What to buy - Suggestions please.

[abaddonxi]

Time to buy another snappy.

Looking for something small and fast doesn't lag quite as badly as the other pieces of junk.

Don't care about MP, and not expecting brilliant pics, just that it will take the picture when I press the button and not minutes later.

Has to fit in the handbag.:p

Cheers
Simon

[dullbird]

the canon compacts have a fairly fast shutter i got one for ians dad last year, month later i brought the olympus comact 725......takes great pics!! but an apaulingly slow shutter.

if you want a snappy shutter i would suggest staying away from olympus:)

[abaddonxi]

Not so much shutter as horrible lag between pressing the button and the time the pic happens. Horrid focus, horrid flash recharge, the endless wait while the camera processes the last three or four shots.

[B92 8NW]

Canon Powershot A630, Canon Australia - PowerShot A630 (http://www.canon.com.au/products/cameras/digital_compact_cameras/powershota630.aspx)

Around $380.

[dmdigital]

For size I'd go with a Canon small Point and Shoot

For durability (and to a degree size) check out the SW range in Olympus. I think the latest is a SW795 (or something). Great little camera, shock, water and dust proof so it will go anywhere. I know several people with them and they are fantastic at the each or in the bush.

[dullbird]

Not so much shutter as horrible lag between pressing the button and the time the pic happens. Horrid focus, horrid flash recharge, the endless wait while the camera processes the last three or four shots.

Mate it is appauling at both:)

with my olympus you have to think ahead of the photo as its tyo slow to take the action while it is happening, from the moment of hitting the button right through to the taking of the photo.

its also pretty bad in low light.....but i cant coment on the canon in this part

[dullbird]

For size I'd go with a Canon small Point and Shoot

For durability (and to a degree size) check out the SW range in Olympus. I think the latest is a SW795 (or something).
Great little camera, shock, water and dust proof so it will go anywhere. I know several people with them and they are fantastic at the each or in the bush.

this is the whole reason i brought my'n for the durability..in that respect you cant fault them...but once i brought my'n i was very disapointed with its performance!
like i said though it does take great pictures i can post some up for you from my olyumpus (sw) if you like.

[phasmoides]

Hi Simon,

I got a Canon G9 for my other half recently and it is pretty frisky in all departments - not cheap but good and smart. It has probably more features than you appear to need but if you want quick it is that.
Bye

[Xavie]

I have a few digi cameras and the canon one has been the best for point and shoot and a good photo. It's a powershot 720IS I think.

The olympus outdoors one which my foster mother got doesn't have a view finder except for the screen and you can never see the screen due to light and reflection and it takes ages from the press of button to the snap. It now sits on her book shelf because it is next to useless.

Xav

[abaddonxi]

Bought a Canon Ixus 85IS.

Don't like it very much.

I don't think it's digital snappys.

It's just me.



Simon

[dullbird]

Bought a Canon Ixus 85IS.

Don't like it very much.

I don't think it's digital snappys.

It's just me.



Simon

what is it you dont like ther ergonomics??

[abaddonxi]

Banana fingers strikes again!

Nuh, I don't like waiting for the camera to do whatever when I want to take a picture.

It turns on fast, and focus is pretty fast, too. It hangs about on other things.

Oh, and the way that when I take 10Mpixel pix for ebay stuff it takes hours to load them all up so I can edit them down.

Some days the machines just can't get it right. :wasntme:

Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Simon

[dullbird]

Banana fingers strikes again!

Nuh, I don't like waiting for the camera to do whatever when I want to take a picture.

It turns on fast, and focus is pretty fast, too. It hangs about on other things.

Oh,
and the way that when I take 10Mpixel pix for ebay stuff it takes hours to load them all up so I can edit them down.
Some days the machines just can't get it right. :wasntme:

Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Simon

if you going to take pics for ebay just change the camera down to the lowest resolution.........

also i would of thought that a 10mpix camera would be able to write resonably fast, if it does it might be your media slowing you down depending on what your write speed it for the camera get an sandisk ultra11 or something like that that will help

[abaddonxi]

Yeah, left my clever hat in the shop.

Sandisk extreme III card.

[dullbird]

Yeah, left my clever hat in the shop.


Sandisk extreme III card.

definatly the camera slowng you down then......i would imagine the write speed will also quicken at lower res! as there is not so much information to write

[rmp]

Check out http://www.dpreview.com (http://www.dpreview.com/) for lots of good reviews on P&S cameras. I'm a DSLR user myself so can't comment.

[dmdigital]

Slow write speed could be a card problem. SD Extreme III is a reasonable performance card, the Ducati and Extreme IV are faster but not to much.

Try formatting the card in the camera.

Also where did you buy this, local or from overseas/ebay?

If not local, then check on card's authenticity. There some a good info on eBay about counterfeit cards in the guide section. Two that might help are:
http://reviews.ebay.com.au/How-to-test-for-a-fake-SD-card-USB-Drive-CF-MMC-Etc_W0QQugidZ10000000001287720
http://reviews.ebay.com.au/FAKE-SanDisk-Ultra-Secure-Digital-Cards-Exposed_W0QQugidZ10000000001254852

[dullbird]

Slow write speed could be a card problem. SD Extreme III is a reasonable performance card,
the Ducati and Extreme IV are faster but not to much.
Try formatting the card in the camera.

Also where did you buy this, local or from overseas/ebay?

If not local, then check on card's authenticity. There some a good info on eBay about counterfeit cards in the guide section. Two that might help are:
http://reviews.ebay.com.au/How-to-test-for-a-fake-SD-card-USB-Drive-CF-MMC-Etc_W0QQugidZ10000000001287720
http://reviews.ebay.com.au/FAKE-SanDisk-Ultra-Secure-Digital-Cards-Exposed_W0QQugidZ10000000001254852


he needs to make sure that the card write speed doesn't really out perform his camera otherwise he is waisting his money, but i agree on the card from overseas bit!! cant say that i have ever had a problem but then i dont by rediculously cheap cards

[abaddonxi]

Ah, we seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot.

There isn't actually any problem that isn't inherent to this particular camera, and digital snappys in general.

From the four or five I've had, none of them runs well at the maximum resolution.

The problem is that I've always used manual SLRs with manual focus lenses. You press the button and it takes a picture. The problem is more with my assumption that an automatic camera might do its thing anywhere near to as well as a manual SLR would.

Bought the camera from DCW-
Digital Camera Warehouse Australia - Discount Digital Cameras shipped Australia Wide - Home (http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/)

Their prices are good and the gear is real, and they're just around the corner from me.

Simon

[rsltt]

I don't like to state the obvious but are you pre-focusing?
The button you press to take a photo, press it half way down (you will know what I mean when you do it), this pre focuses the camera and when you press it the rest of the way the camera will take a photo MUCH quicker.
The best web site for cameras is
Digital Camera Reviews and News: Digital Photography Review: Forums, Glossary, FAQ (http://www.dpreview.com)

[dmdigital]

DCW - great place to buy from, I've bought a number of things off them:)


Yep, sounds like pre-focusing to me too. DB is spot on about the card speeds. an Extreme III is all most cameras need to be efficient as they have a write buffer usually. You'd notice a difference if it was an ordinary SD card or Ultra SD card.

With the auto focusing there are a few things to watch for - though the systems are much, much better at copping with it now days and so this tends not to apply as much if at all.
* Lots of horizontal lines
* Very little detail (e.g. sunset over the ocean with lots of sea)
* Holding the camera vertically for a portrait
* Very dark, indoors, night time shots - this is one that still haunts some cameras.

The other thing to bear in mind is that most P&S digitals still suffer from shutter lag. It's not really the shutter its actually the processor and the camera working to focus and record the picture. Now days 2 seconds is considered OK, my first digital P&S was about 15 seconds. A DSLR just doesn't have this problem.

[EchiDna]

my wife's little 2 year old Ixus 750IS is great after pre-focussing, but it definitely lags when taking the second or third photo in a sequence due to the write time of the files (camera not card related). first photo is always quick, but true enough not quite like any form of SLR (digital or film) in terms of response time.

If you have constantly on the move kids or fast moving objects as subjects, either get used to the lag or buy a DSLR, which definitely is going to require a new BIG handbag to carry! :)

[big guy]

I have noth digital SLR (Nikon) and snappy digital.
Definately go Canon, Currently using 2 Canon 860 models, one for work other for home and trips.
Super fast start up, face recognition soft ware that works, good little fill flash and they are on special now for $399.

8mp camera but do not get too carried away with the mp, the main thing is that the software is up to it, the camera responds very quickly and is solidly made.

I give it top marks and I used to work in photography industry.

Best of luck.

[abaddonxi]

my wife's little 2 year old Ixus 750IS is great after pre-focussing, but it definitely lags when taking the second or third photo in a sequence due to the write time of the files (camera not card related). first photo is always quick, but true enough not quite like any form of SLR (digital or film) in terms of response time.

If you have constantly on the move kids or fast moving objects as subjects, either get used to the lag or buy a DSLR, which definitely is going to require a new BIG handbag to carry! :)


Yep, just like that.;)

Thanks to all, had a go at prefocusing and does make that bit of difference.

Simon

[miky]

I have used Nikon exclusively for over 40 years but recently bought the Canon G10 since I wanted a small camera I could carry around with me easily rather than carry a SLR.

Why Canon? Well... IMHO only Canon and Nikon stack up for serious work and reliability. The Nikon P6000 (similar specs to the G10) was a disappointment.

I must say that I am most impressed by the G10.

[abaddonxi]

Three months old and something went wrong with the Ixus 85is, took it in to Canon a couple of weeks back and haven't heard a thing.

I guess it's better that it happened while still under warranty.

[JohnF]

Olympus had one that is waterproof, yet very compact. that would be my personal choice if I had the money.

[JohnF]

Olympus had one that is waterproof, yet very compact. that would be my personal choice if I had the money to buy a camera.

[dullbird]

Olympus had one that is waterproof, yet very compact. that would be my personal choice if I had the money to buy a camera.

yeh pic quailty is good but an appauling slow shutter and terrible at night shots as the flash is to over powering, I have one:)

[VladTepes]

Just got Canon IXUS 80 for the misssus - its pretty good.

[DiscoCam]

Bought a Ricoh Caplio R7 a while back mainly because it has great Macro (1cm) & 28mm-200mm equivalent zoom. Most compacts only start at 35mm which can make framing a shot more of a challenge. The other 'seller' was you can power it on & take a shot in under 1.5 secs which I find useful for kids (although sometimes that is too slow). Only disappointment is the poor flash for night time use.

Let us know what you end up buying.

[VladTepes]

I'm telling ya - Canon Ixus 80 is a good little jobbie !