Bobby G,
You don't say whether the picture is a print or an image on the viewfinder. If it's the viewfinder picture, my camera (Olympus) handbook states that in certain lighting conditions you can get striping on the digital readout (viewfinder), this shouldn't show up on a print, or on your computer editing program. The blurring on the small mosaic could be due to a 'moire' effect due to the apparent size of the mosaic corresponding to the pixel distribution on the readout.
If both these problems occur on a photographic print, it sounds like a camera problem.
Hope this helps,
P.
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Hiya, thanks for your advice which I hadn't considered to be honest as I had just viewed on viewfinder.
I have now transferred to PC and printed (albeit only on low quality paper) but the lines etc are still there.
So the camera is going back to Aldi's tonight! Hopefully without any hassle, I have kept the pictures on the card and also have the printouts to show them.
Thanks for your input.
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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'Thanks for your input.'
lets hope another camera has a better output
on a similar note my camera has broken this morning :-( and my radio's gone fuzzy wuzzy
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BobbyG - unless you have a need for a high MP count may I recommend the Sony Ericsson K800i camera phone? Working on the premise that I always carry a mobile it seemed to make sense to replace my damaged Kodak digital camera with a smaller combined phone/camera. It's a very good 'point and press' type 3.2MP camera, the only downside being no optical zoom. If you care to pay more than double you can get its updated brother the K810i (different casing same internals) or the newer 5 mp 850i for even more money.
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Cheers for that Norm, believe it or not thats the phone my son is wanting for his xmas! Assuming Aldi refund me without any hassles, I may well borrow his phone after xmas and see if it does the job!
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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What sort of thing do you need to take pictures of. You probably do not need a 7MP camera unless trying to print huge prints. And a compact 7MP camera will have lots of noise due to the tiny sensor.
The camera phone might be okay but if this is for work then the quality might not be up to it. The lens is probably poor, no zoom and flahs is probably useless if needed in doors.
Then again if you only need relatively low quality prints/images this might work out.
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if someone can remind me of the url for HJ's photo gallery I'll stick some pics on it. BTW this camera phone has a xenon flash.
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Here's a few samples taken with my Nokia N73, I wouldn't blow them up to poster size, but quite reasonable IMHO; the church spire is really bent incidentally. These are full resolution so might look odd if one's browser doesn't re-size :-/
img340.imageshack.us/img340/7036/22082006169rh1.jpg
img405.imageshack.us/img405/6963/01072006047rm3.jpg
img512.imageshack.us/img512/6097/31012007486nu4.jpg
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And a compact 7MP camera will have lots of noise due to the tiny sensor.
How tiny is that, then?
The lens is probably poor no zoom and flahs is probably useless if needed in doors.
Not IME, thank goodness.
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People are getting a fixation about MP count. 'If it's bigger - it must be better'
It is the lens that is the really important factor.
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Cardew, spot on. It was/is the same with computers when Intel had higher GHz than AMD but AMD was faster. Then eventually Intel redesigned the processors and had faster with even lower GHz speeds. Although they are creeping up again they are much faster than the old Penrium 4's.
Personally got a dSLR last year to get better pictures, especially in tricker conditions especially lower light. The better lens and bigger sensor makes a difference. I was happy to get a low end 6MP dSLR but actually like the Sony so ended up with a 10MP. The selling point was inbuilt image stabilisation. Pictures are great.
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Guys I didn't get the camera due to the high MP, it was more to do with it being available, Aldi is usually good value for money and sometimes I do print on A4 size as part of presentations etc.
As said previously, have used my own Canon IXUS 60 up till now and been more than happy with that so will revert back to it in the meantime.
Cheers
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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For something like a camera (even a low cost one) I would want good quality images. It sounds like your Aldi badged Traveller is faulty but I don't think I'd go to Aldi for a camera. I'd also stick to something like Nikon or Canon. For the dSLR I got the Sony but that's actually based on Konika Minolta designs and I can share lenses with my step-son with a film SLR.
I am not faulting Audi. We shop there at times and I got a great pressure washer and leaf blower thingummy too.
But if you don't mind me asking... you already have an IXUS 60.... what does that not do that you need?
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rtj60, the Canon I have is my own personal one, was wanting to purchase one to be used for work (and for work colleagues to use).
Would get the Canon again but a good bit dearer than the Aldi ones!
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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Some of the recent things I have bought at Aldi have, quite frankly, been rubbish. This had not been my past experience. I will be buying very carefully there in future.
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< Ulla>
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>>Personally got a dSLR last year to get better pictures, especially in tricker conditions especially lower light.
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I bought a fixed focus lens for my SLR and it gives me quite a few more f stops for low light tasks.
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>>It's the lens that is the really important factor.>>
Spot on..:-)
My modest six-year-old 2MP Minolta E203 (3x optical zoom) produces files enabling first class prints up to A4 (not printed any larger to date), including subjects containing a considerable level of important detail.
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Telephone the freephone help line, they're very good.
I bought the earlier 8MP DC-8600 "Traveler" badged camera. It's very impressive.
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FT, do you have a note of their freephone number? The number on the box and User's Guide is a 00800 number (not 0800). When I tried phoning from work I was advised its a restricted number so guess its not freephone? Probably an international number?
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[Edit - their website says the number is free to call from UK, wonder why our phone system thinks its a restricted number?]
2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
Edited by BobbyG on 19/11/2007 at 14:58
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The number on the box and User's Guide is a 00800 number (not 0800). When I tried phoning from work I was advised its a restricted number so guess its not freephone?
It seems to be an "international freephone" number. I can't call it from work, either, which confused me - it's an issue with the switchboard. I have called it from an ordinary BT line at home, and yes it is free. My camera, after being bumped about in the cubby hole of the old banger for a month or so, developed a fault - 18 months into the free 3-year guarantee - after a call to the support number, I was told to box it up and send it back. They replaced the camera with a new one - I posted the old one on Saturday, got the new one back Monday of the week after!
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I have one and agree about the Sony Er'son K800i, it is a great pocket camera as well as a good phone though I reckon Nokia's are easier to use as phones.
I also agree re the point about more pixels not always being better, I have a Canon G5 5.0mp, four years old in Feb, difficult to beat particularly at ISOs of 100 or less.
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FT, got through to them by asking my switchboard to dial the number and then transfer call to my desk.
Traveler are telling me to send it back to them with all the necessary details as they reckon it is a software issue. However, my first port of call will be Aldi tonight to see if they will swap it or just give me a refund.
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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Aldi tonight to see if they will swap it or just give me a refund.
The branch nearest to me has some left, so a swap should be possible, or as you say they should refund your money. Personally, on the basis of the camera which I bought, I'd swap it and see how it goes. The 3-year warranty is a help, as are the extras you get!
There don't seem to be new software downloads on the support site (www.traveler-service.de), although a user manual (pdf) is there.
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I can but ask!
Anyway, going in there tonight anyway as they have USB sticks and bluetooth dongles on offer from yesterday, might pick one of each up!
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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If this is for work then they will get the VAT back for a start so I'd go for something decent from Nikon or my preference Canon. Trouble is they are almost all 7+ MP now and suffer from it.
Cannot comment on how good this is but it is cheap including VAT.... I'd have tiny URL'd it but tinyurl.com not working...
tinyurl.com/ywksnt
Minus VAT that's £58.21.
USB sticks and bluetooth are dirt cheap everywhere aren't they? 2GB USB2 flash drive less than £10.
Massiveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee link shrunk so that post fits screen.
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 19/11/2007 at 23:35
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A460
The trouble is that this is far less well specc'd than the one he bought, admittedly cheaper, though.
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I have recently bought a Fuji Finepix S5700 to supplement my Canon digital SLR which is a bit bulky and awkward to carry around together with the telephoto lens.
It's a superb little camera with 10X optical zoom and 7.1 megpixels. Best buy according to the Daily Telegraph about three weeks ago. Got it from Dabs for £120 + p&p. My local Tesco has it for £129.99.
Here's a pic to see what you think.
i177.photobucket.com/albums/w231/Robbie34_photo/20...g
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Here's a pic to see what you think.
Good looking camera that, four legged auto levelling platform, twin lens auto focus, aroma based shake reduction, organic recharging and backside recognition technology ;-)
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Robbie,
If it's as good as my Fuji S5600 it is brilliant. Got it for £149 a year ago.
The S5700 is available for £101 here, (£5.10 postage and 2 year guarantee)
www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/544476/art/fuji/finepix-s...7
Can I also recommend the Canon Ixus V3? Got mine off ebay a few years ago. Size of a packet of fags, metal case, only 3.2 mp but superb photos. I take it everywhere in my pocket.
They go for peanuts (relatively!) these days on ebay but it's a really solid, good quality camera eg
tinyurl.com/2yzslv {shortened link to ebay}
(Sorry, can't get Tiny url to work at the moment) {I couldn't earlier either - back up and running now}
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Phil
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 19/11/2007 at 20:54
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I've only had it a few weeks but I'm impressed with the quality of the pics. Not as good as my Canon but very acceptable,
The one of Charley was taken with the 10X zoom.
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Beautifully clear for 10x zoom - here's my effort at that zoom, taken while sitting at computer and through the window!
s33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/PhilRW/Woodpecker/?...g
Enjoy your camera
Phil
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Phil
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That's a nice picture, particularly as it was taken through a window. I'll have to see if I can do as well. The bird table and nut holders are near the bottom of the garden.
The one of Charley was taken on a fine, sunny day, so no problem with the light.
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Any of the current Canon cameras (A570 upwards to A710) on sale from around £105 to £150) will deliver superb photo files, image stabilisation (model numbers end in IS) and have a range of zoom lenses from 4x to 6x.
They also have "proper" viewfinders...:-)
There are follow up models such as the 720IS, but, obviously, these cost quite a bit more for the new few weeks....:-)
Canon seems to be bringing out new models almost on a weekly basis and it's heaven sent for digital camera buyers as the outgoing models go for virtually giveaway prices.
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"They also have "proper" viewfinders...:-)"
Key point you have made there Stuart - I think viewfinder is essential - I only use the digital screen thing for a look at the taken photo (but I usually use the viewqfinder for that also).
Can't use the screen for taking photos. Maybe it's a sign of age........?
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Phil
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>>Maybe it's a sign of age........?>>
Not really. Most modern digital cameras are very tiny at the best of times and holding one out in front of you to take photographs is, frankly, ludicrous; in bright sunshine it's even worse.
You also miss out without a "proper" viewfinder (such as those of my Nikon or Pentax Spotmatic SLRs) the opportunity to watch facial expressions and grab shots at the right time.
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They also have "proper" viewfinders...:-)
Although the Fuji S5700 doesn't have an optical viewfinder it does have a very good electronic viewfinder. Indeed, it's almost as good as my Canon digital SLR.
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I bought the earlier 8MP DC-8600 "Traveler" badged camera. It's very impressive.>>
At least one earlier Aldi Traveller digital camera has been a rebadged Vivitar model (probably itself a rebadged camera from Taiwan, which produces more than half of the world's digital cameras including some top brand name examples).
Vivitar has been a major Japanese lens manufacturer for decades and I have had one of its 35mm focal length examples for my Ashai Pentax Spotmatic for around 40 years.
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"Vivitar has been a major Japanese lens manufacturer for decades and I have had one of its 35mm focal length examples for my Ashai Pentax Spotmatic for around 40 years"
Not sure if they're still making good lenses, but their digicams are just rebadged generic Taiwanese/Chinese models, sadly. The big camera brands really are better and, as I think you mentioned, Canon are a very safe bet. The OP might be interested, if size isn't an issue, in one of their A6xx models with a swivel LCD. I have one I use for work, and the ability to hold the camera in odd positions, while still being able to see what it can see, can be extremely useful. The 5Mp A610 model is obsolete but readily available as a 'refurb' on Ebay for under £100.
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..but their digicams are just rebadged generic Taiwanese/Chinese models sadly. >>
Which is, of course, what I inferred; however many top brand Japanese camera manufacturers rebadged Taiwanese digital camera designs under their own name for quite some time, including Ashai Pentax..:-)
To be fair, many of the Taiwanese cameras were and still are excellent; the country also produces many of the laptops in worldwide use, again some of them being rebadged by major brand names.
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To be fair many of the Taiwanese cameras were and still are excellent; the country also produces many of the laptops in worldwide use again some of them being rebadged by major brand names.
Taiwan actually suprsingly little now. The funy thing is that taiwan makers make most of their stuff in mainland china.
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< Ulla>
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"many top brand Japanese camera manufacturers rebadged"
I don't doubt it, but quality control and key components are still via parent company. Cheap cameras have slow processors (=shutter lag) and vicious battery consumption!
My Kodak P880 is designed in Japan and Germany, assembled in Korea, badged US and supplied with Chinese batteries and power supply!
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but was the box made in england? JBJ
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Cheap cameras have slow processors (=shutter lag) and vicious battery consumption!
You can measure this, compensating for human reaction time, with a big-display on-screen digital clock. Sit in front of your 'puter screen, and put a box, for instance a shoe box, on the table, and lay it lengthwise in front of you. Stick an oblong of cardboard, sticking up, to the side facing you, so that you can rest your hand on the box, and use the cardboard oblong to hide about half of the screen.
Start the clock, and sit (or adjust the position of the cardboard oblong) so that you cannot see the seconds counter, or 1/100ths counter. This is important.
Put your mouse on the box.
Concentrate very hard, and when the minute counter clicks over, press the mouse to stop the clock. Repeat, ignoring any wide variations, and average, to get your reaction time.
You *must not* be able to see the seconds clicking on, or you will anticipate your mouse-click and get an invalid time.
Next, replace the mouse with your camera. "Prime" the thing by partially depressing the button, or whatever - you want to measure shutter lag, not focus time. Make sure the camera is focussed on the clock. Concentrate very hard, and when the minute counter clicks over, take the photograph. Repeat this, and measure the times from your photos, ignoring any wide variations, and average, to get the shutter lag time.
If anyone knows a better way of measuring shutter lag time, I shall be glad to hear it! Many online measurements are worthless, unfortunately, as they don't measure this properly.
Shutter lag delay seems, to a large extent, to be a thing of the past. My badged Vivitar, whilst not "cheap" at £170, 18 months ago (from the same source £140 a couple of months ago) has a negligable shutter lag time, less than 0.1s.
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"you want to measure shutter lag, not focus time"
I know what you mean, and not everyone is aware of the two-stage arrangement on most digicams, but there are times when you want to grab a picture quickly and the focus time can be pretty important. Some cameras are appallingly slow, especially in low light, when the option to focus manually can be very useful, too, but this isn't so common.
I wasn't singling out Vivitar - I wrote a review of one of their earlier models a while back, here:
www.ciao.co.uk/Vivitar_ViviCam_3935__Review_5500184
and in most respects I liked it. They may be better now, but although I have a whole shelf of digicams, the one I reach for first if I want to be sure of getting a picture is the Casio Z750, because it has the shortest shutter lag of all of them. I have a Canon A620, too, which in some ways is more versatile, and although it only has a post-focus delay of 0.1s, the Casio is noticeably quicker and it does make a difference. Another advantage of the Casio is that if you are real hurry and press the shutter all the way down, it just takes a picture regardless of the focus setting!
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I wasn't singling out Vivitar
Didn't think you were!
I wrote a review of one of their earlier models
Heck. Ther've been some developments since then!
the one I reach for first if I want to be sure of getting a picture is the Casio Z750 because it has the shortest shutter lag of all of them.
Interestingly, twice as long as my measured value for my Viv. 8600.
Another advantage of the Casio is that if you are real hurry and press the shutter all the way down it just takes a picture regardless of the focus setting!
Doesn't it come out all fuzzy (you can tell I'm an expert, can't you?)?
Measuring my camera, total time for the shot including auto-focus indicates 0.3s. - however, then one gets into the field of memory card speed, flash charging, etc. I've just measured my one - by the simple method of pointing it at a digital clock, and letting it take 6 pictures, discarding the first when calculating the time -and with flash, it takes 5 pictures in 26 seconds (fully auto, "burst" mode). Without flash, it takes 5 pictures in 10 seconds (same mode). The memory card is a very cheap 256MB card a couple of years old. The pictures come out at about 4MB each. If ICBA, I'd try a faster one - but "you get the picture"!
I'm not saying that "cheap" cameras are vastly superior, or anything - just that some claims that "they're rubbish", "the lens is will be rubbish", "It will take an aeon to take a picture", "You'll need to connect it to the National Grid", are sometimes quite unfounded.
Anyway. This is a motoring forum, although this is IHAQ, so just to mention I've just taken a pic. of my number plate, to make up a temporary paper one for the small r I'm picking up tomorrow. I bet it rains.
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"Interestingly, twice as long"
Sorry, my original wording was clumsy - it is the Canon that has the 0.1s lag. The Casio is a tenth of that. Of course, in some circles, they too would be regarded as a 'outside' make, but although some of their stuff errs on the cosmetic, they do know a bit about miniaturisation.
I'm pleased to hear that your Vivitar lives up to expectations. I remember their 35mm lenses well.
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"Vivitar (...) digicams are just rebadged generic Taiwanese/Chinese models sadly.
"Sadly"? I've got one. It's very good, at least as good as a colleague's rather more expensive Sony, with more features and bits supplied for the price. I've got a badged Vivitar, so I suppose it's doubly badged. Good, though.
The big camera brands really are better
Sorry, but I think that's rubbish as a generalisation. I might agree with "many badged as well as big name cameras are not much good", though. "Big names" just charge a premium for their name, in many cases.
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And now to the next part of my original question - anyone any experience of taking things back to Aldi without the original receipt? I can't find it anywhere. I could give them a print out of my credit card statement but that will just show I spent money, not on what I spent it on, and it wasn't the exact cost of the camera either as I picked up some groceries at the same time!
I know when I worked in Sainsburys, and if a similar thing happened, we could view the transaction log against the credit card but I am pretty sure Aldi won't have that facility..
Why is life never simple.....
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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anyone any experience of taking things back to Aldi without the original receipt?
Oh, dear. As it's a very recent purchase, you might be lucky and get a swap. If not, you'll have to go through the hoops, which will take a while.
Aldi's returns policy is, as far as I know, the same as most others.
You could perhaps buy another of these cameras, copy the receipt, and return yours with the new receipt for a refund. Keep the copy of the receipt in case the new one develops a fault. As you're not trying to actually to defraud anyone, I wouldn't personally have a problem with that.
You could, however, spend a happy while searching for the receipt!
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Found the receipt in boot of car - forgot Aldi staple it into a guarantee wallet thingy now just like Currys!
Taking it back tomorrow.
Been very interesting reading all the debate and comments about digi cameras, pros and cons etc. Very informative and much appreciated.
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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Surprised you bought it with a credit card - didn't think Aldi accepted credit cards ;-)
Sounds like this camera you got is faulty but I still think a Canon would be a better camera, but that is a personal preference. The example I gave above on paper is lower spec but it was just an example that older Canon's are available and cheap. And MP irrelevant these days.
PU sorry for the mega long URL. I tried for ages to get tinyurl.com to work but it was down and I didn't want to loose the post. Thanks for shortening it. tinyurl obviously came back or was a problem via my ISP.
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Hi, they have joined the 21st century and accept cards!
Agree re Canon, I am delighted with my IXUS. Decision may be taken out my hands, with these Aldi offers they usually sell quickly so may not have another one to give me.
Would really like to see how good it is if it works, its a good package, comes with a 512MB card, camera case etc. For £79.99.
Will let you know although by tomorrow we will probably be onto a new IHAQ thread!
Thanks again for all your input.
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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The Canon A570IS (4x optical zoom, viewfinder and image stabilisation) can be bought for as little as £104 at present - it's the same body as the higher MP models such as the 6x optical zoom A710IS.
It takes cracking pix, is solidly built and a veritable bargain.
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