Canon point-n-shoots

[andygates]

Canon Powershot A480.  Anything bad to say about it?

I'm thinking that in addition to being a regular camera, it's also host to the CHDK hack, which will let me put it up on a kite and take auto-snaps every 30 seconds.  And get RAW.  And both of these are good.

Plus, refurbs are cheap on the 'bay. 

[David Martin]

I have a 460 on the desk. Not bad. Anything over base iso is crap.

Can't remember how to trigger CHDK.. *googles* must print out and laminate an aide memoire.

..d

[andygates]

It's not always-on? Sweeter.

[andyoxon]

Previous model... Canon PowerShot A470 Digital Camera - Express Review - The Imaging Resource!

[fuaran]

Canon Powershot A480.  Anything bad to say about it?

A lot of older models of Powershots had a tendency to die with a "E18 error". Canon E18 Error (Lens problem) - What is it and how to repair it
I don't know if this has been fixed in the newer ones, but I wouldn't be keen on getting a refurb (without warranty?).

Though its a nice camera while its working...

[andygates]

With warranty - returns and demo items and warranted repairs.  They're going for circa £45 on the 'bay, which is cheap enough to put on a kite and fly over the sea.

That sort of lens sadness is what killed my Casio... I'd get something with an internal witchcraft zoom but they're real money, and if I don't have a camera I get sad.

[David Martin]

One of the cool things is focus bracketting. You can set the camera to focus at a specific point then increment/decrement distance by 1mm per shot. Then combine all the images in eg combinezm to get a massive DOF image.

..d

[andygates]

Combine interval and focus setting in a script to get a stop-motion focus pull.  I need plasticine!

[andygates]

...and it arrived today.  Damn fast.  It's a bit plasticky but takes cracking macro shots and is Generally Not Bad.  Plenty of manual control in the regular UI, too, which is a win.  CHDK adventures, methinks, will get their own thread.

[LEE]

One of the cool things is focus bracketting. You can set the camera to focus at a specific point then increment/decrement distance by 1mm per shot. Then combine all the images in eg combinezm to get a massive DOF image.

..d

Hmmm, is there something to easily simulate a very short depth of field I wonder?

My small sensor Canon (like any similar camera I guess) has an irritatingly vast DoF.  It would be nice to get a blurred background without resorting to Photoshop