Looking for a good point and shoot

[SHRED]

For around 200-300 dollars.
I have an (old) Olympus Stylus 400 that I do not like at all. It takes washed out pictures.

I am looking for rich colors and a decent low light and flash as well.
Every Cannon I have ever tried takes 1000% better pics then my Olympus.
I am looking seriously at the Cannon. How about Sony?
Any other brand/models you all would advise?

Thanks

[intheflow]

1. I really liked my Canon Powershoot.

It was the first digital I owned. I found it on the Metro after the 2nd* pResidential inauguration protest, and was told if I turned it into lost and found, they would have to destroy it due to terrorism concerns. :eyes: Anyway, I was a film camera snob, but this camera turned me into a digital fan. Over the next year, I took a lot of great "point and shoot" photos:

February


May


June


August


September


November


The only reason I'm not still using it is that my sweetie bought me a digital Canon Rebel for Christmas.
The latest version of the Powershot looks to be right in your price range! :hi:

[Samurai_Writer]

2. I love my Olympus C-5000

That is the only camera I have now, as I can't afford a digital SLR. Every photo I've posted on this group has been taken with this camera. Here's some samples of lowlight photography without flash. I was in the Denver Aquarium.







Some others that I've taken with this little point and shoot, that are really colorful.

[F.Gordon]

3. Just close your eyes and pick one

I saw some pics done on a Fuji P&S last night that had fantastic color. Canon, Sony, and Olympus are all good. Sony has this waaaaay kewl feature I like. When my sis was here I gave her some help learning her Sony. She had this infrared 'mode'. We went out with tripod and did some Night Shots in total darkness... I then converted them to B&W for her. Got some friggin' awesome shots. Just not sure if the infrared feature is available on all the Sonys.
:shrug:

Recommend... go to a store and hold/play with a few. Pick the one that you are comfortable using and fits your budget... then get your ass out there and snap some pics!!!!
:hi:

[TahitiNut]

4. Having bought an 'inexpensive' point'n'shoot (Kodak Easyshare) ...

... I wish I'd been better informed - NOT with a bunch of technical minutiae but with some considerations that I might not have thought about. As someone with years and years of experience with an SLR (Minolta SRT-102 + a couple of Sigma lenses), the most aggravating difference I discovered was the DELAY between pressing the shutter button and the camera actually taking the photo.

I didn't even think about this and don't recall anyone mentioning it.

With an SLR, the corresponding consideration (noise and clatter) is a minor one. There's just no appreciable delay between pressing the button and taking the picture. With the Easyshare, it's annoying as hell. For me.

As a former professional 'puter geek, I was fairly well informed about MegaPixels and interfaces and digital v. optical zoom and other purely digital factors. Most of the discussion here about the more esoteric differences between digital cameras leaves me yawning - of concern to folks with VASTLY larger budgets for such things than I have.

It's frustrating to me to think about how I might eventually go about getting a decent digital SLR, since it doesn't seem that I'd be able to obtain one that's anything close to as simple to operate manually as my old Minolta 102 SLR. Set ASA (design or 'push'), set shutter speed, focus, and then set aperture until the needle matches and SHOOT. Only two of these need be done in the 15-30 seconds before 'SHOOT'. All the "AUTOMATION"(?) in digital SLRs seems to complicate this beyond one's ability to devote one's mind to the PHOTO instead of the camera.

And then again, there's that damnable delay between pressing the button and taking the picture. :grr:

(sigh) :rant:

[F.Gordon]

5. The shutter delay on a P&S or pocket camera is frustrating

But it's really frustrating on a pinhole camera.
:rofl:

Most people that are looking to purchase a Point & Shoot - Compact - Pocket camera really aren't concerned with shutter delay, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, white balance, focus.... they just want something that can take perty pictures. Nothing wrong with that, but my RANT with this is that people who own Point & Shoot - Compact - Pocket cameras don't utilitze a fraction of the cameras capacity. Just set to auto... "say cheese"... and click.

There's also the issue of what people "see" when they look through the viewfinder or on the rear view screen. Most are happy to just to get their subject in the snap. Again, nothing wrong with that, but just taking a little more time.... moving the camera around... looking at everything that will be in the snap and thinkin' "how can I make this shot of Grandpa picking his nose interesting".... can make a big difference in getting a ho-hum snap and a really good snap.

I guess I might be guilty of throwing a log on the fire with the Coke vs. Pepsi "discussions" but I do so only for a chuckle and the hope that those reading it can see that it is purely esoteric and insignificant.

Oh, and using my Canon DigitalSLR isn't quite as easy to use in Manual... using the steps you outlined.. as my new :P Pentax FilmSLR or your ol' Minolta but it's damn close. You just watch the metering level in the view finder and adjust either the shutter speed or the aperture. The advancements... the "AUTOMATION" are primarily things that have to do with speed, metering, and focus. You don't have to be concerned with these things. You can use a DigitalSLR the very same way you use a FilmSLR.

Have to tell ya' though.. being able to "lock the focus" on your subject and move the camera to recompose your snap without losing your focus... and doing so very quickly.... stuff like that is pretty awesome once you start using it.

Your comment on "VASTLY larger budgets" bothers me. One thing that I fear from all the esoteric discussions (I'm guilty of this too) is that it might intimidate or scare off people who'd like to participate in this group.... share photos... but don't "think they're good enough" or that "they don't have an expensive camera"... so they just lurk.

Not that I'm going to "sell" anyone on my photographemicalistic skills :silly: but the first two were taken with my point & shoot - compact - pocket camera and the 3rd was taken with a $3.00 disposable camera. It was the only "normal" snap I had handy cause I mainly play around with funky-artsy-fartsy snaps with the disposables...







The biggest problem, and it reallly isn't a problem if you "watch your light" with point & shoot - compact - pocket cameras is that they aren't the best for metering light. In the 2nd snap above you can see where the camera said "screw this" and there are some blown out bits and very dark shadows.

Wholey Chit.. someone needs to just step away from the coffee...
:crazy:

Sorry for the long post.
:hi:

[TahitiNut]

6. Yikes! DId someone leave their cornflakes in my urinal again?

:crazy: Sheesh! Pardon me for having the temerity to express a personal opinion.

[F.Gordon]

7. I - Don't - Understand

:shrug:

I was agreeing with you... nevermind.

Disclaimer: 95% of this post was pushed off into the virtual neverland

[TahitiNut]

8. Oi! I sure didn't feel that way reading it.

I got a digital point'n'shoot because I just can't responsibly budget more for digital photography ... NOT because I'm some dunderhead who just wants a "purty picture" without effort or thought. (Yeah, I took that personally. Maybe I shouldn't have.)

So much of the discussion here is about 'toys' I couldn't possibly budget for in my current circumstances. While I'm an unusually honest and candid person, I typically don't talk about two things: (1) anything I might do and regard as a 'virtuous' act (charitable or otherwise), and (2) my personal economics and family situation. The first because I feel that even the appearance of inviting 'approval' (attaboy) negates whatever 'virtue' there might be in doing 'the right thing' and the second because it really (really!) shouldn't matter - but it apparently does. (I know from personal experience that affluent people rarely FEEL affluent. It's part of the "American disease," I guess - conspicuous consumption and the backwash.)

That said ...

The shutter delay was a surprise to me - a very annoying one, since I did SOME 'due diligence' in picking the Kodak and wound up feeling stoopid. It just didn't occur to me. At the same time, I still don't know if another choice would have been better in THAT specific regard. Stoopid again.

:shrug: So be it.

Pax. :pals:

[F.Gordon]

9. I was giving you a compliment

Most people that experience long shutter delay wouldn’t even know it. Nor would most people be aware of the (seems like) eternity that passes while the pic is put on the memory card. I was pointing out a number of things that are a part of a point & shoot - compact - pocket camera that are of little or no concern to a majority of people that use them. Someone, like yourself, who has experience using a mostly Manual film SLR sure the frug’ wouldn’t fall in that category.

My comment about money and equipment was focused on the possibility that those that read the posts about discussions on equipment would feel intimated because they don't use pricey stuff and wouldn't post or comment in this wacky little group. I will always tell anyone who asks "what camera should I buy" to get what they can afford.... as I did up thread.

Discussing "toys" has always been a part of photography. I'd like to see other discussions but you can see how quickly threads like the Roundtable sank.

“Toys” have become a huge part of all this new fangled digital stuff. For the few people that hang here that try to make a nickel or two with photography “toys” are very important. They are also important to those that just get incredible joy and satisfaction from the experience that the “toys” give them, the images they capture, and the people they share them with.

What’s that quote from Robin Williams in that movie thing he did? Something like “no one takes a picture of something they want to forget.” In the end it’s all good. Doesn’t matter if you spend $50 or $50,000. I’m really not sure what point you are trying to make regarding “affluence”.

I guess that of all the things I really suck at I’d have to say that I really suck most at this internet stuff. I always seem to piss people off. Oh well.

[wakeme2008]

10. I think my Nikon D2H can only take 8 pictures a second

:rofl: But it is little more than a point and shoot.....

[TahitiNut]

11. Gee, you coulda bought 10 Nikon Coolpix 5600's ...

one for yourself and 9 for your friends and neighbors and still had money left to contribrute to the ACLU or VVAW. :evilgrin:

Of course, the begs the question of how long it takes the Nikon Coolpix 5600's shutter to cycle after pressing the shutter release. I'll be damned if I can find that little gem of a spec in the list, though.

• Image sensor - 1/2.5-inch type (5.36 million total pixels). Effective Pixels: 5.1 million CCD
• Lens - 3x Zoom-Nikkor; 5.7-17.1mm <35mm (135) format equivalent to 35-105mm>; f/2.9-4.9; 7 elements in 6 groups. Aperture: Electromagnetically and charge-coupled electronic shutter, 2 steps (max/min aperture = F2.9/F4.9(-1.5AV))
• Digital Zoom Up to 4x
• Optical viewfinder - Real-image zoom viewfinder; Magnification: 0.30-0.76x; Frame coverage: approx 82percent
• LCD monitor - 1.8-inch type, 80,000-dot amorphous silicon TFT LCD monitor with brightness adjustment; frame coverage: approx. 97% horizontal and vertical (shooting). Display: LCD Monitor: Electronic view finder display; Menu selection of Shooting Modes, Playback modes, Indication of Date, Self-timer; Finder LED: Status of focusing and speedlight; Front LED: Self-timer; Power-on LED: Status of power switch. Picture Enhance Menu: Small picture (re-size), Photo trim
• Autofocus method - Contrast-detect TTL AF
  Focus Modes:Single AF, Continuous AF is chosen automatically at Close-up mode
• Shutter speeds 4 seconds to 1/3,000th second. Shooting Modes, Still:Auto; Scene Assistance (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night portrait), Scene (Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Night landscape, Close up, Museum, Fireworks show, Copy, Back light, Panorama assist, Underwater), BSS (Best Shot Selector), Blur warning, Date imprint, Self-timer (10 sec.)
  Shooting Modes: Movie:TV movie (640) at 15fps, Small size (320) at 15fps, Smaller size (160) at 15fps
• Exposure control methods - Exposure Mode: Automatic
  Exposure Control: Programmed auto exposure, Exposure Compensation: (-2 - +2EV in 1/3 EV steps)
  Exposure Metering: 256-segment matrix metering
  Exposure Range: EV +1.1 - +17.1 (W), EV +2.6 - +18.6 (T)
• Continuous drive - Capture Modes:1) Single, 2) Continuous (1.3fps; up to 3 frames), 3) Multi-shot 16 (16 consecutive frames 1/16 in size)
• Self-timer - Ten- or three-second duration
• Sensitivity (equivalent film speed) - ISO 50, Auto gain-up (50-200)
• White balance - Auto with TTL control, 5-mode manual, Pre-set white balance
• Built-in flash operating modes - Built-in Speedlight: Flash modes: Auto, Auto with Red-eye Reduction (Advanced Red-eye Reduction), Anytime Flash, Flash Cancel and Slow sync.
• Flash range - Range: 0.4-3.3m / 1.3 - 10.8 ft. (W), 0.4-2.0m / 1.3 - 6.6 ft.
• Terminals for external flash - None
• Video Output - I/O Terminal:USB, Audio/Video (NTSC or PAL selectable) out
• Storage media - Media: Internal memory: approx. 14MB,
  SD memory card
  Internal Memory: Number of Frames; (5M): (w/ Internal memory): High (2592*) approx. 5, Normal (2592) approx. 10
• Image recording format - File Format:Exif 2.2 file/DCF2.0 (compressed JPEG)
• Resloution Modes - Image Size:High (2592*), Normal (2592), Normal (2048), PC (1024), TV (640)
• Movie Recording - E5600: with sound / E4600: without sound; TV movie (640) at 15fps, Small size 320) at 15fps, Smaller size (160) at 15fps
• Interface - USB interface
  E5600 Audio/Video (NTSC or PAL selectable) out, E4600 Video (NTSC or PAL selectable) out
• Power Source - Power Requirements:Two LR6 (AA-size alkaline) batteries (supplied), two EN-MH1 Rechargeable batteries, two ZR6 (AA-size nickel manganese) batteries, two FR6 (AA-size lithium) batteries
  Battery: Two LR6 (AA-size alkaline) batteries (supplied), 2 EN-MH1 Rechargeablebatteries, two ZR6 (AA-size nickel manganese) batteries, 2 FR6 (AA-size lithium) batteries
  Battery Life: 220 images with two AA-size alkaline batteries, 340 images with two EN-MH1 Rechargeable batteries (based on CIPA standard*)
• Dimensions (W x H x D) Approx. 3.3 x 2.4 x 1.4 in. (85 x 60 x 35mm)
• Weight Approx. 4.6 oz (Approx. 130g). (without battery and memory card)
  System requirements: Seq# 280 Macintosh OS: Mac(R) OS X (10.1.5 or later) RAM: 64MB (128MB with RAW images) ormore recommended Hard disk: 60MB required for installation Display: 800 x 600 with 16-bit color (full color recommended) Others: CD-ROM drive required for installation
• System requirements - Windows OS: Windows(R) XP Home Edition / Professional, Windows(R) 2000 Professional, Windows(R)Me, Windows(R) 98SE pre-installed models RAM: 64MB (128MB with RAW images) or more recommended Hard disk: 60MB required for installation Display: 800 x 600 with 16-bit color (full color recommended) Others: CD-ROM drive required for installation
• Special features - Mode Dial: Auto, Scene, Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night Portrait, Movie, Setup
  Delete Function: Delete all frames, delete selected frames, protect function available, card format
  Auto OFF mode: 30sec., 1min., 5min., 30min., can be set manually, sleep mode
  Supported Languages German/English/Spanish/French/Italian/Dutch/Swedish/Japanese/Simplified Chinese/Traditional Chinese/Korean selectable in menu display

http://www.adorama.com/INKCP5600R.html?sid=11581609865178894

Maybe someone more sharp-eyed and "clued-in" (than STOOPID me) can point out where that little item is specified??? I still don't know which <$200 point-and-shoots don't have that annoying delay.

[wakeme2008]

12. Always glad to help out a Mainframer

:)

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/CP5600/CP56DATA.HTM


And I have to worry bout the speed of my flash memory

[TahitiNut]

13. So.. it's called "shutter lag" ... and is regarded as a 'Picky Detail'??

"Picky"?? (Sheesh!) What's "picky" about being disgusted about a delay of one second or more between pressing the shutter release and actually having the shutter operate? In that "one hippopotamus" damned near anything can (and will!) happen ... including movement of the subject, especially wildlife, insects, birds, sports figures, pets, and even still-life blown by a passing breeze. It's like being thrown back into a "solid state" Matthew Brady's day - will we get clamps and supports for the subject matter next?

[TahitiNut]

14. It looks like I should've gotten the Canon PowerShot A610

Shutter lag, full autofocus 0.48 / 0.63 ... about 40% faster than my Kodak Easyshare

5.0 MP v. 3.1 MP
A 2" LCD ... which I've found is important for someone my age (and eyesight)
4x optical zoom v 3x optical zoom (I eschew digital zoom ... it's just lower MP resolution)

(sigh)

[TahitiNut]

15. That's a really good site (imho) - esp. the "Product Advisor"

After I go through all the personal preferences (even though they DON'T include shutter delay), it seems I should go with a Canon.

Their #1 is the Canon PowerShot A620 Digital Camera. {The A610 is #4.)

(sigh) My Kodak doesn't even appear in the 15 'recommended'. Figures.

[wakeme2008]

17. Sorry to hear about your camera

but when you are ready for a new one, it sounds like that site will help.

I am Mr. Nice guy :) and when I see somebody taking a group shot I will offer to use their camera and take the picture so that the picture taker can be in it. I am always surprised with the "shutter delay" I get with some cameras. Some are sooooo long I wonder if I really hit the button.....

[Bryan Buchan]

16. Sony DSC-F717

Excellent Camera, very happy with it, Ebay lists at about 250-350

[BrightKnight]

18. Canon Power Shot

My little 4 MP Canon Power Shot S45 is hard to beat. It is also indestructible because it is all steel.