input on p&s digicams?

[sf]

Now, this IS a digital question, but sort of rangefindery too. I'd take it over to the digital forum, but I think there might be more help here, if only for a larger audience.

I am going to Paris and London for 11 days.

I am leaving some time near December 20th.

I will be celebrating Christmas at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.

I travel extremely light. For instance, I am in California living out of a suitcase for the next year - not big on carrying things around. I did have my cameras shipped, but hey.

I want something really small (a camera, of course), to take with me. No film cameras because I don't want to carry film or worry about x-rays, etc. I have a D70, but I don't want something that bulky. The D70 is a camera tha needs a strap, and I don't want a camera strapped around my neck for 11 days of walking. Not to mention, it screams "Steal me" more than a palm sized digicam. So, I am looking at some of the newest digital point and shoot cameras.

Casio EX-Z750 - small, video capable, 7 megapixels, near zero shutter lag, really small. ANd my aunt can get me a deal on one because she works for Casio.

Fuji Finepix F10 : slightly more shutterlag - by 3 thousands of a second, same video capability, 6.3 megapixels (looks better that the Casio's 7), looks to be the least noisy of all sensors in the 6+ megapixel point and shoot digital realm.

Canon Powershot S80 - sliding cover for the lens (I like those - feels safe), 8+ megapixels, about twice the video resolution of the others, but the sensor is apparently noisy (at least more than the Casio according to Ken Rockwell), and making use of that 1024x768 video resoltution would fill memory cards every 10 minutes (2GB). yikes. It is the most pocketable because of its design.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1 - 16:9 ratio sensor which makes for a sort of panoramic camera, sort of. true 16:9 video capture at very good resolution, worst noise I have ever seen. I just included it because the 16:9 sensor is cool.

Personally, I like the Fuji. It produces pics that are honestly hard to discern from my D70. And it makes movies! Kind of cruddy little movies, but what do you expect from a camcorder you can store in your cheek pouches?

Input anyone?

 

[sf]

ouch

ouch

I can't believe I said that I didn't want to "worry" about carrying film with me. In Paris! What is happening to me. Somebody slap me please.

A Contax t3 and some HP-5 should do the trick. I'll even sew an extra pocket on my coat for film.

 

[fgianni]

Have you considered the fuji F11, is like F10 but with manual controls.

Also the fuji E900 looks promising, but for some reason does not seem to have an ISO 1600 mode.

 

[Kin Lau]

I can't believe I said that I didn't want to "worry" about carrying film with me. In Paris! What is happening to me. Somebody slap me please.

A Contax t3 and some HP-5 should do the trick. I'll even sew an extra pocket on my coat for film.

SLAP! there you go... no charge 🙂

Otherwise, yes the F10 or the F11 would be a good choice, since it's the only digicam out there with a useable high iso mode.

 

[GeneW]

If you were to consider a small digital for the trip, take a look at the Canon S series, particularly the S80 or recently discontinued S70. They have a 28-100mm equivalent zoom and are very compact. A 28mm equiv at the wide end is particularly good for Paris.

Or, for travelling light, you might take a RF with a single lens -- I'd take a 35mm.

Gene

 

[Stephanie Brim]

The LX1, no contest. 16x9 is good and all, but it's the 3x2 that is really nice. Not to mention the fact that it's a Panasonic so the sensor performs well even in incandescent light. *I* want one of these and I'm all about traditional photography. I think it's as close to a Leica as I could get for a while.

 

[Nikon Bob]

Don't forget the Olympus line of PS digi cams. I have had good luck with my C5050 which is likely too large for what you want. Olympus do make a nice compact Stylus type digi cam though.

Bob

 

[FPjohn]

P&S

P&S

Hello:

Any P&S that still has a plausible viewfinder. Enjoy your trip.

yours
Frank

 

[ywenz]

P&S generally suck.. but if anything, I'd recommend the Canon G-series.. even the older models are better than the newest small-factor P&S cams

Just read up on them on dpreview.com The LX1 is extrememly noisy so I would not recommend that camera the slightest.. basically look for anything that got a "Highly Recommended" and run from anything that didn't... These P&Ss are bad enough already so any compromise is not acceptable in my book.

 

[afaceinthecrowd]

I had a "G" series Canon ... very nicely built but it's a stretch to call it pocketable 😀

I'm looking for a new digital myself and want to check out the new E900 from Fujifilm ... lots of features for not much dough. I just hope it has a more solid feel than the E550 has.

dan

 

[derevaun]

I'd go with the Casio. My whole point is, why get a digital with few comparative advantages over a film camera? At least the EX is small and light enough to carry in any pocket; you'd be more likely to have it in reach than any of the others, even when carrying your suitcase.

 

[einolu]

I have an LX1 in the mail, I will put up a small review when I play around with it some.