I'm looking for a high-quality but compact digital camera.
I would love to buy another 'chunky' one (like the FujiFilm Finepix that I've been using for a couple of years) but it isn't worth the paranoia of having it in my bag on long journeys - and for all the scenic photographs I can take, I sometimes miss the spontaneous moments.
It would be great to carry comething in my pocket that doesn't lose out in clarity of pictures to the more professional-looking ones.
Can anyone recommend a digital camera that takes excellent quality pictures, on a budget of about $450?
Thanks,
J
Reply to this I always recommend the canon G9...it wins photo contests next to pro DSLRs. Everyone has their own thoughts about this one Jonathan but my advice is, look for pictures taken on the cameras people suggest and make your own judgment. I don't own a G9 but have rarely seen point and shoots win contests. You'd be hard pressed to find a better point and shoot out there.
Reply to this Thanks! I'm torn between Canon and Nikon, as I'm sure everyone is, and possibly asking for too much by wanting professional quality
and the convenience of a point-and-shoot. The Canon G9 is a good place to start my research!
Reply to this I use Nikon for my DSLR usage but, after much research, have stayed away from Nikon for point and shoots. I use a D700 and a D80 DSLRs but everything I've read about Nikon P&S cameras is that they fall behind the competition. But, as I said before, go with what your research tells you.
Here's a sight with tons of reviews which might help:
Camera Reviews at DP Review Reply to this I have always found canons very reliable. There produce great pictures and come in sizes small enough to fit small spaces. My sister has a Canon PowerShot SD750 and she is happy with it.
Reply to this Canon addicted too! bought the IXUS 960 IS a few months ago and I just love it!! Really convenient to use, lots of technical mode (such as the underwater one...), 12.1 mega pixels & quite compact.
Reply to this In my opinion the best travel P&S cameras is the Panasonic Lumix TZ3 and TZ5 (called the TZ15 in Asia & Pacific). It won an award in several travel magazines.
It is small and will fit in a shirt pocket or small bag. The TZ3 is 8MP, while the TZ5 in 9MP. It has a top quality Lieca lens, which goes from wide angle to 10x optical zoom. Great for those vistas or zoom in on the action.
I have a Canon 5D DSLR as my main camera but always carry a TZ5 in my top pocket for quick discrete snaps.
It is a great all-round camera.
Reply to this I took the plunge and, on Michael and Kelley's advice (and a fair bit of reading) bought the Canon PowerShot G9. I'm stuck either in the office or at home at the moment, so all I'm able to do is take pretentious pictures of cups of tea to experiment with the colour and focus, but those and the photographs I've taken of my neighbourhood are superb. The settings are easy to understand at it fits into the pocket in the lining of my coat.
Thanks for your help,
J
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Added: TBA
I know it's too late for you, Jonathan, but for others out there with the same question, my partner and I are constantly on the hunt for the perfect camera. We used to shoot nothing but SLRs, but when you travel, BUT ... there are two ways to shoot photos:
1. "I'm going out to shoot and need all the gear".
2. "Damn, I wish I had my camera".
As soon as digital cameras came about, I bought one and have been hooked ever since. I've had Sonys, Canons, Nikon, Panasonic Lumix's and finally settled (for now) on a Leica D-Lux 3. It takes great shots and it's small; so I take it everywhere and never fall into #2 ... in more ways than one.
No, it's not perfect, but it shoots RAW and has most all the manual settings you'll need.
My partner is OK with a slightly larger camera and is selling his Canon G9 for the G10. I like to slip it into a pocket, but with the larger lens on my Leica, it takes almost the same sized pocket; so we'll see how great his shots are when it comes (today).
If I really needed to have an SLR, which I keep threatening to buy, I'd recommend having 2 cameras - SLR and either the Leica, or maybe the smaller Panasonic Lumix as the sidekick. I've had 3 of those little Panasonics (with Leica lens), and have even blown up shots of the Eiffel Tower to 16x20 and they were great ... and not in RAW.
Reply to this I can highly recommend the Canon Ixus 100 and 120 IS. Small, perfect for travelling, and with great image quality that has put these small cameras on top of many ratings...
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