Compact digital recommendations

[Sergeant Pluck]

I've done a search on this but I can't see any recent threads on the topic. Apologies if I have missed any.

I'm thinking of a new camera. Aside from the ability to take a decent picture, I'd like:

1. I'd like something compact - truly pocketable, but still fairly robust and I don't need it to be one of the very smallest currently available. Smaller and lighter than my current ailing Fuji F30 would be good.

2. Good performance in the usual low light available in the UK.

3. Quick from power-on to first shot.

4. Decent battery life.

Other thoughts - I'm tempted by one of the better Olympus mju shockproof / waterproof models. This is intended to be a camera to take on bike rides. I'd like something that is designed so that for quick one handed use it is not prone to taking close ups of my finger. For practicality, I think internal periscope type zooms have a lot going for them. I also like the Panasonic compacts, especially the one with a 25 mm equivalent lens. I'm not the slightest bit interested in face / smile detection. Some form of image stabilisation might be good.

Recommendations / links to reviews and irresistable bargains appreciated. 

[токамак]

Very thorough reviews here: www.dpreview.com

[mike]

suggest you go and play with some, the ergonomics are very different. I've got a water/shock proof olympus and it's great, but not the easiest thing to use one-handed while riding along.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Ta TOKaMaK - I know the site. Great but limited number of reviews of recent releases.

suggest you go and play with some, the ergonomics are very different

Will do.

This tempts me, the Panasonic Lumix FX500:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0803/08031802panasonicfx500.asp

There are reviews elsewhere.

[токамак]

I think Panasonic get consistently good reviews across their whole range.

[ABlipInContinuity]

Casio Exilim cameras are worth a look.

[bikenerd]

We love our Canon Ixus.  Mainly because it has a view finder, a rare thing on digital cameras these days.  Try using a screen in bright sunlight.  It also takes really good photos.  Amazon have them in 7 and 8 MP versions at a much reduced price.

[andrew w]

I've got a Canon Ixus 70, which is very compact, and has a viewfinder.  Easy to shove in a jersey pocket.  Not watrerproof or shockproof, though.   

Andrew

[cc93]

This tempts me, the Panasonic Lumix FX500:

I've got it's predecessor (FX350?) and am very happy with it.

At the time there weren't that many compacts with a true wide-angle (28mm equiv.) lens, and the fact it had a Leica lens swung it for me (badge-snobbery I admit)

I believe a version of it were sold as Leicas, which was a pretty good vote of confidence.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I don't know how to bloody choose 

No matter which camera I pick, when I read the reviews there is always some kind of negative - the significance of which is hard to determine.

[hellymedic]

I don't know how to bloody choose 

No matter which camera I pick, when I read the reviews there is always some kind of negative - the significance of which is hard to determine.

Decide that whatever you pick, you'll be fairly happy, and happier with than without the camera. Order it today so you have life with the camera, not mithering about what you should get. Get a suitable LARGE memory card at the same time, 'cos titchy ones are supplied with some cameras.

Then go out and take lots of pictures: autumn sun, cyclists, friends, animals,anything, everything. Download to your computer and ENJOY! Share  your pictures with friends. The camera won't be forever but the pictures may be.

I am happy with my Canon Ixus...

[Sergeant Pluck]

mithering

 

[Deano]

I've an Olympus mju760, which is pretty durable - I've carried it in my back pocket on rainy rides, on tour, all over.  I've dropped it a couple of times and it still works.  It's easy to use on the move, and it is very very light.

[Thor]

+1 for the Casio Exilim range. The new 10MP version (EX-Z100) looks nifty and reasonably priced. I'm very happy with my 8MP. Has survived being dropped after I lent it to mrs bob (she likes dropping my expensive stuff).

+2.  I have a Casio Exilim EX-Z750 which is a couple of years old now - but continues to perform well.  Good balance between portability and features - it allows a certain degree of creativity - long exposures / shutter / aperture priority - but can do everything automatically if you just want a quick snapshot.  It's small, very quick in operation and has tremendous battery life.

[hellymedic]

Pretend you're a surgeon.
Make a decision.
Live with it.
Move on.
If there was one 'best' camera for your purpose, the collective wisdom of yacf would recommend very few cameras (cf any 'which pump?' thread). There isn't.
Go for a trivial criterion, like immediate availability or hardware/software compatibility with existing equipment. (I love the fact that my Canon camera can use the same USB cable as my Motorola phone, for example and it's handy that my partner has another Canon camera.
Just get your camera. JFDI!

[geraldc]

I've got an Olympus 850, and I find the battery life a bit pants.

The battery will show full, and then just drop off. Giving you hardly any notice regarding as to when the battery will die.

It's also annoying to charge as you have to remove the battery and put it in a charger rather than just connecting your camera to a lead (I guess it has to do that to keep it waterproof)

[Sergeant Pluck]

This is tempting me now, Panasonic Lumix TZ5 - any thoughts from the knowledgeable? Seems a good all rounder unless you need a lot of indoor / flash photos, if I have interpreted the reviews correctly.

http://www.digitalfirst.co.uk/product.asp?ProductID=6046&DepartmentID=113

[nicknack]

I've got an Olympus 850, and I find the battery life a bit pants.

The battery will show full, and then just drop off. Giving you hardly any notice regarding as to when the battery will die.

It's also annoying to charge as you have to remove the battery and put it in a charger rather than just connecting your camera to a lead (I guess it has to do that to keep it waterproof)

That's actually a feature of NiMh batteries. They do that in anything.

[Biggsy]

Battery life is pants with a lot of cameras.  You can either choose another camera that may not be so good in other ways, or buy a spare battery to carry around with you.

For Li-Ion, try eBay and 7dayshop and Google Shopping for cheap compatible batteries.  They may not be as good as the orginal battery, but should be useful as a spare at least.

If AA, use high-capacity NiMH or Energizer Lithium.

[fred the great]

My wife just bought a Sony which is very good and has loads of battery life. Better than my Olympus which is more than 5 years old though.

The only real problem with compacts are the very small control thingies!

[Wobbly John]

This is tempting me now, Panasonic Lumix TZ5 - any thoughts from the knowledgeable? Seems a good all rounder unless you need a lot of indoor / flash photos, if I have interpreted the reviews correctly.

http://www.digitalfirst.co.uk/product.asp?ProductID=6046&DepartmentID=113

It's a lot bulkier because of the 10X lens. The guy in the camera shop that I went in to look at the TZ5, said "I'd go for the more  compact 4X Lumixs - You've got a Leica lens and 10 megapixels - just crop it FFS!".  I've recently bought a Lumix FS5 and the lens quality is great. It's not as good at doing macro as my older Nikon compact, and the flash coverage is less even. Also it is very flat and harder to hold. I need to use 2 hands to hold it to take pictures- a problem that you may experience with the Lumix FX500 as the body is the same shape.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Thanks Wobbly John, food for thought there just as I was thinking of finally pressing the "buy" button.

It was the wide end that some of the Lumix have that appealed to me rather than the 10X zoom in any case.

However one of the reasons I liked the TZ5 is that it is fairly easy to hold.

The TZ5 is actually considerably bigger than my Fuji F30.

I'll "mither" some more 

[Gandalf]

I have just bought a Panasonic Lumix FX37 for my daughter's birthday.   Early reports are very positive, though I haven't had a chance to play with it myself yet.  I chose than one over the FX35 for the 5x optical zoom.  I can't say I'm keen on this not having a veiwfinder lark though.

I'd quite like one myself for bike duties, much as I love my Nikon D70 it is a bit of a lump.

[Jaded]

If you want battery life you need to cut down on the things that eat batteries. The screen and the flash.

Viewfinders are great for preserving batteries.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Thanks all.

Wobbly John does incidentally mention something important that I am lacking: advice from a decent camera shop. There used to be a half decent camera shop near here - while the range was fairly limited, the staff were genuinely interested in cameras and gave excellent insightful advice. They didn't carry a vast range but each model they carried was carefully chosen. I went to the shop on Friday and it has become part of a chain. The old staff have gone to be replaced by "yeah, yeah, wotteveha, innit" arseholes.

I'll go to the only nearby alternative ( a Jessops) today as at least I can try out a few cameras for handling etc but I'm not expecting much in the way of advice. Their pricing rules out an actual purchase.