Which digital camera to buy? (looking at Olympus Evolt500 ..

Its been a few years (going on 5) since my last digital camera purchase
(Olympus, a 3.2MP, think C3050 model or close to it) & I'm a bit more
experienced now (not pro, but very decent & nearing higher level amature).
I'd like to know a few people's oppinions on these cameras or which ones to
get.

I'm looking at two main different cameras.
* Olympus Evolt 500 (the one with the lense kit that has 2 lenses) [Amazon
shows "Evolt 500II", is this the kit with 2 lenses?]
* Fujifilm Finepix S9000/9500 (from what I understand the only differences
is model# just to controll production counts for export or local sales?)
* (I've heard Nikon has a comparable one to the Fuji S9000?)

I like the Olympus due to that it is a digital-SLR so I have lense options &
am not stuck with the quality of the one on the camera. I dont like it
because of that reason though, the lenses are quite expensive so I'd prefer
for start to find lenses or a lense kit that has what I want.

I like the Fuji due to a 10x optical zoom but no add-ons (from what I
understand, maybe there is an adapter for this? lense filters or something?)

Here is what I am looking for.
* HIGH optical zoom (prefer 8x+)
* I'd prefer at least 7MP
* I'd like to have ability to take several pictures in a row WITHOUT
increasing/decreasing brightness with each picture.
* Add-on lense or lense filter ability would be nice (prefer not
proprietary, more industry standard "one fits all" type...for example a PCI
or USB connection doesn't require a specific device, any PCI or USB device
can fit...I'd rather have something that "any lense attachment of this size
fits, & I can get it anywhere")
* ISO above 400 would be a plus
* Ability to manually set Shutter speed, & ISO settings, flash strength,
white balance
* I'd prefer ability to use AA batteries, or at least buy an additional
battery I can charge seperately
* Good macro mode would be nice too

I'd like to keep this under $1000, or for sure under $1200.

I've been looking at buying from Amazon or Tigerdirect or some GOOD
company...no sense in paying for new cost to buy a refurb-sold-as-new by a
bad dealer or other such problems.

Any help & input is appreciated.

On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 22:49:14 -0600, "Mobius" <com DOT yahoo AT
m0b1us0099> wrote:

> I like the Olympus due to that it is a digital-SLR so I have lense options &
> am not stuck with the quality of the one on the camera. I dont like it
> because of that reason though, the lenses are quite expensive so I'd prefer
> for start to find lenses or a lense kit that has what I want.
>
> I like the Fuji due to a 10x optical zoom but no add-ons (from what I
> understand, maybe there is an adapter for this? lense filters or something?)

Fuji has high quality adapter lenses for some of their other
cameras. I have their WA adapter for the S5100. I'm not certain,
but it's likely that they also have adapter lenses for the
S9000/S9500. To be sure, either call Fuji's cust.svce/tech.supt
number or download the manual, which will show the part/model number
of the lenses, if available. Filters should be readily available.


> Here is what I am looking for.
> * HIGH optical zoom (prefer 8x+)
> * I'd prefer at least 7MP

I assume that you already know the answer to those, or are you
asking about other, unnamed cameras?


> * I'd like to have ability to take several pictures in a row WITHOUT
> increasing/decreasing brightness with each picture.

Varying brightness or other parameters is called bracketing. What
you want is referred to as "continuous shooting" by Fuji. Their
S5100 has several types of bracketing and several continuous
shooting modes, including up to 40 consecutive shots. I can't
imagine that the S9000/S9500, a more sophisticated camera, wouldn't
have at least all of those modes and possibly more.


> * Add-on lense or lense filter ability would be nice (prefer not
> proprietary, more industry standard "one fits all" type...for example a PCI
> or USB connection doesn't require a specific device, any PCI or USB device
> can fit...I'd rather have something that "any lense attachment of this size
> fits, & I can get it anywhere")

Filters should be no problem. I don't know if the Fuji adapter
lenses would be easily attached to other cameras (it's possible).
But you could also get high quality adapter lenses from Raynox or
Kenko, and they'll work on many different cameras. All you'd need
besides the lens would be an adapter tube to mate it to whatever
camera you want to use it with.


> * ISO above 400 would be a plus
> * Ability to manually set Shutter speed, & ISO settings, flash strength,
> white balance
> * I'd prefer ability to use AA batteries, or at least buy an additional
> battery I can charge seperately
> * Good macro mode would be nice too

Should be no problem for the S9000/S9500.


> I'd like to keep this under $1000, or for sure under $1200.

Even with an adapter lens and some filters the S9000 should be
well under $1000. The Olympus Evolt 500 will cost more but it's a
more capable, expandable camera. While the S9000 has a hot shoe,
any flash you get for it won't be as flexible as the Evolt 500 with
one of Olympus's flashes, such as the FL-36 or FL-50. The FL-50
seems to be tremendously overpriced though. Slightly more powerful
than the FL-36 for double the cost.