Subcompact cameras, anyone?
Saturday, December 12th, 2009 11:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rolanniI've gotten a bug in my ear about getting a new camera. Mind you, I have a perfectly good (as soon I replace the duct tape holding the battery compartment shut, again) Minolta Dimage Z1, which takes a pretty good picture, though I could wish for image stabilization. Also, as it has been my goal over the years to lighten my load when I travel, I have deemed it "too big" to lug with me to, oh, WorldCon, and left it home, only to regret later that I had no pictures from the event.
This all being true, I've been looking at acquiring a subcompact camera; something I can slip into my pocket and take with. I'm not by any means a professional photographer, though I do have some proficiency, due to having had to be reporter-AND-photographer back when I was roving freelancer.
So! Bearing in mind that I cannot actually afford a new camera, but that Inquiring Minds always Want To Know, what are your recommendations?
This all being true, I've been looking at acquiring a subcompact camera; something I can slip into my pocket and take with. I'm not by any means a professional photographer, though I do have some proficiency, due to having had to be reporter-AND-photographer back when I was roving freelancer.
So! Bearing in mind that I cannot actually afford a new camera, but that Inquiring Minds always Want To Know, what are your recommendations?
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no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 04:27 pm (UTC)Panasonic Lumix ZS-3.
If you can wait a few months and are willing to check back at sites like dpreview.com, there are models in the pipeline which will be small and have far better low-light sensitivity; this will fix one of the biggest problems with pocket cameras. If you need one now, get the Lumix.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 04:35 pm (UTC)And calling them 8x10s tells you I'm still a film photographer in habits . . .
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 04:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 04:51 pm (UTC)I recommend any of the new 12 Mega Pixels plus camera that's under $100 from any Brand except Sony. Always goes for the the biggest Mega Pixels count and don't use the digital zoom. Which crop the actual captured image.
Just saw ad for a Fuji sub-sompact camera from online vendor Newegg. You might be interested in something like this.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830122213
As with any digital camera. You will need memory cards for the camera. This will quickly be more expansive than the camera. The current generation of digital cameras requires SDHC memory cards with at least 4GB of memory for still photography and much bigger for video.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 05:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 05:29 pm (UTC)http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=18144#ModelTechSpecsAct
They're good little cameras, and relatively cheap (you can usually get them at Best Buy or the Wal Marts for around $149) but they don't provide manual control of aperture settings, etc.
This is my camera:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=144&modelid=17630
It's HUGE and it weighs a ton and I love it. :D But you definitely can't put it in your pocket. ;) If I were to buy myself a pocket camera, it would be the PowerShot SD1200 IS, the one I linked first.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 05:35 pm (UTC)*I forgot my camera battery in the charger when I went to Lugano, so all of those pics came from my Crackberry :(
small camera
Date: 2009-12-12 06:16 pm (UTC)Peggy
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 06:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 07:33 pm (UTC)I have a Sony Cyber-shot that I love because it is really small and is a great camera.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 08:19 pm (UTC)One thing I'd recommend, though? If possible, get a camera that has a viewfinder, not just the LCD screen. Even if you almost never use it--because, yes, it's so convenient framing a picture on the screen--it can be invaluable on really sunny days when you can't SEE the screen, or if (God forbid) the LCD screen were to break. That happened to a friend of mine, whose camera was working and taking pictures, but she had no idea if she'd even aimed it correctly (much less things like being in focus) until she uploaded the pics to her computer later on. At least with a viewfinder, she would have been able to aim the camera.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 09:22 pm (UTC)Aah folks you do know that the current model year of digital cameras got at least 10 Mega Pixels for entry level users. You only find cameras with less Mega Pixels that is either discontinued or remainder merchandise.
There is a lot of digital cameras on sell right now under $100 with 12 Mega Pixels resolution. Some vendors even throw in free delivery.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 11:29 pm (UTC)We recently got a Canon S90 and we're much happier with this camera, although it is not cheap. Just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. I've always enjoyed my Canon cameras, even back when they were film cameras.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-13 12:39 am (UTC)Olympus Stylus
Date: 2009-12-13 02:26 am (UTC)If you ever stitch pictures together -- I suggest hugin.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-13 03:56 am (UTC)Re: Olympus Stylus
Date: 2009-12-13 04:08 am (UTC)Nikon Coolpix
Date: 2009-12-13 04:16 am (UTC)I have a herd of older Coolpixes (from back in the days when the macro went down to 0.4 inches)...although I am very tempted to upgrade...for typical use, the new ones provide very good images in auto...and you still have access to manual settings.
Full disclosure: I'm a second generation Nikon user, and I just upgraded my Nikon DSLR.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-13 04:28 am (UTC)Happy Hunting!
no subject
Date: 2009-12-13 05:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-13 05:49 am (UTC)Beyond that, yes, 10+ megapixels is kind of 'industry standard entry level these days'.
Does it take regular batteries or a power cell?
Is the power cell replaceable? How much? How much 'on time' do you get out of a typical charge, or how long do the batteries last?
How big is it?
Do you prefer a viewscreen you look through, or an lcd viewscreen on the back? what other options are important to you?
Is speed important to you? Will you need to take more than one picture in a reasonably short time?
What price range are you looking at?
All of these questions will help you narrow it down to '3 or 4 possibilities' at any decent camera store. Beyond that, it's really personal preference on chape, comfort, ease of use, etc.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-13 05:52 am (UTC)Nikon & Panasonic
Date: 2009-12-13 06:11 am (UTC)Last year we got my sister a cheap (<$100) Nikon Coolpix (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Nikon+-+Coolpix+10.0-Megapixel+Digital+Camera+-+Red/9220167.p?id=1218061794553&skuId=9220167), to take on geology field trips, because I was sure she would either lose it or break it. (Surprisingly she has only lost the transfer cord for it, but not the camera, and it didn't get wet when she fell in the river, either time.) She loves it, and even though it's a 10 megapixel camera she uses the 6 megapixel setting to save on file size. The photos in her presentations are always great. The only thing she doesn't like about it is that it uses regular AA batteries, instead of a rechargeable Li-ion type.
Good Places to research different camera models and see sample photos for comparisons:
Steve's Digicams (http://www.steves-digicams.com): http://www.steves-digicams.com
and
Digital Camera Resource Page (http://www.dcresource.com): http://www.dcresource.com
Camera
Date: 2009-12-13 06:30 am (UTC)Re: Nikon
Date: 2009-12-13 07:59 am (UTC)And...errr...after participating in this thread, I went out and snaffled a Coolpix S9 (circa 2006) as a candidate for upgrading one of the little cameras with something smaller, lighter and more capable.
*drools a little bit, looking at the touchscreen S70*
Canon
Date: 2009-12-13 09:02 am (UTC)Another vote for Panasonic (Lumix)
Date: 2009-12-13 05:56 pm (UTC)It has been to exciting places like http://www.flickr.com/photos/battleton/sets/72157600163587441/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/battleton/sets/72157600163468664/
I expect the newer ones are even better.
The key things that made choose it a few years ago where a decent optical zoom, and image stabilization. If you look at the photos, you can see some wildlife ones zoomed right in while handheld.
Of course, only the best ones are there, and stabilisation is not magic - I threw away many blurry rejects.
The low light behaviour is pretty good, considering the small lense, and I have some more or less adequate shots of wombats and quolls in torchlight.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-14 10:44 am (UTC)As previously suggested take a look at the image galleries on dpreview.
On a small camera a high mega-pixel count can be a bad thing. The high pixel density tends to mean a noisier image. The effect of a high level of noise-reduction is usually soft edges.
Richard
no subject
Date: 2009-12-14 01:33 pm (UTC)Kristen
Re: Nikon Coolpix
Date: 2009-12-14 06:21 pm (UTC)--Susan
We've gone through three...
Date: 2009-12-14 07:37 pm (UTC)We learned that we were not the only folks for whom the whole iris/lens folding thing was not unique to us with a CoolPix.
Have no troubles with our Canon, or with the noname camera we got from Aldi
no subject
Date: 2009-12-14 08:17 pm (UTC)Doc
Lot's of camera experience (digital and not)
Date: 2009-12-22 04:53 pm (UTC)I have a Minolta Dimage Z1 myself that I use when traveling and a compact "pocket" camera for more casual outings
(for more serious photography I still use 35mm film - I know I'm a dinosaur; I am thinking about getting a DSLR soon tho)
The point here is that I'm familiar with what you are used to and while most of the rcommendations here aren't too far off the mark I think i can offer some additional thoughts on a pocket camera ... I just gave away a Samsung S630 (6mp) because I was consistently unhappy with the inferior shots it produced compared to the Z1 (3.2mp) so don't let anyone tell you that resolution is king...
Ultra high resolution (>6mp) is only really important if you are going to print your shots larger than 8x10 ...
The critical thing is lens size ... the more light you get into the camera the better the image will be.
What you really want is the pocket camera with the biggest lens and highest optical zoom that you can find.
This will provide the best pictures with the most versatility ... and get one that uses standard baterries AA/AAA.
This way you can always get fresh batteries when you need them ...
I've been looking at the GE A950 to replace the S630... Tiger direct is selling it for about 70$
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4595241&Sku=G48-1100
hope that helps :)
Re: Lot's of camera experience (digital and not)
Date: 2009-12-22 05:06 pm (UTC)Re: Lot's of camera experience (digital and not)
Date: 2009-12-23 03:56 pm (UTC)Helps a lot, thanks! And, yeah, I'm still looking. My goal is to have something in hand before we leave to do the Guest of Honor gig in Orlando, in May.
I'd looked at the Olympus Stylus, independently; nice camera, but -- yike$!
Re: Lot's of camera experience (digital and not)
Date: 2009-12-23 04:24 pm (UTC)Re: Nikon & Panasonic
Date: 2009-12-23 05:10 pm (UTC)