I've got a 6-year-old Elph that is okay but I'm going to the US soon and while I'm there I want to get a new point and shoot.
There are a few things that bug me about my current camera that I'd like to avoid in a newer model:
-I often wind up with pics that are very overexposed
-Sometimes the camera can't focus quickly and therefore won't take a pic in time to capture the moment
-There's a big lag time between pushing the button and actual moment that is captured
-Colors are often fairly different in the pic than in real life, even with excellent lighting conditions
-When I turn the flash off (which I usually do), I very often wind up with fuzzy pics--would like a camera that doesn't do this as much
Other than the lag time, I'm actually not sure if these were problems all along or if the camera is not as good as it was. Until I started the 365project I didn't notice these things!
I definitely want to stick with one that is small enough to tuck into a pocket.
I'd also like something that *doesn't have a million and one options. The whole point of the P&S to me is size and convenience--I really just want to point and shoot!
My P&S is a Sony DSC-H55 and I love it! 14.1MP with 10X optical zoom. It does fantastic photos. I have a DSLR, but my Sony is always clipped on my belt everywhere I go because of it's small size. Look at my photos prior to July 11 as to what it can do. Can't wait to hear your decision. Keep shooting!!! :)
I love my Canon Point and Shoot! In my opinion, Canon is the most user friendly brand out there. Not sure how much you want to spend but this is a great little camera for the money. There is no lag time between clicking the button and having your photo show up. You should be able to hold the camera and test it wherever you buy it.
@Michael, wow I presumed that your pics were all with a DSLR. Do you really just leave it on automatic and it sorts out all your lighting issues for you? I'm somewhat averse to Sony in general as they always seem to have proprietary software/bits that sooner or later cause problems with other devices...but your pics are great!
@Karen, mine is a Canon, but I still have all these issues! It was the high end of the Elph range at the time, although obviously the tech has changed.
I also have a Canon P&S, it's the only camera I've used for my project, and I love it!! It's an older model now, i've had it for almost 3 years, but I'm sure newer models are just as good and probably better. I'm no camera whiz, and I find it extremely user friendly.
I just bought a Ricoh GX200 this week for alot of the same reasons you mention.
Ricoh's the P&S camera of choice for many photo-journalists (who also have dslrs etc) because there is barely any lag, fast focus and you can also go fully manual and take RAW images. Ricoh cameras are not commonly used / mainstream in the US, Canada & Europe but very popular in Japan.
As my 365 project has gone along, I've decided that setting up shots is not really my thing and I'm personally becoming very interested in capturing people, 'moments' and things on the street - therefore a small, portable but quality P&S is the way to go for me.
The GX200 isn't cheap, but I felt that I would get more out of investing - cheap P&S cameras seem to break and be unreliable and I'm done with replacing cheap ones every 6-12 months!
Canon Power Shot A470! That's what I am using for all my pictures.
It has quite a few options (and I'm always using them, I hardly ever just point and shoot), but of course there's an automatic setting, too. If that's what you are looking for. =)
And it wasn't expensive.
I use a Canon G9 for most of my stuff but am well impressed with the Panasonic Lumix which is very very cheap at present in the UK... Wish I'd been buying mine now!! Would nearly buy another one as a second reserve!!
I'm a big fujifilm fan...While my current model (the S2000hd) is not exaclly the "tuck-in-your-pocket" type of P&S there are quite a few models that are and I have seen some fantastic pics taken with them. My 2nd choice would be a Panasonic Lumix...although they are a little more expensive I think.
@Simon, thanks for that Lightstalkers link--I didn't think to check there but very interesting to hear from the other end of the spectrum (ie pros looking for a stripped-down camera compared to what they normally work with, rather than hobbyists looking to upgrade). It also makes clear that there's no simple solution to address all my needs.
I find it interesting how most everybody thinks their camera is the best one out there--in end it's about finding what suits your own needs. I have spent a ton of time researching online and next step will be holding a few in my hands in shops.
One more issue, Becky. When you decide what you are going to get and have a look at the pricing, remember to factor in the import duty when you come back - as well as the warranty terms. I bought my Dad a Nikon on a trip to the USA, and when we added in the import duty + the fact that when he had an "in warranty" problem it had to go back to the USA to be fixed, it would have been cheaper to buy it here.
I have a Nikon Coolpix S570 and it works for what I use it for. The feature I find most useful is that I can change which area of the screen it focusses on manually, so it doesn't always focus in the centre. My suggestion would be to have a play and see what you like.
I have a Canon PowerShot SD 1200 IS. I love my camera. I also have bought to books, Canon PowerShot Digital Field Guide by Michael Guncheon and Better Photo Basics by Jim Miotke. These have been really helpful for learning how to change the settings for different situations.
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@Karen, mine is a Canon, but I still have all these issues! It was the high end of the Elph range at the time, although obviously the tech has changed.
Ricoh's the P&S camera of choice for many photo-journalists (who also have dslrs etc) because there is barely any lag, fast focus and you can also go fully manual and take RAW images. Ricoh cameras are not commonly used / mainstream in the US, Canada & Europe but very popular in Japan.
As my 365 project has gone along, I've decided that setting up shots is not really my thing and I'm personally becoming very interested in capturing people, 'moments' and things on the street - therefore a small, portable but quality P&S is the way to go for me.
The GX200 isn't cheap, but I felt that I would get more out of investing - cheap P&S cameras seem to break and be unreliable and I'm done with replacing cheap ones every 6-12 months!
I found this useful: http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/point-and-shoot-suggestions
It has quite a few options (and I'm always using them, I hardly ever just point and shoot), but of course there's an automatic setting, too. If that's what you are looking for. =)
And it wasn't expensive.
I find it interesting how most everybody thinks their camera is the best one out there--in end it's about finding what suits your own needs. I have spent a ton of time researching online and next step will be holding a few in my hands in shops.