Which point and click camera should I buy?
You know what its like, people who know you find out your into photography and eventually ask which camera should I buy? Doctors are always asked for free diagnosis. I once worked for a company that sold sporting goods so everyone asked what tent they should buy , etc. I used to do more sound work when I was younger, people would ask what stereo to get, speakers are best, what home theater package, or TV to buy.
The problem is, if you're really into something (or many things) as much as I am it's not a simple answer. And they often want concise direction. And you have to live with the fact that if they don't like what they buy you get blamed for it.
So there I am at work at a new employer and one of my peers tells me she's going on a long vacation with her family and they want a new camera. "which one should I buy". For me being a techno-geek (or I guess I should be hip and same photography aficionado) begin interviewing her as to what she wants to accomplish what are her skills, how technical or not does she want to be, are you into landscapes, sports and action, or just want it small and simple?
Even after finally getting out of her what she wants, and I still can't easily answer her question. Part of the problem is there are so many great cameras out there and many of them do a great job at several things, but like everything in life nothing does everything you want and you have to make compromises. But your friend is expecting expert advise and miracles. If you suggest the wrong thing it's your reputation. So what do I do? I don't give them one answer, I point them in a few directions, narrow the menu, and make them choose from a selection of cameras I have used and have positive reviews. Then I send them shopping.
So below is a list of suggestions I sent her based on what she said she wanted. It is by no means an exhaustive list as I wanted to help her make a decision on her own without overwhelming her, and without me taking responsibility for her choice.
By the way, she wanted an advanced point and shoot, that could take some abuse, had face recognition, and they could go back and forth between automation and playing with creative controls.
My e-mail to her...
The problem with this is there are so may brands and models it's hard to pick. These are some of my favorites and worth checking out. I personally think it's hard to go wrong with Canon, Nikon or Olympus, Followed by Pentax, Panasonic and Sony. Casio, Samsung, Kodak, HP, Fuji, Sigma are all very consumer, less rugged and often have cheaper glass. However these all have a few high end high priced models that are good cameras. It may seem odd to think about because everyone pushes megapixel as a selling point. However pixels have little to do with what makes a camera take a good picture. Software, lens, and CCD or CMOS quality are harder for marketers to talk about but thats what makes a good picture, assuming the person taking it did their part! The ones with the *** are cameras I have used and/or wished I owned!
*** Canon PowerShot G9 Digital Camera
This is one of the larger models and kind of a cross over, considered a semi-pro camera. It does everything you could want and more, has a good lens. The lens cannot be changed, this one is best for wider to medium telephoto and has a 6X digital zoom. I can't image too many things this camera can't do except long range telephoto shots that would require a SLR and long lens.
Canon Powershot S5 IS Digital Camera
Okay this is a large one but it has a longer zoom lens 12X and again can do most pro type things when you want to be creative. Like the one above it also has face recognition and they both have the best noise reduction technology on the market.
Nikon Coolpix P510
Like the two above, these all have a flash hot shoe. Thats because all compact cameras have poor built-in flashes and they only go a few feet. You may never choose to add a flash but you can if you wanted to get into that. This too is a large camera for a pocket camera but also has all the bells and whistles. The best thing you could do is go hold these, see how they feel, check if you are comfortable with the software. Nikon is not known for the best noise reduction software (Canon, Sony, and Olympus are best in this range). The noise reduction technology is important for low light conditions like dusk, or when you don't want to use the flash and be disruptive to the moment.
Smaller cameras
***Olympus Stylus 1030SW Digital Camera (Black)
10.1 Megapixel • 3.6x Wide-angle Optical Zoom • 2.7 HyperCrystal II LCD • Shockproof • Waterproof • Freezeproof • Crushproof • Perfect Shot Preview • Built-in Manometer • In-Camera Editing This is one amazing little camera, can go anywhere and it's built to take a beating. Popular with hikers, surveyors, and construction sites.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W300 Digital Camera (Black)
• 13.6 Megapixel • 3x Optical Zoom • 2.7" LCD Display • Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization • Face Detection with Smile Shutter • High-Speed Burst (5 fps) • High Sensitivity (ISO 6400) • Premium Titanium Body • HDTV Compatibility • In-Camera Retouching. I'm not a fan of Sony cameras personally because of the memory card it uses is harder to find when traveling. But otherwise it's a good camera. I prefer the Olympus above because of it's ruggedness for me.
Casio Exilim EX-Z100 Digital Camera (Brown)
10.1 Megapixel • 4x Wide-angle Zoom Lens • 2.7" LCD Display • Ultra-slim Design • H.264 Movie Recording • YouTube Capture Mode • Auto-tracking AF • Face Detection & Recognition • Incredibly Fast. Just a generally good small camera. Good reviews, and light weight,
Pentax Optio A40 Digital Camera
12.0 Megapixel • 3x Optical Zoom • 2.5" LCD Display • Triple Shake Reduction • Enhanced Face Recognition • Dynamic Range Adjustment • High-quality MPEG-4 DivX Video • Ultra Compact & Lightweight Design. I always like Pentax, also small and has great glass.
The problem is, if you're really into something (or many things) as much as I am it's not a simple answer. And they often want concise direction. And you have to live with the fact that if they don't like what they buy you get blamed for it.
So there I am at work at a new employer and one of my peers tells me she's going on a long vacation with her family and they want a new camera. "which one should I buy". For me being a techno-geek (or I guess I should be hip and same photography aficionado) begin interviewing her as to what she wants to accomplish what are her skills, how technical or not does she want to be, are you into landscapes, sports and action, or just want it small and simple?
Even after finally getting out of her what she wants, and I still can't easily answer her question. Part of the problem is there are so many great cameras out there and many of them do a great job at several things, but like everything in life nothing does everything you want and you have to make compromises. But your friend is expecting expert advise and miracles. If you suggest the wrong thing it's your reputation. So what do I do? I don't give them one answer, I point them in a few directions, narrow the menu, and make them choose from a selection of cameras I have used and have positive reviews. Then I send them shopping.
So below is a list of suggestions I sent her based on what she said she wanted. It is by no means an exhaustive list as I wanted to help her make a decision on her own without overwhelming her, and without me taking responsibility for her choice.
By the way, she wanted an advanced point and shoot, that could take some abuse, had face recognition, and they could go back and forth between automation and playing with creative controls.
My e-mail to her...
The problem with this is there are so may brands and models it's hard to pick. These are some of my favorites and worth checking out. I personally think it's hard to go wrong with Canon, Nikon or Olympus, Followed by Pentax, Panasonic and Sony. Casio, Samsung, Kodak, HP, Fuji, Sigma are all very consumer, less rugged and often have cheaper glass. However these all have a few high end high priced models that are good cameras. It may seem odd to think about because everyone pushes megapixel as a selling point. However pixels have little to do with what makes a camera take a good picture. Software, lens, and CCD or CMOS quality are harder for marketers to talk about but thats what makes a good picture, assuming the person taking it did their part! The ones with the *** are cameras I have used and/or wished I owned!
*** Canon PowerShot G9 Digital Camera
This is one of the larger models and kind of a cross over, considered a semi-pro camera. It does everything you could want and more, has a good lens. The lens cannot be changed, this one is best for wider to medium telephoto and has a 6X digital zoom. I can't image too many things this camera can't do except long range telephoto shots that would require a SLR and long lens.
Canon Powershot S5 IS Digital Camera
Okay this is a large one but it has a longer zoom lens 12X and again can do most pro type things when you want to be creative. Like the one above it also has face recognition and they both have the best noise reduction technology on the market.
Nikon Coolpix P510
Like the two above, these all have a flash hot shoe. Thats because all compact cameras have poor built-in flashes and they only go a few feet. You may never choose to add a flash but you can if you wanted to get into that. This too is a large camera for a pocket camera but also has all the bells and whistles. The best thing you could do is go hold these, see how they feel, check if you are comfortable with the software. Nikon is not known for the best noise reduction software (Canon, Sony, and Olympus are best in this range). The noise reduction technology is important for low light conditions like dusk, or when you don't want to use the flash and be disruptive to the moment.
Smaller cameras
***Olympus Stylus 1030SW Digital Camera (Black)
10.1 Megapixel • 3.6x Wide-angle Optical Zoom • 2.7 HyperCrystal II LCD • Shockproof • Waterproof • Freezeproof • Crushproof • Perfect Shot Preview • Built-in Manometer • In-Camera Editing This is one amazing little camera, can go anywhere and it's built to take a beating. Popular with hikers, surveyors, and construction sites.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W300 Digital Camera (Black)
• 13.6 Megapixel • 3x Optical Zoom • 2.7" LCD Display • Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization • Face Detection with Smile Shutter • High-Speed Burst (5 fps) • High Sensitivity (ISO 6400) • Premium Titanium Body • HDTV Compatibility • In-Camera Retouching. I'm not a fan of Sony cameras personally because of the memory card it uses is harder to find when traveling. But otherwise it's a good camera. I prefer the Olympus above because of it's ruggedness for me.
Casio Exilim EX-Z100 Digital Camera (Brown)
10.1 Megapixel • 4x Wide-angle Zoom Lens • 2.7" LCD Display • Ultra-slim Design • H.264 Movie Recording • YouTube Capture Mode • Auto-tracking AF • Face Detection & Recognition • Incredibly Fast. Just a generally good small camera. Good reviews, and light weight,
Pentax Optio A40 Digital Camera
12.0 Megapixel • 3x Optical Zoom • 2.5" LCD Display • Triple Shake Reduction • Enhanced Face Recognition • Dynamic Range Adjustment • High-quality MPEG-4 DivX Video • Ultra Compact & Lightweight Design. I always like Pentax, also small and has great glass.
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