compact/subcompact digi recomendations

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Barry Bean - 24 Apr 2005 19:07 GMT

Having made the move to digital without yet suffering physical, emotional,
or spiritual damage, I'd like to add a pocket sized digital to my arsenal
for those times when lugging my E-1 or even the OM-4 isn't an option. I'd
prefer an Olympus for obvious reasons, but would consider any major brand.

As I see it, my priorities are:

1) Small size and weight
2) at least 4 megapixel, preferably 5+megapixel output
3) good low light performance
4) prefer some zoom capacity, possibly equivalent of 35-70, but prefer to
err on the wide side. (FWIW, my walk around lens on the E-1 is the 11-22,
and with the OM, its either a 50 or a 21 mounted and the other in my
pocket)
5) built in flash
6) Not a deal breaker, but I really like the hinged EVF on my friend's
Canon - makes low/high perspectives and self portraits a lot easier to pull
off.

Suggestions?

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james - 25 Apr 2005 19:36 GMT

>Suggestions?

I've recommended the 4MP Canon Powershot A85 to several colleagues.
Nobody has been disappointed. I bought one myself as a second camera to
my EOS. Sometimes I have to check the data to see which camera I used.
If you're creative at all, the Powershot provides a nice range of
control. You can get these cameras for really cheap now. If you really
want 5MP and an articulated LCD, get a newer Powershot.

I know you're into Olympus, but do check out the small Canons.

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Dave Martindale - 28 Apr 2005 08:37 GMT

<fishbowl@conservatory.com> writes:

>I've recommended the 4MP Canon Powershot A85 to several colleagues.
>Nobody has been disappointed. I bought one myself as a second camera to
>my EOS. Sometimes I have to check the data to see which camera I used.
>If you're creative at all, the Powershot provides a nice range of
>control. You can get these cameras for really cheap now. If you really
>want 5MP and an articulated LCD, get a newer Powershot.

Look at the A80 too, if you can find one. Despite the numbering, the
A80 is better than the A85 in a number of respects: articulated LCD,
larger CCD, etc. Since the A95 has appeared, the A80 should be pretty
inexpensive.

Dave

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james - 28 Apr 2005 09:20 GMT

>Look at the A80 too, if you can find one. Despite the numbering, the
>A80 is better than the A85 in a number of respects: articulated LCD,
>larger CCD, etc. Since the A95 has appeared, the A80 should be pretty
>inexpensive.

Not to disagree, but I actually don't like the articulated LCD at all.
Also, "megapixels" is overrated as a measurement of quality, until you
get to the kind of increases that represent a significant change on a
geometric scale (the marketing numbers present "megapixels" as if they
are a linear measure, but it's quadratic, on a 4x3 rectangle.)

So a 6MP camera is 18% more image than a 4MP camera? Something like
that. To be honest, this would matter a whole lot if I were looking for
a primary camera, but, my purpose in getting the A85 was to have an
inexpensive complement to my 20D. The price was right, the availability
was easy, and I really like the images I've gotten out of it.

The locations where I get my best pictures also happen to be the same
ones where I wouldn't dare carry a $1600 camera, or even a $500 camera.
I get away with the A85 because it looks "safe", and because I would not
be all that upset if it went missing or busted. I'd be pretty upset, I
mean, but I'd also be able to replace it.

Perfect for my needs and a hell of a good design. I imagine all the
Canons are well-designed; haven't tried many of them. But I'm really
liking the consistency between my 2 cameras, especially with the person
I'm trying to teach. If you get 2 cameras that have features and
controls that intersect like an EOS and a Powershot, it really helps
a novice understand some things about how to control the exposure.

I don't mean to rant on it, I'm just excited. There's something about
the A85 that didn't jump at me from the other Powershots.

All that said, I would indeed follow your advice and get an A80, if the
price is right, maybe as a gift or just a backup.

The underwater housing available for this camera looks interesting
too... Compared to what an underwater kid would cost for my SLR, I'd
be very tempted to use the Powershot, if I find myself in that
situation.

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Dave Martindale - 30 Apr 2005 21:05 GMT

<fishbowl@conservatory.com> writes:

>>Look at the A80 too, if you can find one. Despite the numbering, the
>>A80 is better than the A85 in a number of respects: articulated LCD,
>>larger CCD, etc. Since the A95 has appeared, the A80 should be pretty
>>inexpensive.

>Not to disagree, but I actually don't like the articulated LCD at all.

Well, to each their own preference. I find the articulated LCD very
useful at times.

>Also, "megapixels" is overrated as a measurement of quality, until you
>get to the kind of increases that represent a significant change on a
>geometric scale (the marketing numbers present "megapixels" as if they
>are a linear measure, but it's quadratic, on a 4x3 rectangle.)

When I said "larger CCD", I meant physically larger, not more pixels.
The A80 is 4 MP, just like the A85. The difference is that the A80
uses a 1/1.8" sensor, probably the same as the G2, G3, etc. The A85,
despite the model number, is from a lower-cost line of cameras and uses
a 1/2.7" CCD. Since the pixel count is the same, the light-gathering
area of each pixel in the A80 is double or more than a pixel in the
A85. And that means lower-noise images from the A80.

Dave

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