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Digital Camera's....help.

post #1 of 35
12/4/09 at 11:25am
Thread Starter 
Ok I am in the dark ages since I do not own a digital camera and the reason is, I'm afraid I won't know how to get my pics onto my computer. Taking the pics should not be a major problem but I would love to be able to get them on my PC instead of waiting to get pics developed and getting the disc to put into my puter like I have to do with the old fashioned camera.

What do I need beside the camera, I think I need a card and the plug-ins. Do I need any kind of software. Please tell me what I would need and what you get when you buy a digital camera if anything at all.

Give me step by step instructions please if you can. And talk to me as if I were a child with no hi tech talk that I will not understand. I would appreciate that.

Thanks.
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post #2 of 35
12/4/09 at 12:13pm
Cameras include a software CD, once installed most run automatically once you connect the camera via USB (included), then it's either automatic to transfer the pics or a click of a button.

Usually an SD memory card is needed, should tell you on the camera box as there are different cards available - or the person instore should know.

Some cameras have specific batteries, and will come with the required charger, others use AA. If you require AA I'd get rechargable and have a spare set always ready to go.
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post #3 of 35
12/4/09 at 12:24pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you and yes it was the SD memory card I couldn't think of the name of and the USB plugs. I will print your reply and if I get other info added to this, I will print that out too. Don't yet know when I will actually buy a camera. Do you know of a good one that is not too expensive.
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post #4 of 35
12/4/09 at 4:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LaRussa View Post
....Don't yet know when I will actually buy a camera. Do you know of a good one that is not too expensive.
Here's a good place with recommendations -
CNET Camera Reviews

I would also suggest going to a store - picking out a few and testing them. Once you try them, some may be too small or hard to hold. I've gone to Future Shop/Best Buy many times just trying out a few - then you can ask the clerk what exactly you need (battery charger etc.).
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post #5 of 35
12/4/09 at 4:57pm
Thread Starter 
I was just checking out camera's at Radio Shack online and will go there since they are close by. I found two Nikon's under $150 that look pretty good. I'll check them out soon, I just hate going now during the holiday fun fest since I know they will be pretty busy. I will go during the week when most people are working. Thanks for your input.
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post #6 of 35
12/4/09 at 4:57pm
Many digital cameras come with a cord and they can directly connect with the USB port on the computer, so you don't need a card reader-- you just hook the camera up to the computer directly.

If you have a newer computer it might automatically ask you if you want to download the photos from the camera once you plug in the camera. Otherwise, it just shows up like a flash drive does in your list of drives and you can select the photos to save to your computer from there.
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post #7 of 35
12/4/09 at 5:06pm
Thread Starter 
My Dell is 3 years old so it's not new. It should still have the ports to support a digital camera, right?? As I said I never had a digital and am not computer savvy either. I get along but am no pro :-) I will ask my nephew for help also before buying the camera and asking him for help setting it up if need be. I wanted to get other's input on it also tho.

Thanks.
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post #8 of 35
12/4/09 at 5:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LaRussa View Post
My Dell is 3 years old so it's not new. It should still have the ports to support a digital camera, right?? As I said I never had a digital and am not computer savvy either. I get along but am no pro :-) I will ask my nephew for help also before buying the camera and asking him for help setting it up if need be. I wanted to get other's input on it also tho.

Thanks.
Oh yes, a 3yr old computer is fine.

Most digital cameras are USB plug ins..... on your tower (if desktop) or along the sides (if notebook), there should be some USB slots (your mouse/keyboard probally have USB ends on them for an example).
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post #9 of 35
12/4/09 at 5:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LaRussa View Post
My Dell is 3 years old so it's not new. It should still have the ports to support a digital camera, right?? As I said I never had a digital and am not computer savvy either. I get along but am no pro :-) I will ask my nephew for help also before buying the camera and asking him for help setting it up if need be. I wanted to get other's input on it also tho.

Thanks.
Yeah definitely. Also since most digital cameras come with a CD, once you install the software it will likely pop up as soon as you connect the camera and ask about downloading the pictures.
I have a Canon PowerShot that I like a lot and it is pretty easy to use as well.
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post #10 of 35
12/4/09 at 10:48pm
If you buy a new camera, it will come with a USB cord and a CD of software. You don't really need the software, by the way, if you're running Windows XP or Vista. Both of those can recognize your camera as a detachable drive and allow you to download the pictures.

If you get a camera and have problems, just ask here!
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post #11 of 35
12/5/09 at 10:25am
Thread Starter 
Thanks to all of you, I learned a lot here. I will be back once I get the camera and have questions altho it sounds pretty self explanatory by using the CD.

About the camera, when you take a pic and you don't like it you can delete it right? Also how long do most batteries last, I know from help here that I should get the rechargeable batteries and recharger, I wouldn't have known that.

If anyone has anything to add, please do. I have been saving all these replies so I sound like I know what I'm talking about when I go to the store Can't wait till I post my first photo here. This will be my Christmas present to me

Just remembered another question, what does MP stand for, is it pixels. Both cameras I looked at are 10.0 MP, is that good enough?
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post #12 of 35
12/5/09 at 11:25am
10 mp is probably bigger than you need, but more and more of them are in that league.

As to rechargeable batteries, that's fine, but keep in mind that a rechargeable actually starts with lower voltage than a non-rechargeable, and it WILL need to be changed sooner. That's OK, as long as you keep several sets charged up if you intend to take a lot of photos.

Most cameras have the ability to delete a photo as soon as you take it. It's not necessary to do that if you have a decent memory card, and I've found good stuff on pictures I thought were no good when I took them.
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post #13 of 35
12/5/09 at 12:23pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrblanche View Post
10 mp is probably bigger than you need, but more and more of them are in that league.

As to rechargeable batteries, that's fine, but keep in mind that a rechargeable actually starts with lower voltage than a non-rechargeable, and it WILL need to be changed sooner. That's OK, as long as you keep several sets charged up if you intend to take a lot of photos.

Most cameras have the ability to delete a photo as soon as you take it. It's not necessary to do that if you have a decent memory card, and I've found good stuff on pictures I thought were no good when I took them.
So are you saying I would be better off with just regular batteries and just change them when necessary?? as I do with my non digital camera. You said

"rechargeable actually starts with lower voltage than a non-rechargeable, and it WILL need to be changed sooner."

Do you mean the batteries will need to be changed sooner or recharged more often. Not quite understanding that. Isn't it still cheaper to recharge more often than keep buying more batteries, I am naive yet again
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post #14 of 35
12/5/09 at 12:34pm
It's probably cheaper to recharge, but you will have to change the batteries more often. For example, if a rechargeable battery set would take 50 flash photos, a new set of alkalines might take 70. But then the alkalines will be dead, but the rechargeables can be recharged and do another 50, etc. In the long run, the rechargeables are cheaper, but perhaps not as convenient. As long as you understand that for all practical purposes the rechargeables start at 80% power, it's not a big deal. Just keep lots of extras with you!
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post #15 of 35
12/5/09 at 12:45pm
Thread Starter 
OK, I see what you mean. I do not intend to take all that many photo's...well maybe in the beginning I will just to play around. After that I won't be taking all that many. In my case maybe the regular batteries will do. I'll just have to make up my mind when buying the camera, if the batteries and recharger come with it, I may buy it but if it is an extra charge, I just may go with the regular batteries. I can always buy rechargeable later, right?
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post #16 of 35
12/5/09 at 1:08pm
I have started using the expensive "Energizer Ultimate" batteries in my digital camera and I have found they last a LOT longer than the regular (non-rechargable) batteries. They do cost more but I find myself replacing the batteries so much less that it probably makes up for the price difference. I used to have 'low battery' warnings after just one photo-taking session before I switched.
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post #17 of 35
12/9/09 at 8:10am
Thread Starter 
I went to Radio Shack thinking of purchasing the Nikon that I saw online. Wound up buying an Olympus Master 2 per the salesperson. He said for the price $100.00 which was even less than the Nikon and had better features. It has 5 x Zoom and 12 MP and other features. Just the name Olympus says a lot to me.
A couple of my problems is that the camera symbols are so small, I have to get used to where they are, even with my glasses on it is hard to see. Even the instructions are difficult to read but I did insert the disk and everything is on that and much easier to read. One of you mentioned that I wouldn't need the disk to upload pics and you were right, I use it for the instructions tho.

I did take a few pics just to check out transferring them to my computer, that worked out ok but once they were on my computer, had to really play around with them to get them into folders. Still have to work on that. I only just bought the camera yesterday so have to get used to it a bit more.

Thanks for all your help and I may be asking for more.
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post #18 of 35
12/9/09 at 8:54am
Good to hear you got your camera. I hope to see some pictures you've uploaded with it soon. The real test will be if you can get good kitty playing pictures.
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post #19 of 35
12/9/09 at 10:38am
Just as a by-the-by, you don't have to take photos that are the full mp size. You can specify lower size or definition to save size or make the camera work faster.

I personally use Irfanview to do all my photo handling.
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post #20 of 35
12/9/09 at 12:30pm
Thread Starter 
Here is a pic of Autumn I took last night, didn't come out too good. Getting her at play won't be easy since she is a lazy kitty, always sleeping:

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post #21 of 35
12/9/09 at 12:32pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrblanche View Post
Just as a by-the-by, you don't have to take photos that are the full mp size. You can specify lower size or definition to save size or make the camera work faster.

I personally use Irfanview to do all my photo handling.
There is a way to change the MP on the Camera Menu, I think 5 MP was highest number. I haven't changed it yet but I will try it . The pic I just posted had to be cropped quite a bit.
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post #22 of 35
12/10/09 at 11:41am
Thread Starter 
I took a couple more pics and have had trouble loading them today. I think I did better the first time. First of all they get uploaded on Corel Snapfire, that just automatically comes up. Why are they showing up on Corel anyway. Then I have to play around to get the pics where they should be, anyway I am now getting frustrated. It is just taking me forever then to resize them and get them on my Photobucket album, then finally post them. Just don't know what I'm doing wrong. See this is the reason I hadn't bought a digital camera for so long, my nightmares are coming true

Here is the latest pic of Autumn,
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post #23 of 35
12/11/09 at 4:10pm
Thread Starter 
I have learned a little more about transferring pics to my computer. Corel snapfire showed up cuz I didn't click on the camera icon first. Anyway still learning how to use the camera itself also. I eventually will learn everything I need to. Again thanks for all your help.

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post #24 of 35
12/11/09 at 7:24pm
regarding resizing them....

Photobucket will do it for you Lemme look, someone posted like a tutorial about it with pics...I'll find the link and at it here. (You upload them at whatever size you took em, the PB will shrink em to the size for msgboards)

This post shows how to resize them after you've uploaded them:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...08&postcount=2

To do it while you are uploading:

1. Under the "upload images" button, there is a link that says "more options"
2. Click more options.
3. In basic definitions, choose either medium or large. (large is the max size for posting here)

Hope that helps.
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post #25 of 35
12/12/09 at 11:33am
Resizing is very easy with Irfanview.

Open the photo by double-clicking on it.

Click "Image" on the top menu.

Click "Resize/Resample" on the drop down menu.

Choose either a custom size or one of the pre-set sizes.

Click "OK"

Click "Save" if you don't want to keep the original, or "Save As" if you want to keep both the original and resized version.

There is a batch resizer "Power Tool" for Windows XP.
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post #26 of 35
12/12/09 at 11:39am
Thread Starter 
Thanks and yes I do use Photobucket most of the time to resize my pics. I also use IE to resize. The camera itself is sometimes driving me nuts, all the different aps. The instructions don't do me much good, not informative enough plus I do have to use my magnifying glass to even read it. I just keep trying :-(
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post #27 of 35
12/12/09 at 11:41am
Thread Starter 
That's almost exactly like my IE Manage Photo's site works. It also has the presorted sizes or you can do your own. I just keep playing around till I get it right.
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post #28 of 35
12/13/09 at 11:50am
Thread Starter 
Is this correct...when deleting pics from the camera the memory card is back to full again and you're not wasting memory.

The problem I have with resizing pics is that they are showing different sizes on my hard drive and photobucket album. When trying to resize from my hard drive to my album, it doesn't always work.
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post #29 of 35
1/7/10 at 10:51am
Thread Starter 
As you know I bought an Olympus digital camera recently and some of you have helped me a lot learning about it. So now I have another question about batteries and am wondering if it is a battery problem or a camera problem

The last two batteries I put in the camera was Dec. 22 and today they are already dead and had to replace them. I do not have a recharger but the batteries were specifically for digital cameras. I have not even used the camera all that much since the last change. I'm worried it could be the camera, what do you think. I will be taking the camera back to Radio Shack to have it checked out just in case it is the camera since I have a 2-yr warranty. Don't know when I'll get there so wanted to ask what you think Thanks.
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post #30 of 35
1/8/10 at 11:13am
Thread Starter 
I accidentally printed out loads of pics and need to stop the printer but I can't get to stop. Does anyone know how to stop it from printing. I have unplugged it but when I replugged it, the printer continued on it's merry way. I took the paper out and now the printer is just blinking.

I've had other major problems with this printer for quite a while and have looked at websites to check out new ones. This HP didn't last as long as I thought it would so I will be looking at a Lexmark which also prints photos. If anyone knows how to actually stop the printing, please let me know. If not this will be a good reason to get rid of this one pretty quickly
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