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01-13-2009, 05:27 AM   #16
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there was a long running thread in the P&S forum

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-p-s-camera-discussion/4783-whats-y...-s-camera.html

Personally I use a Kodak DX7590. it is only 5 MP which is low by today's standards, but is an Electyronic Viewfinder Bridge camera with a 36-360mm (equivelent to 35mm) F2.8-3.2 lens.

It takes in front of the lens attachments such as close up lenses and wide angle adaptors (I have a .45x) which gives me 17-360mm focal length in a very compact form.

the camera comes with full program and manual modes, independant control of shutter speed, apature, & ISO.

Essentually it is a smaller size SLR, and even looks like one. I use it for business travel and all my work photos.

The Ideal camera like this would have a 20-100mm lens and a slightly bigger sensor (both in MP and area)

01-13-2009, 05:44 AM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by madbrain Quote
The GX-200 sure seems like a nice little camera ! But is it really correct that it runs on AAA batteries and can only do 30 shots per set ??? That would seem like somewhat of a dealbreaker.
It'd pretty much be suicide for a manufacturer to release something like that. It's a rechargeable battery good for ~350 shots.

As to the original question: I've tried point and shoots and they just piss me off when I have to use them, so accepted that I just have to drag a DSLR around everywhere and found a good strap for that purpose. At least I'm not alone, ran into a guy the other day who doesn't even leave the room without his gripped D700.
01-13-2009, 07:40 AM   #18
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Old Olympus S600. Gets the job done now that I know how to compensate for the occasionally goofy metering. Jonesing for an LX3, just can't justify the cash right now.
01-13-2009, 08:13 AM   #19
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I picked up a TZ3 used. Nice little camera. Fits easily in my purse. 28-280 equivalent, 7 MP. I have printed a 10x15 from it, looks very nice.

It doesn't have an optical viewfinder, but the LCD is huge. The battery life is quite impressive. I don't miss AAs in this camera because the battery holds up so well.

01-13-2009, 08:39 AM   #20
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The L1 was a 6MP, with a 5x optical zoom, SD support, AA batteries, and a screen that was unusable in the sun. I think that's common to all screens, unfortunately. So, I have been looking for a replacement with an optical viewfinder (or EVF). I wanted something that supported AA and SDHC, so I could share the same batteries and cards as my K200D DSLR.

My main p&s is a K100DS wtih DA 18-250mm.
My compact camera is the Canon A720 IS. That's what you should have bought instead of the A590 (6X zoom vs 4X zoom). If you're going to be using the 590 instead of a DSLR, you might look into adding the convertors (tele and wide angle).
01-13-2009, 09:20 AM   #21
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I think you're finding as I did recently, that the days of view finders are getting rarer and rarer. I actually bought my parents the Canon A590 because it had a viewfinder and it was optical too.

My previous camera, a Panasonic FZ15 had an electronic View Finder and it was barely a step up from the LCD screen. The quality of it was horrible. It was probably the biggest flaw on that camera and it made manual focus worthless (the camera had MF, but I'm not sure why).

Anyway, my parents were just stepping into the digital age, so the A590 was the ideal camera since it had the optical viewfinder, SDHC compatibility, and AA batteries. It was the only camera that offered such flexibility and performance for its price, $110. Would I buy it for myself? I'm not sure. After having the dSLR, I'd probably shop more based on low light performance and noise than anything, but for my parents that wasn't as important (they only print 6 x 4's). Even with my k10d, an ISO 1600 shot is usable for 6 x 4 prints.
01-13-2009, 09:41 AM   #22
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I use a fuji F20, in fact I've had 4 of them. They are so good I pass them on to people I love. Except one which I lost (camera, not person.)

To get around the viewfinder problem I added a flash shoe (removed from a junk plastic thrift shop camera). I use the flash shoe mostly to hold a red dot sight for action shots but have found it useful as a crude viewfinder & have thought of adding an old shoe-type viewfinder for use when it is just too bright outside.

Dave

PS I also added a 29mm filter ring (CPL, IR, Aux Lenses). Both filter ring & flash shoe are epoxied to the camera.

01-13-2009, 09:58 AM   #23
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I sometimes take my Canon sd750, small VF, crappy iso past 200, crappy in the dark, crappy focusing in bright light. but its small and my Momma carries it for me to crappy family parties that I don't like bringing my cameras with me to.

or

k10d with one of my manual 50s

or

mx with a 28/50
01-13-2009, 10:08 AM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by madbrain Quote
MUST:
non-LCD viewfinder
greater than 3x optical zoom, preferably 5x like my L1 had
at least 5 MP
fit in large front jeans pocket . Definitely no ultracompact here. Even the fuji E900 fits in my large jeans and that was no compact. I think some cameras that take 4 AAs would fit. But there are some size constraints. A K-m with any kind of lens will not fit :-)

VERY STRONGLY DESIRE :
AA battery support
SDHC support ... But if not that, has to be some card format with decent capacities available (not limited to 2 GB like xD)
Canon SX110IS is really nice and sounds like it would fit the bill.
EDIT: Sorry I meant to say the Powershot SX1 or SX10 IS. My father in law has it.

Last edited by Michael Barker; 01-13-2009 at 12:06 PM.
01-13-2009, 10:40 AM   #25
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Gx200

The GX-200 sure seems like a nice little camera ! But is it really correct that it runs on AAA batteries and can only do 30 shots per set ??? That would seem like somewhat of a dealbreaker.

It does have a short zoom too, which I might compromise on, if everything else fit the requirements, but it does not I am afraid.[/QUOTE]

It runs on AAA's if you'd like it too, but it comes with a nice lithium battery that I routinely get 400 shots per charge on. I'd only use AAA's as a last resort.

I've done 2-3 day hikes and brought only 2 lithium batts charged and had plenty of left over juice on the second battery. Ideally, I've only used one battery on photo outings that long, several times. If you are landscape photographer, you won't really miss any shots with that focal length imo. And you want to do Macro, it is the best compact I've seen yet for that application. The lens itself is worth the cost, very little distortion and ultra sharp.

Carl
01-13-2009, 12:39 PM   #26
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I use a old Canon G5 when I wouldn't carry a DSLR with me. The five MP are enough and the image quality is decent (despite visible shadow noise at all ISO settings). I can make DIN A4 prints with it, if the light was good - and that's what I need most of the time.

I bought that G5, because it handles basically like a DSLR, with many function residing on dedicated and easy to use buttons and I found the menues easier to use than Nikon's. Not to forget the dedicated hot shoe. I guess, the newer G-series modells are quite as useable.

Ben
01-13-2009, 02:12 PM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by madbrain Quote

MUST:
non-LCD viewfinder
greater than 3x optical zoom, preferably 5x like my L1 had
at least 5 MP
fit in large front jeans pocket . Definitely no ultracompact here. Even the fuji E900 fits in my large jeans and that was no compact. I think some cameras that take 4 AAs would fit. But there are some size constraints. A K-m with any kind of lens will not fit :-)

VERY STRONGLY DESIRE :
AA battery support
SDHC support ... But if not that, has to be some card format with decent capacities available (not limited to 2 GB like xD)

The only other one I know that I haven't tried yet is the Nikon P60.
The Panasonic Lumix LX-3/Leica clone is well reviewed and kinda meets your specs. An external optical viewfinder for the hotshoe is available but pricey . Lots of people are eBaying cheaper Voitlander viewfinders and those seem to work fine. The zoom is 2.5x not 3, and tops out at 60mm equiv. No AA support, but SDHC is. Definitely pocketable.
01-13-2009, 02:30 PM   #28
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Casio Exilim EX-Z75 7.2Mp, but I only carry it around with me when I am cycling. I haven't figured out a way to carry a DSLR in a back jersey pocket just yet.
01-13-2009, 02:47 PM   #29
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My A40 until I just broke it!!!
01-13-2009, 02:48 PM   #30
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I don't really get the insistence on a viewfinder. Every built-in one I've seen on a current P&S sucks and is pretty much unusable. The external ones that mount on a hotshoe are the real-deal, but then you don't have as pocketable a system. I find that compacts w/lcd are just a different way of shooting, and can have some advantages over dSLR and having to use a viewfinder.
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