Best portable digital camera for a DSLR owner

[Heika Werner]

I'm looking for a smaller digital camera that I can fit in a pocket or small purse. I'm pretty picky, though, being an SLR owner, so I want one that takes nice pictures, has a built-in flash, and most important is fast and responsive. I was thinking about the Canon IS S3 but I've never seen one or used one. Can anyone recommend models that I should consider?

Secondarily, what are some good online stores for purchasing a small digital camera? Should I look beyond B&H for the best price?

[scoundrel1728]

"Fast and responsive" is a relative term. If you are used to a dSLR, chances are that almost all of the compact models will feel like sluggards. Like anyone else, you must also pick one based on what you expect to do with it. What features do you really want/need in such a camera as opposed to what would merely be nice to have? What tradeoffs on size, price, low-light performance, extreme close-up ability, speed of operation, zoom capability, and so on. No one model is best, ore even good, for everyone or everything.

My suggestion: once you have selected your model, go online to a comparison shopping site and see which vendors sell the model you want most cheaply, subject to the vendors' passing your minimum standards for reliability and fairness. My favorite site for this purpose is http://www.resellerratings.com/ because they offer more detailed information on the vendors and guard against having their ratings fraudulently manipulated. If you read users' comments, you can get not only a reading on how likely you will have trouble but also what kind of trouble you are most likely to have with your purchase.

[dvdowns]

I was told that Fuji and Canon are the leaders in noise control for high iso's . Not necessarily my Canon G6 I bought on Sunday though because it is an older model but they are selling out at cost where I am now NZ$650 [about US$390 ] because they are "older" . With 7 meg and a nice lens and pivoting screen , macro and "super macro " I am having great fun with it . Not pocket size but more manageable with a decent lens .
Also comes with a remote control as standard . The Panasonics have some nice 10X optical zoom cameras that are really nice and compact , not the best noise control though [ over 800 they interpolate to remove noise ] but better than last years models ....

[etaf]

that I can fit in a pocket or small purse

my wife has a canon IXUS50 and it produces some great images + she keeps it in her bag at all times. we purchased a 512MB card and thats all she has - takes upto 170 pictures I think on that cards at the highest quality setting - she has it on auto every thing...
It only has a 3x optical zoom - so not really a comparsion to S3IS - but i dont see that camera fitting in pocket or small bag.

[Rokcet Scientist]

Perhaps it's obvious, but whichever P&S cam you get, get one with the same memory card format (CF, SD, xD, or so) as your other camera uses, so that it doesn't matter which card you use in which camera.

[etaf]

i would be careful moving cards around cameras - you may find it resets you camera numbering system if you still have images on it.....

[Rokcet Scientist]

Yeah, it might. You'd still have the 'old' photos, though. And you may have gotten the new photos you wanted too, because you saved time not having to hunt for the appropriate card for the cam...

[scoundrel1728]

Originally Posted by etaf

i would be careful moving cards around cameras - you may find it resets you camera numbering system if you still have images on it.....

Or worse, having a subtle inconsistency between camera models unexpectedly rendering the images already on your card inaccessible. If you go with the approach of switching cards between different model cameras, play it safe and reformat the card in the camera it is to be used before storing images.

[dougjgreen]

Originally Posted by scoundrel1728

Or worse, having a subtle inconsistency between camera models unexpectedly rendering the images already on your card inaccessible. If you go with the approach of switching cards between different model cameras, play it safe and reformat the card in the camera it is to be used before storing images.

Considering that I can get a 512MB SD card for under $15 on sale at Fry's, I really see no reason to limit my compact camera choices to the CF format that my and most other DSLRs use.

[Mark McCall]

I have the Canon A95 for vacation pics.
Takes CF cards, does video, small and light.
About $260.

One of my images with the A95 got "Best Aerial" at a print competition last year. Quality is outstanding.

[Liza]

I've heard good things about the Canon SD 700 IS lately. The S3 is tempting, but the EVF really turns me off after having a DSLR. And I refuse to use the screen for framing my shot!

[dvdowns]

Same reason I got the Canon G6 , it has an optical viewfinder though only about 3X zoom it does what I need in most situations as a compact . The elctronic viewfinders actually give me motion sickness [ like watching a 3d computer game too long which is about 1 minute for me ]

[Liza]

The SD 700 has an optical viewfinder. That's the only way I'd ever consider purchasing a point and shoot or compact camera.

[jfrancho]

I replied to another post that applies here:

Originally Posted by jfrancho

For me, it's gotta be small - I mean really small. It has to be reasonably quick. Optical VF is a plus, but I'd like it to be close to what the lens sees, not all the way on the otherside of the camera. I'd like some minimal control. EC is a must, ISO setting is a bonus. 5 MP+ is a must. Decent IQ is a must, though I realize the limitation. Anything beyond a 3x zoom is a bonus. A usable on board flash is a must, as is the ability to control whether the flash fires. FEC is a bonus. I purchased a Canon S500 a couple of years ago, and it has worked out quite nicely. Shots can get noisy, and it definitely isn't the fastest P&S on the block, but it isn't too bad either. I find the lack of control both challenging and liberating.

[Sidebyte]

This past weekend I was doing the same exercise (15 page in depth study) because of some extended travel plans later this year.* Most of the evaluations were wrapped around the "high level" digicams.* It is my consensus, that all the P&S cameras sans perhaps the Sony R-1 and inadequate little noise machines unless you are satisfied with 4 X 6 snapshots.
The second consideration outside of performance is the cost, ALL of the upper level digicams are appraochinng $1,000 USD.
Since I already own some Canon DSLR lenses I found it not only cheaper in todays market but infinitely far superior to ANY digicam was to slap one decent lens on a new Canon XT body and I have the best sensor, enlargement capabiltiy and small, lightweight package obtainable at almost 1/2 the cost of say an R-1...add to this the fact that you probably as me own CD cards, another savings. The XT body is down to $500 USD on several websites.
With a 24-85 or a 17-40 single lens on an XT body, you have a small easy to carry package that will "blow the doors" off any digicam and still have the future capabilities of extended usages.
I spent some 20 odd hours researching the attributes and benefits of many manufactures offerings and am thoroughly amazed at just how many virtual "clones" are on the market, no wonder many are going broke.
They will end up selling them at a fire sale and lose money on ther efforts especially when the BIG FOUR offer the same virtual cameras at the same cost.* I see the entire market struggling to outmarket the others with the same devices.* Only a few sensor chip selections available from the same suppliers and most of the other periphery are off the shelf items that they try to build a better mousetrap with, nothing very unique or inovative...it's still a P&S compromise.
I own a very capable Oly P&S I've owned for years but most of the time I am hesitant to use it and reach for a CAMERA.

[jfrancho]

I can't stick a an XT w/17-40 in my shirt pocket. A waterproof housing is also a fraction of the cost as a similar housing for my 20D. I have sold prints at 10x15" made with my S500. Many people, photographers included, cannot tell that this was made with my "inadequate little noise machine." With some minimal time and effort in Photoshop, the problems of shooting with a digicam can be mitigated. It's all about the right tool for the job. If you are uncomfortable cutting a two-by-four with a hand saw, by all means, keep using you're compound mitre saw. Small, simple, compact cameras have been around since George Eastman brought us the "Brownie," and there will always be a purpose and demand for them.

[scoundrel1728]

Then again, Eastman's "Brownie" camera took up more space than your XT w/17-40. Our standards for "small" have gotten a lot tighter than they used to be.

I agree though that getting good results with a small digicam is possible. It is with some reluctance got my dSLR, knowing that I would be giving up a fair amount in size, weight, portability, and easy macro ability. I now carry both cameras around with me when portability requirements don't prohibit the dSLR for those things my Coolpix 995 can still do better.

[dvdowns]

My Panasonic DMC-LC5 used to do just about everything I needed . The only reason I went DSLR was because I cannot handle and electronic viewfinder , otherwise I would have a super-zoom compact .