Expert: David Silver - 1/10/2005

Question
I am not a fussy guy nor a connaisseur. Price is my main consideration. I know a little bit about the subject. Can I get away with less than 2 megapixels ? What would be the minimum memory to get ? I would like to store maybe 50 pictures before transferring to my p c. I only want JPEGS anyhow. I don't need the video or audio part. What recommendation would you have for me ? T I A. I'm a registered Expert here too on mining stocks if I can help you.

Answer
Hi Ken,

I understand exactly what you need, and you're asking the correct questions.

If you ONLY intend to use this for JPEGs (for internet work perhaps?), you really can get by quite nicely with just 1 megapixel.  However, I recommend something with at least a 2 megapixel maximum for those times when you will want to make a few simple 3 x 5 inch prints.  You can even make 4 x 6 inch "jumbo" prints from the 2 megapixel setting, but that's just about the point of enlargement where you'd see the superior detail of 3 megapixels.  For JPEGs, 1 is enough!

Okay, I do tons of internet JPEG work myself, I've gotten darn good at it (enough so that my web stuff gets steady attention from other designers), and I have a very simple, user friendly, and dependable little camera that suits this purpose perfectly.  It's the Fuji FinePix 2650, and I've seen them going through discount outlets now for $135 and less!  The camera has settings for 2, 1, or just .3 megapixels.  The truth is that an image taken at a measly .3 megapixel (a good well-posed image that fills the frame) will provide you with a JPEG that would appear approximately 4 x 6 inches on the computer screen!  Heck, that's big enough right there.  Remember, ALL computer screens only show 72 dpi (dots per inch) anyway, so if you took a 2 megapixel image it would NOT appear any sharper, just much MUCH bigger!  Megapixels are important for enlargement capacity when making prints, but they mean nothing beyond a suprisingly small point for JEPGs..

Back to the Fuji.  When I bought mine about 18 months ago it was $189.  I picked up an additional one about a year ago for $169 because I use them so often (I'm a resource junkie and always want a "spare").  The FinePix 2650 has been out of production for about 9 months now, but I've seen them on several internet discount outlets for $135 and less.  If you can't find this model, the point is you want something with similar characteristics, and such a digital camera should not cost more than $200.  You want no more than 3 megapixels (ideally only 2), a 3X optical zoom (it doesn't even need to have any additional "digital" zoom because that's a worthless feature anyway), a macro setting (for close-ups), a full feature flash (make sure you can override the flash and turn if off because a lot of the time it isn't necessary), and something that can use simple AA batteries (accessible anywhere in the civilized world).  If not the FinePix 2650, I say stick with Fuji anyway (ask around about any current model with similar features) because they have an extremely simple computer interface program.

The other thing I HIGHLY recommend you get is a basic Photoshop application for your computer.  Seriously, it doesn't have to be the biggest and best, but you will be MUCH happier with a classic Photoshop program to handle the images.

Once you get your camera, this is what you do.  Shoot everything in 1 megapixel to start.  Load the images into your computer (very easy to do with the Fuji) through the camera's program interface.  Save the images as JPEGs and move them into a simple folder.  Do all the cropping, color balancing, whatever needs to be done, with the Photoshop apllication (it's more powerful and intuitive than ANY digital camera program on earth!), and then reduce the images to the exact actual size you wish them to appear on the computer screen.  Bam, you're good to go!  Remember, start at 1 megapixel because the images are easier to crop and handle, then reduce them later.

Oh, as for storage of images within the camera, most of these come equipped with a 16 megabyte (not to be confused with megapixel, they're different measurements!) chip or memory stick or something like that.  Retailers will try like crazy to convince you that you "need" a super chip with something like 256 megabytes, but that's because they also want to convince you of the "necessity" of having a camera with 5 or more megapixel image capability.  However, if you're never shooting anything bigger than 1 megapixel, the original 16 megabyte chip that comes with the camera is plenty!  You can get about 45 1 megapixel images on a 16 megabyte chip (or up to 150 .3 megapixel images!) before you have to clear it out.

That should get you started in the right direction.  Don't hesitate to get back to me if you need more help.

Best wishes,

David Silver