[Need Recommendations]: P&S

I am looking for a good P&S digital camera with these characteristics:

<p>

<li>good optical quality

<li>small - pocket size

<li>no restictions on sensor size but not too overwhelmingly noisy

<li>no restrictions on price

<li>not complicated

<p>

I am thinking along the lines of a couple of Ricoh models but reviews seem to

indicate noise issues. Canon G9 is OK but a tad too big and complicated.

<p>

Other recommendations?

my aunt loves here Kodak EasyShare Z885 8.1 mega pixels 5x optical zoom maybe not as top end as your looking for but it takes pretty good photos for her

 

amber

Canon Powershot A series. An A720IS for example. It's as simple or as complicated as you want to make it.

The Canon Digital Elph (IXUS?) series is pretty small. Turn the knob to the green square and it's as simple as point... and shoot. ;-)

Is the Sigma DP-1 worth it?

The DP-1 has a much larger sensor than other P&S, but it's not exactly a mainstream choice.

 

Most cameras w/o a protruding lens are "pocketable" to a degree. When you said pocket size, you really have to say what type of pocket you're talking about.

 

If you want something really neat, simple, and small, get a Sony W-55 or Canon Digital Elph SD1100. If you want something that doesn't has a lens that stick out, get any 1 of Sony's DSC-T series or Nikon's Coolpix S51.

 

The Canon G9 is a higher end choice. But it's not considered pockable by all.

I toiled with a similar decision for some time. I think you'll run headlong into noise issues to some extent with the vast majority of PnS. These cameras are overwhelmingly designed for a far less sophisticated / discerning crowd. Exceptions are few.

 

I opted for a Ricoh GX100 in the interest of wide (24mm AOV on 35mm format), IQ, compact, RAW and manual control. An optical finder would have been the icing. Shoe-mounted finders are an accident waiting to happen...SNAP! As for noise, I shoot low ISO.

 

I can't imagine being restricted to a 35mm lens (AOV) at the wide end but that is where most PnS start, including the much-ballyhooed G9. I find the selection process to be a matter of identifying three or four, very specific 'must have' criteria...and then the compromising begins. The GX100 is as you see fit: simple (EZ access manual control) or complicated. Godspeed.

<p><i>Is the Sigma DP-1 worth it?</i></p><p>Is it worth what?</p>

I have a Canon G9 and cannot recommend it highly enough.

See http://tasmaniaphotoart.blogspot.com/ for some shots, not all of them, taken with it.

> small - pocket size

 

OK, travel size --- can fit comfortably in a pocket of a sports jacket.

 

>good optical quality

 

and noiselessness are more important.

<p><i>OK, travel size --- can fit comfortably in a pocket of a sports jacket.</i></p><p>What about the Digital Rebel XTi and EF 35mm f/2? Is that too big?</p><p><i>and noiselessness are more important.</i></p><p>Even point and shoot cameras are noiseless at ISO 50. Do you want noiselessness, or noiselessness at high ISOs? If the latter, you'd be better served by a digital SLR, unless you want the Sigma DP-1 (which is rather specialized at at the moment, and not all that fast).</p>

Personaly I have been using a Sony Cybershot for a year now and enjoy working with it a lot.

 

10.1 Megapixels, enough manual settings to be able to have fun, very small and light.

 

All the photos I am sharing here on PN have been done with this Sony camera.

It's worth mentioning that when you convert an image to monochrome, you inherently decrease the amount of noise that is visible, since some noise is chroma noise.