I need to buy a simple, low cost digitla camera and wondered whta the minimum amount of mixapels is to take quality photos of receipts and movie ticket stubs, both of which sometimes have tiny writing on them.

Also, please give your favorite camera choices. I had previously heard Kodak Easy Share was good for ms.


Many Thanks.

I've had two Easy Shares and they both gave me very clear pictures, but both of them had weird random things go wrong within a year and I had to replace them. I don't know if it's an Easy Share flaw or just something I was doing wrong.

8-10 MP should suffice. We've had good luck with Nikon, Kodak and Canon, in the $100 or under range.

I've had issues with a Kodak Z1275 Easy Share. It is a 12 MP. It eats batteries. Rechargeables can be used for only a relatively short period of time before they don't charge fully enough to handle it. When it works it is sweet, but you can be in the middle of a 20 shot shoot and suddenly nothing on the image screen at all. You are shooting blind and the camera will still process photos. When it does this even a change of batteries to absolutely new alkaline ones does not help. The 'cure' is to pull the batteries and leave it on the shelf overnight so it in essence reboots when you put batteries in again.

There is only one shop that I feel sure I got because I had more MP than the next shopper. Most of the time I am reducing the MP for shots so I am not waiting all night for the photos to upload. These days I am mostly running around with a Cannon 4.1MP that is a friend's cast off. It is small, tolerant, reliable and I've never had question about photo quality. While the Kodak has the advantage of anti-jiggle, the old Cannon wins hands down for convenience and reliability.

I have had a Canon PowerShot A570 for several years. It has/does?? 7.1 megapixels, and I have never had a photo rejected. It's been great for both my MS and merchandising work. Works great on most receipts with the 'macro' setting.

My preferences are Canon, Nikon and Olympus. Should be able to get any of them for pretty cheap online or local stores.

To take good picture of receipts, make sure the camera is setup to take macro picture. Some point and shoot can do this. Take practice pictures, figure out a good distance to take a nice and clear shot, so when you are on assignment, you dont waste time. IMHO, the easiest and best results is to use a scanner to get image of receipts.

One more thing, [www.dpreview.com], you can see a review of pretty much any camera available. Their recommendation is pretty accurate.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2010 05:04AM by sequoia.

If you are concerned with photographing receipts, make sure the camera has macro capability. I have a Canon 7.1 SD800 Powershot that is a few years old, runs on a rechargeable battery, runs great, and I get great pics with the macro.

On the flip side - not to plug my iPhone again, but I have been able to take photos of forms that I needed to FedEx out, and upload the copies to a website, and a few times realized I forgot my Canon. I used the iPhone instead, which I think is 2mp, no macro, and it came out ok.

Technically you would want to go with the higher mp if you want to enlarge your photos (like into a poster size) so if all you are looking for is for receipts/ticket stubs, you should be able to use a lesser expensive, lower mp camera.

I second the recommendation for www.dpreview.com.

I use my iphone. I have no problems with my receipts. I vary between using the regular camera and an application I bought for it called Turboscan. In fact, I use the iPhone for all photos I need to take for MS'ing. Less to carry.

I have been wondering that myself. the camera I have is a name brand camera but only 7.1 megapixels and often I have real trouble getting clear shots for the receipts, not the store photos....

Even if I use the macro settting, it's still hard to get it focused easily. That's probably the most frustrating part of my job, getting the receipts in clear focus. I find that true for many digital camera. i was looking at a $600 Canon Rebel & I couldn't get that to focus on a receipt easily either.

These digital camera are such a pain in comparison to the old 35 mm camera, I swear.

NeedsGoodJobs Wrote:
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i was looking at a $600 Canon Rebel & I
> couldn't get that to focus on a receipt easily
> either.
>
> These digital camera are such a pain in
> comparison to the old 35 mm camera, I swear.

Please do not get upset here. I do not want to sound like a jerk, but are you sure you are doing the right thing with your camera. Have you ask for help from someone? I cant imagine $600 SLR would have this problem. My main camera for work, Canon SD800 IS is a point and shoot. She is several yrs old, never have problem focusing on a receipt. Even my Blackberry can take a clear shot of receipts. I never have to use my SLR to do receipts. I do prefer to scan them since I can do multiple receipts at the same time, and the quality is better.

I agree, scanning is certainly my first preference for receipts. Digital is definitely my second preference. I don't think either of my cameras has a macro setting, though I I believe my significant other's big digital SLR has the setting. The anti-jiggle (has some other name, but the thing that keeps the pictures from blurring when your camera hand is not steady) of the Kodak works better for receipt photos than the Cannon simply because I seem to push the camera rather than the button :^) I can't imagine using a 35mm at all any more. By the time I got the film developed the shop would be well past due. And I have become a much better photographer with digital because it costs no more to take 20 photos than 1, so I can have 15 photos to junk immediately and 5 to seriously consider the best of.

Arch Stanton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I need to buy a simple, low cost digitla camera
> and wondered whta the minimum amount of mixapels
> is to take quality photos of receipts and movie
> ticket stubs, both of which sometimes have tiny
> writing on them.
>
> Also, please give your favorite camera choices. I
> had previously heard Kodak Easy Share was good for
> ms.
>
>
> Many Thanks.


Megapixels is a marketing gimmick. After 5 or 6MP the only place you will notice anything is if you are going to blow a picture up where megapixels will be needed. Since I seriously doubt you will be making theater sized lobby posters of your receipts, pretty much makes it a moot point on MP.

Nikon cameras are usually the best. But for this job, probably your phone camera should be sufficient. If not, tell them to send you to a camera shop, and reimburse you for a digital camera.

LegendsOfBatman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Arch Stanton Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I need to buy a simple, low cost digitla camera
> > and wondered whta the minimum amount of
> mixapels
> > is to take quality photos of receipts and movie
> > ticket stubs, both of which sometimes have tiny
> > writing on them.
> >
> > Also, please give your favorite camera choices.
> I
> > had previously heard Kodak Easy Share was good
> for
> > ms.
> >
> >
> > Many Thanks.
>
>
> Megapixels is a marketing gimmick. After 5 or 6MP
> the only place you will notice anything is if you
> are going to blow a picture up where megapixels
> will be needed. Since I seriously doubt you will
> be making theater sized lobby posters of your
> receipts, pretty much makes it a moot point on MP.
>
>
> Nikon cameras are usually the best. But for this
> job, probably your phone camera should be
> sufficient. If not, tell them to send you to a
> camera shop, and reimburse you for a digital
> camera.


She may, however, want to take other pictures, personal ones, that she might want to blow up to 16x20. So it is not such a moot point if she is only going to have one digital camera at home.

There are many fine camera's besides Nikon, as well. If she doesn't need a Nikon lens for other reasons, she might be fine with a much cheaper Samsung (and at high megapixels for less money.)

dee shops Wrote:
>
> She may, however, want to take other pictures,
> personal ones, that she might want to blow up to
> 16x20. So it is not such a moot point if she is
> only going to have one digital camera at home.
>
> There are many fine camera's besides Nikon, as
> well. If she doesn't need a Nikon lens for other
> reasons, she might be fine with a much cheaper
> Samsung (and at high megapixels for less money.)


True. But again, a 5-6MP should be fine for 16x20. And, yes, there are many decent cheaper cameras out there. And btw, Nikon has some around $100 or so.
My point is, megapixeling is a marketing ploy that really doesn't make a lot of sense for most buyers to look for; so, why pay for a 12MP camera (for example) when a 5 or 6MP camera will do the same job for less?

Btw, instead of MP, looking for zoom, optical and digital zoom is a more productive feature. Esp for use in this industry.

I have a BFA and MFA in digital art and digital imaging, teach it at the college level, and am well aware of digital cameras. My point was that she may want a camera for more than just MS'ing and the advice you were giving was strictly aimed at receipts. Yes, you are correct about the other features.

dee shops Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a BFA and MFA in digital art and digital
> imaging, teach it at the college level, and am
> well aware of digital cameras. My point was that
> she may want a camera for more than just MS'ing
> and the advice you were giving was strictly aimed
> at receipts. Yes, you are correct about the other
> features.

That's because the OP (original poster) asked "what are the minimum megapixels required to take photos of receipts".
However, because OP didnt mention the need, i did make mention that if one needs to blow pictures up (lol; sounds like we'd be exploding them) then a higher MP camera would be necessary.

Personally, I scan receipts, and like Olympus, but if you want to know about cameras do some camera shops. Bestmark has a bunch of shops which don't pay that well, but they are a fair and honest company that pays on time. If you are doing research for what camera you want....it's not really about the money for the shop. 4 or 5 shops and you will know! Just tell the salesperson you want clear pics that you can blow up to 8X10 or bigger and you will have enough pixels to use for receipts. You don't have to ask about receipts.

Theresa

Why not buy a used scanner for 40 dollars or better yet use your local library/college library for free!

One of the reasons to have a camera capable of producing a reasonable image of a receipt is because not always are you returning home to put in a report during the time frame within which the shop must be reported. I have done a fair amount of airport shops when heading for a hotel and not all hotels have a business center where you can scan materials and/or the business center may not be open between your arrival and the time the report is due. Similarly, if you are doing purchase and returns, there isn't always a facility close at hand to scan your receipts prior to making the return (and some places either mark up the receipt or retain it).

mason95135 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why not buy a used scanner for 40 dollars or
> better yet use your local library/college library
> for free!

I would absolutely dislike having to go to a public library to use a scanner every time I needed to do a receipt for a shop. :-)Even if I wanted to do that, though, my local libraries do not have scanners for patrons to use, though they do provide internet access (which has to be booked hours in advance as they are always full, thus necessitating two trips.) Libraries are being hard hit by the economic crises that many states are experiencing. That strategy would only work, IMHO, if the person only did infrequent shops in the middle of the day.

My library belongs to a college 5 minutes down the road and is open to 2 a.m., most are open till 12 am, some 24 hours; you know dee a college library lol.
Ok in my case I rarely get asked to use a digital camera and if this is yours, you can buy a cheap scanner for 40 bucks rather than spend 100 plus for a camera.

10 second search and Wow look at this a scanner, printer and fax for 50 dollars ooh. [seattle.craigslist.org]
If you want I'll find you a less expensive one.

Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2010 08:26PM by mason95135.

I'm personally not in this situation, mason. I have several (old) camera phones, a Cannon DSLR, a 12 megapixel Samsung point and shoot, my trusty buddy the iPhone.and a scanner. I used to use my scanner all the time, but I changed last year to use primarily my iPhone. It's just easier for me.

I was commenting more from the standpoint that I thought the library would be a challenging way to have to deal with receipts. :-)

I'm impressed The library at the college I teach at is open until only 10 pm, and has very limited weekend hours. More and more of the research collections have gone online, and keeping the place open with limited users is challenging for schools like mine, with the state budget in crisis.

That's why I gave 2 options; can't go to a library then if u want to save money buy a cheap scanner.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2010 09:47PM by mason95135.

Yea, I agree that a used scanner might be a good way to go. I have also seen all-in-ones down as low as $50 on sale, even here in the land of outrageously high prices. :-)

I picked up a Canon Lide70 at Fry's for $14.99, no joke. They were overstocked. I went back a couple of weeks later, having decided it was pretty nice and for the money, maybe I should get one for my son's computer (and as a spare, wasn't sure I could trust a $15 scanner long-term), but they were about $100 ....... guess for once I got a deal. ......

There are also tons of often lightly used office equipment showing up on Craig's List craigslist.org for free or very little money. The kid picked up an HP all-in-one laser jet a couple of weeks ago for $10 that even had a full toner cartridge in the thing. Works like a top.

I got one of the Cannon Lide scanners years ago as part of a shop. Between a coupon and shop fee, I think it cost me $4.

That was 2005 and the scanner is still going strong! It's portable and fits in my laptop case, plus runs off USB power from my laptop so I can scan in the car and send receipts from any wi-fi I can grab.

SteveSoCal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I got one of the Cannon Lide scanners years ago as
> part of a shop. Between a coupon and shop fee, I
> think it cost me $4.
>
> That was 2005 and the scanner is still going
> strong! It's portable and fits in my laptop case,
> plus runs off USB power from my laptop so I can
> scan in the car and send receipts from any wi-fi I
> can grab.


Wish I could find a small one like that. All of the scanners I see around here are flat but way longer than my computer. I just want a small one for receipts. My camera is an Nikon CoolPix and it is fantastic. I have never been asked to resize a photo.