<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2722" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY style="BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; = BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none" bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><EM> <P>David Ilvedson wrote:</P> <P></EM><EM>"...digital cameras for these kind of things.   = I'm looking to get a cheap one...any advice on strictly business camera I = can carry in my kit."</EM></P></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I guess it would depend on your = definition of cheap. I know they keep coming down in price. IMO, the main feature you = will want for this kind of work is a good macro feature, i.e. the camera will = focus down to just a couple inches. So many of the technical photos we want to = take require the macro/close-up capability - IMHO, a camera without it will = be useless in far too many situations.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have a Nikon Coolpix 4300. A good = description of the camera can be found at <A href="http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/CP4300/C43A.HTM">http://www= .imaging-resource.com/PRODS/CP4300/C43A.HTM</A>. It's macro feature allows it to focus down to 4 cm (1.6 inches). I think = I paid close to $500 for it a couple years ago. I see it is available for as = little as $199 now: <A href="http://www.hotbuyselectronics.com/item_detail.php?item_id=10353= 5">http://www.hotbuyselectronics.com/item_detail.php?item_id=103535</A>=  . The camera works great - I love it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Need I say more about the macro.........?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Photo of center pin below is enlarged = and resolution is reduced for posting to this list (631x123).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><IMG alt="" hspace=0 = src="cid:004301c5c4e8$13451b40$0201a8c0@FARRELL" align=baseline border=0></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Photo of key repair below is = full-field, but reduced resolution for posting to this list = (640x480).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><IMG alt="" hspace=0 = src="cid:004401c5c4e8$13478c40$0201a8c0@FARRELL" align=baseline border=0></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry = Farrell</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>