Recommendations for a compact digital camera...help!

[joellyn23]

I have a Nikon D80 and Panasonic Lumix FZ20. However, I'm looking for something small that will fit in my basic fanny pack on our next Disney vacation. We've gone several years in a row now, so I'd really only be looking to take pictures of the kids. I'd love if I could find a decent compact camera so I don't have to carry around a camera bag in addition to my fanny pack.

Where do I start? Does anyone have recommendations? I'm thinking at least 5 mp, at least 3x optical zoom (although the bigger, the better). I have SD cards, so it would be great if I can stick with that format.

We're not going until April and I know plenty of new models will likely come out between now and then. I'm looking for a good place to start.

Thanks so much
Joellyn

 

[gokenin]

Hi I have a casio exilim camera right now its a small compact point and shot that has a 7.2 meg picture capacity and has an optical 3x with a digital 4x and its small enough to fit easily in a pocket. I am sure others will have more suggestions but This line is rather good with the exception being night shots as is the case with most compact point and shoot cameras

 

[disneyfan2]

would love to hear more suggestions too, i am tossing between sticking with P & s to go to SLR

 

[YEKCIM]

would love to hear more suggestions too, i am tossing between sticking with P & s to go to SLR

Do I understand correctly that you are trying to decide between a P&S and a dSLR?

~YEKCIM

 

[DizGeek]

Canon SD1000, small, powerful, great price.

 

[DizGeek]

Do I understand correctly that you are trying to decide between a P&S and a dSLR?

~YEKCIM

No....its an alternative.

 

[pisco]

I have been looking for an alternative to my DSLR and am leaning towards the Samsung L77. 7x zoom, 7.1MP and small enough to fit in your pocket.

 

[Reminiscing_Cody]

I'm mostly just a lurker on this part of the board but I thought I'd toss my suggestion in..

I recently did a bunch of research for a pocked-sized compact and ended up getting the Fuji Finepix F30. It's not the smallest or sexiest compact out there, but its sensor is (far and away) the best in a compact for low light, and it's still small enough for me to pocket comfortably.

I recently took it to our local zoo to get some pictures of the white alligator they have on loan from New Orleans. It has to have a very dark enclosure because of its sun sensitivity and the rest of my family's P&S cameras were turning out junk, but I was able to get some great shots..

Also, just a note.. the F31fd is the same camera but adds face detection.. I got the F30 to save some money because I didn't particularly care about that feature.

 

[clombardi]

an optical 3x with a digital 4x

I am clueless about cameras. As I am looking at them online, I see references to optical/digital zoom. Would you be able to explain the difference to a newbie like me? Thanks so much!

 

[Groucho]

We recently bought a Fuji F40fd to replace my wife's not-very-old Canon SD600. I'm going to do some side-to-side photos before the Canon goes on eBay (shoulda been there already, but been both busy and lazy, and the combination is deadly for getting things done! ) to see exactly what the image quality difference is between them. The Fuji has a much larger sensor, so it should do better in all conditions, especially low light.

It's rather light on features (no manual modes), but then, so are most of the Canon Elphs and other comparable cameras. So far, it looks nice, and it was fairly cheap - $194. It's 8mp with 3x zoom and is slightly larger than the Elphs, but not significantly so. It's one of the first Fujis to take both xD and SD cards, which swayed us towards it over the F31fd (even though I think I would have preferred the F31fd otherwise.)