Buying a Digital Camera for Photo Audits
Warning: For Full Access Please Log In or Create an Account (Free)
I've got a Nikon L26 which I like a lot and it's running about $70.
Hello Lady. $100 is more than enough to spend for a camera for auditing and mystery shopping. You need to get one that will display date and time, and can be set to 640 x 480 so you don't have to resize your pics. I use an inexpensive Nikon that takes rechargeable AA NiMH batteries, which are available for purchase at any large drugstore. That's been handy a couple of times.
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
A Kodak EasyShare might be another good choice. Those are running about $79 right now.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
Go to the Pawn Shop! You can test the cameras there and get a great one for under $50! I bought mine (Samsung 10mp) for$25 !! It was marked at $50 but the store forgot to wipe the NUDE photos from the SD card and were embarrassed 
... I got a steal !
... I got a steal !
If you belong to Costco they have camera deals almost every month. Their cameras are a bit less expensive for the same camera in the other stores and they usually include a case and an extra memory card or some other additional items you would pay extra for elsewhere. The other warehouse stores probably have similar items. And at Costco you can return things with no questions asked if they turn out not to be good...almost always i find them to have excellent quality but it is a nice backup to have.
I like Canon the best, with Nikon being a close second, for the price. I have had bad experiences with Kodak and Samsung cameras and so I tend to avoid them. I prefer cameras that use SD cards and so I tend to avoid Sony, Olympus and Fuji even though they make quality cameras.
Canon uses up AA batteries very quickly. Some of them also appear to have an issue of draining AA batteries even if the cameras are not in use. Solution: rechargeable batteries and carry spare batteries.
I prefer buying new cameras to used or refurbished. Before buy.com became rakuten.com, I bought quite a few cameras through them.
I still carry at least one camera with spare batteries in my car, and I will keep at least one of my old Android phones in the car, too, charged. I don't anticipate buying another camera soon since I prefer using my Android phone to take pictures.
Final note: Don't buy SVP brand cameras from rakuten.com or elsewhere. Waste of money.
Canon uses up AA batteries very quickly. Some of them also appear to have an issue of draining AA batteries even if the cameras are not in use. Solution: rechargeable batteries and carry spare batteries.
I prefer buying new cameras to used or refurbished. Before buy.com became rakuten.com, I bought quite a few cameras through them.
I still carry at least one camera with spare batteries in my car, and I will keep at least one of my old Android phones in the car, too, charged. I don't anticipate buying another camera soon since I prefer using my Android phone to take pictures.
Final note: Don't buy SVP brand cameras from rakuten.com or elsewhere. Waste of money.
Just watch out to what you buy. I got an old Canon with 10 Mpix. The lens is getting scratched and mywife bought me a new Fujifilm 16 Mpix. I very seldom use the new one. I found out the hard way that not all camera have the option on/off for the time/date stamp. Some require a more difficult process.
Thanks to everyone so far for your suggestions and comments. I had not even thought about the date and time stamp issue because I never used it on my old camera.
I'm also thinking rechargeable AAs are the way to go. I already have a charger and a set of four of them that are always in use in other electronics so I just need to actually invest in more batteries.. and maybe not just for the camera.
I'm also thinking rechargeable AAs are the way to go. I already have a charger and a set of four of them that are always in use in other electronics so I just need to actually invest in more batteries.. and maybe not just for the camera.
I have a Kodak that has been giving me fits. I can't remember the other two I had. One was stolen. Anyway, I remember reading on the forum somewhere that the Kodak wears out fast. I have to buy one in a hurry tomorrow, either at the pawn shop or at Walmart. I think the pawn shop will be closed by the time I get there. Should I buy what the salesperson recommends or should I make sure I avoid Kodak?
What the camera has been doing is seizing up my SD cards, making new files that are inaccessible to me, copying my photos for no particular reason so that I have extras to look through, and having files that I must download something on my computer to work with them. As you know, no picture, no pay. I'm getting upset with all the problems.
What the camera has been doing is seizing up my SD cards, making new files that are inaccessible to me, copying my photos for no particular reason so that I have extras to look through, and having files that I must download something on my computer to work with them. As you know, no picture, no pay. I'm getting upset with all the problems.
I don't know about Kodaks. I'm still eyeing the Canons in that series because they have optical viewfinders. Très old-fashioned I know, but I'm steadier that way, and I don't have to worry about not being able to compose a picture because of glare on the screen.
I wonder if any MSCs have camera shops. I've done them for printers, TVs and laptops, and it's a great way to get paid to do research.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/2013 03:58AM by RiverSong.
I wonder if any MSCs have camera shops. I've done them for printers, TVs and laptops, and it's a great way to get paid to do research.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/2013 03:58AM by RiverSong.
I did a camera shop once, but I can't remember the details whether I was shopping the store or shopping for the camera company.
I've had my Kodak EasyShare for a couple of years now, and it hasn't given me any problems. Great pics, too.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
I've had a Kodak Easy Share for 7-8 years and have no problems at all.
.
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)
"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)
"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei
As far as camera shop assignments go, I've done some for an office supply store and others for the big blue electronics store.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
I'd choose a Canon over a Kodak any day.
I have a Canon and also a Fuji that fits in my pocket. My Canon was about $400 and it takes fantastic pictures and zooms right in to get the small print etc. I believe I got it from amazon. The Fuji I got from amazon as well and it was half price. I think I paid $35 for it. The pictures on the cheapie are very very good, btw.
I had a Kodak, but since they are out of business, I think you might want to keep away from that now. Good camera, but you might have a problem with warranty and repairs, if anything should go wrong. IMHO of course.
Good luck!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2013 11:48AM by Canuck.
I had a Kodak, but since they are out of business, I think you might want to keep away from that now. Good camera, but you might have a problem with warranty and repairs, if anything should go wrong. IMHO of course.
Good luck!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2013 11:48AM by Canuck.
I bought a camera today. It appears that it renamed some files and I can see the photos from yesterday. The ones from today look good, too. I have to get a new case, though. It is a GE. I didn't even know they made cameras. The clerks said they sell a lot of these models.
I don't even use my point and shoot anymore. Camera phones are getting better every day - my Samsung Galaxy S3 takes way better quality photos than my Kodak point and shoot. My Kodak is now in a drawer at home, and I use my Galaxy for all my required photos.
When I had a camera phone, I didn't use it much. My present model doesn't have a camera. Eventually, I will have to get a smart phone. My service provider is making it hard for me to keep this kind. If I wear out regular cameras, wouldn't I wear out the camera function on my phone fast, too? This is something I have been thinking about.
Thank you, everyone, for all the information.
Thank you, everyone, for all the information.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.