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01-13-2009, 03:57 PM   #31
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Lumix LX3

For Christmas my girlfriend bought me a Panasonic Lumix LX3, which is an awesome little 10 megapixel camera. My favorite features that distinguish it from most of the other point and shoot cameras are (1) the f2.0-2.8 lens that gives me the ability to shoot indoors with available light, even in the evening, (2) the 24mm wide angle lens and (3) the hot shoe that allows me to connect an auxilary flash, like the DMW-FL360.

I don't mind the limited telephoto capability on the LX3 since most of my shooting is wide. (My favorite lens on the K20D is the 12-24mm.)



01-13-2009, 04:17 PM   #32
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And also the LX3 shoots raw. I have the Leica variant and it is impressive in low light. Plus it shoots HD video to boot.
01-13-2009, 04:18 PM   #33
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I use an Optio Z10. I love how small it is, and most importantly I love how it doesn't have one of those lenses that has to move in and out when you turn it on and off, and it still has an optical 7x zoom. Below is a picture I took with it a few weeks ago.

Although, I have to say that I think Sony makes a *really* good camera. But I don't own one because I didn't want to have to spend any money on their proprietary memory format, the Memory Stick. I used to have a Sony Cybershot 3MP camera with manual settings, and I LOVED it. But I gave it to my sister when I got my K10D.

However, if you must have a viewfinder, I would check out the Sony Cybershot DSC-W300. According to Consumer Reports, it's their top P&S camera, AND it has a viewfinder to boot.
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01-13-2009, 05:17 PM   #34
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QuoteOriginally posted by nostatic Quote
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.
I'm just the opposite. For me, no viewfinder = no sale.
I find the VF on the Canon A720 is a real advantage for telephoto shots and a necessity in bright sun.

01-13-2009, 05:26 PM   #35
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Hi,

QuoteOriginally posted by abraham_love Quote
I use an A710is. It has 6x zoom and 7Mp or so. It takes a nice photo is relatively small but sturdy. Takes AAs. Downside is it holds *only* two AA batteries which I'm guessing is the reason why flash recharge time is so slow. I mean S-L-O-W. Takes 5-10 seconds sometimes!
Yeah, I think all cameras that take 2 AAs have that problem. Including my old L1 and the A590 I got now. Can't have everything. But I'm OK with that problem for my secondary camera.
01-13-2009, 05:36 PM   #36
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Hi,

QuoteOriginally posted by asdf Quote
Hope your operation goes well.
Thanks.

QuoteQuote:
Perhaps, you won't "need" or want a P&S/PoS. I don't own one.
Well, even before the operation was on the horizon, I still wanted to have a second camera. When I travel with my bf that means he can carry and use the P&S too even if I have the nicer DSLR. But we are both small guys and neither of us really wants to carry the big DSLR bag at all times

QuoteQuote:
Maybe, get a smaller bag/cover that can fit only your camera and a small lens. The closest thing to a P&S I have is the photo mode on my tiny camcorder which is nearly useless.
I only have 2 fairly heavy/large lenses for my K200D DSLR right now. and I always bring them both along with the camera Sigma 10-20, and Pentax 18-250. I used to have a smaller lens (18-55 kit lens) but I sold it. I prefer to just have those 2 lenses since they take care of 100% of my needs. But the downside is they are not small lenses. I had LBA last summer and went through a number of lenses, but I determined that for my needs it was best to actually limit the number of lenses I need. At some point I had up to 5, but I could never carry them all so there was no point.

My camera bag also includes a flash, a Digital concepts, which runs on 4 AA. And a crappy digital concepts retractable tripod. Which is not really worth its weight. But has been helpful on a few occasions at night since I don't own any fast lenses.

I also usually have at least 12 spare AAs NiMH in my camera bag so neither my camera or flash ever run out of battery .

I have thought long and hard about the content of my DSLR camera bag but there is really nothing inside of it that is not superfluous IMO
01-13-2009, 05:39 PM   #37
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QuoteOriginally posted by pingflood Quote
It'd pretty much be suicide for a manufacturer to release something like that. It's a rechargeable battery good for ~350 shots.
Regarding GX-200, looks it's actually either lithium ion for 350 shots, or 2 AAA for 30 shots ... I wish it was just 2 to 4 AA instead.

01-13-2009, 05:47 PM   #38
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QuoteOriginally posted by Michael Barkowski Quote
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.
Thanks, but I don't think the SX10IS can be pocketed.
01-13-2009, 05:51 PM   #39
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QuoteOriginally posted by junyo Quote
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.
I was looking for a 5x zoom. 2.5x wouldn't cut it :-(.
I didn't know there were viewfinders available on hotshoe. That may help expand the range of cameras that meet my requirements hopefully.
01-13-2009, 05:53 PM   #40
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QuoteOriginally posted by nostatic Quote
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.
Well, sure many small viewfinders on P&S are crappy, but they are much better than having no way to compose the picture at all, which is what you get when you are in the sun and have to shoot with LCD.
01-13-2009, 06:01 PM   #41
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Hi,

QuoteOriginally posted by azcavalier Quote
I use an Optio Z10.
Although, I have to say that I think Sony makes a *really* good camera. But I don't own one because I didn't want to have to spend any money on their proprietary memory format, the Memory Stick. I used to have a Sony Cybershot 3MP camera with manual settings, and I LOVED it. But I gave it to my sister when I got my K10D.

However, if you must have a viewfinder, I would check out the Sony Cybershot DSC-W300. According to Consumer Reports, it's their top P&S camera, AND it has a viewfinder to boot.
Yeah, I have been avoiding Sony for two reasons - the memory stick, and the proprietary batteries, which I heard are fairly expensive. The DSC-W300 is no exception :-( I just don't like to buy into proprietary stuff.

Also, the DSC-W300 only has 3x optical zoom which means it fall short in 3 of my requirements.

I am also a little scared of 13 megapixels also on that size camera ! I wonder what sort of noise level they get. I hope it's better than the Canon P&S.

For me, the 10 mpix Canon A1000IS was unusable because of high noise. Even at ISO 80 !

The A590IS I got now which is 8 mpix is a little better in the noise department, but still too much for my taste. I would be happy with a 6MP camera without noise artifacts, or a slightly bigger camera with an appropriate size sensor if it's going to be above 8 MP.
01-13-2009, 06:10 PM   #42
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Hi,

QuoteOriginally posted by audiobomber Quote
My main p&s is a K100DS wtih DA 18-250mm.
I have a K200D with DA 18-250, but I don't consider that to be a P&S

QuoteQuote:
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).
I like that suggestion. I didn't see the A720IS in store.
How is the noise level on your A720IS at low ISO ? Does the A720 have the same size sensor as the A590IS, or a bigger one ?

I don't think I would add any converter to the A590 because I want to keep it pocketable.
01-13-2009, 06:25 PM   #43
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I wonder if you should consider moving backwards in the Canon A-series a little bit? For example, I have an A530 and like it (5MP), and the A570 has IS (7MP). If you hit up Reid's Adventures Page, any of the pics credited to me in 2006 or later would be taken with the A530, so you can check out the noise. Those cameras would probably be available used quite cheap.

I also tried the SX10-IS, and it's very noisy and by no means pocket-sized (700g IIRC).

Good luck on the surgery. I had an inguinal hernia repair seven years ago, with occasional pain for a few years afterward but no real trouble. It's a routine surgery and the success rate is very high. (I made the mistake of going on hernia discussion boards, which are populated by the people who DID have trouble, so it seems pretty awful if you read those. I recommend avoiding them.)
01-13-2009, 06:41 PM   #44
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QuoteOriginally posted by madbrain Quote
Regarding GX-200, looks it's actually either lithium ion for 350 shots, or 2 AAA for 30 shots ... I wish it was just 2 to 4 AA instead.
Well, most cameras don't even give you that option--it's pretty much intended as an emergency backup power source if you run out and can't recharge. Nice feature, wish more cameras had it.
01-13-2009, 08:56 PM   #45
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yep, I have a Ricoh GX (1st incarnation of the series) and had to revert to AA's (it can run on 2) once. Was very handy as otherwise i would have been in trouble with the "trouble & strife"!
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