Need suggestions on a new Point and Shoot

[tx2tn]

My DW and I are returning to WDW in October. I would like to purchase a new camera before we go. I would like to get the best picture quality possible without having to lug a big bulky camera around. I currently own a Kodak 5MP PS. I would like to buy one with more MP and more bells and whistles.

I want to stay fairly small so that the camera would fit in a fanny pack. I have looked at the Canon SD900 and Canon A640, but would consider anything you guys would reccomend. Cost is not really a factor but quality is.

Thanks for the help

 

[YEKCIM]

My DW and I are returning to WDW in October. I would like to purchase a new camera before we go. I would like to get the best picture quality possible without having to lug a big bulky camera around. I currently own a Kodak 5MP PS. I would like to buy one with more MP and more bells and whistles.

I want to stay fairly small so that the camera would fit in a fanny pack. I have looked at the Canon SD900 and Canon A640, but would consider anything you guys would reccomend. Cost is not really a factor but quality is.

Thanks for the help

I would suggest one of the "superzoom" cameras, which would give you a lot of versatility in terms of composition, particularly where close ups are concerned. Animals at AK come quickly to mind.

Many on this board like the Canon S3-IS, which is to be replaced sometime in the next few months by the S5-IS. Sony also makes their "H" series (DSC-H2 and so on). Both Sony and Canon offer Image Stabilization (IS) on many of their cameras.

Fuji takes a little different approach, using a larger sensor for better low light performance, which addresses subject movement as well as camera movement. IS will only help negate camera movement. Fuji does not currently offer IS; only the superior low light performance. A couple of Fuji models you might want to look at are the S6000fd and the S9100. I used a Fuji S5200 for the +/- 2000 pix I took at WDW last July and was very pleased with the results.

You may want to spend some time perusing some of the review sites, like www.steves-digicams.com, www.dpreview.com, www.imaging-resource.com, and www.megapixel.net. You can also use dpreview's side-by-side comparison tool to quickly compare various models you are considering: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp

Good luck with your search.

~YEKCIM

 

[ukcatfan]

If price is not a concern, I would look at the Canon G7. It also has that larger sensor like Fuji and has IS, but only a 6x zoom (35-210mm equiv.). It is not getting much notice b/c it is a little more expensive than the chaepest DSLR, which outperforms it. If the size is important though, it is a nice camera and almost as much as you can get out of a p&s.

Kevin

 

[Groucho]

The recent dpreview article compared high-ISO shots from a G7 to those from a Fuji, F30 I think it was...

Let's just say that it was a bit of a slaughter, even with the G7's relatively large sensor.

Here is the relevant page, ISO 1600 with G7 and F30.

If you keep the ISOs down they're probably closer, but I think the extra megapixels of the G7 definitely work against it.

If you're after pure image quality and don't want to go to a DSLR, you pretty much have to go with one of the large-sensor Fujis.

 

[left210]

I am loving my new Panasonic TZ3. It has 7MP, 10X zoom, OIS, & great picture quality.