Newbie... kinda

Hanny

I'm in the market for another digital camera. I've no clue what kind to get, and was hoping for some advice from the more experienced here.

I have a Sony T9 right now. The thin one, which I got for it's small size. I have a hobby (habit?) of bringing a camera to the bar or a party and getting candid shots of my friends. Problem is, the T9 has HORRIBLE red-eye, and also has a ton of dust spots on indoor shots.

Is there a decent model out there from any manufacturer that combines a small form factor with decent indoor pictures? (I know, that's probably a contradiction, since small image sensor means not the best pics usually. Eventually I'll get a nice digital SLR, but for now, I'd like a good "pocket" camera that won't ruin snaps with red eye.)

Any advice would be most appreciated!

Thanks!

Jeffro

Point and shoots...yuck. But, I did buy my wife a Canon A410 last year. It does good around the house, and outside it's even better.

I personally wouldn't spend over a couple hundred dollars on a pocket camrea..as you called it. Some of them are getting very expesive, and they keep cramming more and more mega pixels on those littel sensors, which I'm not convinced is such a good thing.

I figured a small investment in the A410 for quick shots here and there was okay, but after that I prefer to spend the money on the D-SLR, and it's goodies.

Just me maybe, but heck at least you're off to a start with the feedback!:D

seawolf66

Are you still comfortable with P&S or are you ready to move up to DSLR whole different world

if your ready for Dslr then our answer will be different :

ire-david

How small does the camera have to be.

if you caan go slightly bigger than your current model maybe a bridge camera might be worth looking at. they are slightly more advanced and with the pop up flash above the lens, control red eye slightly better.

still if you are ready go for an slr. you'll never look back if you do

Seneca

Jeffro wrote:

Point and shoots...yuck. But, I did buy my wife a Canon A410 last year. It does good around the house, and outside it's even better.

I personally wouldn't spend over a couple hundred dollars on a pocket camrea..as you called it. Some of them are getting very expesive, and they keep cramming more and more mega pixels on those littel sensors, which I'm not convinced is such a good thing.

I figured a small investment in the A410 for quick shots here and there was okay, but after that I prefer to spend the money on the D-SLR, and it's goodies.

Just me maybe, but heck at least you're off to a start with the feedback!:D

Amen! You've said exactly what I've always thought about P&S.

I say if you like to take pictures...then make the investment in a DSLR...you'll see the big difference in all your pictures.

:ivar

erich6

Well, it's true that the performance of a DSLR is much better than a compact P&S. That said, Hanny asked about a very specific use for the camera and that is to take casual indoor shots. That means snapshots. Hanny doesn't want to be lugging around a big DSLR with huge fast lenses. Hanny wants to snap a few shots while throwing darts or downing a cold one.

I wish there were more options out there for you but it's hard to get the performance you are looking for with a compact camera. The best one I've seen for what you are looking for is the Fujifilm FinePix F30. Check out the review at DPReview. Here are some excerpts:

Our tests show that the F30's sensor gives you at least a two-stop advantage over the best that conventional CCD technology can offer, and in many cases a three-stop advantage, with ISO 800 output that can rival some cameras at ISO 200.

Given that most 'average' casual snapshooters are likely to use their camera at (dimly lit) social occasions more than at any other time, this is a real, significant advantage; allowing flash-free photography without blur. More serious photographers will welcome a camera that brings the low light capabilities of a compact a step or two closer to those of most digital SLRs. It's also, surprisingly, significantly better than the F10, something I must admit I doubted would be true when I started this test.

...

To sum up, the F30 is far and away the best low light compact camera on the market today, bar none. It's the perfect 'social' camera for the DSLR owner who doesn't want to lug all his or her gear to parties, and it is - in expert hands - capable of superb results in any light. I would even go as far as to suggest - funds permitting - getting one for low light work even if you already own a camera you use for daylight shooting... So then, Highly Recommended.

Note: I believe the F31 fd is a minor upgrade of this camera which also includes face detection technology for an extra $100. I don't think it's worth that much more. The F30 sells for $209 at B&H.

ziggy53

erich6 wrote:

Well, it's true that the performance of a DSLR is much better than a compact P&S. That said, Hanny asked about a very specific use for the camera and that is to take casual indoor shots. That means snapshots. Hanny doesn't want to be lugging around a big DSLR with huge fast lenses. Hanny wants to snap a few shots while throwing darts or downing a cold one.

I wish there were more options out there for you but it's hard to get the performance you are looking for with a compact camera. The best one I've seen for what you are looking for is the Fujifilm FinePix F30. Check out the review at DPReview. Here are some excerpts:



Note: I believe the F31 fd is a minor upgrade of this camera which also includes face detection technology for an extra $100. I don't think it's worth that much more. The F30 sells for $209 at B&H.

I think the F30 is the current "best of breed" and has the best overall combination of quality vs cost in a small form factor. (IMHO)

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=27977
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=45201
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=45446

ziggy53