Need a good macro camera

[Vric]

Hi,

My well used Nikon Coolpix 950 just fail again (power problem) and now I need to look for a new camera. This camera was used as a secondary camera and mostly used for the great macro it offered. I already have a Nikon D70 as primary camera and looking for a second camera for macro and all around work. (I don't want to buy a macro lens for my D70, I need a second camera)

I'm now looking for something that have great macro but don't brake the bank. Having a 250mm or more zoom would really be useful too. Basically, a Nikon Coolpix S4 or S10, but with a visor (I hate not having a visor)

What are the best choice for macro photography if I don't want to spend $1000 on an SLR + $600 on a macro lens.

Thanks for your help.



Budget

Under $500.

Size

I have big hands, so something not really pocket friendly would be nice.

Features

How many megapixels will suffice for you? 5Mpix would be enough.

* What optical zoom will you need? 6X or more. Something in the 250mm range.

* How important is “image quality” to you? 8. Quite important, but not looking for doing any professional print work.

Do you care for manual controls? Yes very important.

General Usage

* What will you generally use the camera for? Macro photography, all around work and maybe some action day light shots.

* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not? Never over 8x12. most won't be printed anyway.

Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos? No

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos? Sometime yes. once or twice a year, I go to some racing even. My Coolpix 950 was able to do the job, so I guess anything could be faster than this one :p

[dodo]

Have a look at this
http://www.vnphoto.net/gallery.php?u=xyz

These photos have been taken by Panasonic FZ20 + Raynox M250 lens (according to the author's introduction in that forum)

I think the combination of S3 IS + Raynox DCR - 250 would do the same. Visit this thread for some impressive macro photos taken by S3IS http://dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21728

[coldrain]

Get a canon A620 or A610. With the viewfinder (visor as you call it), rotatable display, good macro ability and great image quality, it offers everything you need for a very low price. I do not know whay you want a"6x or more" zoom lens. can you expand on that wish?

[Vric]

Well my 950 had a 3x zoom which ended in the early 100mm. I find that way too show for the outdoor work I have to do. This is why I'm looking for something in the 250mm range (well 200mm at least)

But the main feature I need is macro, and even if I have nothing against Canon, they simply can't compete with the old Coolpix camera. It's just sad Nikon don't make good non dslr camera anymore.

As for the FZ20 (which I hate the handling) and the Raynox lens, it's quite impressive. You talk about the DCR-250 macro lens right ? I will have to see on which camera I can use that. 52mm lens minimum ?

what I like with my 950 is that I can go as close as 2 or 3cm and I can use the full range of zoom at about 10cm of the object. Most of the camera today can't do that. This is why I have some problem to find what I'm looking for in "new" camera (there is always a lot of older Nikon model, but I don't really want to buy used)

[coldrain]

Ever seen what a canon A610 can do in macro? Most cameras can get that close now.
The Nikon S4 has horrible image quality, and the S10 has not been tested yet.

[dodo]

yeah, Raynox M250 = Raynox DCR-250, his photos are quite impressive.

[Beanboy]

Canon A710IS

6x zoom and in-your-face macro. Here's a pic from another A-series:


http://www.stinkyteapot.com/random/images/620_132.jpg

[downtrodden]

I'd go with a canon.. i'd say S3.. awesome macro mode and a super macro mode allowing for *theoretical* 0 mm focus range. PLUS the swivel screen is awesome for sticking your camera in some grass and not breaking your neck to see the display. here's some of my better macro work with the S3:
http://static.flickr.com/94/233116537_4d5d30a71f.jpg
Here's the same pic cropped to show detail:
http://static.flickr.com/85/233124096_9c45624c5c_b.jpg
S3 can be had at Amazon for about 350 bucks and has a 12X zoom, Image Stabilization *helpful for those macros in tight corners and weird angles to reduce the effect of your hamd shaking* 6 mega pixals.
http://static.flickr.com/97/233116541_da4e37d6d0_o.jpg

Spiders not your thing?
Super Macro:
http://static.flickr.com/80/237498655_b1d91f2ab5.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/101/252077947_1710ca3ff3.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/104/254543561_42ed8d59db.jpg

The camera has manual controls so coming from the D70, you should feel kind of in your elemant. But please remember the S3 is a Point and Shoot and at the end of the day, no matter how capable of a camera it is, it still has the same limitations most point and shoots have.

It supports conversion lenses with the purchase of an adaptor tube too. I have the tube and a hood, soon to have a UV filter too. Had a daddy long legs decide he wanted to explore walking on the lens.

hope that helps a bit.

~Cory

[downtrodden]

PS.

Sorry the spider pictures are slightly out of focus. that is my fault, no fault of the camera as you can tell in the pictures after the spidey pix.