I'd like a digital camera, but I'm not in the mood to spend a lot of cash on a camera I'll used a couple of times.  

Can you get a decent digital camera that will take clear closeup shots (of firearms of course) on a budget?  Or do you have to spend $500+ to get a camera that has any decent resolution?

Hell, I could get away with using one for a day or two, so I could inventory my guns and parts for fun and profit.  Anyone think of a place to rent one, again I'm cheap, so keep that in mind.

Funny, I just bought one not but 2 hours ago.

I got the HP Photosmart 318.  So far, so great.  It's a 2.31 megapixel camera, for $199.

I did have one of those super cheapo $39 cameras, and it was completely worthless.

If you want to see some pics, send me an email... I'll shoot you some it has taken tonight.

Just got mine last week -- $600 for a Nikon Coolpix 995.

How much it costs depends on how fast you want it to go . . . oh, wait, that's cars.  On how many pixels and what image quality you want to get.

Nikon has an economy model that's supposed to be pretty decent, the 775.  Looks like its street price is around $325.

[url]http://www.pricewatch.com/[/url]
[url]http://www.resellerratings.com/[/url]

First one to find good prices, second one to make sure the merchant is reputable.

One things you gotta watch in the "ASA Equivalent" figure for the camera.  ASA Equivalent refers to the comparable image quality if you were to use a regular film camera - thus a digital cam with an ASA equivalent of 100 would be like using a regular camera with 100-speed film.  Make sense?

Highest ASA equivalent I have seen on a digicam is around 500.  

ASA 100 will REQUIRE full sunlight for a good picture.

ASA 200 will work with full sunlight, indirect sunlight, or bright artificial light.

ASA 400 is for full sunlight, indirect sunlight, all artificial light (that you can see DETAIL by) and shady and overcast days.  ASA 400 is a good number for general purpose work, or "workbench pictures" of projects under workbench lighting.  ASA 200 will do OK, but detial may be lacking due to light insensitivity of the film.

I have an ASA 100 equivalent, and it is nearly useless for most of hte pix I hneed to take - and that is when I learned of the ASA equivalent figure...

FFZ

HKocher... here is what the HP 318 can do... keep in mind I just got it, so haven't learned to play with backdrops, lighting, settings, etc...

[url]http://community.webshots.com/album/23820743mfewcMzqMM[/url]

HKocher dont you live in St.charles.Im over there and around St.louis every day.You can borrow mine.

Wally World has the HP 215 on sale for $125 right now. It's a 1.3 mg pixle with a 4 mg chip.
After 3 years it's finally at the right price.
[x]

Well I bought a Sony Mavica, paid about $400 for it.  It's a great camera, has a big viewing screen, and great resolution.  

If you can wait, you need to 'cause prices will drop over time.

The Kodak DX3600 gives 2.2 megapixel pictures _and_ records video for $360. Probably the best bang for the buck out there.

[url]http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/store/catalog/Product.jhtml?PRODID=20425&CATID=6[/url]

Remember: with a digital camera, film is free. I went from taking very few regular pictures to shooting over 1000 digital pictures a year.

Go to Wal-Mart or Comp USA and buy a sony Mavica for $399 and then take some great pics of your guns for inventory and showing off purposes and while you have it dont forget all the pics you could take of your favorite lady or your favorite neighor lady to share with all of us here. Then return it to the store because you are not satisfied with the resolution, or pic holdng cap or speed. And you use your CC so you dont actually pay any cash out of pocket and return it with about 2 weeks so it will get credited back to your CC so you dont pay any interest on it. Not that I have ever done this.

They have gotten alot more reasonable..

Kodak 3400 last I check was about $350

I want that one or a Movica with the floppy disks.. I like the idea of that.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Go to any local outfit you care to choose and buy a disposable camera.  Take it to your local photofinisher and have themn put the pictures on disk or cd.

By the time you're done, you're out about $15.[whacko]

Thanks for the feedback.  I'll check out my options.  Since I'm not in the market to buy right now, I might check out alternative methods suggested.



I'm in West St. Louis county, but not to far from St. Charles.  What do you do there?  I might have to take you up on that offer if you would be so kind.

I'm sub contracting some construction work.Email me if you would like to use it.No problem at all.