Digital Cameras for Use in Tough Conditions? 87
b!arg asks: "I am a sysadmin for a construction company. Currently the company spends god knows how much money on disposable cameras. They use these cameras to document accidents and the such out in the field. Typically these disposable cameras have 27 pictures available to them but only a few are ever taken before they are developed because of time. We can't hold onto a camera to take different shots of different accidents until its full. I am looking into the feasibility of moving to all digital cameras. Does anyone have experience with using these in such a potentially damaging setting? Obviously no digicam will withstand getting run over by a dumptruck, but what have you found to be a durable digital camera for people out in the field. Ease of use is also fairly important. And since we understand that these will almost definitely break once in awhile, I can't buy $1000 cameras. Two MegaPixels is sufficient quality, preferably using CF and, if I can dream, waterproof since the Northwest U.S. tends to be a tad rainy (does that break my budget?). Or am I trying to be too 'techie' when this solution just won't work because of the conditions in which they'll be used?"
Aside from wetness (Score:2)
Like Blink cameras or something? (Score:2)
Re:Aside from wetness (Score:2)
The original poster might need to think about the use of these thing
Re:Aside from wetness (Score:1)
I work for a construction company (heavy highway and bridges) and we've got a couple of Mavica cameras scattered between the main office and the field offices. We use them for pre-construction site visits, progress photos and accident investigations. They've held up well here, though obviously they have to be taken care of.
Granted, it's generally the project managers, engineers or foremen who use the cameras and are responsible for them. Any laborer can't come into the office to
Simple Choice (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Simple Choice - Update (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Simple Choice (Score:1)
I walked around with it in my pocket, no problems except the viewfinder got alot of lint in it. oh well, got the lcd display anyway.
During october, my parents took a trip for a month. They lasted just fine with a 128 cf card and the carger. no laptop needed. This trip included anyhthing from main cities to the desert.
the camera is still fine to this day.
If I had one gripe would be that the battery doesn't last long enough. Under intense use, it l
Legal problems (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: Legal problems (Score:2)
Negative -> Scanner -> Photoshop -> Ofoto
Re: Legal problems (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Legal problems (Score:3, Interesting)
and it was done with a digital camera, so the insurance companies don't seem to be too mindful of this.
of course the owner of the car doesn't ever handle the photos so that might be the reason.
Re:Legal problems (Score:1)
Re:Legal problems (Score:1)
Unclear on the concept (Score:1)
Why can't you use whatever photos you want to teach a class? How do you use these photos?
Re:Unclear on the concept (Score:3, Informative)
Bureaucracies aren't required to make any sense.
Re:Unclear on the concept (Score:2)
Why does what you are rambling about have any significance?
Re:Unclear on the concept (Score:2)
I'm sure that if you think about it long enough, you'll eventually "get it".
Re:Legal problems (Score:1)
Right, so concealed handguns are OK, but digital photos are problematic?
Perhaps ordering Anthrax is OK, but you can't do it by FAX? :-)
Re:Legal problems (Score:2)
Re:Legal problems (Score:2)
Google (Score:1, Informative)
Canon PowerShot (Score:5, Informative)
For your situation, I'd add on the appropriate waterproof case [canon.co.jp]. I imagine a PowerShot in one of those would stand up to falling from a truck, being dropped in wet cement and hurriedly rinsed off with beer, and so on.
Re:Canon PowerShot (Score:2, Informative)
beware delicate mechanisms (Score:2)
Re:beware delicate mechanisms (Score:1)
Re:Canon PowerShot (Score:2)
Damn dude those are pretty sweet. Not sure how well they would hold up to being dropped on the 'crete, but short of shattering from a long drop on something really really hard they look about impervious to damage and abuse.
Re:Canon PowerShot (Score:2, Informative)
s400, I'd say I'm a pretty huge fan of the tiny S
series powershot cameras. They are a lot heavier
than you think they are going to be before you pick
one up for the first time. It's feels like a hunk
of metal in your hand. It feels like you could use
it to load your fist and hit someone. Still, that's
not something you want to try. You love this camera.
I think I dropped my s110 about a hundred times,
once from a moving car. It's scratched all the hell
but it still
Re:Canon PowerShot (Score:2)
SCUBA housing (Score:4, Interesting)
Right tool for the job (Score:3, Insightful)
Also, disposables are incredibly easy to use. Most digital cameras require you to set it to Take-A-Picture mode (instead of playback, setup or others) which trips up a lot of people. If you think taht digital cameras are easy to use go to the mall and pick 5 middle aged people. Hand them your camera, turned off and set to setup mode, then ask them to take your picture. How many are able to figure it out without your help?
Re:Right tool for the job (Score:1)
Re:Right tool for the job (Score:1)
Re:Right tool for the job (Score:1)
Lets say for argument sake that you have 30 contractors who can be on various sites in your area. And then lets say there will be 2 incidents a year that need to be documented. And at the same time we'll guess that 5 cameras get damaged through out the year.
Disposible cameras are around $15 in my neck of the woods, so (30+2+5) * 15 = $555 each year. In
Canon PowerShot A40 and the Waterproof Case (Score:1)
It's a cheap combo that takes decent pics. And the additional case makes it pretty darn durable. It uses regular AA's so you can always find juice for it in the field.
I think your biggest problem will be whether or not digital pictures are legitimate in court when you're talking accident claims. They can be altered far too easily.
Canon Powershot A40s with watertight cases. (Score:5, Informative)
Like all Canons, they use plain compactflash, and the A series uses AA batteries. If you're out in the field on a deadline, being able to go to the nearest corner store for an emergency power supply can save your ass. The A60s are newer, but I've found they're less durable. I've got an A70 myself, but it's not really suited for abuse.
This is all anecdotal, anyways. I've never done any proper stress testing, I'm just going by what my customers in a few heavy industries have told me. ( My boss would kill me if I spent a day dropping store stock and seeing what happens.
Canon a60 (Score:3, Informative)
It may be overkill, but they sell an underwater photography case [powershot.com] for it.
It takes great pics and has full manual override for everything. Physically, it seems to be pretty sturdy. Strong metal case, and the LCD has a plastic screen over it - you can't directly touch the LCD screen. It uses Compact Flash cards, and comes with 16MB. Crucial [crucial.com] sells 256 for about $65 US and 128 for about $32 US. I can't get exact prices since their site's down for "scheduled maintenence."
Here's some reviews (some of a70 (same camera, but 3.2 megapixels)):
Steve's Digicams [steves-digicams.com]
Epinions [epinions.com]
Digital Camera Resource Page [dcresource.com]
Digital Photography Review [dpreview.com]
CNet User Reviews [cnet.com]
Google Search [google.com]
What problem are you trying to solve? (Score:4, Insightful)
It sounds like you want to convert to digital cameras purely on geek factors. Don't. Consider the problem space before trying to come up with solutions.
Re:What problem are you trying to solve? (Score:1)
Re:What problem are you trying to solve? (Score:2)
Re:What problem are you trying to solve? (Score:1)
On the pro side for digital . .
Do you use these images in printed documents? If so how much time do you spend waiting for development, and scanning prints?
Re:What problem are you trying to solve? (Score:2)
Just get a cheap one (Score:3, Interesting)
Just get a cheap one and try it out in the field. Should at least last a few times to be worth its price. Good thing cheaper is also simpler to learn, assuming YOU will be the one to transfer the pics.
Re:Just get a cheap one (Score:1)
What about cheap (lad's toy) cameras? (Score:2)
Do you actualy NEED 2 Mpix+ or is that is that just a 'nice to have'? like wise do you need a flash, or will you mostly be taking pictures out doors?
If neither apply, you might be better served by buying a load of cheap digital cameras, and while trying not to break them, not worrying over much if you break a few. After all, that $1000 budget will buy an awfull lot low cost $50 cameras like this one. [dabs.com]
Of course you can still keep arround a few disposable cameras, in case you need to take picutes at night
Re:What about cheap (lad's toy) cameras? (Score:1)
Re:What about cheap (lad's toy) cameras? (Score:2)
Me too (Score:4, Informative)
I am also a sysadmin for a construction company. We had the same problem where we were blowing threw tons of $$$ on disposable cameras and developing. The Project Managers and I were finally able to convince our frugal and technophobic VP into letting us buy digital cameras.
We decided on the Fuji FinePix 2600. It's a nice little camera that is easy to use. I'm not sure how waterproof they are though. In my experience when you start talking about "ruggedized" or "waterproof" it means a huge price jump.
As far as the legal issue goes we take it on a case by case basis. Meaning that some of our contracts specifically state that digital photography is not to be used. I have to say that lately we have not had many contracts that forbid the use of digital cameras.
Fellow construction shutterbug... (Score:3, Informative)
One example of this was a fellow who claimed that a large oak on his property was damaged by heat from a shovel's exhaust. A few bucks in camera film saved the city a few thousand in lawyer fees right there.
I mention this because in our case a digital camera was not acceptable. The time that the picture was taken was vital, and having the picture between 31 other negatives on a strip goes a long way towards that goal. I know little about digital cameras, but I imagine the date would be trivial to alter.
As far as durability is concerned, the only expensive object I saw on site was an electronic transit ($25,000+), and have seen a couple of those run over by trucks. If you want durabilty, maybe check out the military specs guys?
Here's one, I'm sure Google will help you find many more...http://www.itronix.com/Products.asp
Re:Fellow construction shutterbug... (Score:2, Insightful)
Why are you taking pictures of a site to use as evidence, prior to construction, and not having the affected people sign off on the pictures being valid prior to work being done?
As far as the "notion" of having the picture between all the other 31 on the negative strip... You must develop your own film, because any place that you'd take your pictures will cut them into strips of 4 frames. And it'd be pretty easy for you to go out with a *new* roll and get the picture you wanted (after the fact) to fit
Digital cameras (Score:1)
Try out the GSm@rt Mini 3 (Score:2, Interesting)
And at only $90 at ThinkGeek, so it won't break the bank.
cheap camera (Score:2, Insightful)
What you want is... (Score:3, Informative)
A digital would just sit around in the glovebox and it's battery would always be dead when you needed it.
Re:What you want is... (Score:2)
Re:What you want is... (Score:2)
I work for a construction company... (Score:2, Informative)
And we just bought a bunch of $189 Sony cameras and told the guys if they break it, they buy it.
Works good so far.
insurance claims (Score:2, Insightful)
Kodak DC5000 (Score:2)
I used to be a sysadmin at an engineering company where our engineers would often need to take pictures out on job sites, and we found the perfect camera for the job: the Kodak DC5000 [kodak.com]. The interface is simple, they're 2MP, and they're tough as nails. They're weatherproof and could probably survive a dunk into water as all the doors and butt
Re:Kodak DC5000 (Score:1)
Re:Kodak DC5000 (Score:1)
So, if you don't mind the bigger size, I highly recommend these cameras. Although, I did buy my dad a powershot A40 for Christmas, it's very nice but not as tough as the DC5000
I work for an insurance company (Score:1, Interesting)
I work for an insurance company and just got finished working on a project that maintains our digital image management and capturing for claim processing.
We use the Pentax Optio 33L cameras.
And *yes* digital cameras are good enough for insurance companies. I once had a claim adjusted (from another insurance company, not the one I work for) based on a set of digital pictures that I emailed to the field adjuster.
Anyone who s
Re:I work for an insurance company (Score:4, Interesting)
So I have a low general opinion of insurance companies, to put it mildly, and I wouldn't put it past 'em to mess with a digital image or two if the stakes were high enough.
You say you don't trust plaintiff's lawyers either, more power to you. I pray they never let in digital images where authenticity is contested and the photo is crucial in deciding the case. It is just too easy to doctor them [sree.net].
Unfortunately, I fear many judges will routinely let in digital photos just like they often let in "computer evidence" in the form of printouts, etc. For information on how digital image evidence is treated in the courts, see Rules 901 [cornell.edu] and 1001 through 1004 [cornell.edu] of the Federal Rules of Evidence.
What about Polaroids? (Score:1)
havent seen them retail in a while (Score:2)
Water Resistant (Score:2)
I haven't used one, but my old 170 has been great.
Olympus are not durable in my experience (Score:2)
Canon or Nikon are supposed to be more durable, based on what I've read. I'll be getting a Digital Elph soon.
-ccm
Sony CyberShot (Score:2)
I have a DSC-P51 that has been through hell and back over the past year. It is 2.0 MPixels, and cost about $250 new. It about the size of a cell phone, and easily fits in my pocket. Buy a group of used ones at this point, and you should do pretty well.
You might also look into getting the waterproof cases for a couple units if you want to really punish them.
A company that makes rugged digital cameras (Score:3, Informative)
Fisher-Price Pixelcam (Score:2)
Canon, Olympus (Score:2)
If you want something smaller, Olympus has a new series that is water resistant (forget the name, but they are everywhere).
Nikon 990/995? (Score:1)
Kodak (Score:1)
Olymus Stylus 300/400 Digital - tiny, metal case (Score:2)
Check out Steves Digicams [steves-digicams.com] or any other digital camera site for info.
Related question... Coldness!! (Score:1)
Tiny tech - Casio Exilim EX-S2 (Score:1)
I dropped mine in a puddle and immediately picked it up and brushed it off without problems.
It requires a cradle (very irritating, but so easy to use that even my boyfriend can do it) or you can pull the memory card out and use a reader.
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/casio/exilim_ s 2- review/index.html
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_reviews/exs2
J
Canon ELPH (Score:1)
Its very simple to use. A plain point and shot. But you can throw it into manual and control the F-stops and exposure time as well for some night shots.