Aqua-Soft Forums

Got Cash?

OK, I've got about £290 laying around after I bought my computer and I want to know what you think I should spend it on. The two main toys I was considering getting with my money was a digital camera or an iPod. Anyway, here's my reasoning:

iPod

  • New iPods are coming out, so they may be lower in price. Or it may be worth buying a third generation iPod on eBay as they will undoubtably be cheaper now that they're *old*
  • I've got around 5GB of music, so a iPod Mini is not really an option. And I want to have some room to expand, and not limit myself to something like 8GB if I bought a cheaper player
  • My friend has a 3G iPod, and I've had a go with it; it's very, very nice.
  • I've had a good look at all the specs and all the competitors and the iPod just seems to be the best for the money. Battery life is fine for me, as I doubt I'll ever need to use it for 8 hours solid. It does everything I want. And more.
  • I'm still currently using a cassette Walkman I was bought when I was 9 >.<

Digital Camera

  • Photography is something I've always enjoyed, and it's something I really want to get into more. Make it more than just a hobby, or something I only do on holidays
  • It's a subject I'm considering taking on to A-Level/GCSE, so starting to learn now would give me a good headstart
  • I'm still using an 5 year old film camera, so I can't preview/delete my pictures or basically do anything with them at all.

The two main cameras I'm considering at the moment are:

HP Photosmart R707 - Official Site (Review 1/Review 2) - Current Price: £200

r707_front_blk.jpg

Samsung Digimax V5 - Official Site (Reviews) - Current Price: £250

920ad05af0a567d99ffd13cb1a08abf2.jpg

Anyway, I want your thoughts, votes, ideas and comments. Thanks :D

#191129

iPod 3G

4G is ungly :6

#191136

man, buy what you like / need most. how can we possibly offer you any guidance O.o

if it were me though, well i already have a perfectly good MD player, and i'd wait another year on the camera and then get a 3.2megapix camera phone at a reasonable price. just stick that cash right in the bank for now, simon :P

#191138

Happy iPod owner voted for iPod, surprisingly :P

#191143

I don't think the new iPods are ugly; I think they're rather nice-lookin'.

@ji eun. You people have these thing. People here have iPods. People here have digital camera's. So you can offer your opinions and thoughts on things which I don't have. Plus, I like both equally. That's why I want your help deciding :)

But a camera-phone is something I don't want. I'm not even considering geting one of them.

#191153

PocketPC

You get to listen to music (512mb sd card - more than enough IMHO) and get to take pictures via your compactflash camera attachment (maybe not as good as others on the market but, again, good enough for amateurs IMO)

Also, don't know if you're currently working, but people have been banned from taking their iPods into a lot of offices for fear of security issues with employees downloading confidential data.

Just my 2 pennies

#191157

@Tadis. Thanks for your thoughts. PocketPC's sound good, but 512MB really isn't enough for me. I've got around 5GB of music, and I want to have all of it with me on one device, instead of having to swap things around. I'm trying to get one device that's great at what it does (iPod, great for music. Digital Camera - great for taking quality pictures), instead of getting something that tries to be great at everything, but may fail.

Also, I'm only 14 so I don't think working in an office is much of a problem for me :D

#191162

i guess i'm the only one who voted for the camera...

wait on the music player... there are some new ones coming out that may "threaten" the ipod's stronghold on the market. thus, price may go down.

e.g. sony has one in development... http://www.i4u.com/article1734.html

will be about $400, £215

#191184

i agree with unbeliever, 4g's are ugly

#191198

Thanks carbonfiber, but that's not what I'm asking :rolleyes:

#191214

Youalready know my opinion on this matter Si, hope it helps ;)

#191229

hm, whats more important to u, being able to lisen to your music whenever u want. or being able to take snapshots whenever u like.

are u an audio or visual kinda of guy (or kid :P)

#191280

Ack, don't make me choose grim. I'm an audio-visual kind of guy! :lol:

I'm starting to lean towards the camera, but then of course the new iPods are coming out this week, and I wouldn't mind one of them either. Aaargh >.<

#191299

flip a coin and call it in the air.

#191318

@grim. Might work. Pity all my money's in notes :P

However, I think I may have come to a comprimise. My birthday is in two months, so I buy the camera now; then I ask for a cheap mp3 portable CD player thing and maybe some money. That was I'm not stuck using a cassette walkman, and I've almost get enough money for an iPod. :)

#191321

clever thinking there Simon ;)

#191323

Indeed it is, Infinity. Once again you have shown yourself to be a man of great style and taste :P

I think I'll go with that plan, unless the new iPods turn out to be dramatically cheaper and come with a ton of new features. But now it's all down to what camera to get:

HP Photosmart R707?

Samsung Digimax V5?

Canon Powershot A80?

Canon Powershot S50?

Any photography experts in the house? >.<

#191329

Originally posted by Simon@Jul 18 2004, 05:25 PM

Indeed it is, Infinity. Once again you have shown yourself to be a man of great style and taste :P

I think I'll go with that plan, unless the new iPods turn out to be dramatically cheaper and come with a ton of new features. But now it's all down to what camera to get:

HP Photosmart R707?

Samsung Digimax V5?

Canon Powershot A80?

Canon Powershot S50?

Any photography experts in the house? >.<

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

just going by the names i would go with conon.just personal prefrence. I myself am using a sony digital camera. AND a g3 ipod :P

if your still not sure get what ever one has the highest mega pixles.

#191353

you should also look into what you want the camera to do for you... do you want it to be point-&-shoot, or a learning experience about photography... there are some digital cameras that have as much learning curve as an SLR film camera... aperture, etc.

#191358

I suppose I would want it to be a learning experience; I've heard good things about the HP on this front.

@grim. shuddup and quit showing off :P

#191363

Camera-wise I have had 2 HP's and 1 Sony.

For me both the HP cameras were better than the Sony. My mate has a Samsung and he is not happy wit hit...

Personally I would go for the HP camera there...

(or of course you could still have the iPod... lovely, new, shiny iPod :P )

#191369

Aha, someone with experience! The HP does sound very good, but then the reviews for the Canon. So damn hard; go a lot of comparing to do >.:P

#191375

did you have a decent manual camera before?

if you did.. i think you'll be kinda disappointed in those camera's.. save to get a compact digi that is a bit more expensive and has the option for changeable lenses.

there's some good digi nikons that are just a bit more expensive.. same goes for the canons. I've got a nikon 4300, good (older digi)camera, but fastest shutter speed is too slow. Next models up don't have that prob.

#191380

How serious do you want to get with photography?

I use a Nikon F80 SLR and the only camera I would trade it for is a digital SLR. Personally, most of the point and shoot digitals (with a few exceptions) aren't worth my time because they don't let you manually control shutter speed and aperture. If you want to take photography to the next level, you're going to have to learn about exposure, and having the camera do it all for you isn't going to help. Another benefit of the SLR system is the abundance of lenses and other accessories for the camera.

I would stay away from HP cameras because the optics are going to be crap compared to other companies. I would also stay away from Kodak cameras. Stick with established camera brands who have experience with decent optics like Canon and Nikon. My personal recommendation if you're planning on getting a digicam that will grow with you and let you assume control over your photography is the Canon A75

Another option is to go the traditional film route and get an older SLR. I learned on my dad's Nikon EM, circa 1979 and only bought my F80 because the shutter on the EM was about to go.

#191381

i'd say camera. :)

#191383