Decent compacts

[Hairy Cornflake]

I had a plan to give Mrs HC my 500D for Chrimbo and by myself a little 7D.

After her trying to use the DSLR and failing, that idea has gone t*ts up and she wants a compact.

So what is decent, mainly for her use, may be for mine if I can't be a*sed to lug the 500D around?

Thanks in advance.

[14-7]

Always had Canon IXUS's as my point and shoot cameras. Always give good results and are easy to use.

[LongQ]

Hairy Cornflake said:

I had a plan to give Mrs HC my 500D for Chrimbo and by myself a little 7D.

After her trying to use the DSLR and failing, that idea has gone t*ts up and she wants a compact.

So what is decent, mainly for her use, may be for mine if I can't be a*sed to lug the 500D around?

Thanks in advance.

Commiserations.

I have given up trying to buy anything of a technical nature for the females (Wife, 2 daughters) in my household as even the most basic recommendations seem to result in 'this is no good for me' results.

For a start do you have any guarantee that Mrs HC even really wants to use a camera?

Mrs. LQ was a fairly avid photo botherer when the kids were growing up but now here main requirement for having a camera seems to be to say she has a camera but it doesn't do what she wants it to do - so it must be no good. Ditto the daughters when they are not dropping them drowning them or getting the stolen. Mrs LQ now pesters the kids (who are no longer at home) to give her the photos they have taken. Invariably they have to resort to stuff taken by forends and put on Facebook sometime in the last year. In other words they don't use their cameras. However when younger daughter complained that her current camera takes rubbish shots (which it does for her on evenings out when she remembers to take it to satisfy the voracious photo demands of her mother, but works fine for me) Mrs LQ instantly offered to hand over her camera which is 'brilliant' although so far as I can tell she has never used it. So much for wanting a camera then ....

I had a lucky escape earlier this year when Mrs. LQ decided she wanted a new TV. Entirely her choice, I just picked it up and paid for it. Apparently the colours are terrible. I wouldn't know - I don't willingly watch TV - but when forced to offer an opinion I could only observe that, within the boundaries of adjustments applied, it looked OK to me. DVR - same problem. They are either too complicated or don't work. It's not just cameras .....

Of course I have never met Mrs. HC and you may be on safe ground there but if I were you I would forget about the recommendation and potential for you to use the thing as well and just let her pick anything she wants to pick with minimal input. It will probably come down the the colour and whether it comes with a case. If you are lucky and the bug bites you may be back in the market a few months from now looking for advice on an upgrade but, based on my experience, probably not.

Perosnally I would look at the sub £50 end of the market if you HAVE to make a recommendation and then put the rest of what you were prepared to spend - say the other £350 it would have cost you for something you quite liked the look of - towards the 7D. Or a lens. Or a memory card for the 7D. 7D's like memory capacity.

HTH.

LQ.

[itsnotarace]

Lumix TZ10

[Moose.]

Canon S95. I had the S90 and it's very easy to use in full auto but also has full manual controls too. Best of both worlds

[Ammo 7]

I had a Canon S90 for a while and didn't like it much. The .jpegs were full of artifacts and the RAW files were very distorted. I bought it to replace a bottom of the range 8MP Lumix FS4 which I stupidly sold when I got the Canon. The shots from the cheap Lumix looked better to me.

I have since bought another little 10MP Lumix for £100 which I am still happy with for snaps. I have thought about a Lumix GF1 but it is a bit on the big side to put in your pocket. My current thinking is a Lumix LX5 which has a sensor twice the size of the FS62 I currently own.

I've just come back from six days in Barcelona. I couldn't be bothered with taking a 5D2 and lenses and much to my surprise I took over 500 shots with the Lumix. Quality is good but obviously not perfect. It's a cheap compact. I don't always like that everything is in focus because of the small sensor. If I had an LX5 with the bigger sensor I think I would be more than happy.

The above is my opinion and not meant to be offensive to Canon S90 users who are happy with their cameras. I bought my first Canon in 1974 and use Canon cameras to this day. The S90 at £300 just didn't make pictures that I personally was happy with. For compacts I would go Panasonic every time.

[rottie102]

Ammo 7 said:

For compacts I would go Panasonic every time.

+1
But you don't have to have the latest TZ10, TZ5,6 or 8 are also very good and cheaper.

Or, you could buy an FT2 like me, which very nicely compliments an DSLR being small and water and shockproof for those moments you wouldn't think of taking the DSLR with you.

[J B L]

rottie102 said:

Ammo 7 said:

For compacts I would go Panasonic every time.

+1
But you don't have to have the latest TZ10, TZ5,6 or 8 are also very good and cheaper.

Or, you could buy an FT2 like me, which very nicely compliments an DSLR being small and water and shockproof for those moments you wouldn't think of taking the DSLR with you.

That.

I bought my wife a Lumix TZ7 (?) last Xmas before our first child was born and she loves it. Especially the instant HD recording button to capture the stunts only a 9 months old can do!

[Ultuous]

Another vote here for the Panasonic compact range (the LX series being particularly wonderful image quality wise)... Whilst being sacrilidge for an enthusiastic photographer, leaving the Intelligent Auto mode on with them does a pretty fine job if and when someone just wants to frame a shot and press 'the button on top'!

[nogsk]

Canon choices:
S90/95 pretty useful, the 95 has HD vid, plus both can shoot RAW if you're looking for a back up for you to use too.
Plenty of scene modes and auto options for the less 'keen'?
The SX210i might be worth a look, has amazing zoom with image stab, a friend used one on a recent SA trip and was impressed with the ease of use and iq. Doesn't have RAW capability though.
The G12 is the 'pro' choice, fantastic image quality at low iso and now better at high iso too - A little bulky. I could just about pocket my G11.
Just so this doesn't read like a Canon add I would also recommend the Pana GF1 with the 20mm pancake lens it's not really pocketable, but is light and portable, shoots well on auto, has RAW and full manual capability and interchangeable lens.

[andy-xr]

nogsk said:

The G12 is the 'pro' choice, fantastic image quality at low iso and now better at high iso too - A little bulky. I could just about pocket my G11.
Just so this doesn't read like a Canon add I would also recommend the Pana GF1 with the 20mm pancake lens it's not really pocketable, but is light and portable, shoots well on auto, has RAW and full manual capability and interchangeable lens.

Not a pro, but I'm considering dumping my D300, keeping the D700 and getting a G12 as more of an allrounder

[clonmult]

rottie102 said:

Ammo 7 said:

For compacts I would go Panasonic every time.

+1
But you don't have to have the latest TZ10, TZ5,6 or 8 are also very good and cheaper.

Or, you could buy an FT2 like me, which very nicely compliments an DSLR being small and water and shockproof for those moments you wouldn't think of taking the DSLR with you.

+1 on the FT range.

I've had the FT1 for close on a year, and its a cracking little camera - it supplements my DSLR very nicely.

And its surprisingly good for video, even in low lighting conditions. Playback via the PS3 on a big screen is quite pleasing.

[ZesPak]

14-7 said:

Always had Canon IXUS's as my point and shoot cameras. Always give good results and are easy to use.

Although I must say that lately the Panasonic Lumix range has some camera's that are cracking value for money in the compact range.
Deffo worth a look imho.

[Fume troll]

Another vote for the S95, it's absolutely excellent. Same sensor as the G12, albeit without quite the lens quality (Although it does have a wider range of focal lengths, and a larger wide angle aperture).

Or get an S90, they are massively discounted now and do almost everything the S95 does.

ETA Some shots with my S95, full auto, no post processing, hand held.













Cheers,

FT.

Edited by Fume troll on Thursday 28th October 12:20

[Mike_CTR]

andy-xr said:

nogsk said:

The G12 is the 'pro' choice, fantastic image quality at low iso and now better at high iso too - A little bulky. I could just about pocket my G11.
Just so this doesn't read like a Canon add I would also recommend the Pana GF1 with the 20mm pancake lens it's not really pocketable, but is light and portable, shoots well on auto, has RAW and full manual capability and interchangeable lens.

Not a pro, but I'm considering dumping my D300, keeping the D700 and getting a G12 as more of an allrounder

I use a G10 when I can't be bothered lugging the 5D2 around, awesome shots from it and excellent quality.

I'd therefore say that the G12 must be good based on a wild assumption

[Nick M]

A timely thread as a couple of friends have just asked me if I can help guide them towards a better compact than either of them currently have.

I've had my LX3 for about 10 months now and it's cracking, so I've also suggested that they look at the following:

- Panasonic LX5
- Canon S95 (or even the S90)
- Panasonic TZ10, or 7 if they can find one

They're both looking for cameras with quick shutter reaction times and excellent image quality, and are prepared to accept that decent compacts cost more than £100. But they don't want anything too big and bulky, so the Canon G12, etc. are all out. As is the Panasonic GF1 and other micro 4/3 options.

Am I missing any other cameras they could look at ?

[Fume troll]

Nick M said:

A timely thread as a couple of friends have just asked me if I can help guide them towards a better compact than either of them currently have.

I've had my LX3 for about 10 months now and it's cracking, so I've also suggested that they look at the following:

- Panasonic LX5
- Canon S95 (or even the S90)
- Panasonic TZ10, or 7 if they can find one

They're both looking for cameras with quick shutter reaction times and excellent image quality, and are prepared to accept that decent compacts cost more than £100. But they don't want anything too big and bulky, so the Canon G12, etc. are all out. As is the Panasonic GF1 and other micro 4/3 options.

Am I missing any other cameras they could look at ?

IXUS 300 HS is also worth a look.

Cheers,

FT.

Edited by Fume troll on Thursday 28th October 12:54

[mids]

Mike_CTR said:

I use a G10 when I can't be bothered lugging the 5D2 around, awesome shots from it and excellent quality.

I'd therefore say that the G12 must be good based on a wild assumption

I was looking into getting a G12 a few weeks ago (or a Nikon P7000) but then someone on here posted this link and the decision was made

http://craigmod.com/journal/gf1-fieldtest/

with the 20mm pancake lens it's almost identical in size and weight to the G12 and only another £50. Obviously no zoom but the micro four thirds format leaves potential to upgrade with additional lenses etc if you get into it more.

[martindower]

Panasonic TZ10 with an Eye-Fi memory card (http://www.eye.fi/)

[mathewb]

Got to be the TZ10, superb camera for the money.