A little over a year ago, I asked for information on purchasing a point-and-shoot digital camera for my mother in this thread:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/digi...ons-advice-high-end-sub-500-non-dslr-pls.html
After lots of reading and some wonderful advice, I eventually bought a Panasonic Lumix TZ5. This was an amazing camera, and I was very happy with my purchase. When I was taking pictures I switched it over to manual, adjusted a few settings, and took great pictures, and when she was using it she put it onto intelligent auto, autoflash, and clicked away, taking great pictures.
Unfortunately, it was stolen last week, and I need a new camera for her.
The requirements are essentially the same as last time (see above linked thread), with priorities very slightly rearranged in order:
Priority 1: image quality, with no post-processing needed (mom doesn't know how to use Photoshop, and doesn't plan to learn!)
Priority 2: size (must be pocket-sized: DO count the TZ5 and similar cameras as pocket sized, so this really isn't much of a limitation, since I'm not necessarily limiting myself to the ultra-sub-ultra-tiny-microcompacts)
Priority 3: Ease of use - need to be able to pick it up (once configured), turn it on, and take pictures in seconds.
Pritority 4: Zoom - must have a good zoom - mom loved the 10x zoom on the TZ5 and used it all the time
Pritority 5: Features: the more the better, as long as they're layed out well and easy to use - this isn't a huge issue, but over two nearly equivalent cameras, I might as well take the one with more bells and whistles: I might use them some day. (HD video, infinite burst mode, and the like fall here as 'extra features'; I want this primarily as a pick it up and take a few quick pictures camera)
Not as important: I don't really need RAW support, that goes into 'extra' features. I don't really care about a viewfinder (the TZ5 didn't have one, which I thought would be a disaster, but it was fine. It needs to accept at least SDHC cards, but they all do nowadays. I'd brefer a built in flash to a popup flash (most cameras have a built in flash anyway). Much more information on my needs in the linked thread.
Please could you recommend a good camera for me! Budget is not an issue (anything under $500, will spend more on top for accessories).
Looking at some what's currently available, a few cameras stand out (if you have a different preference, please mention it - I've only been looking for a few days, so certianly havent' seen them all yet!):
Canon S90
Canon G11
Fujifilm F80
Lumix DMC-LX3
Canon SX210
Panasonic DMC-7S7K
Panasonic DMC-FH20
Of these, 4 seem to be clearly above the crowd (maybe 5, but the G11 looks very clunky, crowded, and overly complicated for her)
1. Canon S90 - compact, powerful, and an amazing 1/1.7 CCD. Looks amazing. The only problem is the extremely weak 3.8x optical zoom. If I were buying a point-and-shoot camera for me, I'd probably get this. Unfortunately, the zoom isn't nearly the 10x mom was used to, and I think she'll really miss it.
2. Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 - had to mention it, since it has the biggers CCD of the lot! (1/1.63). Again though, not enough zoom (2.5x optical)
3. Panasonic DMC-ZS7K This seems to be the big brother of the TZ5, and basically what they replaced that camera with. Upgrades in every way (more megapixels, sdxc support, ginormous 12x optical zoom), but what REALLY worries me is they increased the Megapixel count from 9 to 14 (!) without changing the size of the CCD chip (the tiniest of the lot, at 1/2.33, the same as the TZ5). It worked for the TZ5, but I'm worried about this having a major impact on image quality (but who knows, maybe they've increased the chip quality or compression/noise algorithms or something - that's why I'm asking stuff; to learn )
4. Fujufilm F80EXR - this seems to come the closest to having everything I want, and being a TZ5 replacement, despite it not being Panasonic. The CCD is a respectable 1/2"; a solid step up from the 1/2.33 of the TZ5, with a few more MP (12), and the same 10x zoom. A few things worry me though. In the past, I've tried to purchase, Canon, Panasonic, and (maybe, though very upset with the last one) Olympus. Even though the numbers are there, Fujifilm just isn't associated in my mind with quality the way Canon is. Perhaps this has changed, but the abnormally low price tag (considering the feature set), and the brand name makes me a bit hesitant - are Fujifilm cameras now solid contenders at the top of the point-and-shoot heap, or am I right to stay away?
Finally, if camera technology has inexlicably not progressed in the last year, and the ZS7K, F80EXR, or anything else would just be a step backwards, there's always the option of buying another used TZ5 on ebay
What should I get?
Thank you for your advice, and your patience in reading this long post and the even longer linked post!
Zithras
Edited to get rid of wall of text - forgot to allow yahooapis
http://www.avforums.com/forums/digi...ons-advice-high-end-sub-500-non-dslr-pls.html
After lots of reading and some wonderful advice, I eventually bought a Panasonic Lumix TZ5. This was an amazing camera, and I was very happy with my purchase. When I was taking pictures I switched it over to manual, adjusted a few settings, and took great pictures, and when she was using it she put it onto intelligent auto, autoflash, and clicked away, taking great pictures.
Unfortunately, it was stolen last week, and I need a new camera for her.
The requirements are essentially the same as last time (see above linked thread), with priorities very slightly rearranged in order:
Priority 1: image quality, with no post-processing needed (mom doesn't know how to use Photoshop, and doesn't plan to learn!)
Priority 2: size (must be pocket-sized: DO count the TZ5 and similar cameras as pocket sized, so this really isn't much of a limitation, since I'm not necessarily limiting myself to the ultra-sub-ultra-tiny-microcompacts)
Priority 3: Ease of use - need to be able to pick it up (once configured), turn it on, and take pictures in seconds.
Pritority 4: Zoom - must have a good zoom - mom loved the 10x zoom on the TZ5 and used it all the time
Pritority 5: Features: the more the better, as long as they're layed out well and easy to use - this isn't a huge issue, but over two nearly equivalent cameras, I might as well take the one with more bells and whistles: I might use them some day. (HD video, infinite burst mode, and the like fall here as 'extra features'; I want this primarily as a pick it up and take a few quick pictures camera)
Not as important: I don't really need RAW support, that goes into 'extra' features. I don't really care about a viewfinder (the TZ5 didn't have one, which I thought would be a disaster, but it was fine. It needs to accept at least SDHC cards, but they all do nowadays. I'd brefer a built in flash to a popup flash (most cameras have a built in flash anyway). Much more information on my needs in the linked thread.
Please could you recommend a good camera for me! Budget is not an issue (anything under $500, will spend more on top for accessories).
Looking at some what's currently available, a few cameras stand out (if you have a different preference, please mention it - I've only been looking for a few days, so certianly havent' seen them all yet!):
Canon S90
Canon G11
Fujifilm F80
Lumix DMC-LX3
Canon SX210
Panasonic DMC-7S7K
Panasonic DMC-FH20
Of these, 4 seem to be clearly above the crowd (maybe 5, but the G11 looks very clunky, crowded, and overly complicated for her)
1. Canon S90 - compact, powerful, and an amazing 1/1.7 CCD. Looks amazing. The only problem is the extremely weak 3.8x optical zoom. If I were buying a point-and-shoot camera for me, I'd probably get this. Unfortunately, the zoom isn't nearly the 10x mom was used to, and I think she'll really miss it.
2. Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 - had to mention it, since it has the biggers CCD of the lot! (1/1.63). Again though, not enough zoom (2.5x optical)
3. Panasonic DMC-ZS7K This seems to be the big brother of the TZ5, and basically what they replaced that camera with. Upgrades in every way (more megapixels, sdxc support, ginormous 12x optical zoom), but what REALLY worries me is they increased the Megapixel count from 9 to 14 (!) without changing the size of the CCD chip (the tiniest of the lot, at 1/2.33, the same as the TZ5). It worked for the TZ5, but I'm worried about this having a major impact on image quality (but who knows, maybe they've increased the chip quality or compression/noise algorithms or something - that's why I'm asking stuff; to learn )
4. Fujufilm F80EXR - this seems to come the closest to having everything I want, and being a TZ5 replacement, despite it not being Panasonic. The CCD is a respectable 1/2"; a solid step up from the 1/2.33 of the TZ5, with a few more MP (12), and the same 10x zoom. A few things worry me though. In the past, I've tried to purchase, Canon, Panasonic, and (maybe, though very upset with the last one) Olympus. Even though the numbers are there, Fujifilm just isn't associated in my mind with quality the way Canon is. Perhaps this has changed, but the abnormally low price tag (considering the feature set), and the brand name makes me a bit hesitant - are Fujifilm cameras now solid contenders at the top of the point-and-shoot heap, or am I right to stay away?
Finally, if camera technology has inexlicably not progressed in the last year, and the ZS7K, F80EXR, or anything else would just be a step backwards, there's always the option of buying another used TZ5 on ebay
What should I get?
Thank you for your advice, and your patience in reading this long post and the even longer linked post!
Zithras
Edited to get rid of wall of text - forgot to allow yahooapis