Any Camera Gurus? Looking for a new Point and Shoot.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

I bought a D60 DSLR for the sensor. I got a 28-235mm kit lens with it and I'm trying not to fall into the thousands-of-dollars-worth-of-lenses trap if I can avoid it. There are some shops around here where you can rent expensive glass for the weekend if you need it.

It's way too heavy for mountain biking though. I need something small too. I had a G7 and a Nikon P7700 previously that are both broken to a certain extent and probably destined for parts via ebay.

I've got a Canon underwater housing for your buddies G9 if he wants it for $40. Only used for two weeks on one vacation.
 
Last edited:
Yeah I know that feeling... I bought my 20D used then grabbed a 50mm prime, 28-135mm, 19-35mm, and finally 55-250mm. I think the two that spent the most time on the camera were the 50 and the 19-35mm. Do miss my full sized DSLR but it was really only coming out for weddings and when I actually remembered to throw it in the car for something.

For mtn biking I just keep my iPhone 4s in a waterproof case and that does more than fine enough for me. Also have my GoPro that I use on occassion but the wife usually uses that for Paddleboarding.
 
A lot of choices

Hey B,

The GREAT news is that there are at least 15 FANTASTIC camera in your price range that will easily meet your communicated needs.

For the style and type of photography you described, I would recommend these two cameras. I am a BIG Nikon fan and it is exclusively what I shoot with for work. So I am bit biased toward the Nikon brand. The technology that they (and Canon) use in their pro-series, trickles down to their point & shoots. Which IMHO, make these two brands the "can't screw it up choice". YES, there are other great P&S cameras out there, but these two are a no-brainer choice.

Nikon CoolPix S9600
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Compact-Digital-Cameras/26450/COOLPIX-S9600.html

Or the:

Canon PowerShot S110
http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras/powershot_s110

Both MSRP for $299, but can easily be found for 10-15% cheaper online. Both are excellent cameras and will exceed your needs & expectations. Feel free to IM if you have any follow up questions. More than happy to help a fellow MUD'r

Blake
 
Thanks, I'll take a look at those two cameras also.

B
 
Fast Eddy said:
If someone is willing to settle for this, they should put their money into a good smart phone. An iphone 5s or a galaxy s4 is not a bad camera.

Abe's of Maine has the G15 for $329, just about in the OP's price range.
Click to expand...

Just to let you know the $329 is an import, comes with European kit. Charger and stuff.
 
a couple of good camera sites

once you get the top 3-5 in contention, check out dpreview.com and maybe even kenrockwell.com (he's kinda egotistical, but once you get his style I think he's pretty good).

Good luck on your search, there are lots of great cameras out there right now.
 
Other option is to buy used from Ebay or a Photography forum (Fred Miranda, DPReview, or Photography-on-the.net).....
 
Nooooo

CardinalFJ60 said:
once you get the top 3-5 in contention, check out dpreview.com and maybe even kenrockwell.com (he's kinda egotistical, but once you get his style I think he's pretty good).

Good luck on your search, there are lots of great cameras out there right now.
Click to expand...

Please NOooooooo, NOT Ken Rockwell. Besides being an egotistical blowhard, his advice is always based on which manufacturer will provide him with product and/or header ads. In the photography business, his word is worse than crap!

Dpreview is a pretty good site. Fairly informative, fair reviews and updated often. It is much more of a pro-sumer site focused on the DSLR market. But they do delve into the P&S stuff regularly.

IMHO, the best review site for purely consumer products is T3. They are a UK based print magazine that spends a great amount of hands-on product time. Their magazine is a lot more informative than their website, but still a great resource. www.T3.com
 
Last edited:
Olympus makes excellent P&S cameras. Their market is consumer, not pro, so they lack the cache of Nikon and Canon, but they excel in their price range. I'm currently using an XZ-1 which I like very much. Picture quality is good and controls are laid out well. My only complaint is that the LCD is difficult to see in bright light, but that's a problem with LCD's in general. I wish I could find a small P$S with an optical view finder.
 
Update needed

Fast Eddy said:
If we're pimping sites, I've got a buddy, Photo John, who's been running http://photographyreview.com for a long time. They predate dpreview by a long time. Great site.
Click to expand...

Fast Eddy,

Tell John it is time to take down the Christmas decorations! I read a couple of his reviews and he is VERY knowledgeable and provides some pretty good insights.. But the site is a bit stale and outdated.
 
Denverblake said:
Please NOooooooo, NOT Ken Rockwell. Besides being an egotistical blowhard, his advice is always based on which manufacturer will provide him with product and/or header ads. In the photography business, his word is worse than crap!
Click to expand...

Agreed. I still can't believe how he gushes about how great the D40 is/was, we have one here and I hate it.
 
KLF said:
Agreed. I still can't believe how he gushes about how great the D40 is/was, we have one here and I hate it.
Click to expand...

I don't quite hate my D40x...but it is now relegated to the 'backpack/wheelin' camera - it was a decent camera at the time it came out, but not THAT great.
 
Agree with everyone else... for the love of god stay away from Ken Rockwell.
Ultimately your best bet is to go to a camera shop, bestbuy, fry's electronics, etc and actually handle the cameras. That will tell you more about the camera than anything else and allow you to play with the functionality so you can see what works for you.

I can't tell you how many times I have tried a camera, liked the physical feel of the camera, seemed to take good enough photos only to have the menu system be so backwards that I got lost in trying to figure out what I was doing. Out of all the systems I have used (Sony, Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Olympus, Kodak, etc.) I still find the big three (Canon, Sony, Nikon) the most intuitive and logical. I am a Canon lover specifically because that is what my family has used for YEARS (my dad shot one of the original Rebels in Film body and Digital) however I dont mind the Nikon systems however they do feel a bit "clunky" to me.

Again, take your determination down to a couple models then go out and play with them at the store. Nothing will tell you better what you are looking for.
 
Thanks, I've put my hands one most of the models we've talked about here. I'm found of the Canon and Panasonic operating systems. I realized I have pretty much shot Canon's most of my life. Started on a Yashika, then went to a Rebel 35mm in High School, then my dad's hand-me-down 10d, to various Powershots.

I guess I just need to pull the trigger. I usually over research items like this and then take 3 months to buy what should have been a week process.

B
 
Last edited:
Updates?

climber8483 said:
Thanks, I've put my hands one most of the models we've talked about here. I'm found of the Canon and Panasonic operating systems. I realized I have pretty much shot Canon's most of my life. Started on a Yashika, then went to a Rebel 35mm in High School, then my dad's hand-me-down 10d, to various Powershots.

I guess I just need to pull the trigger. I usually over research items like this and then take 3 months to buy what should have been a week process.

B
Click to expand...

Hey Climber8483,

Have you pulled the trigger yet? I took a quick peek at the Canon line of the S&P units on a visit to my fav photo store here in LV. The OS couldn't be simpler or easy to use IMHO and the images were very clean and noise free. I asked the salesman, who I trust his opinion. He said he sees more returns on the Panasonic brand in general, and had nothing but praise for the Canon S&P's. But I'm sure you can't go wrong with either manufacture.

Post some pix once you make your choice.

Blake
 
Fast Eddy said:
A G15 is a kickass camera. There may not be a better camera for that price.
Click to expand...

Fast Eddy said:
If someone is willing to settle for this, they should put their money into a good smart phone. An iphone 5s or a galaxy s4 is not a bad camera.

Abe's of Maine has the G15 for $329, just about in the OP's price range.
Click to expand...

I concur completely with Eddy's assessment here, any point and shoot less than an equivalent to the G15 and you might as well stick with an iPhone, and there is no sarcasm in my statement. I have a G15 that I absolutely LOVE. The low light performance is phenomenal, and the sharpness the lens produces is amazing, every time I use it. Its not a DSLR with 5000.00 glass, but it isnt meant to be either, it is the ultimate point and shoot. Canon even sells refurbs on their site for 300.00.

These were both shot hand held in low light inside the Kimball Museum in Fort Worth. If you've been in the room, you know how dim it is.

13154790524_824931d70e_h.jpg

13154500395_667275c0c5_o.jpg
 
@climber8483 So what ended up happening?
Oh and here is one with my Canon EOS-M w/ 22mm during a sunset in Carmel, Ca a few weeks back. Still haven't gotten a chance to really play with any of the images from then. Some PP done on it but mostly playing with the shadows to pull them out more, shot was large JPEG so probably has no exif data on it.


IMG_1178_Snapseed by renofizz, on Flickr
 
I ended up a G15. Haven't even had any time to play with it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom