P and S

[louise1]

I'm posting here because I'm a loyal D200 shooter and might move up in the next 6 months to a D700, and I am comfortable with all that is

Nikon. However, I'm interested in buying a small compact P&S, just to throw in my bag to have with me every day. There are so many

times that I want to capture an image, but I don't have all my gear with me, and my cell phone camera of course doesn't cut it. So I'd like

to buy a good, compact camera. I'm drawn to the Canon G7, because it can shoot in RAW. And I've had my eye on the Leica D Lux-3 but

have heard thing about the noise. I haven't heard anything about a comparable Nikon.

 

Clearly I don't have any gear that can be used (most of these camera's use SD cards, not any of my CF cards, etc)

 

When I'm out there roaming around, I'd mostly do street photography or landscapes, and probably not as many portraits. But maybe some

food shots.

 

Does anyone have an opinion? ( ! ) But seriously, if you do keep a p and s in your every day non DSLR bag for the same reasons.

 

Thank you

[shuo_zhao]

Louise, do you want suggestions on P&S cameras?

 

If you do, there are some questions you have to answer:

 

Do you need a superzoom?

 

How much you're planning on spending?

 

Do you need a durable/water-proof/shock-proof/freeze-proof camera?

 

How compact do you want it to be? (even the largest non-superzooms available today are quite compact)

 

Do you need to use the camera in M, A, or S mode? (You already said you need RAW, and almost all P&S with RAW have these)

[shuo_zhao]

http://www.photo.net/digital-camera-shopping-forum/00QmCx

 

That was a reasonably good discussion on a similar topic. (hope the link works)

 

Bytheway, if you want P&S with less noise (which is something DSLR users are used to), you may want to get a camera w/ a relatively large sensor and lower pixle count.

[juanjo_viagran]

years ago I had a little accident in my car, the driver left before the cop show up, but he told me that everything was fine and he'll take full responsibility... BS

when it came to the moment of true he blame me... BUT, thanks that I had a little P&S and I took few pictures of the accident I was able to beat the odds and won the case to the $#@!@% insurance company..

 

since then I always have a P&S in my car..

 

anyway.. I know that most go to Canon when it comes to P&S, I'm faithful to Nikon and bought a P60, IMO is a very nice camera for what it is... a POINT and SHOT.

[a._j._jacobs]

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07, it has a Leica lens, and is a great little P&S camera. I know it's not Nikon or Canon,

but it takes great shots. It's even got settings for night shots, night portraits, underwater (make sure to get a case first!

lol), food setting, candle light, and fireworks to name a few. It may be what you are looking for, check it out. :)

 

Hope that helps a little!

[rday]

Normally a D300 or D200 user, but for incidental point and shoot stuff - I really like my Canon G9. Full manual features

when you want, still pocketable (is that a word?) and has a nice solid feel to it - especially in my large hands.

[louise1]

Some responses and thank you. So a zoom is desirable, but super is not required. A like shooting wide, so something

with a moderately wide angle would be useful. Durable - as durable as required for being jostled around in my bag, but

it's not as if I throw things around. But I probably wouldn't keep it in some sort of case as I'd like it to be ever ready. I

want it to be compact and the Canon G9 is about as big as I would want to go.

 

(Glad to hear that you like the G9 Rich)

(Ashley, I will look into the Lumix, although I heard the new models did not use Leica lenses.)

 

 

I like that camera, but wished that it were smaller yet had all of the features (shooting manual, RAW, etc) I'd mostly

shoot manual, unless I was super lazy then I'd opt for auto, but I tend not to go that route.

 

I do know that it's a point and shoot, so I'm not comparing the camera's to DSLR's, but to other point and shoots. I just

am surprised a bit at the lack of favourable reviews towards the Nikon compacts.

 

Am willing to spend between $300 - $800. I'd like to have it around for a while, so am not so interested in something that

has a plasticky disposable feel. That's why i was drawn to the metal Leica's.

 

So after a little bit of research, I'm now wondering if I should wait to see what Photokina brings. Although of course I

would like to make the purchase soon and doubt that anything announced would hit the market for a few months?

 

Thank you!

[shuo_zhao]

Wait for the photokina could be a good idea. P&S get updated quickly, and many of the "best choices" as of now have already been around for a while.