Digital camera help needed please!

[GR7]

I have two digital cameras, one is a black chunky Fujifinepix S5500 and the other is a small silver Fujifinepix E500 and I only discovered this week that I can take short videos of about 58 seconds.

Can someone please help? I have only done it with the smaller camera and presume the bigger black one can do it too as it has the same symbol on the controls.

1. Can the cameras can be set to take longer videos than 58 secs
2. If so, how do I change the setting?
3. How many of these short videos would fill the memory?
4. Is there somewhere other than YouTube where I can download them?
5. How do I go about saving them?

Thanks

[GR7]

Further to the above, I want to get a new digital camera with more than 6 million pixels and a good magnification. The black camera above has 10 x zoom and I wondered if a 12 x zoom with over 6 million pixels would be better than another 10 x zoom but with more pixels than the above two cameras have.

Thanks

[CHRISK172+]

My .Fuji Finepix S5500 came with a User Manual, if you read it, you would find out it can be set to allow unlimited video time, well that is until it runs out of memory. I now have the S5600 with 5 million pixels. Plenty good enough. If you want to upgrade try a Canon Digital SLR...don't come any better

[dk]

My .Fuji Finepix S5500 came with a User Manual, if you read it, you would find out it can be set to allow unlimited video time, well that is until it runs out of memory. I now have the S5600 with 5 million pixels. Plenty good enough. If you want to upgrade try a Canon Digital SLR...don't come any better

sarcasm?

[TheCake]

My .Fuji Finepix S5500 came with a User Manual...

FPMSL!

[dk]

i think she bought it second hand so didn't get a manual.

Unfortunately I have never used a fuji camera so am unable to help GR

[BluePete]

I'd imagine its coming up as 58 seconds as that's all your memory card can hold.

On the 'bridge' camera/SLR-alike front, check out the Canon S3 IS or Panasonic Lumix FZ-series...

[Andi-B]

1. Can the cameras can be set to take longer videos than 58 secs
2. If so, how do I change the setting?
3. How many of these short videos would fill the memory?
4. Is there somewhere other than YouTube where I can download them?
5. How do I go about saving them?

1.2. and 3. Judging by what I can tell.. recording time will be based upon memory inside the camera, if it's recording 55 seconds worth, then you have 32 Mb in it, so to get longer record times, get a bigger memory stick.

4. Why put films on from youtube? make your own and photograph more

5.it's harder to save files from youtube through Internet explorer than firefox, if you know where your temporary internet folder is then it's easy..

(Usually C:\Documents and Settings\User_name_profile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files)

look for *.FLV files, then copy them. but you'll need a flv player and converter for the files to put them on your camera

[GR7]

i think she bought it second hand so didn't get a manual.

Unfortunately I have never used a fuji camera so am unable to help GR

I bought it new and I do have a manual but thought you guys would tell me quicker than looking through the manual for it! I wouldn't like to buy a camera 2nd hand in case it had been dropped... especially off ebay!

[GR7]

I'd imagine its coming up as 58 seconds as that's all your memory card can hold.

On the 'bridge' camera/SLR-alike front, check out the Canon S3 IS or Panasonic Lumix FZ-series...

It will take a lot of 58 secs video clips and I have an extra memory card 512MB but I wondered if there is a setting that would allow me to take longer videos than 58 secs each.... which leads me to another question.. as well as taking better quality pictures, would a 9million pixel camera take longer video clips as well?

[dk]

i think she bought it second hand so didn't get a manual.

Unfortunately I have never used a fuji camera so am unable to help GR

I bought it new and I do have a manual but thought you guys would tell me quicker than looking through the manual for it! I wouldn't like to buy a camera 2nd hand in case it had been dropped... especially off ebay!

LOL, I was trying to make him feel bad for what he posted, I was just setting a scene as he was a little harsh

[GR7]

1. Can the cameras can be set to take longer videos than 58 secs
2. If so, how do I change the setting?
3. How many of these short videos would fill the memory?
4. Is there somewhere other than YouTube where I can download them?
5. How do I go about saving them?

1.2. and 3. Judging by what I can tell.. recording time will be based upon memory inside the camera, if it's recording 55 seconds worth, then you have 32 Mb in it, so to get longer record times, get a bigger memory stick.

4. Why put films on from youtube? make your own and photograph more

5.it's harder to save files from youtube through Internet explorer than firefox, if you know where your temporary internet folder is then it's easy..

(Usually C:\Documents and Settings\User_name_profile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files)

look for *.FLV files, then copy them. but you'll need a flv player and converter for the files to put them on your camera

Have you read it wrongly or did I word my question wrongly? I wondered if there are sites other than YouTube to show them (maybe download was the wrong word) I know I should use it more... just like my car!

[ukaskew]

Why do you want more pixels? On a non-SLR camera anything over 6MP is unlikely to be of great benefit, I personally prefer a lower pixel count within reason as it usually means less noise and better high ISO performance. Unless you want big prints frequently it's not really worthwhile.

The 6.3MP Fuji S6000fd seems to be the camera of choice at the moment, if you can cope without image stabilization it's the best choice now imo, most manufacturers are chasing pixel counts (including Panasonic, who I was always a massive fan of until most of their cameras starting reaching double-figure pixel count and noise went through the roof) but Fuji are aiming at better low light performance and resolution, far more beneficial than pixels imo.

[GR7]

Why do you want more pixels? On a non-SLR camera anything over 6MP is unlikely to be of great benefit, I personally prefer a lower pixel count within reason as it usually means less noise and better high ISO performance. Unless you want big prints frequently it's not really worthwhile.

The 6.3MP Fuji S6000fd seems to be the camera of choice at the moment, if you can cope without image stabilization it's the best choice now imo, most manufacturers are chasing pixel counts (including Panasonic, who I was always a massive fan of until most of their cameras starting reaching double-figure pixel count and noise went through the roof) but Fuji are aiming at better low light performance and resolution, far more beneficial than pixels imo.

I don't know if I do want more than 6MP but I thought I might get better pics with more but I am hoping to pick up advice from the good photographers on here. During the race season I take a lot of bike and car racing pics and I write up some race reports and get the occasional pictures in a couple of papers but would like them to be better!

Another reason is that I have had quite a few 'scenic' pictures published in calendars, which up to now had to be slides but now the rules have been changed and I can use a digital camera but has to be no less than 6MP and the ones I have at the moment are less than that!

[dk]

Why do you want more pixels? On a non-SLR camera anything over 6MP is unlikely to be of great benefit, I personally prefer a lower pixel count within reason as it usually means less noise and better high ISO performance. Unless you want big prints frequently it's not really worthwhile.

The 6.3MP Fuji S6000fd seems to be the camera of choice at the moment, if you can cope without image stabilization it's the best choice now imo, most manufacturers are chasing pixel counts (including Panasonic, who I was always a massive fan of until most of their cameras starting reaching double-figure pixel count and noise went through the roof) but Fuji are aiming at better low light performance and resolution, far more beneficial than pixels imo.

I don't know if I do want more than 6MP but I thought I might get better pics with more but I am hoping to pick up advice from the good photographers on here. During the race season I take a lot of bike and car racing pics and I write up some race reports and get the occasional pictures in a couple of papers but would like them to be better!

Another reason is that I have had quite a few 'scenic' pictures published in calendars, which up to now had to be slides but now the rules have been changed and I can use a digital camera but has to be no less than 6MP and the ones I have at the moment are less than that!

sounds like you need to take the step to a DSLR to me.

[Andi-B]

Have you read it wrongly or did I word my question wrongly? I wondered if there are sites other than YouTube to show them (maybe download was the wrong word) I know I should use it more... just like my car!

Must've got the word mixed up -

4. Is there somewhere other than YouTube where I can download them?

download is to recieve, upload is to send. yeah, google video, putfile, there are loads, search engines will give you more than I know

[ukaskew]

What Dave said. DSLR sounds like the only option for what you require, Nikon is out of the question as they concentrate on low noise rather than pixel count, the only relatively inexpensive option with a high enough pixel count is going to be the Canon 350D (if you can find one now), you could then add a Sigma 70-300 APO for about £100 and have all the range you need. That will come to about £500 in total.

Other than that it would have to be a Panasonic FZ50 (10MP, 12X Zoom) for about £350. Although you will be limited at the wide end for landscapes.

[GR7]

I don't want a camera that will constantly need batteries changing or one that uses too much power.

I might look at the Fuji S9600 as I don't want to spend more than £300 'ish (I've got far too many cameras about the house and spent more than I should have!) and as I have the S5500 I am familair with the Fuji workings/buttons etc.

http://www.ukdigitalcamerareviews.co.uk/fuji_finepix_s9600_zoom_reviews.htm

PS: If anyone else has the S5500.... the thing that irritates me about it is that when taking pics looking through the lens, the background always looks 'dark' like looking through tinted windows and on a dull day it is difficult to see things clearly. I was wondering if there is any way I can change that to make it look 'clear' like my other cameras.... I know I should get the manual out and read it!

PPS: Has anyone ever bought a camera from Amazon as their 9600 looks the cheapest?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...e-21/ref=nosim

http://www.pikmee.eu/fw/36741347/

FAST RESPONSES
People that use the S9600 will not miss many shots. There is no agonising wait as a motor extends the lens (it is already in position), and the autofocus locks on to subjects with a speed that will make you think twice as to whether this really is not a DSLR. With its use of manual zoom ring, dials and buttons for important functions, the S9600 is designed for photographers who do not want their camera to get in the way of their photography.

MOVIE MODE Anyone who doesn't think that much of movie modes on digital cameras has not tried this one. Not only does it offer the top-level 30 fps VGA benchmark, but you can also use the zoom lens during recording, which is a special enhancement of this feature. With the massive onboard media storage, the S9600 offers extended movie potential, and is a valuable backup to the camera's still image capability.

[sneeks]

I'm considering buying the Olympus SP-550 UZ for £299. On paper it looks like a good choice but I'll need to read some reviews.

[GR7]

I'm considering buying the Olympus SP-550 UZ for £299. On paper it looks like a good choice but I'll need to read some reviews.

18x zoom!!

The Olympus SP-550 UZ (Ultra Zoom) is a point-and-shoot digital camera featuring 7.1 million effective pixels with 18x optical zoom (35mm equiv: 28-504mm) with Dual Image Stabilization, and a 2,5″ High-Resolution LCD screen. The camera is measuring in at 4.6” W x 3.1” H x 3.1” D (116mm x 78.5mm x 78mm), weighing 12.9oz. (365g) , and it’s running on 4 AA Batteries,. The Olympus SP-550 UZwill be available in March 2007 with an estimated street price of US$499.99

It takes massive pictures! Look at the texture of this tartan 'travel rug' or whatever it is!

http://pixinfo.com/img/Olympus/SP-55...6mm_RAW_oa.jpg

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_se...p?product=1289

Looks like it's worth thinking about! Would it be good for close-ups of flowers, birds, butterflies etc?