Can any ultra-zooms shoot continually without keeping your..

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"HS Crow" <nomail@please.com> wrote in message
news:9sqji155i8melifc2hd0f54s95iuqi4vnu@4ax.com...
> I'm looking to buy my first camera, a compact digital ultra-zoom for a
> particular task. I would like to be able to take sequences of 30-90
> shots by only depressing the shutter release button once. I don't
> care what mode this is called on the camera, be it continuous, time
> lapse or whatever, but it needs to be able to do the following:
>
> Shoot 30 to 90 shots consecutively without user interaction once
> shutter release button has been pressed. If using a time lapse
> function, then the gap between shots needs to be able to be set as low
> as 10 seconds or less. Be able to do this in manual mode with shutter
> speeds as high as 15+ seconds and preferably manual focussing.
> The optical zoom should ideally be 10X+ or alternatively the camera is
> able to take an optional tele-convertor which takes it up to 10X+.
> 3 megapixels or more.
>
> Optional:
> IR Remote Control or wired shutter release function.
> Time lapse function, 1-100 shots with gaps of 1-60 minutes.
>
> The only camera that seems to fit the bill is the Kodak P850, which is
> just released or about to be released, so there are no reviews.
>
> I'm been looking at the Canon Powershot S1 & Olympus C770 as they are
> IR remote compatible. The S1 has a time lapse function which while
> useful, doesn't allow the time delay to be set below 1 minute.
>
> Anybody have any ideas? Id prefer to keep the price below ~$500
>
> Thanks.

Can't think of one, sorry. Something with a threaded cable release socket
(Sony S9000, for example) migh do it, as you could simply use a locking
release and let it keep going, but I don't know about it's framerate or
buffer size. I was going to suggest simply using a camcorder and using
screen grabs, but the closest to the resolution you'd need would be a HDTV
one like Sony's HDR-HC1, and that's way out of your stated range.

Martin.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Thu, 15 Sep 2005 23:04:16 +0100, "Martin Francis"
<mcsalty@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I was going to suggest simply using a camcorder and using
>screen grabs, but the closest to the resolution you'd need would be a HDTV
>one like Sony's HDR-HC1, and that's way out of your stated range.
>
>Martin.
I've been thinking along the same lines and had considered the Sony's
HDR-HC1 as I'd like to get a HD camcorder relatively soon. Two things
put me off the Sony;
Firstly, it's 1080i rather than 720p. Working with 1080i just seems
out of the question at the moment, whereas 720p seems achievable.
Secondly, I don't imagine that the image quality is going to be great
with any HD camcorder when taking stills. Also, I need the
flexibility of taking long exposures which I can't imagine that the
HDR-HC1 offers. I'd be happy with a 720p camcorder for $1600,
provided it offers all that I reasonably expect. Although, I couldn't
afford that for a while and I'd like to start shooting stills soon.
Back to the drawing board.

Lastly, the Panasonic FZ30 looks promising, but the price is about 50%
more than I'd like to pay. It can shoot wide-screen aspect ratio,
which would be useful, as I'd like to mix HD video with stills. That
would save a lot of future cropping with those large sequences of
shots that I'm taking.

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HS Crow wrote:

> I'm looking to buy my first camera, a compact digital ultra-zoom for a
> particular task. I would like to be able to take sequences of 30-90
> shots by only depressing the shutter release button once. I don't
> care what mode this is called on the camera, be it continuous, time
> lapse or whatever, but it needs to be able to do the following:
>
> Shoot 30 to 90 shots consecutively without user interaction once
> shutter release button has been pressed. If using a time lapse
> function, then the gap between shots needs to be able to be set as low
> as 10 seconds or less. Be able to do this in manual mode with shutter
> speeds as high as 15+ seconds and preferably manual focussing.
> The optical zoom should ideally be 10X+ or alternatively the camera is
> able to take an optional tele-convertor which takes it up to 10X+.
> 3 megapixels or more.
>
> Optional:
> IR Remote Control or wired shutter release function.
> Time lapse function, 1-100 shots with gaps of 1-60 minutes.
>
> The only camera that seems to fit the bill is the Kodak P850, which is
> just released or about to be released, so there are no reviews.
>
> I'm been looking at the Canon Powershot S1 & Olympus C770 as they are
> IR remote compatible. The S1 has a time lapse function which while
> useful, doesn't allow the time delay to be set below 1 minute.
>
> Anybody have any ideas? Id prefer to keep the price below ~$500
>
> Thanks.
This is outside your price range, but Canon has a programmable
cable release. It can take up to 99 pictures of any exposure
(1/8000 to hours) and a programmable interval between images
from 1 second to many hours. The release is $179, and works
on many of Canons DSLRs.

Roger

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

HS Crow wrote:
> I'm looking to buy my first camera, a compact digital ultra-zoom for a
> particular task. I would like to be able to take sequences of 30-90
> shots by only depressing the shutter release button once. I don't
> care what mode this is called on the camera, be it continuous, time
> lapse or whatever, but it needs to be able to do the following:
>
> Shoot 30 to 90 shots consecutively without user interaction once
> shutter release button has been pressed. If using a time lapse
> function, then the gap between shots needs to be able to be set as low
> as 10 seconds or less. Be able to do this in manual mode with shutter
> speeds as high as 15+ seconds and preferably manual focussing.
> The optical zoom should ideally be 10X+ or alternatively the camera is
> able to take an optional tele-convertor which takes it up to 10X+.
> 3 megapixels or more.
>
> Optional:
> IR Remote Control or wired shutter release function.
> Time lapse function, 1-100 shots with gaps of 1-60 minutes.
>
> The only camera that seems to fit the bill is the Kodak P850, which is
> just released or about to be released, so there are no reviews.

Nikon Coolpix 8800? My 8400 has functions which sound very similar to
what you describe, but the long zoom version is the 8800. 8MB, larger 8.8
x 6.6mm sensor for better image quality.

David

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 09:47:36 GMT, "David J Taylor"
<david-taylor@blueyonder.co.not-this-bit.nor-this-part.uk.invalid>
>Nikon Coolpix 8800? My 8400 has functions which sound very similar to
>what you describe, but the long zoom version is the 8800. 8MB, larger 8.8
>x 6.6mm sensor for better image quality.
>
>David

Thanks, unfortunately it is way outside my stated price range.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

HS Crow wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 09:47:36 GMT, "David J Taylor"
> <david-taylor@blueyonder.co.not-this-bit.nor-this-part.uk.invalid>
>> Nikon Coolpix 8800? My 8400 has functions which sound very similar
>> to what you describe, but the long zoom version is the 8800. 8MB,
>> larger 8.8 x 6.6mm sensor for better image quality.
>>
>> David
>
> Thanks, unfortunately it is way outside my stated price range.

However, the 8800 has just been discontinued (I believe) so look for
significant price drops from now onwards...

David

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

HS Crow wrote:
> I'm looking to buy my first camera, a compact digital ultra-zoom for a
> particular task. I would like to be able to take sequences of 30-90
> shots by only depressing the shutter release button once. I don't
> care what mode this is called on the camera, be it continuous, time
> lapse or whatever, but it needs to be able to do the following:
>
> Shoot 30 to 90 shots consecutively without user interaction once
> shutter release button has been pressed. If using a time lapse
> function, then the gap between shots needs to be able to be set as low
> as 10 seconds or less. Be able to do this in manual mode with shutter
> speeds as high as 15+ seconds and preferably manual focussing.
> The optical zoom should ideally be 10X+ or alternatively the camera is
> able to take an optional tele-convertor which takes it up to 10X+.
> 3 megapixels or more.
>
> Optional:
> IR Remote Control or wired shutter release function.
> Time lapse function, 1-100 shots with gaps of 1-60 minutes.
>
> The only camera that seems to fit the bill is the Kodak P850, which is
> just released or about to be released, so there are no reviews.
>
> I'm been looking at the Canon Powershot S1 & Olympus C770 as they are
> IR remote compatible. The S1 has a time lapse function which while
> useful, doesn't allow the time delay to be set below 1 minute.
>
> Anybody have any ideas? Id prefer to keep the price below ~$500
>
> Thanks.
I don't think there is a digicam thta can do this. The images can't be sent to the
memory card fast enough. If TV resolution is adequate, a video cam will do it. Most have
high zoom available.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Marvin wrote:
[]
> I don't think there is a digicam thta can do this. The images can't
> be sent to the memory card fast enough. If TV resolution is
> adequate, a video cam will do it. Most have high zoom available.

The Nikon range offer an "ultra-high-speed" setting where, on the Coolpix
8400 for example) you can take up to 100 shots at 30 fps. That's with VGA
resolution. For more resolution, you can use multi-shot 16 where you get
16 consecutive pictures 816 x 612 pixels taken at about 1.6fps.

David

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 05:28:58 -0600, "Roger N. Clark (change username
to rnclark)" <username@qwest.net> wrote:
>This is outside your price range, but Canon has a programmable
>cable release. It can take up to 99 pictures of any exposure
>(1/8000 to hours) and a programmable interval between images
>from 1 second to many hours. The release is $179, and works
>on many of Canons DSLRs.
>
>Roger
Thanks Roger, that sounds like the sort of flexibility that I would
like.

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 16:52:54 GMT, "David J Taylor"
<david-taylor@blueyonder.co.not-this-bit.nor-this-part.uk.invalid>
wrote:

>The Nikon range offer an "ultra-high-speed" setting where, on the Coolpix
>8400 for example) you can take up to 100 shots at 30 fps. That's with VGA
>resolution. For more resolution, you can use multi-shot 16 where you get
>16 consecutive pictures 816 x 612 pixels taken at about 1.6fps.
>
>David
Quite a lot of cameras in my price range can shoot 30 fps video @ VGA
resolution, but I haven't come across a camera that will shoot 30
stills per second in VGA.
I'm surprised by all the different modes that get sneaked into a
company's products!
Unfortunately, the 8400 has much too low an optical zoom for my needs.
But, I'll check out their other models for similar functionality. Even
though I wasn't specifically looking for such a high fps for stills,
it's an interesting feature. Although, the resolution is too low to
be of much use to me…
I just checked and the 8800 has the same feature but with a 10X zoom,
8 Mp and rather a high price   They both also come with a remote
control and an interval timer feature, although the timer has a
minimum setting of 30 seconds.

I do see to be looking for features that many cameras come close to
matching but don't quite make it. I think many cameras have the
technological potential to do what I'm after, but the features just
haven't been implemented in the way that serves my needs.

I think I'm going to order a Canon Powershot S1 tomorrow, along with
the optional remote. It doesn't cover all my needs, but it's cheap
enough that I could buy a second camera next year to cover other
areas. It's dawning on me that it's hard to find one camera that does
everything that I want. Harems are starting to make even more sense
  Also, the S1 has an optional water proof case that opens up some
interesting possibilities. So I've gone back to my second choice
camera, but I've learnt a lot in following the buying process through.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

HS Crow wrote:
[]
> Quite a lot of cameras in my price range can shoot 30 fps video @ VGA
> resolution, but I haven't come across a camera that will shoot 30
> stills per second in VGA.
> I'm surprised by all the different modes that get sneaked into a
> company's products!
> Unfortunately, the 8400 has much too low an optical zoom for my needs.
> But, I'll check out their other models for similar functionality. Even
> though I wasn't specifically looking for such a high fps for stills,
> it's an interesting feature. Although, the resolution is too low to
> be of much use to me.
> I just checked and the 8800 has the same feature but with a 10X zoom,
> 8 Mp and rather a high price   They both also come with a remote
> control and an interval timer feature, although the timer has a
> minimum setting of 30 seconds.

Glad the information was of help. I believe that 8800 may be discontinued
and therefore available at much lower prices.

David