[filmscanners] Re: Digital Cameras coming down to earth

["Arthur Entlich" <artistic-1@shaw.ca>]

I was watching the "opiate of the masses" last night, and Gateway had an
ad for a digital camera for $249. It seems to be a "value priced"
version, also 5 MP and 3X optical zoom (Model DC-M50).  This is getting
too crazy!

Just yesterday I was in a computer shop and a guy who seemed absolutely
lost in the digital camera department and I started to speak.

He was looking for a camera and didn't know where to start, other than
he had a $300 CAN budget in mind.  We spoke for about 20 minutes, and at
the end, I suggested he buy a film camera.  He told me his main use was
when on vacation when he took a lot of family snaps (5-8 rolls) and that
otherwise the camera pretty much sat in a drawer.  I suggested he go for
a point and shoot film AF zoom camera for about $200 CAN.

At first, he really liked the idea of no film, until I told him about
the memory cards, the batteries, the printing costs (either via an
inkjet or "silver" prints).  I did also tell him the advantages of
digital in providing immediate feedback, not getting bad images printed,
etc, but he told me he goes to Costco for his processing and printing,
and they charge something like $5 for developing and printing a 24
exposure to 4x6 prints.  Even though he had a inkjet printer and
computer, for him, it seemed the film choice was still a better one.
(not to mention he could have his negs for his grandchildren to access,
which might be harder to accomplish for the average "Joe" with digital)

Art

focus@adnc.com wrote:

> And slated for November release is the 8 megapixel Sony 828 in the $1300 
>range. That may be
> enough to obsolete my 2.5-year-old Olympus E-10, but I'll still be shooting 
>my 50-year-old
> Zorki and 35-year-old Mamiya Press!
>


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