Need digital camera suggestions - lightweight, but good quality

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
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Here are my priorities:

1 - Lightweight / small size
2 - Quality of camera (very close 2nd)
3 - # of megapixels
4 - Cost (waaaaaay down the list - don't care about cost)



So, what can you guys recommend?


This is the first one to come to mind for me......but it's been so long since I've had a digital point-n-shoot...I honestly don't even know where to begin. (longtime canon SLR & DSLR fan)

Canon PowerShot G9
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=144&modelid=15669

canon-powershot-g9.jpg





What other cameras would you guys recommend?


I need a good wilderness camera....where weight/size definitely matters!!!


Thanks!

Dan
 
hate to say this but go loook at consumer reports yearly subscription ain't bad and at least you know it is non-baised
 
I've thought about that....but there's still too much to read...:foot:



I usually rely on dpreview.com for specific camera reviews - they "speak my language" o'er there.


And for general reviews, I go to cnet.com


But there's still way to many cameras to choose from!!!


Dan
 
Dan, get a G9. they're fantastic. almost as much versatility as an SLR if you decide to use it for more than point-and-shoot, but the auto settings work very well. let's see, I think I used it to take a comparison shot of a few knives next to my bushcraft a few weeks ago...
2352752574_592cb90bac_b.jpg

got knocked around in russia for a few weeks with no problems, even when the temps were too cold to touch the bare metal without gloves on. long battery life, too.

if you want straight-up tiny, check out the fuji V10. nice, big 3" LCD, small enough to stash anywhere, plus it has space invaders.
 
I do like the G9...



...but I can't help wonder if I could get something smaller/lighter....*shrug*


...without too much of a trade off in image quality
 
I find that Panasonic Lumix series take the best shots. I have the older FZ7 that isn't tiny, but takes GREAT shots in all modes, with a good 12X optical zoom. The new model goes to 18X optical, 10 (?) M, etc...

My wife uses a smaller P&S Lumix (can't recall the number) and it is exceptional too in quality of pics.

Check out their line...
 
The G9 is Gary Greeley's favorite, and I've had some time with one. For simplicity, my favorite is the Canon PowerShot SD870 IS. Fantastic in auto mode, and despite what the reviews say, there's enough manual overrides to do just about whatever you want to do. The macro function is amazing on this little thing. The only "upgrade" was the addition of a SanDisk Extreme III SD/HC 4 gb. card. Comes with a nice USB card reader (about the size of a pack of matches), and a nice little case that will hold the reader and an extra card. Since getting the SD 870 IS, I've retired the SLR digitals...

Hope this helps!
 
For example....I'm also considering this one:

Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS
 
Daniel Koster said:
For example....I'm also considering this one:

Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS
Click to expand...

I have the close sibling of that one (the SD1000 - link).

One of these is exactly what you need. Very high quality pics. Tiny size (smaller than a deck of playing cards). A+ customer service from Canon.

When I have the need to carry a camera, it rides in a tiny holster on my belt and is unnoticeable until needed. Stick a nice memory card in it, and you get several hundred high-res photos. Enough for an entire vaycay. My digital Canon Rebel SLR doesn't get much use anymore.
 
Daniel Koster said:
For example....I'm also considering this one:

Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS
Click to expand...

Dan, I looked very hard at that one. But for a few extra bucks, I got the 870. Main reasons were I didn't need the viewfinder, and I liked the 3" screen better. Even in bright daylight, you get a bright, sharp picture on the LCD. Function controls were easier on the 870, too.
 
I love Canon, but made the switch went i went up to an SLR. I picked up the Nikon d40x in a package deal with extras from costco for about the base price of the Canon.
 
G9 is awesome, if you don't want a SLR. I have actually seen G9s take better pics than some SLRs with decent lenses.
 
Pentax makes three that I know of that are waterproof. W-10, W-20, W-30.

There was a young lady on my parasail boat that had one. At the end of her flight I "dipped" her in the water and she just submerged it and thought nothing of it. It still worked fine.

Probably not any good for a diving camera..... but to have on a boat, or hunting, or fishing it looks to be a winner to me.

Small & light weight. I just don't know anything about the Mega Pixel stuff...

I have research to do........... :confused: ....... or if anyone has any experience with them... please do chime in.
 
I picked up a Canon SD1000 to complement my Canon 350d dslr.

Very small, extremely light & the photos are great for a point and shoot. My only complaint is that my 350d takes cf, while the sd100 is sd.
 
I don't usually post here. but I just got a Canon SD750 that I love. Takes good auto pictures, and is really easy to change settings on if you want. Has focus and exposure lock for when you need them, and the auto white balance seems to be good. 3" screen that is nice and bright, and small enough to take around with you.

Don't have experience with any of the other recent ones. I bought this one to replace a 5 year old digicam.
 
Thanks for all the good tips, guys.

I'm going to check out the 870 and 750 too...




Buy the way....My current photo setup is this:

Canon 20D
Sigma 30/1.4
Canon 85/1.8
Sigma 50-500/4.5-5.6
Sigma 10-20/4.5


I use the top 2 in the shop to take all my pictures....which is why they turn out so great. (pro level stuff)


What I'm most interested in is a light digicam to take hiking - with an emphasis on outdoor shots.....that won't make me regret leaving the heavier/nicer stuff at home.
 
Check out the Canon SX100. I also would check out the Panasonic Lumix DMCFZ18K. Great camera, I think !
 
Canon Powershot SD1100 is an amazing camera for the size. Takes great pics and captures video very well. I have the SD1000 that I bought last summer, right before I deployed and am extremely happy with its performance. My wife's $500 Sony cybershot offers about the same quality pics, but doesn't have near the stabilization that the Canon offers. I take lots of flying pictures, and it captures them almost as good as a still shot. Great camera for outdoors!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=Canon+SD1100&x=0&y=0

Suggest a good/fast flash memory card, maybe 4GB, so you can take 2000 2MB pictures or lots of video, then burn the whole thing to a dvd-fits nicely. The factory battery works fine through the 2GB 150X A-data card which I have, so you might need to buy an extra to make it through the 4GB. I think some folks have reported shorter battery life than I get, but I think they leave the camera on all the time and then complain about battery life. I take a few pics, and turn it off right away...no battery problems for me. I have even gone a week on one charge, with about 400 pics taken (no video that time). I think it takes about 30-40 minutes to fully charge a battery. I did drain the battery completely a few times when I got it, just so it holds a full charge. I do that every few months and it works like a champ. I do the same thing with my cell phones at home, lithium likes to be drained every now and then to retain a full charge.

My 10 cents
 
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