I looked but couldnt find..or understand

[pickles]

Ok, I looked thru some of the pages here and have a few questions

is there a thread where people take pics with their point and shoot type cameras and post which brand name they used

for example, each person posts the pic they took with their camera and this way people like me can get an idea of quality and what camera they may enjoy buying?

--------------------

next question...not interested in any camera I need to change a lense on - what i do want is a camera that is very good at action pictures...puppies in motion and also close up pictures. I prefer a point and shoot type and I prefer one that is no bigger than the typical disposable camera size.
I have a SONY super steady shot 2.5 lcd cyber shot camera. It is several years old now. My biggest complaint is I dont understand half the buttons(dial) it has. If i use the flash it is so slow at taking a pic, my puppy has moved
I suspect the camera can do far more than I can. In fact I only use 3 modes on it..one is video, one is stills and the other i think is for moving subjects
The next camera I get i want to take to disney as well as use it here and i want it to be more compact than my sony.

water proof is nice not required, night pics like in haunted mansion or fireworks, nice but not required..

what do folks suggest?

and does anyone have threads here showing what the camera they suggest can do?

 

[Frantasmic]

Please don't take this the wrong way: you don't need a new camera; you need to learn what your camera can do.

Learn about the buttons/dial on your current camera. Specifically, you should learn about aperture and shutter modes on your camera. You want action shots, which I suspect means capturing your dogs in motion without them being a blur? Then, you need to take pictures with shutter speeds greater than 1/200 probably.

The newer (than yours) point and shoots may have bigger megapixels and slightly larger sensors than you, but a basic understanding of the modes your current camera can do will help you take better pictures.

I don't think there is really a thread dedicated to only point and shoot pictures for comparision, but it is a good idea. However, many people on this board are dslr enthusiasts primarily. That doesn't mean that they aren't using a point and shoot, but it is probably their third choice in many instances (a lower quality, older dslr is their second choice).

 

[Pea-n-Me]

There is not a (relatively recent) thread for that specifically, but you could always start one.

You could also look back at the Photo Contest winners to see what they were using. (Sometimes the EXIF data is included.)

I agree, it's not just the camera; a lot of it's about the person behind the camera. We've seen examples of this many times over. Learning to use your camera to its fullest will yield better shots.

With that said, though, there are limitations, to a degree, on a point and shoot camera. Many people come on here looking for that perfect camera that's going to take fantastic, perfect pictures in all kinds of conditions and honestly, there really is no such camera - however, your best bet is a dSLR.

No matter what you buy, though, learning to use it is key.

 

[ssanders79]

very good at action pictures...puppies in motion...night pics like in haunted mansion or fireworks

This is not the easiest thing to accomplish with an P&S/Bridge unless you have a lot of light. They cameras will compensate for lack of light with a slower shutter speed and/or a higher ISO.

and also close up pictures.

To get a good macro shot with any camera you should be using a tripod and a remote shutter release or at the very least self timer.

My biggest complaint is I dont understand half the buttons(dial) it has.

You camera's manual has all the answers.

what do folks suggest?

You seem to want all the benefits and flexiblity of a dSLR in a P&S. Even with a new camera you might not be satisfied with the results. I would first read my current camera's manual and learn all about each setting. Then, practice with what you just read. If you are still not happy sit down and write out everything you want out of a camera. Then start shopping, but more than likely to get everything on your list you will be in dSLR territory.

A great way to see images from other is on Flicker. Flickr allows you to view images by camera. While this will only show the potential of a camera it should provide you with what you are looking for in terms of a post with images from a perticular camera. Here is the link to the Flickr Camera search http://www.flickr.com/cameras/

 

[KarenAylwood]

There is not a (relatively recent) thread for that specifically, but you could always start one.

You could also look back at the Photo Contest winners to see what they were using. (Sometimes the EXIF data is included.)

I agree, it's not just the camera; a lot of it's about the person behind the camera. We've seen examples of this many times over. Learning to use your camera to its fullest will yield better shots.

With that said, though, there are limitations, to a degree, on a point and shoot camera. Many people come on here looking for that perfect camera that's going to take fantastic, perfect pictures in all kinds of conditions and honestly, there really is no such camera - however, your best bet is a dSLR.

No matter what you buy, though, learning to use it is key.

I agree. In order to get pictures the way you want them, you have to learn a little about what your camera can do. The camera doesn't take the picture- you do. Your camera can't read your mind- it doesn't know you want to stop motion when you push the button. It just makes the exposure the best way it "knows" how (although if you had a sports setting on your camera, it'd know a little more about what you want ).

Most people on here have dSLR's like others have said. Those who are really into photography just kind of "end up" at that point. I have a point and shoot that I use as well- Canon Elph SD800 (it's a few years old, but any of the elph's are good) but bridge cameras are also good and might be better if you want more options/settings/choices.

When I was looking for a point and shoot, I went on Consumer Reports and other review sites and searched specifically for point and shoot cameras. They gave price ranges, specs, example pictures, etc. You can find some info on this board but most of it is on the art of photography and dSLR's.

 

[pickles]

Thanks for the ideas and thoughts

I am sure my camera could do more. It is my brain that cant handle the info. I didnt read the manual as when I started, it all went well above my head
I guess I am wanting a camera a little more simple and certainly smaller to go to Disney with

so best point and shoots, the size of a disposable for Disney?


also, if I take pics at Disney with a digital and want those pics made into actual pictures to put into an album..how does that work? Can you tell I never tried that at walmart?

I have just been using disposables and get film developed with a cd in case I need any to email

 

[disneygirlinnj]

Thanks for the ideas and thoughts

I am sure my camera could do more. It is my brain that cant handle the info. I didnt read the manual as when I started, it all went well above my head
I guess I am wanting a camera a little more simple and certainly smaller to go to Disney with

so best point and shoots, the size of a disposable for Disney?


also, if I take pics at Disney with a digital and want those pics made into actual pictures to put into an album..how does that work? Can you tell I never tried that at walmart?

I have just been using disposables and get film developed with a cd in case I need any to email

There really isn't such a thing of a basic and simple point and shoot camera anymore. They will all more or less have the functions that your current camera has. Start slowly and start going through the manual. Promise it gets easy.

To develop pictures just bring the card to anywhere that develops film. They can walk you through the process.

 

[KarenAylwood]

Thanks for the ideas and thoughts

I am sure my camera could do more. It is my brain that cant handle the info. I didnt read the manual as when I started, it all went well above my head
I guess I am wanting a camera a little more simple and certainly smaller to go to Disney with

so best point and shoots, the size of a disposable for Disney?


also, if I take pics at Disney with a digital and want those pics made into actual pictures to put into an album..how does that work? Can you tell I never tried that at walmart?

I have just been using disposables and get film developed with a cd in case I need any to email

http://www.pcworld.com/article/123719/top_10_pointandshoot_cameras.html

I'd recommend #3 on the list- it's the current model of the one I shoot with when I use a P&S- the others mentioned above it are going to be bigger than a disposable. #4 is cheaper and also pretty good. There are scene modes you can use on the camera and it's pretty simple to use.

You'll need memory cards (SD card) and most will fit right in your computer. If not, you'll need a card reader or to hook up your camera to your computer via USB cord. Then it will automatically ask if you want to upload and it will transfer the files to a folder on your computer. You can then take these and upload them to a website like Walmart, Walgreens, Target, etc and order prints.

 

[YesDear]

A far smarter and wiser person and photographer than I am told me that with digital camera's today that photography is everything you do before you push the shutter. That meaning that when you push the shutter, your camera becomes a computer that processes x's and 0's.

If you want a camera that can make all those decisions for you, I do not believe you want a camera. I am not sure what you want but I do not think it has been invented yet!

It sounds to me like you really need to go and play with some and see which ones make sense to you.

I wish you luck!

 

[annnewjerz]

A far smarter and wiser person than I am told me that with digital camera's today that photography is everything you do before you push the shutter.

Aw shucks, John. You're making me blush.

 

[zackiedawg]

As the others have mentioned, learning to take better pictures will help you infinitely more than buying a different camera.

What you are asking for in a camera does not exist. Your wants and needs are sort of like wanting a car that can haul as much as a pickup, be as small as a subcompact, handle and accelerate like a Ferrari, but get the gas mileage of a Prius. It just isn't going to happen. Great IQ, compact form, low price, high performance...pick any two.

Continuing the car analogy, if a race car driver got into your average sedan, he can't go as fast as he can in a race car, but he can use 100% of your car's ability. If you hopped into his race car, you'd be lucky if you can get it started, and if you did, would be lucky if you could wring 5% of the car's ability out of it. The same goes for cameras...everyone agrees that there are better cameras and worse cameras...but a great photographer can get great photos from any camera, and a bad photographer can get bad photos from any camera. So while the better camera can allow a good photographer to get better, a better camera doesn't make a bad photographer a good one.

My thinking is that you are actually fine with your current camera...no need honestly to spend money on a similar camera that's newer, because really compact camera technology has not come very far in the last 2 years. "Improvements" on newer cameras don't really advance the quality of photographs for the average user, and your current camera can likely perform much better than you currently realize or are capable of extracting.

It would help alot if you could post the exact model of camera you have now. Note that 'Cybershot' is just a product name that covers all of Sony's P&S cameras - hundreds of models from cheap basic to high-end prosumer fit under that name. You're looking for a letter (or two) followed by a number - such as S100, W290, T200, P200, H5, HX1, etc. With the model, we can help determine if your current camera is worth holding onto and learning some basics with, or if an upgrade would be worthwhile. But based on what you've described, your knowledge of photography is very low, and you could really learn to get so much more out of your current camera before spending needless money. At your current skill, a new camera simply isn't going to help very much until you learn just a few key basics.

No matter what anyone tells you, here, in a store, or online anywhere...do NOT worry about the brand of camera if it is any of the main camera companies - Canon, Sony, Fuji, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Kodak, or Panasonic. They're all fine companies, and all make fine cameras that are close enough in quality that most people couldn't tell the difference between if you put a normal snapshot print in front of them. Only photography enthusiasts, who have begun to develop skills that push the limits of basic cameras, and who obsess over viewing huge blowups of photos on high-res monitors looking for every possible flaw, need to worry about which camera model or brand they choose. Just as only a handful of drivers who routinely exceed 100MPH, race their vehicles on weekends, and drive right on the edge of control, need to worry about which top end sports car to consider.

BTW - My stepfather who knows nothing about cameras or digital finally got his first camera a few years back for his travels...at first, he thought his compact camera wasn't very good because he didn't get National Geographic results from every snapshot. It was actually a surprise to him that professional photographers actually possess a skill that took years to hone, and requires advanced cameras to exploit every bit of. So I taught him a few basics - really simple stuff in a 5-10 minute conversation, and showed him a few examples...his photography has improved 200%, and he now realizes his little $140 compact is plenty capable and can perform quite well (he still doesn't push the camera to within 50% of its abilities). Last year I gave him my 3 year old compact superzoom to join his pocket cam, so he could choose different cameras for different jobs. That now-4-year-old camera can still put out a photograph good enough to publish in National magazines and print 3-foot photos to hang on a wall.

Don't spend money if you don't have to...let us know what you're shooting with now, and see if we can help.

 

[Frantasmic]

http://flash.popphoto.com/blog/2009/08/new-gear-canon-powershot-s90.html?cid=10

Here is a new camera that should, if it works as expected, be a new level in point and shoots. The Canon S90 will be available in September.
it has low-light detection, ISO 3200, raw, f/2.0 lens, 3.8x zoom, 10 megapixel, image stabilization, digic 4 sensor. Seems like a good camera

 

[jann1033]

who obsess over viewing huge blowups of photos on high-res monitors looking for every possible flaw,

so are you saying this is an odd thing to do????

really to the op, if after reading your manual you still want a new camera( since reading the manual won't shrink your present camera and i think you mentioned you want one smaller than the present one) here is a link to a list of decent ones, scroll down till you get to the compact or subcompact and any should be fine for you. http://www.steves-digicams.com/best-cameras.html

also you can go to OPanda http://www.opanda.com/en/iexif/download.htm and download this free exif viewer. when you click on it on a photo it should tell you the brand and model of the camera that took a photo unless they didn't save the info or sometimes when you edit it it loses the information.

 

[pickles]

so are you saying this is an odd thing to do????

really to the op, if after reading your manual you still want a new camera( since reading the manual won't shrink your present camera and i think you mentioned you want one smaller than the present one) here is a link to a list of decent ones, scroll down till you get to the compact or subcompact and any should be fine for you. http://www.steves-digicams.com/best-cameras.html

also you can go to OPanda http://www.opanda.com/en/iexif/download.htm and download this free exif viewer. when you click on it on a photo it should tell you the brand and model of the camera that took a photo unless they didn't save the info or sometimes when you edit it it loses the information.

Thank you Jann, you are right..no matter how well I learn to read it wont shrink my current camera!!

 

[pickles]

anyone used the samsung 12.2. sl620

I have narrowed down some of my options. I want the disposable size or smaller and I want decent night pics(like for a parade) and I want good pics if the subject is moving..like a running dog. The review on bestbuys site for the above camera seem to fit my needs

however, they dont have it in my town and my trip is just 2 days away. I dont know how to compare what walmart carries to the above camera and find a comparable match
(I live in the boonies so walmart and radio shack are my choices unless I ship it in)

 

[boBQuincy]

A far smarter and wiser person and photographer than I am told me that with digital camera's today that photography is everything you do before you push the shutter. That meaning that when you push the shutter, your camera becomes a computer that processes x's and 0's.

Pretty close, actually the camera processes 1's and 0's. Back when I started programming we didn't even have 1's, just 0's. That was when you really had to know how to program!

Photography is also everything we do after the file is loaded to the computer, our 1's and 0's darkroom!

 

[KarenAylwood]

anyone used the samsung 12.2. sl620

I have narrowed down some of my options. I want the disposable size or smaller and I want decent night pics(like for a parade) and I want good pics if the subject is moving..like a running dog. The review on bestbuys site for the above camera seem to fit my needs

however, they dont have it in my town and my trip is just 2 days away. I dont know how to compare what walmart carries to the above camera and find a comparable match
(I live in the boonies so walmart and radio shack are my choices unless I ship it in)

I just went into google and typed in your camera and put "comparable" and this site came up:

http://shopper.cnet.com/digital-cameras/samsung-sl620-black/4014-6501_9-33561685.html

If you look on the right hand side it says "similar products." These should be comparable to that model in other brands. Then check to see if Walmart carries these.

Another way is to just filter your search for cameras at Walmart under the similar price range (say $180-$250) and check out the reviews/specs on them.

 

[zackiedawg]

anyone used the samsung 12.2. sl620

I have narrowed down some of my options. I want the disposable size or smaller and I want decent night pics(like for a parade) and I want good pics if the subject is moving..like a running dog. The review on bestbuys site for the above camera seem to fit my needs

however, they dont have it in my town and my trip is just 2 days away. I dont know how to compare what walmart carries to the above camera and find a comparable match
(I live in the boonies so walmart and radio shack are my choices unless I ship it in)

I hate giving direct recommendations for a particular camera, because then I sound like someone who just recommends a certain brand. I actually never do...but since your situation is of limited time, and you don't have access to a wide selection...I'd recommend you look at one of the following compacts:

Sony WX1
Fuji F70EXR

The Sony WX1 is probably the best ultra-compact camera for low light shooting on the market - it has a new backlit sensor design that is definitely proving capable at shooting surprisingly clean high ISO and has several modes to help get very good, clean shots in extremely dark conditions. Plus, it has a very sensitive lens not commonly found on ultra-compact cameras (F2.4). This would also help it be usable for capturing things in motion - dogs, kids, etc...since the lens pulls in lots of light and the camera can shoot at higher ISOs without degrading the details too much. It seems to be selling under $300, but I don't know how low you can find it and if it fits your budget.

Otherwise, try the Fuji F70EXR...it is not quite as capable in low light as the Sony, but does have a few tricks that allow it to combine pixels for better sensitivity and does make it a bit better than most compacts at shooting in low light. It should be selling for less than the Sony.

The Canon S90 mentioned before should be pretty good - but the price is much higher, and honestly it's a bit more featured and complex than you'll likely need or use.

Hope that helps narrow things down.

 

[webshark3]

Typically, when I here someone just wants a solid reliable P&S, and is esentailly just shooting AUTO, I reccomended the Canon SD series. Just did that with my SIL last week. Features didn't matter. She wanted the blue one.

I'd luve to reccomend Fuji F series, but I bought a F100FD, and it's "just" complicated enough to confuse some of my P&S family, whereas they don't have issues with the Canon SD series. And it only comes in Silver and Black.

 

[pickles]

ok..I bought one today..wish i had seen the suggestions zackie dog had..would have looked into those more

here is what i chose

http://www.steves-digicams.com/came...sd780-is/canon-powershot-sd780-is-review.html

the canon sd780

I was torn with the samsung 420 and the olympus waterpprof versions were intriguing, but the shutter time seemed slower. steve gave this canon a pretty good report for shutter speed and such so I hope I figure it out and enjoy it. I will say it is SMALL almost too small. I liked the size of the canan 2000 better, but this camera seemed better overall

anyways..anyone use my type new camera? how did you like it?

not too late to take it back