I would much appreciate any reasonably informed comment on my buying an Agfa 1680 at $615. I am being given the camera as a gift from the US to Australia, and this is the model that the giver has suggested, without any real knowledge on the subject, but being guided more by the price parameter, I think. If not the Agfa, any suggestions around that price, say to a ceiling of $750?

My intention is to use the camera for stills for digital art. (i.e photo manipulation.) The examples I have seen look excellent to me at 72 dpi, but I have no idea how this will translate into print. I don't know enough about all this to use the active buyer's guide :)

Thanks!

-- Robin Rowlands (robrow@northnet.com.au), July 15, 1999

Answers

Robin,

I bought a refurbished Agfa 1680 recently for $427 (got it from uBid.com - has one year factory warrenty). If I had been looking to spend a little over $750, I would not hesitate to go for a Nikon Coolpix 950 for about $760 at BUYCOMP.COM or BUY.COM (two different companies).

The Nikon can be tough to get because of extraordinary demand, but it is worth looking for. I love my Agfa 1680, but I know that the Nikon is a superior camera.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Kevin

-- Kevin (beachprices@erols.com), July 17, 1999.

I absolutely agree with Kevin. If I have to spend more than $600 on anything other than 1600X1200 resolution cameras I will definitely go for the CP950 or Oly C2000Z. I've been using the Afga 1680 since Sept.98 I loved it until I got C2000Z in May 99 and Cp950 in July 99. It just worth a little more to get either of them than the Afga1680 for now. Amy

-- Amy Lee (amy@euroamericantextile.com), July 18, 1999.