looking for reccomendations on used digital camera

[Dylan Couper]

Ok, I want a 10d or Digital Rebel, but have to direct most of my cash flow towards a different enterprise at this time, so I'm looking for cheaper options on a digital camera.
What I'm looking for is the Optura Pi of digital cameras, something cheap, good picture quality, and still available in good condition.

I'm mostly new to the digital camera world, so don't know alot of my options for older cameras, but this is what I am looking for:

Must have:
-manual controls located on the body (I don't want to change shutter speed by going through menus).

-Megapixel size isn't as important as quality, so I'm open to almost everything. It will probably be limited by my price range to something in the 3mp range.

-Zoom - 200mm+ 35mm equivalent. I'd prefer something with lens threads so I can put filters or a fisheye on it.

-"SLR-style" shape. I like my dad's G5, but I hate the way boxy cameras feel in my hands. Ergonomics rule.

-Price... Well, let's say $200-$400. Yeah, if I had more, I'd buy a new camera. I'd like to keep it under $250-$300.

I'm looking at something like a Minolta Dimage 5 or Fuji S5000.

I'd consider buying a Minolta DiMage Z1, but it doesn't look very manual-function friendly.

Anyway, all advice is appreciated, and if anyone has one for sale, let me know.

[Rik Sanchez]

Dylan,
I bought a used Olympus E-10 a couple of months ago. It has all the manual features you are talking about, it's a 4 mega pixel camera. It's a little bulky but I like it, I paid about US$450 for it.

This camera was pretty cheap, I saw some G5's used for about $200 more but it didn't have the features I wanted, manual focus/zoom, PC Flash cable socket, and it feels just like a real SLR camera.

here is a review on this camera:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/e10.html

If I had the money I would have gotten the E-20, but that used was about twice the price, same camera but it's a 5 mega pixel.

Hope this helps.

[Adrian Douglas]

The Canon Pro90 IS would be a good option Dylan. I can't remember the exact specs but it did have a 10 optical zoom and IS. It was released around the same time as the D30 so you should be able to pick one up at a fair price.

[Dylan Couper]

Hey Rik and Adrian
Those are two I've considered, and would probably be happy with, but they are both a little out of my price range. I'll keep an eye on Ebay for bargains, but I think I need to keep it under $300. The Pro 90 still sells for close to $500 used.

One other thing I'd like out of a camera is at least a 3fp burst mode. I forgot to mention that in my first post.

[Dylan Couper]

Just an update on my search, and further opinions wanted.

I spent a few hours on www.dpreview.com today and have narrowed it down to these three cameras:

Fuji S5000

Minolta Z1

Fuji S602z

All are 3mp cameras.
Here's my pro/con list:

S602z - easier manual controls (good) Others - not so much
S5000 and Z1 - HUGE 380mm zooms S602 - only 210mm
S5000 and S602 have better continous shooting modes
S602 and Z1 have 30fps 640x480 video modes, which I want for fun stuff where I don't have a video camera.
The S602 is a bit bigger, but not much.
Apart from that they are all fairly well matched. Anyone have an opinion on which to get? I want it for all purpose shooting, sports, nature, portraits, landscapes, anything...

Prices are all under $400 new (used for the S602).

[Adrian Douglas]

The only thing I'd be worried about is the shutter release delay. These cmas are designed for the average shooter shooting their kids, landscapes, holiday snaps etc and are usually quite slow from the time you push the button to when the shot is actually taken. My S45 is dreadful, great for general shooting but for sports like snowboarding or paintball you will have to be shooting preemptively.

[Dylan Couper]

Adrian
Here are the shutter lag times, when it is fired from a pre-focuesed/exposed position (shutter button halfway down already).

As I remember them:
S5000: 0.3 sec
S602z: 0.3 sec
Z1: 0.03 sec!!!

I'm not sure if 0.3 seconds to 0.03 makes that much a difference. What do you think? I really don't do much action shooting. All my snowboarding stuff is scenery, rather than snowboarders in action, and paintball isn't that fast moving most of the time.
The stuff I'd need acting skills for, I'd be shooting in continuous mode anyway.

For Example, typical Dylan photography:
Cypress mountain
Paintball

[Adrian Douglas]

Ay,

0.03 great, 1d is 0.055 including shutter blackout, 0.3 would feel like an eternity. My 1nRS's is 0.006 but that's extremely fast. At 0.03 you'd have a pretty good chance of getting the moment. If you're not shooting snowboard action then you shouldn't have any problems, it's only really a problem when you are trying to get the grabs etc.

Nice shots by the way. I love shooting at on the mountains round Vancouver especially Seymore. There's always some cool cloud like in your shot and when it does clear you get Vancouver in the background.

[Dylan Couper]

Well, I did the "Dylan test" today.
I went to the camera store in the shopping mall, handled the cameras, and posed by the door to see which got the attention of women the fastest. (I substituted the S7000 for the S602 because the S602 is out of production, but the have the same body).

I'm buying the Fuji S602, just have to find one now. Feels the most like a real camera.

[Adrian Douglas]

Hell yeah, all the tech specs doesn't mean squat if it won't pull the chicks. Most girls couldn't care less if you have two or two thousand megapixels, just as long as the cam doesn't make them look fat or their nose look bigger.