walter_degroot Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 I am looking for an affordable pocket digital camera.By affordable I mean something I can get for little money on the big auction site.we favor Olympus or Fuji as we already have a camera that uses Xd cards.A viewfinder ( not just a LCD) is needed as my eyes are not goodeasily obtainable batteries and something better tan a cell phone or keychain camera. I am still a Film Person, but having a small digicam would be useful.any suggestions. Reliability and simplicity ( no tiny controls) means something. any practical suggestions?if you are thinkuing of po po-ing older models, don'tand if you are about to say " it';s only $90.00 new" DON'T a sugestion like that would mean about as much as suggesting I get a 70mm combat Graphic( which I do want and never will have)if I insulted someone, wait to you get old, you will do the same! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcuknz Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 I suggest that you trawl through www.dpreview.com which lists and gives specifications for most digital cameras since 'time began' with their inclusion of cameras no longer in production. My impression is that you will have to pay more than basic price for a new camera with a viewfinder becuase the 'style' these days is to delete the viewfinder and rely on the LCD. In that respect the simple 'cotton counter' foldinging magnifying glass or perhaps a 35mm slide viewer could assist you to view the LCD. As somebody approaching the big eight oh I apprciate the Electronic Viewfinder [EVF] with it's dioptre adjustment and accurate framing but I'm porepared to pay a bit more than you for my pleasure I suspect. I'm pretty sure that the savings on processing will quickly cover the extra money you spend for a slightly better camera .. personally I would suggest that you include the Panasonic range of FZ models. I also think that using torch batteries is an inferior way to go compared with batteries made for the camera which do not have a memory and can be topped up instead of having to discharge and then charge as the older Ni-Cads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou_Meluso Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 Hi Walter: I just upgraded from a Canon S70. I got a G9 now that the prices are dropping. Even in light of my new camera, the S70 is a very capable machine. Pocketable size, nice solid build, great optics, 28mm wide end, and RAW output, makes movies. I passed my down to my wife and she loves it too. It lacks some of the newer tech of the G9 like anti-shake and face recognition but if you keep the ISO low, you can make a fantastic 11x14 print from it. Hard to find anything to match it. Good Luck....................Lou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred_c1 Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 You need to make up your mind about the contradictory requirements: >I am looking for an affordable pocket digital camera. ...( no tiny controls) means something. "Pocketable" means tiny controls or no controls. >A viewfinder ( not just a LCD) is needed as my eyes are not good Again, the viewfinders on pocket P&S are just tiny peepholes with small coverage (<90%) and low magnification. If's it's a straight optical finder, everything will be in focus. EVF are better is this respect but they are also very low resolution. If you have trouble looking at the back LCD, the viewfinder will be even worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shuo_zhao Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 Walter, go check out the Canon SD1100. It's priced at $175 at B&H, not "dirt cheap". But it's essentially the best pocketable P&S with a 1/2.5" sensor and a viewfinder that doesn't allow manual/semi-auto controls or use AA batteries (this probably make it pocketable). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_degroot Posted September 14, 2008 Author Share Posted September 14, 2008 fred: my "contrasdictory" statements are because of old eyes and other physical limitations EXAMPLE: ALL Japanese car radios are useless things as they LOVE tiny buttons, seems like a fetish. and 20 jillion functions.. older film cameras have bigger knobs and the positining cam make sense. True, a tiny electronioc camera will have smaller buttons and adjustements But many require good vision to see the menu choiced on a tiny screen. USELESS as far as I am concerned. I appreciate the good suggestions. But a 2-4 MP camera with basics and fewer bells & whistles, would be fine. it would not make a purist or a critical person or a pro happy. but it would be sufficient. it is sort of like buying a less that top-of-the -line zoom or waiting 5 years to save up the money for the best. if you don't own one, you can't use it. againd If I offent those who want only to get the " best" so be it. "best" means, in my case " most suitable for intended use" I am not in the" Holga school of thought" and am not interested in a poorly made camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou_Meluso Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 "But a 2-4 MP camera with basics and fewer bells & whistles, would be fine." For a simpler, cheaper camera a good used Canon S50 is GREAT. 5MP, compact, great lens. It's one step down from a S70 and run used about $65. I'm a big fan of Canon's P&S as you can tell. I've had Nikon, Olympus and Sony P&S cameras and Canon does it best. I'd steer clear of anything less than 4mp if you plan to print any images. Good luck, Walter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred_c1 Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Louis is right. You'll need lotsa luck to find something that fits your bill. Personally I don't think it actually exists, or will exist, at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcuknz Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 The trouble is that it is so easy to include lots of features in a electronic control card/circuitboard to suit the miriad of folk with different requirements, and to try and make it simple in a complicated way .. so you get a complicated item and have to simply use the features you want. I probably only use about 10% of the features available to me in my current most used camera. Thats how I work with my cellphone becuase I cannot view the LCD in bright sunlight. Could be that is a solution for you? Mine simply has one buitton to tell the phone to get ready, take the shot, ready for next shot ... short of connecting to my brain it couldn't be simpler :-) I love it :-) You could of course take the approach of ignoring the viewfinder and simply point the camera at whatever you are shooting [as with the cellphone] ... it is not that difficult to do successfully if you have been using cameras for awhile. People are doing it every day when they view via the LCD you might say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_tuthill Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Here are the current and discontinued models that accept xD cards: <A HREF="http://dcresource.com/reviews/cameraList.php?search=1&manSearch=0&resSearch=0&lcdSearch=0&storageSearch=3&priceSearch=0&cameraTypeSearch=0&zoomSearch=0&lcdTypeSearch=0&batterySearch=0&popSearch=Y&submit.x=32&submit.y=9">dcresource database query</A>. Hone it down according to taste. The Olympus C series are classics, and the Fuji E series are well-liked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mediumformat Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 Get one of the Canon SD series as suggested, because these are inexpensive, work well, and you can install the Canon hack application that will add RAW capaibilities and a bunch of other useful features, all for free. R.J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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