New Digital Camera

[naplesrealestate]

On Sunday I purchased an Olympus FE-250 with 8 megapixels.

The major reason for the purchase was to have a small digital camera that could fit into my shirt pocket or keep it my glove compartment in my car. All to often, I found as I drive around the community something that I would like to photograph and did not have my digital camera with me or it was on the floor of the car or just to bulky to take with me.

Since photos are of great value to a blog or web site, does anyone else use a small digital camera for quick photos to be used on the net?

Have you found being in the same situation?

[kensmith]

I am looking into cameras currently. What I want is one that will take a wide angle shot without having to buy a $2k camera. Want it for bathrooms and other smaller rooms that you want to look bigger. Doesn't anyone have one that they use currently that can do this?

[naplesrealestate]

You might want to look at the software that comes with the camera. The software that comes with some of the cameras has the ability to "stitch" pictures together. Using the stitching feature you can combine 2 or 3 pictures together to make one picture. My digital camera has a program within it that allows a setting for the initial taking of the pictures. When the pictures are downloaded, I highlight the pictures to be stitched and the computer creates the combined image for me. The camera cost me a whooping $189.00.

Also, I think Nikon makes a camera that has a wide angle lense that can be added to the basic camera - the total cost of the camera and wide angle lens is about $350. I tested this one for a friend that does photography in connection with real estate. The issue that I had with the set-up is that the wide angle lens was large and bulky for convenience and then the picture in the rough stages was rounded and had to manipulate it with some software to get a flat picture. It was a pain in the neck. But it is doable.

I hope this will help you in deciding upon a camera or narrowing down your selections.

Software today, is giving more options to us "amateur" photographers without incurring the cost that professional or good hobbyist photographers use.

[kensmith]

I can stitch photos with our current camera, but it still doesn't have the same look as a wide angle lens shot. The camera and the software is pretty old so maybe with current technology it would look better.

Really don't want to spend to much on the camera as I have a almost 2 year old that loves to play with everything. She has stolen my phone more then a few times and called people, she even know how to turn the key lock off on my blackberry and that takes push two buttons at once. Anyways the point is I am worried about her breaking something like an expensive camera so need an inexpensive alternative.

Glenn do you have any stitched pictures of a bathroom (or other small room)? If you can link to a sample listing on your site or just email me that would be great.

[naplesrealestate]

Hey Ken -

here is a link for a http://www.flickr.com/photos/naplesr...te/1544897840/ photo of a bathroom that I rushed and stitched so the color might be off.

[kensmith]

I ended up going with a Nikon that will take shots anywhere from 18-55mm. This allows for wide angle while being able to zoom in very close compared to a standard camera. It was a little more then I planned on spending, but we use it so much between work and having a almost 2 year old. I just put up a post about our local pumpkin farm with some photos I took with the new camera. These photos have edited to make them suitable for the net (lower quality/resolution), but still show what the camera can do.

The photos of the horse ride are a great example. I was standing in the same place for both of those photos. One was zoomed in and the other was wide angle. Plus the first photo of the sign is from about 90 feet below and 120 plus feel back.

Now I need to go back and retake photos of all the small rooms for any listings we have. It makes any room look bigger, but really does a great job with rooms like bathrooms.

[naplesrealestate]

Those pictures look really great! Hope you enjoy the camera. You did not mention the model.

[Homer4Bama]

That camera takes some nice photos, I am curious to see how it does when you move it indoors.

Normally I use a DLSR with a bounce flash for interior shots, but would like to find a less cumbersome alternative for quick quality indoor shots.

Ken, would you mind letting us know how it does with the bathroom shots?


Thanks,

[kensmith]

I have taken some interior pictures and they have turned out great. Will take one of a bathroom tomorrow to test it, still not one I have done yet. Will also find the model name.

[VegasMack]

Great exterior photos Ken. I am anxious to see how your camera does with the bathroom shot.

They always give me grief even when I bounce my flash.

~VegasMack