compact camera help...

[Jrabbit910]

Hey All, I have been doing some research on a small compact cameras and have been reading different reviews on the stores websites.

Does anyone have recommendations on some great compact cameras... I take alot of pictures of my kids.. (they are babies & they dont sit still for a long time) so I am looking for something that works fast in any light.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

TYSM!

 

[dansamy]

The micro 4/3 area has some fantastic cameras. A compact PnS will not have the aperture needed to work well in low light.

 

[jcieutat]

I have been doing alot of research about small cameras lately. We pre-paid for the photopass last year and when we got home 75% of the pictures were missing. We have a Nikon SLR but it is just too bulky and heavy for Disney. I am going to go with one of the new Sony Alpha Nex compact camera systems. They have the quality of a SLR but are small and light.

 

[photo_chick]

Most of getting the shots is on the photographer not the camera. Point and shoots can produce some solid shots in low light if you know how to push them. But they generally won't do it on auto.

The aperture comment a PP made gets me though. Because the standard f/2.8 that many of the super zooms have lets in more light than the standard f/3.5 DSLR kit lens will. Sensor size has more to do with why certain cameras perform better in low light right out of the box. (adding fast primes is a different matter) Though right now point and shoots are rapidly catching up with the crop DSLR's and mirrorless cameras in the ISO performance area.

OP, what kind of specific features do you want? What is your budget? Look at those things, narrow your list down, then go to the store and play with those cameras and see how you like them in person.

 

[dansamy]

The Samsung and Sony mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras use an APS-C sized sensor.

Olympus and Panasonic use a 4/3 size sensor.

Nikon has chosen to go with a different sensor size altogether and they are calling it a "CX".

Pentax will be using the same sensor size as what is found in a PnS.

Both sensor size and aperture matter. And so does shutter time. I honestly don't know what superzooms are equipped with these days. I don't use one. If I need a better lens for something, I rent one. I know what the limitations of my kit lenses are. And I'm still learning, both about my own camera and photography in general.

If you want something that will perform well in any light, a larger aperture is one way to get more light into the camera.

 

[photo_chick]

Both sensor size and aperture matter. And so does shutter time. I honestly don't know what superzooms are equipped with these days. I don't use one. If I need a better lens for something, I rent one. I know what the limitations of my kit lenses are. And I'm still learning, both about my own camera and photography in general.

If you want something that will perform well in any light, a larger aperture is one way to get more light into the camera.

But you have to buy additional lenses with a mirrorless or DSLR to get those larger apertures. They don't have it right out of the box if you purchase the camera with a standard kit lens. And while those of us who like hauling around a bag full of toys will buy some fast primes, someone just wanting a solid vacation camera often won't. They'll stick with the kit lens an maybe buy the standard entry level telezoom, or buy an all in one. And that actually makes for a slower camera than many of the higher end super zooms.

It all depends on the user though, and what they want to do.

 

[Jrabbit910]

Thank you so much for your input!! I really appreciate it.

I am going to try to try and "test drive" some of them at the stores. I saw a sony & a nikon that I lliked but I kept on reading bad reviews on them & I thought they were supposed to be good

 

[dansamy]

I think it's important to have realistic expectations of any camera that you buy. If you're looking to capture fast action or low lighting, that requires equipment that is capable of it. My sister does have a super zoom & is very happy. I have a Pentax dslr & I tote around pounds of equipment & rent lenses as needed.

 

[boBQuincy]

Canon's S95 compact has a f/2 lens and usable ISO to 1600 (not great but usable). The replacement S100 may perform as well but it is too new to tell.
Canon's G11 has a f/2.8 lens and the same sensor as the S95, also good to ISO 1600.

A micro 4/3 camera like Panasonic's GF3 with a f/2 pancake lens will perform well in low light, to ISO 1600 and more.

Low light photography is special and usually requires a lot from the camera *and* the photographer to get good results.

 

[photo_chick]

I think it's important to have realistic expectations of any camera that you buy. If you're looking to capture fast action or low lighting, that requires equipment that is capable of it. My sister does have a super zoom & is very happy. I have a Pentax dslr & I tote around pounds of equipment & rent lenses as needed.

Realistic expectations are important. So is the photographers knowledge. And I think far too many photographers are too quick to say you can't do something these days. You can get low light Disney shots with a p&s but it takes knowing how to get them. My husband took over my DD's super zoom (an older Fuji S1000) this last trip and took some fantastic night shots at the parks (hand held). The only shots he couldn't get that I did with my DSLR were the really dark ride shots. That's the one place you do need a nice fast prime.

 

[dansamy]

True. And as I'm learning more, I get better, which will hopefully transfer to better PnS pics too!

 

[Mickeyflower]

I have a Nikon Cool Pix S630 and I LOVE IT! Takes video, has an auto setting, along with some custom settings, 7X Optical zoom, 12 megapixels. I use it for EVERYTHING. I've been taking pictures of my grand-niece since she was born and she just turned 2. I have captured every mile stone (and then some ) with ease! On Disneyland vacations, I can get good low light shots, and this past 4th of July I got some AMAZING Fireworks shots! I have included a couple below as samples.

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4th of July 2011/On a tripod/Fireworks setting

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The Apple Tree/Auto setting

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Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle/Night portrait or night landscape I can't remember which one

 

[krb2g]

I have been doing alot of research about small cameras lately. We pre-paid for the photopass last year and when we got home 75% of the pictures were missing. We have a Nikon SLR but it is just too bulky and heavy for Disney. I am going to go with one of the new Sony Alpha Nex compact camera systems. They have the quality of a SLR but are small and light.

Not to hijack the thread, but in the future, if you have that problem with photopass, you have two options. 1) If you have kept track of approximately where/when you took photopass pictures you can email photopass (or maybe it's a form on their website) and they'll look for missing pictures to re-attach to your account. We've done this successfully for one set out of two sets of missing pictures on our last photopass. I check while we're still in Disney, though, because it's easier to remember what's supposed to be there (and if some pictures totally don't come out you can go and have them re-taken if it matters that much to you). This is also why we often have the photopass photographers take one with my camera in addition to their own.

2) If you're not totally satisfied with the photopass pictures, you can get a refund on the pre-order before you order the CD.