Richard brings up some great points. Camera prices, camera size, and camera features all play an important part when making the decision. Richard mentioned the learning curve on these cameras. All of them have similar features and I always like to turn the user manual into the bathroom reading material for the first couple of days. Since I am very familiar with what the camera can do I spend my time learning how to set it for that feature. I can vaguely remember back to the time when I was overwhelmed with a camera that would do things I had never dreamed possible. Those were fun times when I would take a day to experiment with a new feature.

Take for example the video and audio feature. I first thought that this was a novelty item and was unaware hoe important this would become. When capturing family moments it is great to be able to snap some shots and then get some video of Aaron hitting a line drive or Haily doing a dance move. The novelty portion is that the video is only a small portion of the screen on a computer monitor, but it is possible to e-mail the file so other interested parties. If you think that there is even a remote possibility that you might want to use this, then here is a word of CAUTION.....

CAUTION - Most digital camera on the market that offer video do NOT offer audio. This means that you will be capturing silent video. What a loser feature. Be careful to sort out those that do not also have audio recording.

Richard also mentioned size. I have an old Mavica that makes a good door stop. It is dependable, the battery is great, the recording time between photos is very slow. All in all it is a workhorse that will not die, but it is too large to carry with you all of the time. Size is one of the most important qualifications for my taste. Now with small size comes smaller buttons and smaller batteries which means less shooting time. For instance, my Mavica had 200 minutes of recording time between recharging. This was fantastic, but the size of the beast was awful. When I downsized to my last Sony Cybershot the battery time was only 80 minutes between recharging, but this was more than sufficient for a days work.

Other considerations on size include the odd shapes of many digital models. Many have snouts on them for the lens which makes them impossible to carry and store in a compact location. Many cameras also still use the archaic AA batteries. I say archaic at the same time I put up my force shields to block the poison flaming arrows that many of you will cast my way for offending your choice in cameras. The machines that use AA batteries usually require 4 of them to operate. Jim Maass is launching his flaming arrow from the East Coast right now because he overcame the challenge by investing in ni-cad batteries and a charger. Because of the sudden dead battery condition associated with ni-cads you must purchase either 1 or 2 extra sets to have on hand. This means 12 ni-cads and a good charges. This will set you back at least $40.

I understand the ni-cad solution, but that is not my issue with AA batteries. The fact is that four AA batteries take up a lot of space and make the camera that much larger. That's right, the camera is larger because it has to house the AA batteries. The battery for my new camera takes less than 1/3 of the space of 4 AA batteries. This means a smaller camera because of the saved space for the battery. Size is a key factor because the handier the camera, the more likely that you are going to have it with you when you need to take a photo.

I tongue in cheek rebuked a friend on the AII Hotline this week when he posted a question from an attic. Here is how Sylvan Stenge posed his question......

I know that plastic dryer duct cannot be used in the attic, but I just came across the aluminized type of dryer duct. This was not the accordion type aluminum duct that is common but the softer aluminum fabric type (best description I can muster). Legal or no? Sylvan Stenge in traffic choked Carmichael, CA

Sylvan provided his own excuse for the lack of visual image with "best description I can muster." My lashing came in the form of.... Sylvan: So what is the issue again??? I mistakenly thought you were referring to a dryer vent. Are you talking about a bathroom fan vent? And where is the picture? It amazes me (here I go again on a tangent) that many of you want help, yet you will not invest in a digital camera to help us help you. It is my reaffirmed belief that every inspector out there MUST invest in a digital camera. They are no longer a novelty item. They are a necessity. Take the over nailed Simpson Strong Tie deck joist hangars that I saw on a new construction site Monday. I was able to send the engineer at Simpson 6 pictures and get his expert opinion and evaluation within a couple of hours. I did not have to explain to him on the phone. He was able to look at the photos and respond. So I encourage all of you to take some of your spare change in this busy season and invest in a MUST have inspector tool. I will share with you in the next MMM which model I just purchased for only $349. That is the equivalent of one inspection fee. So Sylvan, could you clear me up on your question again. Sorry that I got side tracked. Michael Leavitt - Orem, Utah

Sylvan responded back quickly with....... Michael, I own three digital cameras but being a "you-people", I didn't think to use it in this instance. If you or anyone else is really interested, you could go back to the start of the thread at 1:32 this afternoon in which I believe I stated the question quite clearly. Sylvan Stenge

After reading our dialogue on the Hotline it occurred to me that many newer members might have thought that Sylvan and I were being argumentative. Far from the case. Sylvan and I will regularly post items to help reinforce inspection principles. So the big question is why Sylvan did not take one of his three cameras and snap the photo? I have not received a direct answer, but I will broaden up the question. Do all of you regularly take your digital camera with you into the attic? Do you take it into every crawl? I did not ask the most basic question of "How many of you have a digital camera for inspecting?" because I believe that every one of you should have already added this tool to your belts.

I know that Richard Grisham was like me when we used Mavicas it was a rare day when I took the camera into the attic with me. It was only when I suspected something wrong that I took it inside. More often than not I would enter cameraless and then see something that would make a great shot. Then would come the decision making process where I had to determine whether or not I wanted to leave the attic, get my camera, and then re-enter the 140 degree space to capture the image. More often than not I did not go back into the space. This means that I did not have the evidence to justify my findings. More importantly this meant that I had to rely upon the written word alone to describe the severity of the condition that I observed. And how many times did I leave the hot confines of the attic trying to remember the ten items observed. Then I would compose my thoughts, issue the report and be driving along the next day and suddenly remember one of the items that I had viewed. Then came the decision again; was it better to say nothing and cross my fingers for luck, or was it better to take the time to write the client and addendum to the report. This was always such a pain.

SIZE REALLY IS IMPORTANT - Now consider how easy life would be if you had a camera about the size of a pack of cigarettes (I don't smoke, but we all can relate with the size of which I am referring), and you had it with you in a holster on your belt. Then when you were in the attic you could easily snap 10 or twenty photos. Your reporting would become easier as you referred to the photo of the electrical miswiring, the leaky exhaust flue, or the rotted and moldy roof sheathing over the bathroom fan that terminated incorrectly inside the attic. When it came time to document there would be no forgetting and item.

HAVE THE CAMERA WITH YOU - Let's also consider the other HUGE advantage of having a small camera with you. When you observed a condition that was rare or a new building component you could snap a photo. Then you could easily turn to your inspector friends online and ask a question about what you had observed. In the case of Sylvan in the attic with the flex vent it would have aided us greatly to see the application. We could have easily viewed the product as well as what it was connected to. Even after our interactive discussion the AII Hotline readers were still left with lots of questions. We do not know whether his vent question was related to a dryer or a bathroom exhaust. He was asking the broader question of whether or not the aluminum foil flex duct was allowed for use in an attic. Sylvan also stated as though it were doctrine that plastic flex is not allowed for use in a n attic because it is a fire hazard. This branches off back to the topic a few weeks back of how do we document our opinions. Where does it say that plastic flex duct cannot be used in an attic. It is not inherently a fire hazard laying in an attic by itself. It depends what it is connected to and those requirements generally come from the manufacturer of the appliance and not the building standards. All this gets us back to where was the photo that could have helped the readership?

Even more importantly, where was the camera when Sylvan needed it? I believe that due to camera size that most inspectors do not have the camera with them throughout the entire inspection. This has been the biggest shift in my inspection process in the past couple of years. I do not share this info to belittle anyone. Instead, I share to let you know what a great difference it has made in my inspection routine. I snap about 150 pictures a day and only about 30 make it into the report. The process is simplified because my hands are always free. Since I am not carrying around a clipboard or large computer my hands are always set to grab whatever tool I need off my tool belt. This includes my 8 ounce Pocket PC computer and my digital camera. Both are important tools that sit right next to my outlet tester, screwdriver, flashlight and moisture meter.

Do you take your camera with you throughout the inspection or do you leave it in your bag and get it just when you need it?

Your Name: City, State: B3

Please provide your full name or else we will not know who the response is from.

NEW CAMERA TECHNOLOGY - The technology shift has also created a rush for camera sellers to try to get rid of their current models before the new models hit or they will be stuck collecting dust. This means that you can pick up a good $600 camera for $300-400 right now. That's right, in previous purchases I was always at the $600 to $800 level because I really did need the advancements that the expensive models had to offer. Times have changed right now because we do NOT need the large megapixels to produce excellent reports. Instead, we can settle for older technology and then next couple of years jumping on the large megapixel models (after their "prices" have fallen).

With a dead Cybershot in my hands I was faced with the decision whether or not I should send in the camera for repairs. I did not purchase the extended warranty (big mistake) and was now being quoted $147 labor plus parts for Sony to be able to make the repair. What a joke!...... It was a great camera, but I refuse to throw great money after a very used machine. I owned the extra battery ($60), as well as the proprietary card reader and a 64 meg memory card. The camera was small and it took great pictures. Instead of buying a cutting edge model this time I decided that I would go buy another Sony and not have to reinvest in the accessories. I was shocked to see that Sony does not offer an equivalent model in todays marketplace. The one that comes close takes a different battery and sacrifices some key features. What a pain!...... There went my allegiance to the Sony line. This freed me up to investigate other product lines before making a final decision.

The Olympus cameras were impressive, but for the features I wanted came the higher "Price" and they did not have a great working small compact model..... Olympus was out. I checked out the Kodak line and was left flat. The Minolta line was also impressive until you got to the small compact models. Next came Nikon and although I love the 995 series it was till too large for me, although I believe that they are the most excellent cameras in the under a thousand dollar range. Nikon's new Coolpix 2500 is a new one that is silver and blue with a flip lens. I was close to choosing it, but I viewed swiveling this lens hundreds of times a day and I thought it was also too fragile. I nearly selected it and asked about the video feature and learned that it did not have audio recording....... They nearly got my money too. I am glad that I went through my checklist of preferences because I would have been very disappointed if I learned after the fact that there was no audio. Also please don't confuse the quality of the blue and silver Nikon 2500 with the higher quality 995 series. If you want a new breed of Nikon, watch out for their new Coolpix 4500 which looks to be the replacement for the 995. It is a great camera, although bigger than I like it offers all of the bells and whistles with a great lens system all for about a thousand dollars.

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SO WHICH MODEL CAMERA DID I PURCHASE?

You would think by my past history that I would have purchased the Nikon 4500 for a grand. Well I didn't. As I checked the product offerings I was left with the decision to purchase the Cannon Power Shot S200 Digital Elph. This is only a 2 megapixel model and currently carries a $349 investment tag. After two weeks of use I have found it to be a wonderful inspection camera. It is ultra small, has a silver metal and chrome case, and records both audio and video. The tradeoff is that there is no speaker to listen to the audio playback on the model I chose, but the audio is there when you open a file on the computer. The colors are great. As mentioned earlier, to test this I went to a custom car show this weekend and took 250 pictures on one battery in a 40 minute period of time. The crisp detail, accurate color and amazing reflections in the beautiful auto paint finishes was great. I put them into a 45 meg Powerpoint presentation for my Father-in-law who had his '69 convertible Cutlass in the show.

FLASH PHOTOS - Another great feature of the Cannon Elph is the flash. It has a strobe beam that when you are shooting a photo in total darkness that measures the distance to the object to allow the right amount of flash. I have laid in several crawl spaces in the past two weeks and would shoot the beam and use it to make sure that I was snapping a photo of the right item. With every other camera that I have used I have had to hold a flashlight to illuminate the general area with one hand while holding the camera in the other to get the picture. Cannon is not the only manufacturer to have this type of strobe beam, but theirs does work very well. I am always skeptical about flash quality and with my Sony I could change the setting from low to medium or high. The Cannon does this automatically so I don't have to change a setting for a one foot away shot in total darkness. As with all digital models, you need to be within about 12 feet of your shot to get a good flash shot.

PHOTO DELAY - Time between photos is also an important feature. Test this out in the camera store. In fact, take along your own memory card to test them out. Many stores do not have the cameras powered with batteries or cards. Don't settle for taking their word for it. Snap some pictures and make sure that you are using the rear LCD screens. I have not used the eyepiece in years. Instead, you hold the camera out in front of you and look at the back. I have my camera set so that it will show me the photo that I took for two seconds before allowing another shot. It does have a manual over ride that I can take up to 3 shots per second, but I haven't played much with this yet. The Cannon Elph is faster than my Sony was which would have come in handy when the Olympic Torch runner came by a few months back. There is more lag time when you are taking flash picture after flash picture. Things are much quicker in the daylight.

ZOOMING - Another big feature is the zoom on the camera. The Cannon Elph has a 2x optical and a 3x digital. Simply stated the digital zoom is WORTHLESS because it just reduces the quality of the image. It is enlarging the image from the image. Optical zoom is the key. The better optical zoom you have the better off you are. Many newer cameras are digital zoom only which is acceptable if you are going to start shooting with the 4,5, and 6 megapixel models. Keep in mind that each one of these photos will be several megs in size. So for todays technology please do not rely on the digital zoom. This is where my old Sony Mavica shined. It had a 10x optical zoom. This was great, but the camera was just too huge...... Once again a trade off. I have found a 2x optical to be okay, nut I just don't zoom the way I used to. Instead, I just have to get closer to my shots. This means getting inside the attic and walking the roofs. No great telephoto roof shots while standing on terra firma. Remember, the workaround is to momentarily change the camera setting to the highest resolution and then when you get back to the computer zoom in on the area of the image needed.

ACCESSORIES - The final topic for todays lengthy camera info is the accessories. Please do not think that the sticker amount is the end of your investment. Sure, $349 for a camera is a good deal. But with the investment in the camera comes the needed accessories.

• EXTENDED SERVICE WARRANTY - Buy it. At about $60 to $100 for two to four years of protection, they really are worth it. Circuit City's was $65 and covers 3 years, but they do not cover owner inflicted damage. They also require you sending in the camera for one week to the service center. The best that I found was a CompUSA. They offer a two year for $80, but it covers owner inflicted damage and they have an on the spot exchange. There is no need to send it in. This is a definite plus because you are going to drop your unit, unless you have a tether system like the one I invented for Pocket PC's and now use for my digital camera.
• MEMORY CARD - Most cameras come with either a 4 meg or 8 meg memory card. These are literally worthless and should only be relied upon if you forget the larger meg card. Plan on investing in a 64 meg card for about $40 or even a 128 meg card for $80. These are must have and allow you to get more photos on a card. This would allow you to snap off 250 shots at a car show with plenty of remaining room on the card. When I purchased my Sony 64 meg card 22 months ago it was $130 and now it is $40. The point that I am getting at is that the memory cards have become dirt cheap and you should immediately plan on getting a large card.
• BATTERIES - You are going to need a back-up battery. Whether that is your 12 nicad approach, or a lithium-ion replacement battery like my Cannon uses. These generally run from $30 to $100 depending on the model = Ask before you buy.
• CAR CHARGER - With the Cannon I invested in the DC car charger. This ran about $60 and allows me to charge a battery out of the camera while I am using the other. This will be important on those days that I have forgotten to recharge and I am at the property with a dead battery. If you do enough inspections this WILL eventually happen. This is a plus for AA users because they can just run to 7-11 and buy some new ones. You don't have to invest in a car charger, but if you can afford it, then you will not regret the purchase.
• UNDERWATER CASE - I went ahead and invested in one of these for the Cannon Elph. They are pricey, but I will be spending a lot of time at the pool with the kids. They brag about using it in dusty environments and it may be the solution for dusty crawls. I let you know how it works out. The investment on the case is about half that of the camera. This is definitely a luxury unless you like to wake board, swim, or snorkel. I also see how it could be a great investment for those of you in rainy climates.

I think that I have rambled on enough for one issue. Let's share some info directly from Cannon......

What are your thoughts on digital cameras?

Your Name: City, State: B3

Please provide your full name or else we will not know who the response is from.

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CANNON POWER SHOT ELPH S200

Just an inch thick and a mere 6.3 ounces, PowerShot S200 is the world's smallest camera in its class. Yet this tiny, stylish wonder sheathed in chrome and stainless steel is loaded with the power and sophisticated technology to let anyone create incredible digital images.

2.0 Megapixel CCD

PowerShot S200 combines 2.0 megapixel resolution with world-famous Canon optics to deliver richly textured images bursting with luminescent color and lifelike detail.

2x Canon Optical Zoom Lens and 5x Combined Digital Zoom

Simply touch a button to activate the power of the camera's genuine Canon 2x optical zoom lens and digital zoom that takes you all the way to 5x. With quick, seamless telephoto action, the coin-sized lens puts you precisely where you want to be.

Shooting Modes Including Movie and Photo Effect

Shoot 30-second movie clips complete with sound right from your digital camera! Play them back immediately, jumping to the start or end point, and using convenient options like fast- or single-frame forward and reverse. And now you can give each image its own creative impact, as you're shooting, simply by choosing an option in Photo Effects mode: Low Sharpening for a romantic glow, Vivid Color for dynamic high-contrast, Sepia for a historical feel, Neutral for sophisticated subtlety, and sharp Black & White. You can even use these effects with your movie clips.

Intelligent Orientation Sensor

PowerShot S200's Intelligent Orientation Sensor actually knows whether your images were shot horizontally or vertically. When you play them back on the LCD screen or your computer, they'll be automatically rotated to the right position for viewing.

I encourage each of you to visit the Cannon website at http://www.powershot.com/powershot2/s200/index.html to view this model. I also have made it so that you can download a pdf file of their sales brochure. Please CLICK HERE to download the brochure. I really like the intelligent orientation sensor because I often tun the camera to shoot water heaters, furnaces, and subpanels.

In case you are interested, here is a tidbit on the S300 which includes a better zoom and a speaker for audio playback. I am not sure of the investment amount, but here is part of the Canon Press Release on the two models.

The PowerShot S330 and S200 can record movies with sound in VGA (640 x 480 pixels), QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) and Q2VGA (160 x 120 pixels) at 20 frames per second. Up to 4 seconds of continuous recording is possible in VGA, 10 seconds in QVGA, and up to 30 seconds in the Q2VGA format. In addition, the PowerShot S330 features a built-in speaker for audio playback, as well as a Voice Memo feature that allows users to add up to 60 seconds of sound annotation to any captured image on the camera's CF card.

After listening to me rave on and on about the Cannon Elph S200 would it be a camera that you would consider purchasing? Why/Why not?

Your Name: City, State: B2

Please provide your full name or else we will not know who the response is from.