Point & Shoot ...

reerc

reerc

Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2006
Messages
745
Reaction score
26
Location
In the middle of Utah
... camera, that is.

The old Olmpus finally went Tango Uniform, so I'm in the market for another relatively cheap and easy-to-use point & shoot camera. I've done some research on CNET, and have narrowed the list to:

  • Cannon Power Shot SD 880 IS
  • Samsung Dual View TL 225
  • Sony Cyber Shot DSC=TX1
  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 and
  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8
Questions:

Any suggestions? What are y'all using - that you like, and that is easy/inexpensive?

The cameras all come with a pretty low amount of internal memory, and you have to buy a supplemental SD card to take more than a half dozen or so pictures. How large a card is ample/advisable?

Thanks folks!

;)
 
Register to hide this ad
My vote is for the Panasonic too. Look at the front bezel of the lens. See where is says "Vario-Elmarit" or something like that. That's the give-away for a Leica lens. It doesn't matter how many megapixels it has, if the glass isn't sharp, it's nothing.

Russ, who's very happy with his three-year old F-Z7
 
I am leaning towards the Panasonic, been checking out NIB listed on fleabay.

How about the size of the SD card, any suggestions there?
 
I'm a Canon user myself ... the "IS" is worth the cost!

As to size of card - buy the biggest you want to afford. Never enough memory...
 
Aloha,

My vote is for any of the Panasonic tz series. I have TZ1, TZ3, TZ7(ZS1) and a FZ18.

I love Long Optical zoom P & S. Of the bunch the Panasonics are one of the smallest in size, But are a little heavier. Slides into a pocket easily.

As I recall the TZ7(ZS1) will accept a 8 GB card, which is More photos than you want to download. The other 2 will not. The FZ will too.

Usually Costco or Sam's has them for a decent price.

You can get extra batteries from several sites that cost less then OEM.
I usually get 2 extras and change them out once a week reguardless if the camera was used or not.
 
Panasonic gives you a lot for the money...just make sure you get the newer 5X zooms instead of the standard 3X in the small models...that 8x zoom is a nice feature on the bigger FP8...personally, I would go for the slightly bigger camera as the exta zoom makes a big difference...like j-frames, I don't carry a camera in my pocket...I use a case on my belt or just strap..
 
Last edited:
I have always been partial to Canon as they make great digital cameras. I would stay away from the Sony, a nice camera, but they use memory cards that aren't as interchangeable and more expensive. Most laptops and some desktops now have a SD card reader built in, but not for the Sony Memory Stick, which requires a unique memory card reader.
 
One last thing....the only feature on the small pannys that I miss is a viewfinder...I used mine quite a bit on my little Canon 1000...comes in handy taking flash shots in minimal light and in the bright sun....:)
 
sipowicz said:
One last thing....the only feature on the small pannys that I miss is a viewfinder...I used mine quite a bit on my little Canon 1000...comes in handy taking flash shots in minimal light and in the bright sun....:)
Click to expand...

Well, There's that! I forgot about that part. Ok, other than that I like 'em.

Have a older Sony Cybershot too. I remember when I was researching it, I wanted a viewfinder. Since then my picture taking has changed and the Pannasonic is working out.

rags
 
FirebirdV8 said:
I have always been partial to Canon as they make great digital cameras. I would stay away from the Sony, a nice camera, but they use memory cards that aren't as interchangeable and more expensive. Most laptops and some desktops now have a SD card reader built in, but not for the Sony Memory Stick, which requires a unique memory card reader.
Click to expand...

That's true with all the older models. But with the latest Sony
models, you can use either the Sony sticks, or SD card.
Also, I think you can also use either the Sony battery or a battery
pack that holds AA's in some of them.
But of course, you would have to buy one of the latest models to
get that.
I'm using a Sony DSC-W290 which uses the Sony sticks. I have an
8 GB stick, but I take a good bit of video too.
With most of the latest cameras being able to do video, that might be
one thing to consider when buying memory. In the case of the 290 and
it's 720p video, each appx 30 minutes will eat 2 GB..
As far as stills, 8 GB will hold a boat load..
One other thing.. Like one says, the lens is important. I've had good
results with the 290 cuz it has a decent Zeiss lens. If the 290 has a
weak point, it would be the sensor.. It's just a regular sensor, so
nothing special. If I were to buy another one right now, I'd look for a
good lens, but also good low light sensors. Some of the newer cameras
have lower light sensors on them. In the overall scheme of things,
how many megapixels doesn't mean much.. In fact, one of the problems
with some P&S cameras are too dense a MP's for the size sensor, and
then low light situations suffer. Don't expect to use too high an ISO
rating on the usual P&S.. Although many are rated to 3200 and beyond,
don't expect noise free pictures in low light with most of them.
In the real world, about 400 ISO is about as high as you want to go
with many of them.. Mine included.. :/
 
reerc said:
Good to know, I was looking at 32 GB, which costs about half as much as the camera itself. So, 8 or 16 should be good, right?
Click to expand...

Most cameras with the resolution slammed....4GB would be a boatload and 8GB would be an aircraft carrier!! (as MK said, for stills)

I have to (2) 4GB SD cards and really only use the one.

rags
 
Last edited:
I have never filled up my 2G card...but I do delete as I go when a pic comes out bad...still, it will hold hundreds of pics...these can be had for around 10 bucks now....Instead of one 4, I would get two 2G...if you fill it up, swithc it out...but it's always good to have a spare if something happens to your card on vacation:)
 
reerc said:
Good to know, I was looking at 32 GB, which costs about half as much as the camera itself. So, 8 or 16 should be good, right?
Click to expand...

For most people. I may get a bit more later as I take quite a bit
of video. Also one of my W290's, I'm fixing to convert to a trail cam,
and I'll need a stick for it once it's done. Yep, 32 GB could be a bit
pricey. I have to use those "pro duo" mk2 sticks because I'm running
HD video, and I think I paid about $41+ tax for the 8 GB stick at the
local Fry's.
Here in town even a small stick is plenty as I can run and dump it
into the puter. It's when I'm out of town and away from the puter that
I might want a bit more memory. And like I say, that's cuz I run video
a good bit. On average a "4:3" 12 MP image in my camera will be about
5 MB. All the other settings will drop lower. IE: "3:2" is 11 MP.. etc..
Mine has a lot of different settings dropping down to VGA. So if you
used say 3 or 5 MP instead of the higher settings, you could record a
whole Navy fleet of pictures with a 8 GB stick. :)
I'd get about 1429 images at 12 MP according to what my camera says.
At 3 MP, it says I'd get about 5091 images. At VGA, it's over 10,000,
but I never use that low a setting. 3 MP is decent as long as you don't
need to crop it.
I run mine pretty high though.. 11-12 MP is the norm.. :/ I crop a lot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top