[Li'l Dave]

I want to buy a pretty small digital camera that I can take with me riding/hiking...etc. I need one that has a good macro mode, and other than that I really have no idea what I am looking for. My friend speaks very highly of his Nikon Coolpix S4 (www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=2&productNr=25533), and I like using his camera, but I know that it has no image stabilization. Seems like a good idea, but is it necessary? Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in adviance.


Dave

 

[merrrrjig]

I have a sony cyber shot that i used to use. Its big enough that you can hold steady but wont fit in your pocket easily, yet small enough to put in a camelback or something. You dont need image stablizization for riding, if anything it will screw up the image

 

[Li'l Dave]

So image stabilization really isn't that great, thats good to know. It seems like a good size, and all of the features are there. I'm still looking around, but so far that is what I like.

 

[narlus]

IS is only good on stationary subjects. for moving subjects it does nothing (except possibly make the situation worse?).

 

[Li'l Dave]

That's good, that opens up my options a bit.

 

[blue]

I'd recommend staying away from Sony, but only because of their use of propreitary memory sticks in typical Sony fashion.

I have a Canon A620 that I love, but its a bit large for riding. I've seen and heard very good things about the Canon sub-compacts, though.

 

[Austin Bike]

I use a Canon PowerShot SD550.

Tiny, with great 7MP pictures, awesome continuous mode and can do 640x480 movies. I've taken it all around the world, and the perfromance has been great. Especially going from off to shooting, which it can do in a second or so.

 

[MikeD]

Canon S70 (or S80 or S90 or whatever they're up to these days) is a supremely good riding camera. Great optics with a good wide-angle (most important!) and a decent telephoto, huge amount of exposure control and options, including slow and second-curtain flash sync. And all in a chunky little box that fits right in a camelback-strap sized velcro pouch.

MD

 

[maxyedor]

IS is only good on stationary subjects. for moving subjects it does nothing (except possibly make the situation worse?).

That depends on how the image is being stabilized. Some of the small digi cams do hurt the image whe the stabilizer is on. Others work differently and stabilize to correct for the camera shake and not the mothion of the image, if you can find a digi-cam you like with this type of IS system go for it. It will help quite a bit.

 

[Li'l Dave]

I was also looking at some of the panasonic cameras, anyone use the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1K? Its a bit more pricey, but has gotten great reviews and can obviously do more than I am even capable of.

 

[binary visions]

I agree with MikeD about the Sxx series cameras. The S80 is half the size of the previous generation camera, and is a pretty decent little tool. You need to use a lot of menus to get full photographic control, but hey, it's tiny - you can't expect a lot of buttons.

You know what's important in these cameras that I harp on and nobody else seems to mention? Ergonomics. If you like the way the camera handles, you're much more inclined to take pictures with it. I'd really suggest you go into Best Buy or something and handle a few of them, see if one feels really "natural" for you to hold and use.

Many of the high end manufacturers (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic) have a camera that will suit your needs. So if one feels better, that brand is a good one to look into.

 

[binary visions]

Oh, and the other thing an in-person trip will let you do is judge what you think is the maximum size that you can have the camera and still consider it portable for riding and hiking. A too-big camera will be a hinderance and you won't use it.

 

[Li'l Dave]

I'm gonna go and check some out today, I didn't realize how weird it was being without the camera until mine didn't work at all.

 

[fubar5]

I'm gonna go and check some out today, I didn't realize how weird it was being without the camera until mine didn't work at all.

Ditto!! Only my camera works, I just left it in South Carolina. I feel like I'm missing an arm or something (in a netizen sort of way).

 

[Li'l Dave]

I finally went out and checked out some cameras today. I liked the Sony S4, but didn't have a place to rest my pointer finger on my right hand. I tried the Canon s80 and really liked it, but 8 megapixles is too much(as far is price is concerned) The guy at the camera place said that he has professional photographers coming in to buy the Panasonic models as an everyday camera. They have just started carrying Panasonic and they didn't have anything besides an SLR to even show me. Right now the Panasonic is closely being followed by the Canon, anyone have any time with both cameras?

 

[manimal]

i've had a few "soccer mom" point and shoot digi's. my favorite as far as pic quality was fuji and my least favorite is sony (current camera) i'll take the same pic in the same lighting conditions as a friend shooting with a cannon and mine looks like it was from the 80s or something. horrible color rendering.

 

[MikeD]

i've had a few "soccer mom" point and shoot digi's.

Now, the cameras I can take. It's all that Laura Ashley stuff that you wear which pushes it past the limit. And those crushed-velvet jogging suits with the tight asses. Seriously, dude.

MD

 

[manimal]

Now, the cameras I can take. It's all that Laura Ashley stuff that you wear which pushes it past the limit. And those crushed-velvet jogging suits with the tight asses. Seriously, dude.

MD

you're just jealous 'cause my jogging suit loves to seep into my crack when i wear my thong ink: :hot:

 

[Li'l Dave]

Allright, that's enough about Manimal's thong...

For riding does it make sense to get a "pocket" type camera, or is something a bit larger better? Does a smaller camera mean that it will be more fragile?

 

[binary visions]

Unless you're inclined to carry and protect a large piece of equipment, a larger camera just means you won't carry it. What a larger camera does is turn rides into "photo rides" where you think about your camera all the time, and "non-photo rides" where you have fun and don't bring it.

Get something compact. I don't know what you mean by "pocket size", but I mean something NOT like a Canon G5 or a similar size that's too bulky to transport in your pocket. For some people, "pocket size" means one of those little slim deals, and I think that might be too small.

 

[Li'l Dave]

Something around this size. Its not tiny, but isn't big enough that I would worry about it being in my camelback.

 

[narlus]

Unless you're inclined to carry and protect a large piece of equipment, a larger camera just means you won't carry it. What a larger camera does is turn rides into "photo rides" where you think about your camera all the time, and "non-photo rides" where you have fun and don't bring it.

definitely.

though i must admit i was wishing i'd brought my 350D and 70-200 f/4 lens during a few moments on yesterday's ride...some great lighting filtering in through the trees.

as it was, i forgot the G2 on the kitchen counter.

 

[Austin Bike]

If you want to know how the macro on a Canon is, here's two pics from my PowerShot SD550 (7MP).


http://www.austinbike.com/mojo_pics/handlebar.jpg

http://www.austinbike.com/mojo_pics/flowers.jpg


Both are full size (~2.5MB) so make sure you view them without your browser resizing to fit in frame.

 

[Li'l Dave]

I've narrowed it down to the Canon Powershot SD550 and the Panasonic DMC-FX9K. Both are about the same size, and features all seem pretty similar. Both get really good reviews, now I just need to make a decision.

 

[mastercycleman]

I have an olympus something or rather, its a 7.1 megapixel, got a god deal on it at costco

 

[Austin Bike]

Oh, and the Canon does 640x480 movies:

http://www.austinbike.com/video/BCGB_040806.wmv

This has been compressed a bit so the quality may be a bit low.