:





Carla D. said:
Juli Valley said:
I have both cameras. The 2100 makes fine 8 x 10s. That 10x image
stabilized lens is a wonder. I don't use my 3040 that much.
--
http://www.pbase.com/julivalley/galleries
21oo, B-3oo
3o4o
Juli
Click to expand...
Thanks for responding so quickly. Does the 2100 have an "auto
setting" button that you can just leave on and point and shoot for
your shots if you prefer? ( Like if I'm inside or outside and I
don't know which settings to pick.) If so, do these shots come out
good? Like I said, I'll mainly be using it for people pictures.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
LeeTee said:
Carla,

I suggest that you download some of the pictures form each camera
and try printing them as 8x10's yourself. I did this and it helped
me decide.

I have the UZI and am biased. I print 8x10's on my HP 722C printer
and I like them just fine.
Click to expand...
Did you take those 8x10's at HQ or SHQ mode with your Uzi? Can you tell the difference between HQ and SHQ when printing out 8x10's?
 
Carla D. said:
I've been spending my day off reading up on digital cameras and
comments from all you "pros" out there. I'm new to this and trying
to decide on which camera to purchase. I've kind of narrowed my
choices down to Olympus (great reviews on them). I'm looking at
the C2100 (found at Walmart for $499), or the 3040 ($699 at another
local store).

I basically take pictures of people, events, vacation,
grandchildren, etc.. I want something that is fairly easy to
operate - Don't really know anything yet about different settings
for different type shots - but I do want to learn and want
something that I can grow with. My husband is an avid hunter and
I think he would love the zoom of the 2100 - but what about the
difference in the pixels? I will be enlarging pics to 8 x 10 -
will I lose quality and clarity on my enlargements if I go with a
lower pixel? I have been reading so many different comments, my
head is spinning!

When you go in the store, they have four different pictures taken
and printed to 8 x 10 - the only two that really look decent are
the 3 and 4 megapixels. (Of course I'm sure that's what they would
like to sell). Then I read some comments about the Olympus E100RS,
(less than 2 megapixels) that say that doesn't matter!?

What's the real truth out there?? Please help me if you can..
--
Confused and tired!
Click to expand...
Been there, done that. Know what you are going through. I got the oly 3000 for a Christmas present(Love it) and with my overtime pay for January bought myself the E100rs (Over the net without trying it out and thats not like me at all) Love it also. I take pictures of grandkids, my dog, the woods and anything else I like. I save most of my pics to CD but I print a lot of 5x7s and not as many 8x10s- - - bottom line, if I could keep only one of the two cameras, I would keep the E100rs. The thing is awe-some.
 
kumarrj said:
rkumar said:
I think he would love the zoom of the 2100 - but what about the
difference in the pixels? I will be enlarging pics to 8 x 10 -
will I lose quality and clarity on my enlargements if I go with a
lower pixel?
Click to expand...
I think the quality would also depend on the compression you are
using. SHQ or HQ. If you want to print 8 x 10s you might be better
off taking the pics at SHQ. (I'm talking about a 2 megapixel camera
here).
Click to expand...
Have you tried printing some 8x10 HQ pictures? Can you easily tell the difference between SHQ and HQ when printing 8x10's?
 
The main thing in deciding between the 2100uz and the 30xx's -- which is more important to you -- the much bigger zoom of the uzi or the smaller overall size of the 30xx? Neither is really a pocket camera, but the uzi is significantly larger. If the larger size isn't a problem to you, I think you'll enjoy the capabilities of the uzi more.
 
jarhead said:
Been there, done that. Know what you are going through. I got the
oly 3000 for a Christmas present(Love it) and with my overtime pay
for January bought myself the E100rs (Over the net without trying
it out and thats not like me at all) Love it also. I take pictures
of grandkids, my dog, the woods and anything else I like. I save
most of my pics to CD but I print a lot of 5x7s and not as many
8x10s- - - bottom line, if I could keep only one of the two
cameras, I would keep the E100rs. The thing is awe-some.
Click to expand...
Not to confuse Carla more .....

E100rs is like Uzi, but has even lower pixel count (E100rs' 1.4MP vs Uzi's 1.9MP). But E100rs is very fast (if not the fastest digital camera) in taking continuous shots.
 
kim kaila said:
Terry, Tell your wife, Great pictures!! I'm a newbie to the 2100
as well and would like to know what settings are used for the
butterfly? I'm trying to understand the Macro and Zoom thing.

Tell her to keep at it, they are great!

Kim
Click to expand...
Kim,

All those photos were taken in Program mode. The macro was used to get the butterfly though. She's starting to experiment with some of the manual settings lately. I'll pass your words of encouragement on to her. She's been extremely pleased with the camera and it pays to keep mummy chummy.
 
LeeTee said:
Carla,

I suggest that you download some of the pictures form each camera
and try printing them as 8x10's yourself. I did this and it helped
me decide.

I have the UZI and am biased. I print 8x10's on my HP 722C printer
and I like them just fine. As Juli indicated, the UZI has a very
easy to use Point and shoot mode but also has all the advanced
features you will grow into. I don't have the other camera so I
can't give you a comparison.

Your idea of getting the UZI to try is good. But I bet you won't
return it after you use it!
--
LeeTee
Click to expand...
Why didn't I think of that? I have a HP 952C printer, that I have been very pleased with. I'm out of ink now, but will make a run to the store tomorrow.

I have a "JamCam" that came with my computer when I bought it, have been having so much fun playing with it - but it is, of course, very beginner. I think I'm ready to move up now, but don't really know much about the technical stuff yet (settings, etc..) I also wanted to make sure I got a camera that had good picture quality for enlargements. I currently take a lot of 35 mm prints from my Pentax point & shoot camera (have a new grandson), but I thought with digital, instead of wasting a roll of film for that "perfect picture", I could just print out what I wanted to, and keep the rest on file (or delete). Just kind of scared - don't want to get something so complicated I can't operate it. From the comments I've gotten though, it sounds like the 2100 is something I can operate now and do more with it as I learn.

Thanks for the suggestion - I'm going to try it!
 
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