best point and shoot camera

[sunnysharma]

may be honda should ...lol... and honda reminds the goal which honda hit for japan ....was a beauty... i tell u hondas do get about doing amazing things!!!!
back to the cams now.... so tell me guys what should i do????

 

[captrajesh]

Honda Jazz eh. It is neither a compact nor a sedan & for the price you pay, you can get a decent sedan:indifferent14:

 

[changappa]

Hi guys,
Please guide me as to which is the best point and shoot camera for a beginner like me( will be using mostly in auto mode). I want excellent picture quality but i dont want a big DSLR, i want something which will fit in my pocket. My budget is 20-25k....please help soon with ur inputs and comments.

hi
Try NIKON L110 its good

 

[alokbharti]

IMO..Canon SX120IS is good enough (if not the best )... available for 11.5K (approx)..
All purpose compact camera with good image quality.. my camera knowledge is limited.. just sharing the user experience..

To me your budget seems to be too high..30K for p&s

 

[asliarun]

Now going back to square one:
1. I love the sony for the fun features on it like the sweep panaroma mode is a real beauty and the twilight shot. EX: tx7, hx5v, nex3, nex5.
2. I love the canon for its image quality: EX: canon s90,
3. I love the olympus for allround capabilities i.e great image quality and inclusion of hd video: EX: e pl1
4. I've heard good things also about the Panasonic for its image quality: EX: GF1, LX3

So what do i do now??? which camera should i go for??? is there something im missing?

In my humble opinion, what you are looking for is a "prosumer" camera - i.e. a camera that is a good balance of pro-level features/image quality of a DSLR and the compactness and "auto" mode of a consumer camera.

Your budget is also just perfect for this category - higher than a consumer camera and lower than a pro-level DSLR.

You might want to look at a proper prosumer camera - The Canon G11 is probably the best in this class. It is very solidly built, has loads of manual features that you can use when you want to get creative, and has a nice bright lens and large sensor. Unless you are looking at extreme scenarios, this camera should give you very good pictures.

You might also like this camera if you like the chunky retro look.

Downside - it is bulky and will be larger than a P&S, but definitely not as bulky as a DSLR. I don't think it will be pocketable unless you are wearing a jacket, but you can probably clip it to your belt.

The Canon S90 is basically a compact version of the G11.

 

[Pratters]

I am thinking of buying a camera as well. What do you say Lumix LX 3 or Lumix DMC-FZ35? 18x zoom means I can really take some neat pics with Lumix DMC-FZ35.

 

[gobble]

I am thinking of buying a camera as well. What do you say Lumix LX 3 or Lumix DMC-FZ35? 18x zoom means I can really take some neat pics with Lumix DMC-FZ35.

After using Canon s5IS for a few years, I can say that a 350 to 400mm zoom lens is usually a waste. The filed of view and perspective is too narrow to create a delightfully meaningful picture with a surrounding context. I use it to take close-ups of Indian art and sculpture in Temples and Gopurams, but besides that I have no use for it. But like in Hifi, you have to "overshoot" and realize over time after reviewing 100s of your pics (1000s in my case), in a personally meaningful and non-verbal way to understand this.

Today any camera with a 24mm to 200mm qualifies for me. The LX3 has only 2.5x zoom or close to 24mm to 60mm zoom - too less. If you want to buy only ONE camera, look elsewhere. If you already have owned a prosumer zoom and looking for wide angle and perspective in a P&S get the LX3. If you get a DSLR body for 35K you will till need to spend upwards of 50K to acquire an F2.0 lens. Else you will have to live with the default f3.5 to f5.6 lenses.

I got my LX3 precisely for this reason. Don't want to spend a lac on a camera....

Edit: Note that the control buttons on the LX3 for shutter and exposure are very poor in a tactile sense and sluggish compared to old fashioned cameras. Not one to use for quick snaps in manual mode to catch those great moments in time. Auto mode is your only choice for these type of spur-of-moment captures!!

HTH
Regards

 

[Pratters]

Why is LX3 better than FZ35? In terms of picture quality? Please explain.... Is FZ35 good enough for taking very good pictures for some one who wants to pursue a hobby in photography?

 

[gobble]

Why is LX3 better than FZ35? In terms of picture quality? Please explain.... Is FZ35 good enough for taking very good pictures for some one who wants to pursue a hobby in photography?

I have seen the image quality of FZ-18 it was good. This one may have a bigger zoom. The idea about what is good or not has to grow on you after usage and practice. If you have money buy one camera that is expensive and a few kit lenses that are doubly so and live with it for the rest of your life.

else buy one to sell a few years down the years and recover part of the cost of upgrading.

Some research on these two sites will help answer that question.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 Digital Camera - Review - The Imaging Resource!
Panasonic unveils Lumix DMC-FZ35/FZ38 super-zoom: Digital Photography Review

HTH

 

[Pratters]

I have bought the LX3. I am a happy, happy man.

 

[kooldeep]

As per your budget here are some suggestion

Slim Point Shoot out
Sony HX V5
Lumix TZ8

Creative compact point Shoot out
Canon Power shot S90
Lumix LX 3

Little big in size
Canon Pwer shot G11

Big zoom
Panosonic FZ 35

Entrly level DSLR
Nikon D 3000

I think you hardly go out of this.

Thanks

 

[Raghav]

Big zoom
Instead of Panosonic FZ 35 one can look at Panasonic TZ10 which has enough zoom range and is compact. You really do not need to go beyond 300mm

Entry-level SLR
My pick would be the Canon EOS 1000D

As per your budget here are some suggestion

Slim Point Shoot out
Sony HX V5
Lumix TZ8

Creative compact point Shoot out
Canon Power shot S90
Lumix LX 3

Little big in size
Canon Pwer shot G11

Big zoom
Panosonic FZ 35

Entrly level DSLR
Nikon D 3000

I think you hardly go out of this.

Thanks

 

[sunnysharma]

thank u gentlemen for ur replies. Ahrite im getting a slightly better picture now......as of now i know what i dont want as i went and tested a few cams yest.... here are my insights to some camera's i tested yesterday based on auto mode, look and image quality without any manual changes:
1) canon s90: takes nice pictures even in the night at full 3.8x optical zoom, further dat it even has a digital zoom but the images with that are not impressive. overall the camera's I.Q to my inexperienced eyes looked good. 2) canon g11: now this guy is bulky and it wundt fit in my skinny jeans pockets....the images seem to be on par with the s90 though this has a viewfinder, it does not show the full image which later displays on the screen...when viewed thru the VF the image appears smaller than real. 3) canon ixus 210 is: after testing the s90 this one was a real let down.....though it features a touch screen and hd video rcording , the still images dint feel upto the mark. 4) canon 1000d: its a dslr but no full hd video shooting. the images from this cam were good as one would expect from a dslr. 5) sony tx7: decent images and cool features and full hd recording. but the still images cannot compare to the canon s90. 6) olympus epl1: wow this baby takes amazing pictures n has hd video rcording. image quality was the best in this cam compared to all......now im seriously considering taking this cam home with me.
note that all the camera's i tested were in the price range of 20k-30k. i am no expert but this is what i thot about the camera's.
May be ill go for a final testing once before i make the buy.

 

[adder]

In my humble opinion, what you are looking for is a "prosumer" camera - i.e. a camera that is a good balance of pro-level features/image quality of a DSLR and the compactness and "auto" mode of a consumer camera.

Your budget is also just perfect for this category - higher than a consumer camera and lower than a pro-level DSLR.

You might want to look at a proper prosumer camera - The Canon G11 is probably the best in this class. It is very solidly built, has loads of manual features that you can use when you want to get creative, and has a nice bright lens and large sensor. Unless you are looking at extreme scenarios, this camera should give you very good pictures.

You might also like this camera if you like the chunky retro look.

Downside - it is bulky and will be larger than a P&S, but definitely not as bulky as a DSLR. I don't think it will be pocketable unless you are wearing a jacket, but you can probably clip it to your belt.

The Canon S90 is basically a compact version of the G11.

At 30k the G11 is way overpriced might as well pick up the sony NEX range or EPL-1.

 

[gobble]

the EPL1 is a pretty little cam. go for it!! How much is it?

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/EPL1/EPL1A.HTM

Not pocketable though!

Cheers

 

[adder]

EPL-1 it seems only can record upto 7min of HD video in a single file.

 

[sunnysharma]

im getting the epl1 in bangalore for about 29k with the bundled lens.......to make it pocketable i will carry the lens in 1 pocket and the body in another and join em up n shoot.......i guess for within 30k its a deal....comes with cpabilties of a dslr with inetrchangeable lens and is way lighter and cuter........even tho i am impressed with the sony nex......its not yet available in india......so next best option is the epl1

 

[adder]

im getting the epl1 in bangalore for about 29k with the bundled lens.......to make it pocketable i will carry the lens in 1 pocket and the body in another and join em up n shoot.......i guess for within 30k its a deal....comes with cpabilties of a dslr with inetrchangeable lens and is way lighter and cuter........even tho i am impressed with the sony nex......its not yet available in india......so next best option is the epl1

Did you check national market for the NEX,sony lcds stocks i hear keep coming almost daily in national market from thailand.The NEX has been launched in MEA and SE asian countries ,so i wouldn't be suprised to see NEX cameras,perhaps even the EPL-1 may be cheaper in there.

 

[sunnysharma]

Thanks for the advise adder...i will definitely checkout at national market.....tho im a lilttle skeptical about their goods cause they dont give warranty......or is it a better idea for me to buy the NEX from amazon through shopyourworld.com???? anyone knows if i will get a warranty for the camera?? And if their warranty will support repairs if any in bangalore???

 

[trittya]

havent read what the members have said but my vote goes to canon sx130is for all that it is for 10.5k here