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08-22-2012, 10:14 AM   #61
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QuoteOriginally posted by eddie1960 Quote
Nice, mines not so fancy bog standard black w/the f3.5 lens (so the first release)
still it's the most camera I aver got for less than $10
Yes, that's the one I had as well - I'm pretty sure it was called the ∞ (Infinity) Stylus here in the USA.
I gave it to my mother - so it's still in the family as it were - I could see if I could get it back - but it'd just clutter up space - since I have several 35mm p&s with more versatile features that I never use (still have several rolls of film in the fridge too) - and it isn't as if has any collector value, since you managed to get one for <$10!

08-22-2012, 10:29 AM   #62
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QuoteOriginally posted by UnknownVT Quote
Yes, that's the one I had as well - I'm pretty sure it was called the ∞ (Infinity) Stylus here in the USA.
I gave it to my mother - so it's still in the family as it were - I could see if I could get it back - but it'd just clutter up space - since I have several 35mm p&s with more versatile features that I never use (still have several rolls of film in the fridge too) - and it isn't as if has any collector value, since you managed to get one for <$10!
LOL it may have value i'm cheap, and the ebay listing was obscure., and i picked up from the sellaer to avoid shipping
08-22-2012, 11:00 AM   #63
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QuoteOriginally posted by eddie1960 Quote
LOL it may have value i'm cheap, and the ebay listing was obscure., and i picked up from the sellaer to avoid shipping
Nothing wrong with being value minded -
look at the title of this thread -
when we're normally in the company of $$hundreds bodies
and possibly even $$thousands in lenses......

USA - "Infinity Stylus":


everywhere else - " µ (mju)-1"-


the subject of this thread:
08-22-2012, 11:28 AM   #64
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this thread has me thinking of a small digicam actually. I might break the limit of $80 though because the one that appeals most in lower end is the canon for $250 elph 520 which seems a standout value camera, or the elph 530 (used to sell a boatload of elphs when i was in retail they really are good little cameras). the powershot S100 though is likely more up myu alley, I like manual control if i'm only going to have the one - too pricey though

08-22-2012, 12:23 PM   #65
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QuoteOriginally posted by eddie1960 Quote
this thread has me thinking of a small digicam actually. I might break the limit of $80 though because the one that appeals most in lower end is the canon for $250 elph 520 which seems a standout value camera, or the elph 530 (used to sell a boatload of elphs when i was in retail they really are good little cameras). the powershot S100 though is likely more up myu alley, I like manual control if i'm only going to have the one - too pricey though
Those are all fine cameras I looked seriously at the ELPH 5xx series as they had long tele packed in tiny little bodies.

The S100 is almost in another league - and its features continue in the S-series family of which I had the S70 and S80.

But and it's a big BUT......
no optical viewfinder is unfortunately a deal breaker for me -
we've kind of come full circle because that's what I said in the OP

This means I have to be looking at the G12 or even G1X -
those are massive and expensive -
so I live with the "crippled" $80 A1200 -
however it seems less and less handicapped, as I use it -
think of it this way it's kinda like being beaten by somebody
who has one arm tied behind their back.

ah-well that's life -
no camera's perfect....
otherwise we'd get perfect pictures.......

Last edited by UnknownVT; 08-22-2012 at 12:32 PM.
08-22-2012, 12:42 PM   #66
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the lack of VF is a concern for me too, one of the reasons i don't have one. the Pana has an evf option, so does the ricoh GRD but then again we are in another league price wise. (that said I'd love a GRDIV even without the EVF - I have an outboard Optical for my RF that has the 28mm FOV option i could use - Rumours of a GRDV with 28mm equivalent that is apsc or m4/3 have been floating around due to a couple of patents filed by ricoh for 28mm equivalent lenses for those sensors - that could actually be my main daily shooter)
08-22-2012, 02:54 PM   #67
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QuoteOriginally posted by eddie1960 Quote
the lack of VF is a concern for me too, one of the reasons i don't have one. the Pana has an evf option, so does the ricoh GRD but then again we are in another league price wise. (that said I'd love a GRDIV even without the EVF - I have an outboard Optical for my RF that has the 28mm FOV option i could use - Rumours of a GRDV with 28mm equivalent that is apsc or m4/3 have been floating around due to a couple of patents filed by ricoh for 28mm equivalent lenses for those sensors - that could actually be my main daily shooter)
Believe me I went through all sorts of options/gesticulations in choosing a compact for my majority use - and other than the G12 - big brick - there were just ZERO choices with OVF - I have managed to shoot with the lcd - but just do not like it - that's why my main camera is a dSLR using the OVF - it seems almost pointless to shoot with the lcd on those.

Anyway each to their own - I seem to be getting more than acceptable results with this $80 p&s with OVF -
so unless something comes along that's substantially better, and with OVF - I am stuck with this crippled shooter.

However looking at the pics posted - I would say they are as good and in some cases better than I have managed with the K-x - other than the true low available light stuff - I definitely get better flash shots with this cheapie.

How crippled is this?

28mm wide - wide open at f/2.8

overview shot (EXIF attached)


100% crops - as-is, no processing
center'ish


top left corner


top edge mid-point


top right corner


right edge mid-point


bottom right corner


bottom edge mid-point


bottom left corner


left edge mid-point


I would say this is pretty good performance for 28mm equiv wide-open at f/2.8
at almost any price .....
much less $80 for the entire camera.....

(I had heck of a time trying to line things up with a tripod - so in the end this is entirely handheld - so any fault may well be the shooter than the camera!)

08-23-2012, 04:28 PM   #68
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QuoteOriginally posted by UnknownVT Quote
Believe me I went through all sorts of options/gesticulations in choosing a compact for my majority use - and other than the G12 - big brick - there were just ZERO choices with OVF - I have managed to shoot with the lcd - but just do not like it - that's why my main camera is a dSLR using the OVF - it seems almost pointless to shoot with the lcd on those.

Anyway each to their own - I seem to be getting more than acceptable results with this $80 p&s with OVF -
so unless something comes along that's substantially better, and with OVF - I am stuck with this crippled shooter.

However looking at the pics posted - I would say they are as good and in some cases better than I have managed with the K-x - other than the true low available light stuff - I definitely get better flash shots with this cheapie.

How crippled is this?

28mm wide - wide open at f/2.8

overview shot (EXIF attached)


100% crops - as-is, no processing
center'ish


top left corner


top edge mid-point


top right corner


right edge mid-point


bottom right corner


bottom edge mid-point


bottom left corner


left edge mid-point


I would say this is pretty good performance for 28mm equiv wide-open at f/2.8
at almost any price .....
much less $80 for the entire camera.....

(I had heck of a time trying to line things up with a tripod - so in the end this is entirely handheld - so any fault may well be the shooter than the camera!)
I don't think anyone's going to claim that little Canon hasn't got a sharp lens on it!
08-26-2012, 01:04 PM   #69
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from last night.....






I use slow sync flash a lot to get the motion streak effect -
but often the stage lighting is too strong for the slow sync program on this A1200 - which seem to favor using 1 sec shutter speed which is a bit too long for me to handhold - this results in too much blurring even on the flash exposed parts. Last night was such a case - and predominant light color was red -

although does make a few attractive shots - but not on the entire set - so shooting the entire set without flash was a no-go (for me).

In the end those larger shots were using straight forward on-board flash - but setting the sensitivity to ISO400, which I found from experience of my film p&s days seem to give more or less the right balance between flash and ambient light.
08-27-2012, 11:45 AM   #70
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I shot the concert using my K-x (see post #355 in Kx in Use ( 1 2 3 ... Last Page)) but this was from the front of the stage - after the first 3 songs limit was over - I was allowed to shoot with any non-professional camera from my audience seat.

This actually gave me an opportunity to get the full stage -
if only my p&s was up to it....



I cropped both shots to 2:3 aspect ratio which seemed to fit these better than the original 3:4.

Both were ISO400 and -2 stops comp - otherwise the faces stage center would have been blown out.

Last edited by UnknownVT; 08-27-2012 at 11:57 AM.
09-02-2012, 11:20 AM   #71
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bigger concert venues are really my K-x domain - those Tedeschi Trucks full stage shots in my post above - I initially considered the Canon A1200 p&s usage "emergency" only - but they did turn out far better than I had a right to expect.

This Canon A1200 p&s is far more suited for smaller clubs where I appreciate its maneuverability and portability -

one of my favorite shots from my now broken Canon G10 was of this guy at this same venue -
I'm pretty sure this isn't the same spot - but it still has to be the lighting (although it is different this time),
or just how he stands (or sits, as in the previous G10 photo)

sometimes it's about timing -







Last edited by UnknownVT; 09-02-2012 at 11:28 AM.
09-12-2012, 01:26 PM   #72
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Last Saturday -

Place was packed and jumpin' - glad to have this tiny Canon A1200 instead of my K-x

Slow-sync flash, ISO100 ... 1sec handheld


Last night - all slow-sync flash ISO100... 1 sec handheld -




10-14-2012, 09:50 AM   #73
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from last night -



slow-sync flash





This $80 almost auto-everything p&s seems to be holding up well....
10-24-2012, 12:39 PM   #74
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Stage lighting was initially off, then on low - so I was able to shoot all slow-sync flash (1 sec shutter speed) -






10-24-2012, 08:47 PM   #75
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More good work, Vincent.
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