Suggestions for best digital pocket camera?

[cany10011]

I'm on the market for a new camera and have long admired the photos produced by the digital SLRs but am hesitant to buy one as it is too cumbersome for travel (i'm a minimalist). A lot of friends have Canon's rebel series of cameras and love it.However, i'm looking for something not too bulky and easily portable. I was in chelsea's Best Buy today and the sales person recommended the CanonS95. The reviews are great and is advertised as a DSLR user's pocket camera. Does anyone on the board have experience with it? I'm looking to use it for outdoor shots and low light pictures. Any other good suggestions would be appreciated. I'm looking to spend no more than 500$. Thanks!

[+ deej]

Were you able to hold the thing in your hand and judge how easy the controls are to reach/manipulate? I ask because I have a Nikon pocket camera and the shutter release button is so difficult to press I invariably either throw off the framing or introduce camera shake.

 

I'm a fan of Canon cameras and have been for years, and own the original Rebel DSLR. Wouldn't hesitate to buy the s95, although these days the camera on the iPhone suffices when I just need a quickie snap (and I'm almost always carrying it, too). I find myself wishing I had a pocket camera so seldom I doubt I'll buy another.

[Njbaseballjock]

You might want to check out digitalcamerainfo.com which provides reviews of the latest cameras regardless of brand.

[RockHard]

Canon is a leader in digital photography.

 

The Canon S95 is a great camera. It was designed to attract professional photographers to a point-and-shoot choice. Therefore, the camera's functions and features are built to please a professional. If you don't shoot in Manual Mode, if you don't carry a tripod, if JPEG is your favorite format, if you don't have a clear understanding of the relationship between f-stop and shutter speed, the S95 may be an overkill purchase.

 

You can save a little money and check out the Canon SD4500 IS (also designed for professionals). When compared to the S95, the SD4500 stats impress:

 

• 10x Optical Zoom, with IS (Image Stabilization) in a slim, stylish camera body.
  
• 10.0 Megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor combined with the DIGIC 4 Image Processor create Canon's HS SYSTEM for improved low light performance and better image quality. (The S95 uses the standard CCD sensor.)
  
• 3.7 frames per second (1.9 on the S95)
  
• 1080p HD movie shooting capability plus HDMI output connector for easy playback of video and photos on your HDTV.
  
• Advanced Smart AUTO now identifies 28 shooting scenes, making automatic shooting even more intelligent.
  
• Shoot slow motion video with the Super Slow Motion Movie function and playback at 30 fps.
  
• High-Speed Burst mode for capturing sports and action shots.
  
• Cool new features like Best Image Selection and Handheld Night Scene, give you greater flexibility when shooting your favorite images.
  

The site where professionals go to read camera reviews is http://www.dpreview.com. The SD4500 IS isn't reviewed yet but it's earlier version, the SD4000, is there. You can compare the S95 with the SD4500 IS at http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras.

[cany10011]

Thanks

 

Thanks for the useful info guys. I've been making do with my android phone camera, which is great for spontaneous photos, but am going away to kyoto for the cherry blossom festival early April and wanted to be able to better capture the scenery. Plus, all my friends who have the DSLRs have the best pics but i'm not willing to carry such a large piece of equipment around as I'll on the road a lot.

I think i'll have to narrow down to a few cameras and actually visit the store and play around with the camera.

 

@Rockhard, thanks for the tip. I'll look into the alternative.

@Deej and NJBasballjock, i appreciate the info

 

 

 

 

The Canon S95 is a great camera. It was designed to attract professional photographers to a point-and-shoot choice. Therefore, the camera's functions and features are built to please a professional. If you don't shoot in Manual Mode, if you don't carry a tripod, if JPEG is your favorite format, if you don't have a clear understanding of the relationship between f-stop and shutter speed, the S95 may be an overkill purchase.

 

You can save a little money and check out the Canon SD4500 IS (also designed for professionals). When compared to the S95, the SD4500 stats impress:

 

• 10x Optical Zoom, with IS (Image Stabilization) in a slim, stylish camera body.
  
• 10.0 Megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor combined with the DIGIC 4 Image Processor create Canon's HS SYSTEM for improved low light performance and better image quality. (The S95 uses the standard CCD sensor.)
  
• 3.7 frames per second (1.9 on the S95)
  
• 1080p HD movie shooting capability plus HDMI output connector for easy playback of video and photos on your HDTV.
  
• Advanced Smart AUTO now identifies 28 shooting scenes, making automatic shooting even more intelligent.
  
• Shoot slow motion video with the Super Slow Motion Movie function and playback at 30 fps.
  
• High-Speed Burst mode for capturing sports and action shots.
  
• Cool new features like Best Image Selection and Handheld Night Scene, give you greater flexibility when shooting your favorite images.
  

The site where professionals go to read camera reviews is http://www.dpreview.com. The SD4500 IS isn't reviewed yet but it's earlier version, the SD4000, is there. You can compare the S95 with the SD4500 IS at http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras.

[RockHard]

What does best really mean?

 

...i'm not willing to carry such a large piece of equipment around...

This is why the term "suggestions for the best" is relative. Picking a "best" camera is like picking a best escort. One size rarely fits all.

 

Consumers tend to forget that quality photography typically starts and ends with the lenses. Most professionals pick their tool choice based on the quality of the lenses.

 

Compact cameras can do some amazing things these days but they will never outperform SLR lenses that are 4x the size (and then some). One can't ignore the science: the bigger the glass, the better the image quality.

 

If you have no intention to learn how to shoot and process RAW files, and simply want to shoot in Program Mode (automatic) or take advantage of the other auto settings like Landscape, Portrait, Low-light, etc., there is absolutely no need to spend more than $300 these days. RAW plus HD Video will automatically add hundreds to the price tag. And with these sensitive features, more tech is added to the interior of the camera's body. I would argue if you don't use these extras, save some money and look into the smaller-body cameras that don't shoot RAW and have rave reviews at dpreview.com.

 

The Canon SD4500 does not shoot RAW but its JPEG quality is superb and the camera offers you the option to shoot moving HD video, which you may want to play with in the future. You will be amazed at the power inside this little machine. On sale, you can find this fabulous camera for $299 on various reputable internet sites.

[Lookin]

Thanks, RockHard. Really good info.

 

Two things important to me are long optical zoom and optical image stabilization. My current camera is the Canon Powershot S3. It has 12x optical zoom, but it's just too big and boxy for schlepping around everywhere.

 

The SD4500 looks like a great alternative. HD movies and HDMI output are very attractive bonuses.

 

Thanks again.

 

PS: I think Steve's Digicams is a good review site, with sample pictures for lots of cameras.

[fedssocr1]

depends is definitely the answer. AS noted above there is no one "best camera" for everyone. Besides the lens the biggest limiting factor for a compact is the size of the sensor...the physical size, not the "megapixels".

 

Things to consider are the zoom range you want. The S95 is a highly rated camera...with a fairly limited zoom range.

 

These days most cameras from the well-known manufacturers are pretty good. So I would say to look for the features that are important to you.

 

I shoot Nikon DSLRs but got a little Sony HX5V last summer which I really like. Has a 10x optical zoom, shoots good quality video, does well in low light situations, has image stabilization.