Sunday Tip: January is camera buying month
Forget Black Friday; this is a very good time to buy a new or used digital camera. After the holidays, people look to unload their older cameras that have been replaced by newer models.
Also, with the Consumer Electronics Show starting in a few days, announcements of new models from major manufacturers will make what's on store shelves now seem obsolete, and thus ready for close-out.
If you're buying new: 6-, 7- or 8-megapixel cameras will meet 90% of most picture-taking needs. Really. If you need a 21-MP camera, check your driver's license: you may be the lost grandson of Ansel Adams, suffering from amnesia.
In the stores, consider display models, and ask if they'll either extend the warranty or take a few dollars off for buying a floor model. The worst they can say is, "I'll ask the manager."
The Kodak Z1012 IS camera shown here is a 10-MP camera that's been out a little over a year. Kodak recently brought out a newer, larger camera with a different lens -- making the Z1012 a potential bargain at retail or online.
Buying used via Craigslist or fee-Bay? first- or second-generation digital SLRs are a great deal on the used market. Nikon D40s and D50s and Olympus E-series cameras are, for the mostpart, very durable and receive less abuse than pro-level DSLRs, because they were targeted toward casual photo-enthusiasts.
I have mixed enthusiasm about used point-and-shoot cameras. I bought a used Kodak C330 from a fellow online, and gave it to my father-in-law as something to keep in his glove compartment. He uses that camera more than the larger, 12x zoom digital camera he purchased just two months earlier, and he's happy with the smaller camera.
On Craigslist, however, you'll see too many used digital cameras. Many come with a warning that the camera's battery hatch won't stay closed. This means the camera was dropped, and I'm reluctant too buy any electronic device that's held together with duct tape.
Also, with the Consumer Electronics Show starting in a few days, announcements of new models from major manufacturers will make what's on store shelves now seem obsolete, and thus ready for close-out.
If you're buying new: 6-, 7- or 8-megapixel cameras will meet 90% of most picture-taking needs. Really. If you need a 21-MP camera, check your driver's license: you may be the lost grandson of Ansel Adams, suffering from amnesia.
In the stores, consider display models, and ask if they'll either extend the warranty or take a few dollars off for buying a floor model. The worst they can say is, "I'll ask the manager."The Kodak Z1012 IS camera shown here is a 10-MP camera that's been out a little over a year. Kodak recently brought out a newer, larger camera with a different lens -- making the Z1012 a potential bargain at retail or online.
Buying used via Craigslist or fee-Bay? first- or second-generation digital SLRs are a great deal on the used market. Nikon D40s and D50s and Olympus E-series cameras are, for the mostpart, very durable and receive less abuse than pro-level DSLRs, because they were targeted toward casual photo-enthusiasts.
I have mixed enthusiasm about used point-and-shoot cameras. I bought a used Kodak C330 from a fellow online, and gave it to my father-in-law as something to keep in his glove compartment. He uses that camera more than the larger, 12x zoom digital camera he purchased just two months earlier, and he's happy with the smaller camera.
On Craigslist, however, you'll see too many used digital cameras. Many come with a warning that the camera's battery hatch won't stay closed. This means the camera was dropped, and I'm reluctant too buy any electronic device that's held together with duct tape.
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