Time for a new compact camera.....

[British Red]

My old Kodak Z740 compact camera is on the way out. I have no complaints - its been a great tool but wear, tear and abuse has taken its toll Its covered thousands of miles, photogaphed dozens of tutorials, been steamed up in the kitchen, frozen in the snow, rained on, dropped etc.

So, I have been researching another compact. Don't get me wrong, I love my DSLR - indeed it coloured my choice of a new camera. But there are times when I just want something smaller to carry with me on walks etc. without all the lenses et al.

Whilst I was looking I found something that met my needs. I wanted a few things that the SLR has which my compact lacked

...manual focus...I hate that "bird in a tree" scenario where autofocus locks onto the first thing it finds.

Full manual control..I like to pick my aperture and shutter speed sometimes

Different metering modes....spot meteing is so useful at night or in snow etc.

I still wanted good optical zoom and a decent resolution. I also prefer something that runs on AAs so I can carry spares when out camping etc.

So there I was looking when I came across the Canon (same brand as my DSLR) SX10 IS. Full manual control (including manual focus), evaluative, centre weighted and spot metering, 10 million pixels, a massive 20x optical zoom (with image stabalisation) etc. Loved it - but couldn't afford it

Came home tonight and it was on the table with a case and 8Gb card. BB said "I haven't bought you a present lately" (I don't do Christmas or birthdays etc.) :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Got to love my darling wife

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Pro..._Camera/PowerShot/PowerShot_SX10_IS/index.asp

So normal service of being bored with photos will resume shortly

Red

 

[robin wood]

Oh yes I remember the honeymoon period, it certainly was wonderful. Long may it last.

 

[British Red]

Indeed - well we've been together about 8 years now....married life would only make me love her more if it were possible.

Strange I'm not a romantic...I didn't even believe in love at first sight...

then I saw her face (now I'm a believer)

 

[gzornenplat]

So normal service of being bored with photos will resume shortly

I would think it'll take a while. I got the 8Mp version a couple of years ago. Still happy with it.

 

[British Red]

Aah - I rather meant me boring other people

 

[Fraxinus]

That's what I call a real "Kodak" moment

Last pressie from mine was a pack of "make your own business cards"
Being short of work at the moment I think she was trying to be helpful, love her loads anyway.
atb Fraxinus

 

[g4ghb]

Nice one Hugh! - but cummon you must have had at least 3 hrs of good light this morning - where are the pics!?!?!

 

[robin wood]

I love my canon slr, now pretty ancient but still going strong but agree a pocket camera is very useful and they have just got to the stage where you can get really good quality out of a compact. We just got one of these for Nicola.

Leica lens f2.0-2,8 and image stabilisation so good in low light, 24mm equivalent is very wide for a compact so great for indoors and landscape. It doesn't play the super zoom game so is not what you want for wildlife. Good on fully automatic settings but can be totally manual as well. Nicola is not a camera junky and just wants a tool to point and press and get good images indoors. See the spyderco threads to see the results. A friend is an ex professional landscape photographer who had a play and liked it so much she bought one and loves it too.

Reviews as for all digi cams at dpreview http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmclx3/

"The the easiest thing to miss about the LX3 is its lens - a part of the specification sheet that is sometimes easy to overlook as a string of numbers. With the LX3 it's really worth spending a moment thinking about it: starting at 24mm equivalent is pretty unusual in a compact camera. Offering an aperture range of F2.0-2.8 is extraordinary. But to combine the two and include Image Stabilization is simply astonishing - this is not an everyday lens and it's something that defines how the camera behaves and what it can be used for."

"The LX3 is an example of a species so endangered that the we were beginning to worry it had become extinct - a compact camera that photographers can get excited about. Panasonic has included a large degree of direct control, classy styling and, more importantly, a specification that goes beyond the unthinking 'larger screen and more megapixels' trend.

It's hard to tell what we're more impressed by - the ambitious lens or the decision to sit back and spectate during this round of the megapixel race. If pixels aren't just to become clutter on your hard drive, they must contain useful information"

 

[John Fenna]

Damn! - but you wun lucky man!

I love my missus, but it would apear that yours is a real gem!

Now show us some piccies from the new camera!

 

[BorderReiver]

Aah - I rather meant me boring other people

You'll have to try harder BR, you haven't managed yet.

 

[big_swede]

Spooky timing, I got myself a compact yesterday (my first digital compact!), well it's more than your average point and shoot anyway. It's a ricoh GR-D II, and I must say I love it.

 

[Keith_Beef]

I've been very happy with my Canon A610 for the past three years, and since I loaded new firmware on the SDCard, I'm even happier! I've been experimentign a little with High Dynamic Range photography lately.

The CHDK firmware adds dozens of new features, and includes a scripting language so you can write your own new features. I've not done any scripting yet, but it's a very simple and well documented language.

The firmware works on a variety of Canon cameras. Take a look at the CHDK website, or just jump straight to the HDR examples...

K.

 

[Klenchblaize]

QUOTE]

I like that.:Wow: Might even be a better choice that the Panasonic NV20 that seems to be rather fine piece of kit.

Cheers

 

[British Red]

Moon was nice and bight tonight so I thought a "test shot" for the Canon was in order

I wasn't disappointed

Red

 

[UKHaiku]

That's a lovely photo BR... What sort of settings do you use? My attempts at moon shots tend to come out over-exposed...

 

[Shewie]

That's a lovely photo BR... What sort of settings do you use? My attempts at moon shots tend to come out over-exposed...

Ey up Dave, where have you been hiding ?

 

[UKHaiku]

Ey up Dave, where have you been hiding ?

Hey Rich.. Combination of not getting sorted with the whole forum password snaffu, and being mind-numbingly busy at work last year - basically nonstop for 9 months to deliver something in time for xmas..

 

[British Red]

Dave,

you do need spot metering really for moon shots - or full manual control.

This shot was manual at ISO 80 - 1/60th at F5.7. I used a tripod and the timer to minimise vibration of pressing the release

Red

 

[harryhaller]

Is the Canon SX10 ok for photos of plants in low light forest conditions? Macro? Or which compact is?

That photo of the moon is smashing - could one do the same with a flower close up in the shade of the forest?

guess what - I'm looking for a compact to buy and need help

 

[Rob]

Nice one BR - and Mrs BR