Small backup

I travel with an Olympus E-330 and set of lenses, and own a great Oly 5060, but

want a pocketable camera that has the following:

 

- runs on AA's

- will take rechargeable CRV-3's

- has an optical viewfinder

- 28mm wide, up to maybe 108 tele (wide more important than tele; could probably

make due with 35mm)

- good noise control up through ISO 800

- 6-8 megapix max

- durable construction (ideally some shower proofing)

 

I want AA's or RCRV-3's because I do not want to carry a second charger (and

have slews of good NiMh's and RCRV-3's sitting around. I want good noise

characteristics because I do a lot of railway photography, and may not want the

attention a dslr would grab in stations. I own a 3 megapix Oly D-560Z, which has

served me well, but I want to pass it on to my wife, who needs a new snapshot

camera.

 

I'm in the USA. Thanks for ideas!

Use <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare.asp">This Link</a> to help you find it.

Didn't know about that. Thanks. But want to hear from folks with practical experiences, as well.

Let's see -- AA's, 28mm wide w/ zoom, optical finder, and clean at 800 iso ? <p>

 

Don't think it exists. If you can stand approx 35mm, maybe Canon A630/640. Not truly pocketable, and not weather resistant either. Not sure about 800 iso either ... for any of the p & s cameras. <p>

 

But perhaps worth <a href=http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/A640/A640A.HTM>a look</a> ? <p>

 

A630 is 8 mpxl and silver color only. A640 is 10 mpxl but black. Both have the pivot/swivel lcd that I have on another, older Canon p & s digital and which in my opinion is an outstanding feature.

Alas, the camera you want doesn't exist. You're going to have to prioritize your wants.

 

--Very few truly pocketable cameras take AA's, for obvious reasons (i.e., those batteries are big), but if the A640 counts as pocketable, there are some that size.

 

--The only current pocketable camera that's worth squat at ISO 800 is the Fuji F31d. But the Fuji doesn't have an optical viewfinder or a wide-angle lens, nor does it take AA's (in an era when proprietary batteries go 500 shots on a charge, you may want to rethink the need to buy a camera compatible with your existing battery collection).

 

--Other cameras than the Fujis have viewfinders and 28- or 35- zooms, but you'll be disappointed in the results at anything higher than ISO 200.

 

--Traditionalists often want optical viewfinders, but the OV's on most small cameras are horribly inaccurate for framing compared to the LCD. Furthermore, if surreptitiousness is a goal -- and you imply that it is in your rejection of an SLR -- a camera with a tilting LCD that can be used at waist-level (like the A640) will draw FAR less attention than an ANY camera (SLR or rangefinder) held up to the eye.

 

Etc.