Capturing images of your garden

My camera is a digital Toshiba PDR2300. I also use a regular 35mm "old fashioned" camera from time to time. The reason I like my digital camera is because I can have instant fotos. For a surprise, I send out the 35mm film and wait to see how bad my fotos turned out!

I use a Sony Mavica. I can see the pictures right away to see how they turned out. If it is a bad pic, I can take another while the plant is still blooming. If there is a really good picture I want a hard copy of, I just take my memory stick down to the camera store and have them print it out on picture paper.

i only have a 35 mm right now, and olympus, good camera but would love to get a digital this year.

Sony Mavica FD92, 18 months in use. Bought because computer at the time could only take floppies and had NO USB ports, but camera could also use a MemoryStick and USB, for when I bought my new computer.

I am like mapmaker I like to see instantly how my photo's turned out-I have even sometimes been surprised like in this photo where I was so focused on my flower that I didn't even notice the bee that was coming to it until I edited the picture-

I use a Pentax, zoom 90 WR. A point and shoot camera that I have had for several years. It does the job, and I can find little fault with it. It is hard to justify a digital camera (would love to have one) at this time. The wait while the film is being developed at Walmart is the frustration. The digital camera looks as though it would take some time to understand all the functions. And I am not good with the computer, so it could be a problem entering the photos into the computer.

I use a Nikon CoolPix 5700 and an Olympus C2020Z digital. Besides being able to see the photos right away, I take soooo many, that I'd never be able to afford film & processing. I rarely edit the photos, except to maybe crop them and resize them. I really like the Olympus better in a lot of ways, especially it's built in ability to do sepia tone; however, I love the zoom capabilities and the larger number of pixles in the Nikon. The nikon doesn't have a low light level infrared focus assit, though (which is really weird because many cheaper 35mm & digitals have them - were their engineers sleeping?) Both have manual and programable settings similar to a 35mm SLR (aperature or shutter priority or fully manual; depth of field adjust, etc.) Tripod is a must.

When I compare photos taken with 35mm and then scanned on a good scanner, the quality is still much better with real film. But, alas, I am not good at getting all the pieces done, so if I don't take digital, I probably won't ever see the pictures! (35mm you have to 1 - buy film, 2 - find film when you're ready to take photos, 3 - get film from camera to developer, 4 - get photos from developer and scan (or have them do it, for a price, of course), 5 - file and archive both prints and digital files.... way too much work for lazy old me!)

My best reason for going digital was when I was at the Long Beach Aquarium in the Lorokeet aviary - I took about 50 photos of birds in various states of motion - 2 turned out excellent, and 5 turned out passing fair. A few were "headless", and many had one or more parts of the birds in blury motion. Some just were plain out of focus. I could never have afforded to do that with film.

Olympus D520 zoom. I love to see them instantly and I was forever forgetting to get film developed anyway. I think digital cameras are the best invention in the past 10 years.

I have 4 cameras, and use them all one time or another. I have a about 10 yr. old Olympus OM PC, with close-up attachment also one for distance, A Pentax IQZoom GOMC ( I use this one most, a Canon ELPH 370Z that i use when traveling, it is small, and can take 3 sizes, it is APS, so is most expensive to develop film. Then I have a digital Olympus C-40ZOOM, but it is not user friendly or maybe I am just too stupid to figure out how to send the pictures on the computer, I have done it a couple of times but takes me so long I usually just wait to get film developed. Also keep a discardable camera in the car.


Dave why can't we click on more than one selection in the Pollbooth.

I use a digital Olympus, d370, the convience of dowloading direct to the computer to share with others.

I've got a digital camera, not a good or new one, but it works.. Sony DSC-P50.

`Mine's a Cannon Power Shot A40. We got it for Christmas this past year..our first leap into the digital world! It's a great little camera, but I need to get a bigger memory card for it. I love the fact that photos can be downloaded onto our computer and I can look at them often, use them as screensavers or send them off to friends and family.

My real camera is an Olympus OM 1 (or, actually, two OM 1s) which is pretty much an antique at this point. I love both of these cameras and have a regular 50 mm lense, a 100 - 200 zoom with a 2x converter and a 50 mm macro lense. The macro lense is what I use for most of my garden pics, and it also works well at the infinity setting for everything else.
I have a Fuji2400 zoom digital camera that I'm constantly fighting with. It is tempermental and shuts down on a whim - mostly just as I'm taking a shot. I hope to buy an Olympus C-5050 zoom by the end of the year to replace the Fuji.
I love the immediate gratification of the digital, but I'm a film camera girl - and I'm patient so I don't mind waiting for the pics. I'm hoping at this point that what I've heard about the quality of the C-5050 is true, because the Fuji gives me no detail range to work with.

I use a digital -- a Kyocera Samurai 4x, 3.1 pixel zoom as it's easy to just plug in the disc and transfer the pictures to the computer. It's super easy to use, gives me great pictures. I also use my husband's 35mm (Nikkon) but not nearly as often as the digital.

We've been using a Kodak DX3500 for about 2 years now, and while it may not be the best digital camera out there, it performs well for us. Love digital!!
We also have an Olmypus InfinityZoom 210, and my favorite little pocket camera is an Olympus Stylus.

I use a Cannon Sureshot 105. I have my pictures put on a disk so I can download them,would like to try a digital too

I love my digital Kodax DX3500. I bought it specifically to take pictures of my garden but now we love it for everything... I did our church directory with it, taking pics of all the church members, plus I use it sooo often to help me figure out landscaping things and ideas for the garden, etc.

I wish it had a zoom that would come out clearer, and will probably someday upgrade to a higher megapixel (this one is 2.0, which was state of the art when I bought it in the summer of 2001)...

but for now it works fine, sitting in its little camera dock charging up and waiting to help me do what I want to do.

:)

Conroy, IA
Zone 5a
Right now I only have a Kodak Advantix but am aiming for a digital for all the previously stated reasons. Capturing the perfection of flowers and plants at a particular moment so it can be shared or relived by my less than perfect memory is worth having a good tool. We willingly work hard on our 'whole body muli-media paintings/sculptures' and it's wonderful to be able to remember those special moments when our vision is reached or, more usually, accidentally surpassed! :)

I use a 35mm Bell & Howell camera & while the pics are okay they just do not compare to the pics I have taken with a digital camera that my husband has brought home from work on occasion. The digital pics are crystal clear, sharp, vivid color & the close-ups of individual flowers are stunning in their sharpness & detail. We plan to get a digital camera of our own one of these days & I can hardly wait. I think a digital camera really shines when it comes to taking pics of flowers. They are so good that they look like magazine photo's!

For almost 2 Years I'm using a Kodak DX4900 digital camera which is a great point and shoot camera which fits in your pocket (large pocket mind you)and with 4 MP's has a good picture quality. I also occasionally (but rarely) use my old Nikon N2000 35mm SLR. The 35mm SLR is used when I need the larger Zoom of up to 400mm during some of my "nature scare" walks. I'm also getting in the near future a Sony CS DSC-717F which is more pro-sumer oriented and has a larger optical zoom then most point and shoot ones. It was a though decision in regards to the Sony since i disapprove on the proprietary "memory stick" and batteries on it. The lower base price and night shooting capability won out against the competition of Nikon Coolpix 5700 and Minolta DiMage 7Hi both of which have a larger optical zoom then the Sony.(no filters can be mounted on the Nikon Yeiks)
I clearly prefer digital for instant visual glory and full editing control over my pics.

I use a Minolta DiMage S404. Fairly high resolution (4.0 megapixel)and lots of image control. To some extent, it has controls similar to a 35mm SLR film camera, i.e., film speed adjustment, shutter or aperature control, under/overexposure adjustment, etc. Macro capabilities; great closeups. Very easy to use in automatic mode, and can be "fiddled-with" if desired in manual mode.

This message was edited Monday, Jul 28th 1:06 PM

I use a digital camera so that I can share with others. I have a Sony Mavica.

I use an old metal body Canon F-1. I've had it for over 25 years and it's the most versatile camera there is. I don't mind the size or the weight (I just can't get used to these little pocket cameras!). Someday I'll give digital a try, when I can afford what I want!!

I use digital Polaroid PDC 1100 it's easy to carry with me and I can put the picture on the computer right away and see if there fuzzy and retake if I have to. I also use a 35 mm. Nancy

Evert - I think you could use an old cardboard box pin-hole camera and take spectacular photos - you certainly have a great "eye".

PanamonCreel - although I knew going into the purchase that there was no low-light infrared assist with the Nikon 5700, I didn't know how many low light photos I actually take... I'm not sure I wouldn't buy the Nikon all over again, but some nights I wonder... and, I've gotten around the filter thing by buying their "adapter" and using silicon to attach a 49mm to 55mm step-up ring (I happen to own a slew of 55mm filters from another camera). (It actually looks like a 50mm thread, but that, of course, is non-standard, and I haven't located a 50mm--> 55mm step up yet... when I do, I'll peal off the silicone :-) Since the filters aren't too heavy, I'm hoping that will last a while... of course, if I want to use the accessories that are actually made for the adapter, I suppose I will have to buy a second adapter.

My 35mm is a Sigma SA30 - several years old, but still very useful, if I want to lug it around. Until you get to the $5,000 range, haven't seen anything digital that will go head-to-head with scanned 35mm for very large enlargements (larger than 11"x16"). Still, just can't bear to lug it and film around any more... whine, whine... guess I just want it both ways.

:-) Happy shooting!

Thanks Karla, but I don't think I'm a very good photographer. The places and things I take pics of just look so good ;)

I've been using Yashica Zoomtec QD 35mm for years. I just got my first digital HP 812. I've only had it for about a week so I haven't taken many pictures, but so far I like it.

My 35mm died last summer, I've been making do with disposable until I can splurge on a digital. I've decided tho, a digital camera is the next major gardening equipment purchase I will make. =)

Cheri'

I use a Hwelett Packard PhotoSmart 215 digital. Takes great pictures and I can veiw them right away

Betty

It depends on what I want to do with the picture. To post a picture, digital for sure but if I want a wall worthy picture, I use my trusty Pentax 35mm. There are so many more options not to mention my filter collection. I guess I am too used to doing my own thinking rather that having the camera choose my shot. Half the fun is in the tweaking. The kids have cameras that take four pics per frame that are fun because tthey can shoot to their hearts content . 100 pics per roll is a good thing. But disposables go to camp!! We use em all around here.

frogsrus; my older brother took a foto usin one on them "throw-aways" and sold the foto for $500.00!! Just goes to show that sometimes it aint the camera that takes the perfect shot, it's the photographer!

I gave away my poloroid 1100 to my mother and got an Olympus Camdia C-700 because it will take great macro shots and has a 10X optical zoom and a lot of flexibility in hoe it is set or can be used as a point and shoot. I am actually starting to learn how to set it and use it!

I have been using my Olympus D-490 for most anything to do with the computer,but when I really want a picture that I can put on the wall,I love my ancient Cannon AE-1.

I've tried really hard to learn to like my digital,and when my old Cannon got knocked off a table and broken,I was devistated.

I used my digital and went SLR shopping.DH said he'd buy me whatever I wanted.This lasted nearly a year.I grumbled and moaned about never being able to take a decent picture.He was starting to tire of hearing me complain. Then one Sunday afternoon I decided to check ebay and see what was being offered.There were 3 AE-1's ending in the next 24 hours....needless to say,I got me one of them!

Now all of my lenses and filters can be used again and life is good here in West KY.I still use my digital more...trying _really_hard to learn to like it...but have the security blanket of my trusty old SLR if I want a real picture.

I use both a 35mm camera, a Minolta 700x, as well as a digital camera (Olympus). These were both rated well by Consumer's Reports and I am very satisfied with both. I use the slides when I give garden programs (mostly about daylilies) and I use the electronic images for my web site (daylilylane.com) and when I am selling daylilies.

I borrow a Sony Mavica FD 5 from a generous friend. http://davesgarden.com/t/377444/ I sometimes use a film camera but this does not take close-up shots which are so necessary to shoot the flowers.

Use both a Minolta Maxum and an old matchneedle Canon. Very long zoom lens on Minolta and close-up lens on Canon. Can take close up photos from 5-8 feet with the zoom so don't have to go into beds.

Thinking of a digital now that the resolution has got fairly decent. Anything below 4 megapixels is simply horrible in resolution for prints. Will probably go with a Sony as they export in TIFF mode without the quality degradation you get with JPEG compression.

George

We have an Olympus OM2N that is about 35 years old but still takes really good pictures. My husband is the camera man around here. I have a much less expensive camera but have no idea the brand. Maybe a Minolta or something like that. It takes good pictures too. The Intel digital was a gift and I still don't know how to use it very well. It takes good pictures but you have to download them onto the computer to see them. I'd really like to have one of those that lets you see the picture immediately on the back of the camera. Our granddaughter has one.

My camera is an Olympus 5.0 Camedia, digital camera,c-50 Zoom. It is a 5 pixel. Not sure what all that means, just copied it off the camera. I am still learning how to use it to get the best shots. I have been trying to catch the fritillary butterfly caterpillars that are spinning and hatching. Here is one that is still thinking about FOOD on one of the Maypop, host plants.

I use an Hewlett Packard photosmart 612! I think it's great to be able to see the images instantly!! The savings on development is pretty good too.