Digital camera recomendations

Joined
Mar 28, 2010
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43
Location
Ottawa, Ontario
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2010 BMW RT
! Anything that uses AA batteries. Available everywhere and you don't need to recharge them on a trip - just carry a spare pack.

My camera of choice, like MDTurley, has been the Nikon CoolPix series. Currently using an L22. Runs a loooooong time on one set of Ultra Lithiums.
• 12M pixels, more than enough. Shoot from the hip or over the shoulder and you only have to be "close enough." Crop out what you don't want on the computer.
• Uses AA batteries
• When off, the lens is covered automatically, no lens cap to fool around with
• Full auto mode takes great pics regardless of light conditions. Most of the time I have flash turned off as it's great in low light situations.
It has all the bells and whistle adjustments but I just use full Easy Auto mode as the camera is smarter and faster than I am.
• Great for one handed shooting due to it's compact size. I keep it in a custom pocket on the side of my tankbag normally and can fish it out and shoot one handed.
• When in "rally mode", like Mellow, I just hang it from a lanyard around my neck and tuck it inside my stich. Rain starts, just zip up the stich and it's protected.
• Uses standard SD cards.
• Comes with a USB cable to transfer pics to a computer OR some computers (like my laptop) have an SD card slot - just pull it out of the camera and pop it in the computer . . . voila!
• Nice size viewing screen - no view finder (but, who needs it while taking pictures one handed, on the bike, with the visor down).
• One Negative . . . it's not waterproof. I've had no problems in taking quick shots in light rain: turn on, shoot pic, turn off (lens cover snaps shut) then back in a protected space.

I like Mellow's Cannon D10, which IS waterproof and Santa might bring me one for Christmas . . . if I've been a good boy all year. Maybe I won't get one . . . :(

Several good choices. Get the feel of them in the stores, narrow the list down to what you like, then find the deal.


Enjoy, happy holidays,
Shuey
+1 on the Nikon. The best feature is that the body is metal not plastic. Mine has been thoroughly abused and still works like new.
 
Joined
May 8, 2012
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Location
Wilmington NC
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06 St1300
I have a digital mini-cam posted for sale on the "for sale" forum. It mounts easily on the ST pegs. Comes with a lot of extras for attaching to almost anything. Takes great pictures both snaps and movies. Probably at least worth looking at for $74.95 plus shipping.
 
Joined
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Saguenay QC Canada
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Fast startup, AA batteries, the largest lens you can find for your budget (for low light situations), a SD Card, and control buttons placement and size would be my first priorities. I have an older but very expensive Nikon Coolpix with fancy features like smile detection and face recognition that I hate so much, because it can't take a decent picture indoor, even if it's in a well lit room. On the other hand, my niece has a very inexpensive Lumix camera that is almost perfect for what I need as a rider.
 
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nhdiesel
Joined
Feb 27, 2011
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Rindge, NH
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Since this thread was brought back to life I'll mention what I ended up getting. I got the Nikon Coolpix L26, on a deal for just over $100 shipped to my door (it was a brand new model, so this was a good deal in March). I'm very happy with it. It has a point & shoot mode that is great on the bike, but has enough features- and ease of use- that I can change settings if I want to. I was also very happy with the quality of video it can record! I actually attached it to a RAM arm and recorded a few rides, and it came out great. I just have to have it offset from the windshield, because trying to record through it results in catching glare.

This uses a pair of AA batteries which last a long time, has a large and easy to see digital display, and seems fairly rugged. Most photos come out very good, with the rare exception.
 

SupraSabre

48 Years of SoCal Lane Splitting/Commuting-Retired
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About 1.5 years ago, I bought two Sony Cyber cameras, one for each my wife and I. They were x10 zoom and are really nice. But right after I bought them this camera came out with a 40X digital (20X optic) and I did what I could to snag one for Christmas.

Sony DSC-HX30V

I picked it up from Amazon for $284, but since I had some Amazon credits (ordering too much from them) I only had to put out about $160.

Love it, great zoom and all the other features make it a really great camera to take on bike rides! :woo
 
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