Pocket camera

[Marvin]

<p>What are the best choices for a camera to keep in my pocket when I'm too lazy to schlep my 50D?</p>

 

[leslie_cheung]

<p>There isn't any best, just depends on what you are after...fast lens? long zoom range? Do you, say, absolutely need a compact with OVF? There are quite a few choices these days...</p>

<p> </p>

[Marvin]

<p>OVF ? what's that?<br>

No particular requirements just a general purpose device. I recently enjoyed having a Canon D10 (underwater camera) in my pocket for general use. It had a defect and I returned it. I no longer need and underwater version but I liked the small size and ease of carrying it in my poclet.</p>

 

[leslie_cheung]

<p>OVF<strong> = O</strong>ptical <strong>V</strong>iew<strong>F</strong>inder</p>

<p>I use my Panasonic LX3 often but it has a limited (24-60mm equv) zoom range. The LX5 just came out. The Canon G11/S95 are recommended often. The Samsung EX1 looks very nice. Ricohs GX/GRD series are great. Nikon just announced a decent long zoom compact I hear. Fuji, Sony, Casio etc...all has travel zoom compacts...</p>

<p>I would go to DPR and search the buyer guide and plug in your requirements. It'll spit out models...just narrow further your choices from there.</p>

<p> </p>

[alan_bryant1]

<p>A recent thread on this subject that might be worth looking at...</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00X2qB</p>

[markonestudios]

OVF - Optical View Finder :)

<P>I'm leaning towards a Lumix myself.

[mike_stemberg]

<p>..and : <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/news/1009/10091412canong12.asp">Canon releases PowerShot G12 premium compact</a></p>

[ed_v.]

<p>I've been through a few P&S's, mostly Canon and Panasonic. I look for ones that have full manual (Shutter/Aperture/ISO) controls. A couple of my Canons also have a manual focus setting that's a bit clunky to use but great for "macro" type shots. Also, ones that can save in RAW format are useful.</p>

[KenPapai]

<p><em>What are the best choices for a camera?</em><br>

Most likely the brand shiny new G12. See above.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>There are older Powershots that have decent pixel counts and actually take CF cards like the main camera. some of them also have optical viewfinders. Look on eBay.</p>

[henry_l]

<p>I just got the S95 to compliment my T1i. I'm very happy with it so far. It's really for my wife who isn't a photog, but she'd rather use that to take pics of our son than to use my DSLR. The s95 has manual controls in a compact body, and that was important to me. What also sold me was the 720p video which we've been using often. I'd sure rather carry the s95 than my DSLR rig/pack in many situations.<br>

Picture quality is decent for a P&S camera. No comparison to my T1i of course. But I'll live with it. It's a camera that we always have on us, and is always ready to shoot. Battery life is below average, so I bought a few extra 3rd party ones from ebay for very low $.<br>

Hope that helps.</p>

[mark_drutz]

<p>There are so many P&S models out there that it's hard to recommend one. I'll just suggest that you get one with a viewfinder, a 28mm w/a, and try to keep it no more than 10MP. I'd say to look most seriously at Canon because they still offer some with viewfinders. I have a Nikon P6000 which is discontinued but may still be around. Adorama may have some refurbished ones. The Canon G11 and new Canon G12 and Nikon P7000 are the best around, but they are kind of pricey.</p>

[phototransformations]

<p>I tried several pocket cameras but all the ones that would actually fit easily in a shirt pocket seemed too limited -- either the zoom range was limited or there was too much processing of the images or there was insufficient manual control. I settled on a Samsung HZ35W, which has a 15x zoom, some manual controls, and fits (without a case) in a shirt pocket but is more comfortable on a pouch on my belt. A slightly smaller contender, with less zoom range but slightly better image quality and control, is the Panasonic ZS7. I passed on it only because the dpreview tests indicated the metering was inaccurate in low light, and my frustrating experiences with inaccurate metering with my Nikon D80 made me not want to go there again. Either is a great choice for a second (or, in my case, third) camera. Both have LCD-only but they are bright enough to be usable in bright sun. Their cheaper younger siblings have LCDs which will likely wash out in bright light (230K pixels vs >460K with the more expensive versions, which also have GPS).</p>

[adm_r]

<p>I think you can have a look at <a href="http://amzn.to/bEq9W7">Canon Powershot SD1400IS</a> its really a nice one with good features like video recording and face detection. If you are looking something good at low light than might consider <a href="http://amzn.to/b84je8">Canon SD4000IS</a> low light shooting reakky exceeds expectations also shoot excellent video.</p>

[bill_tuthill]

I don't understand the appeal of the SD4000. It costs almost as much as the S90 and is about the same size (both are pocketable). However SD4000 image quality is worse at base ISO, and much worse at ISO 400 and above. If you really need HD video, the S95 is out now.