Welcome to DigiForumz.com!
FAQFAQ    SearchSearch      ProfileProfile    Private MessagesPrivate Messages   Log inLog in

Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone?

  
   Digital Camera Community (Home) -> Kodak RSS
Next:  Kodak C315 as a Gift  
Author Message
gregatwork

External


Since: Nov 30, 2005
Posts: 6



(Msg. 1) Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 6:18 pm
Post subject: Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone?
Archived from groups: rec>photo>digital (more info?)
Hi all

Looking for a reasonable lower end digital camera and have come across
the Kodak EasyShare z740 (best price I can get is $342 AUD). I like
this as it has a great 10x optical zoom length and excellent MP
strength of 5.0MP for the price

Reviews on various online sites suggest this is quite a good camera,
and while a bit more bulky than some of the smaller compact ones it is
still a reasonable sized camera considering it has 10x optical zoom,
which suits me Smile

I am a novice user but would like to learn more about photography and
get better at it, and I have been advised this would be a good starting
point and as I get better I can then upgrade to more featured (and
expensive) cameras later.

However not having used one before I am after comments on that camera
or for suggestions of other comparable priced cameras - anyone have any
suggestions.

Cheers

Greg

 >> Stay informed about: Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone? 
Back to top
Login to vote
gregatwork

External


Since: Nov 30, 2005
Posts: 6



(Msg. 2) Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:14 pm
Post subject: Re: Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
Pardon my ignorance, I am new to this as said and I will do a search
online for info but maybe you can give me a short description of what
an image stabilizer is and what is does.

Cheers

Greg

 >> Stay informed about: Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone? 
Back to top
Login to vote
Daniel Silevitch

External


Since: Oct 07, 2005
Posts: 442



(Msg. 3) Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 3:57 am
Post subject: Re: Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
On 30 Nov 2005 18:18:35 -0800, gregatwork.DeleteThis@hotmail.com <gregatwork.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all
>
> Looking for a reasonable lower end digital camera and have come across
> the Kodak EasyShare z740 (best price I can get is $342 AUD). I like
> this as it has a great 10x optical zoom length and excellent MP
> strength of 5.0MP for the price

The 740 is Kodak's budget superzoom. It's a good camera, but in order to
get the cost down, some features common to superzooms are missing. Most
notably, it doesn't have an image-stabilizer for the lens. This makes a
big difference in anything except for bright light.

If your budget can stretch up by 30% or so, consider looking at the
Canon S2 IS, the Panasonic FZ5, or the Kodak 850. If spending more money
isn't an option, another option is to see if you can find an S1 IS or an
FZ3; these are 3 MP cameras (from the previous generation of superzooms)
with 10-12x stabilized zooms. Depending on how you plan to use the
camera, the stabilizer could be more useful than the extra 2 megapixels.

-dms
 >> Stay informed about: Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone? 
Back to top
Login to vote
Ron Hunter

External


Since: Nov 24, 2005
Posts: 2799



(Msg. 4) Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:46 am
Post subject: Re: Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
Daniel Silevitch wrote:
> On 30 Nov 2005 18:18:35 -0800, gregatwork.RemoveThis@hotmail.com <gregatwork.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi all
>>
>> Looking for a reasonable lower end digital camera and have come across
>> the Kodak EasyShare z740 (best price I can get is $342 AUD). I like
>> this as it has a great 10x optical zoom length and excellent MP
>> strength of 5.0MP for the price
>
> The 740 is Kodak's budget superzoom. It's a good camera, but in order to
> get the cost down, some features common to superzooms are missing. Most
> notably, it doesn't have an image-stabilizer for the lens. This makes a
> big difference in anything except for bright light.
>
> If your budget can stretch up by 30% or so, consider looking at the
> Canon S2 IS, the Panasonic FZ5, or the Kodak 850. If spending more money
> isn't an option, another option is to see if you can find an S1 IS or an
> FZ3; these are 3 MP cameras (from the previous generation of superzooms)
> with 10-12x stabilized zooms. Depending on how you plan to use the
> camera, the stabilizer could be more useful than the extra 2 megapixels.
>
> -dms
A cheap alternative is a tripod (or monopod). I have lived without an
image stabilized camera lens for 55 years of taking photographs. Sure,
they are nice, but not essential. The 740 looks like a good camera,
with excellent features, and should be very satisfactory.
Even though a 10-12x zoom is a nice feature, most users won't use the
full zoom extension more than a few times a year. Others, who like
things like sports and bird-watching may really NEED a long zoom with
IS. It is very much dependent on how the consumer really uses his
camera whether an IS is useful, or just an added expense, and complexity .
 >> Stay informed about: Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone? 
Back to top
Login to vote
Daniel Silevitch

External


Since: Oct 07, 2005
Posts: 442



(Msg. 5) Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:40 pm
Post subject: Re: Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
On Fri, 02 Dec 2005 03:46:04 -0600, Ron Hunter <rphunter.TakeThisOut@charter.net> wrote:
> Daniel Silevitch wrote:
>> On 30 Nov 2005 18:18:35 -0800, gregatwork.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com <gregatwork.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> Hi all
>>>
>>> Looking for a reasonable lower end digital camera and have come across
>>> the Kodak EasyShare z740 (best price I can get is $342 AUD). I like
>>> this as it has a great 10x optical zoom length and excellent MP
>>> strength of 5.0MP for the price
>>
>> The 740 is Kodak's budget superzoom. It's a good camera, but in order to
>> get the cost down, some features common to superzooms are missing. Most
>> notably, it doesn't have an image-stabilizer for the lens. This makes a
>> big difference in anything except for bright light.
>>
>> If your budget can stretch up by 30% or so, consider looking at the
>> Canon S2 IS, the Panasonic FZ5, or the Kodak 850. If spending more money
>> isn't an option, another option is to see if you can find an S1 IS or an
>> FZ3; these are 3 MP cameras (from the previous generation of superzooms)
>> with 10-12x stabilized zooms. Depending on how you plan to use the
>> camera, the stabilizer could be more useful than the extra 2 megapixels.
>>
>> -dms
> A cheap alternative is a tripod (or monopod). I have lived without an
> image stabilized camera lens for 55 years of taking photographs. Sure,
> they are nice, but not essential. The 740 looks like a good camera,
> with excellent features, and should be very satisfactory.
> Even though a 10-12x zoom is a nice feature, most users won't use the
> full zoom extension more than a few times a year. Others, who like
> things like sports and bird-watching may really NEED a long zoom with
> IS. It is very much dependent on how the consumer really uses his
> camera whether an IS is useful, or just an added expense, and complexity .

Oh, I agree. Since it seems like the 740 was at about the limit of his
budget, it's hard to justify the extra $100 or so for a stabilized
superzoom. I was just pointing out some of the available alternatives.

Interestingly, the last time I used the full zoom on my camera was for
architectural photography. I was taking a boat tour on the Chicago river
a couple of months ago, and the long zoom was great for getting detail
shots of facades and statuary and the like. Said cruise, by the way, is
a great way to get pictures of a whole bunch of very interesting
buildings. Chicago Architecture Foundation runs the best tours; I
recommend sitting in the bow of the boat to get the best angles both
left and right.

-dms
 >> Stay informed about: Looking at Kodak z740 or equiv camera - ideas anyone? 
Back to top
Login to vote
Display posts from previous:   
   Digital Camera Community (Home) -> Kodak All times are: Pacific Time (US & Canada) (change)
Page 1 of 1

 
 You can post new topics in this forum
You can reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



[ Contact us | Terms of Service/Privacy Policy ]