Walk around Camera

[gk_sullivan]

<p>May be heresy but I get excellent results (as good as DSLR) with an 8mp Coolpix 8400. It has a really sharp and colorful lens that goes to 24mm (35mm equivalent) with only a little distortion. It has P,S,A,M, auto, white balance, ISO, etc. just like the big boys. It has it's drawbacks, but it is light, compact and the 24mm lens is superb for urban photography.</p>

[stephen_worth]

<p>It's easy to look at specs and eliminate P&S cameras. I did that myself for a long time. But then I broke down and got a Canon SD880. I learned that the P&S could handle almost three quarters of my shooting. As long as you're in good light and don't need a narrow depth of field, they can be just as good as a DSLR. I'm totally satisfied with my P&S now.</p>

[RaymondC]

<p>My version now: FM2N or a F100 in a holster bag (maybe) with just a 50mm lens. Walking around each day, thrown into my small daypack I take to work each day. Or a D40 with a 35/2 or 35/1.8 lens. I find that the film bodies are better b/c no rear LCD etc ..</p>

<p>Could also be a 18-55mm DX but that might not be fast enough for me.</p>

<p>If for travel, I just put up with it. I think I need a small body a mid zoom slow and 1 or 2 fast primes. Ultra wide could be useful but I am on the fence about that one, but don't use it much but again I do use it for a few shots... I enjoy film so I am looking at the manual focus just b/c the lenses are very fast and very compact at a 52mm filter thread size. I wish I could take the F100 but AF lenses are much larger, the F100 is also larger.</p>

[bikealps]

<p>I have a D90 and a bunch of lenses.</p>

<p>For a point-and-shoot, I use a Canon G10. I'm very satisfied with it, but I wish I had purchased the S90 instead. I never use all the fancy features, and I don't need a brick.</p>

<p>My requirements for a walk-around camera are a bit different than most. I have no problem carrying my D90, even with a whole backpack full of glass. I do ride a bicycle, though, and on bike trips I need something that fits in a jersey pocket and won't get damaged by sweat or is cheap enough that I don't care. (So far, I've never destroyed a P&S.) The G10 is perfect for that, but the S90 would be better.</p>

<p>On the bike, I need something that is small and light and works fast and takes nice pictures. Remarkably, some of the best pictures can be taken while I am riding... so I need to be able to grab it, and shoot while I am on the move. As an example of a photo taken while riding with the G10, please see: <a href="http://www.pbase.com/bikealps/image/119776303">http://www.pbase.com/bikealps/image/119776303</a> and <a href="http://www.pbase.com/bikealps/image/119776304">http://www.pbase.com/bikealps/image/119776304</a></p>

<p>I presume that a lot of other point-and-shoots would have done well, too, but the G10/S90 is a pretty fine package for a P&S.</p>

<p>I've thought about carrying a D90 plus the kit lens in a "front bag" on the bag. A friend of mine carries his Dsomething with an 18-200 that way. I'm not sure that will work for me, though. On bike tours, I either do hammer trips (with buys) or cruise trips (with my wife). If I ride with my wife, I'm on the tandem, and it's hard to stop the bike and deal with a SLR. On hammer trips, there is no way I would accept the extra weight.</p>

[ramon_v__california_]

<p>i always consider weight, speed and low light capability for a walkaround/street.<br>

it used to be the D40 with the 18-70mm kit lens for me. i gave that camera to my granddaughter with the 18-55mm so i use the D60 now with still my favorite 18-70mm, although at times i'm thinking that i should have just gotten another D40. but i benefit from more pixels so it's ok............most of the time i have the 50mm f/1.8 in my pocket.<br>

lately i've noticed that a D90 with a 35mm f/1.8 is a fairly light kit. and a superfast performer in super low light stuations. i even have room in one of my pockets for the 50mm f/1.8.</p>

[glenjo]

<p>I'm using a D200 with an 18-200, and a 50/1.8 or 85/1.8 in low light. Now, I know this is a bit weighty, but it's the about the least heavy I have right now unless I want to use a rather crappy cell phone camera.</p>

[tri-x1]

<p>Contax IIa</p>

[marklcooper]

<p>I must be a little weird. My walk around camera is also my main camera, a D300 with grip that usually has the 17-55 f/2.8G (with hood) installed. I take it to work, the grocery store, the restaurant, walks on the farm, street fairs, everywhere. Sometimes the 70-200 f/2.8G VR1 is installed, but it is a little over the top. This was taken 9:00pm at night coming out of the grocery store this January. I was playing with my SB-900.</p>

<p>I could not have gotten this with a point and shoot.</p>

<p>D300 with 70-200 f/2.8F VR1 at 200mm ISO 1600 1/15s f/3.2 SB-900 rear curtain flash</p><div></div>