Best Digital Camera For The Buck For Coins

Hey camera guru Super Dave.

I called to order my camera and when talking to the sales rep at an internet camera store today he told me that the Li-Ion batteries in the digital camera were only good for 15 min. Only 15 minutes!!!? Does that sound right or is he just trying just to sell me additional batteries at $150 ea.?

Can any Panasonic owners out there attest to this? 15 min. sure doesn't seem like much time. He also told me that I would need the quick charger since the included battery charger takes over 7 hrs to charge the 15 min battery!

The DMC-FZ50 does, in fact, use a proprietary Li-Ion battery, 7.2v and incompatible with AA battery packs.

SE, that salesman was, um, well, I've got no words for it that work in a family forum. That's why you found such a good price on the camera - they're going to ride you like a pony for accessories, and then the camera will likely be "out of stock" if you refuse. It may even be grey-market, and not covered under warranty in the USA. That camera is $460 at the cheapest US vendor I trust.

This camera is an evolutionary development to a very well-regarded series of camera. Do you suppose they'd release it with a 15-minute battery life? Didn't think so.

Would I be selling pro-level tools to contractors (I work for Home Depot) using Li-Ion batteries if they didn't last? Didn't think so.

The only accessory I'd call mandatory, if you're taking coin pictures, is the AC Adapter. Then you don't have to care about the batteries. I finally got around to charging the battery of mine, two weeks into ownership, but it still hasn't been in the camera yet.

Here's a point for you - the pixel difference between, say, 8MP and 10MP is a grand total of 200 pixels more height (roughly 2400 instead of 2200) of the final image. Cramming all those pixels into a small sensor has its' tradeoffs in terms of pic quality. When shopping for my new camera, I chose to go the previous-generation, 8MP instead of 10MP route - the money saved went a long way towards paying for a really great lens which allows me to maximize that 8MP.

I'm not saying not to buy the FZ50; I'm just suggesting that you make sure that the gain of 10MP is worth the significant price difference from an 8MP camera.

Beach Camera is definitely on the short list of "good ones." So is 17th St. Photo (where I bought mine), Adorama, J&R, and believe it or not Newegg is becoming a player in this area. If Newegg has what you want, they're likely going to be as price-competitive as you'll find.

What is the difference between SD cards and "High Speed" SD cards? There seems to be a large price difference between the two. I imagine the high speed works better in todays demanding cameras but are they really necessary? Are standard SD cards suitable? Thanks.

Your opinions and/or advice is needed..

Kodak EasyShare Z710
-10x Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon Optical Zoom Lens
-zoom 10x optical, 5x advanced digital zoom, total zoom range 50x

I've seen the camera and it's small, and has lots of other features.
I ordered this because of the 10x optical zoom (thanks to Bobby's advice)
and also has a 30day tryout before sending it back.
Do you think this camera will take good quality coin pics.


Here is the link to the camera in question:
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuer...locale=en_US

Thanks for your help.

Mila_cent, one problem with larger-megapixel sensors in smaller cameras is that too much gets crammed into too little space. According to the more professional opinions of this camera, such is the case with the camera you're asking about. It actually shoots poorer pictures than its' predecessor, the Z650. Small size has its' tradeoffs. I can find no information about how it works in Macro mode. Another consideration is the lack of image stabilization, something which will force you to a tripod at full zoom to shoot in all but the brightest light.

Having said all that, it still seems like a good camera at the price, and if size is important, it might be a good choice.

Now, if you've read this thread, you're aware of the opinion around here of the Canon S2 IS. Would it move you in that direction if I could show you where to buy one for less than $230?

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...19&c=us&l=en

Taking Fred's word for the battery issue without reading your shortcut, I would agree that this will be a huge pain!!! While I don't think those were his exact words, will you always remember to have that spare set lying around or in the front of the carrying case? Probably not. I bought rechargeable just because of this issue and it never fails that both sets are out at once. I also agree that I doubt the batteries will last very long either.

This fact alone would seriously have me looking at an alternative. You may be very studious in the beginning to make sure that there are extras, but this will bite you. But, regardless, do not let my opinion sway your decision. Take some pictures with it and post them, then we can see what the macro function is like. My camera has macro, so now I think it's strictly a lighting issue. doah!!