Camera to record family activities?

[Paul_B]

Looking for a very compact camera that can be stuffed into a pocket and whipped out quickly when needed for family shots. We're active, cycling or walking every weekend. We considered tough cameras but a branded case made for a compact camera would fit into any pocket and be as quick to use as the tough cameras clipped to a rucksack.

We do not know what is a good camera for our needs just that we are in need of help and advice. We recently took a 2 week, main family holiday only to get home and realise we'd only taken 10 photos all on smartphones. We don't like to use up charge on phones, risk getting wet, damaged, etc.

Looking at something like the £98 Nikon toolbox s3700. At 99 x 67 x 20mm or so it's tiny and packable. Also cheaper Nikon s33 looks small too.

It's never going to be for competition shots just something good for family memories. Not been into photography since 35mm film days couple of decades ago. Tried getting into it with an 18x zoom Samsung camera a few years ago but it went temperamental and stopped getting used, plus too bulky.

Help and advice needed urgently! Before our toddler grows up and our memories fail.

 

[jmagee]

Personally my camera never gets used anymore thanks to my phone. It's always to hand, easy to back up and share pictures with family and good enough for pictures of kids making memories.

 

[brancho]

Going to a shop like Jessops or Wilkinsons (who stores in preston blackburn burnley bury and lancaster etc) and trying out some cameras for yourself to see which are easy to use is a good way to go.

Nikon are making better compacts than they did but I would suggest something from Panasonic Olympus sony or canon

THIS is pretty good for the money
THIS is excellent but more money and bigger

 

[brancho]

Personally my camera never gets used anymore thanks to my phone. It's always to hand, easy to back up and share pictures with family and good enough for pictures of kids making memories.

You are still better off with a camera though.

 

[brancho]

THIS is a good camera with range of features for the money we have a TZ40 at work and they are nice to use easy to use and produce great results.
I would recomend the TZ60 but it is more money.

 

[peaks]

Canon Ixus 230hs (or its later variants with GPS etc etc if you need it ) - decent video, great stills, great in low light, easy to use, robust case. Check the reviews.

I love mine and its small enough to slip into a pocket. Take it most places with me.

 

[rik_uk3]

Use your smartphone but take extra batteries or a good power bank http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/External-...ile-Phone-/321500138916?hash=item4adae6cd a4 they work well. Smartphone camera's are getting better all the time

I've got Galaxy S2, S3, S5 and my daughter recently upgraded and gave me a Note 3, took this a couple of hours ago

[video=youtube;FX3mvFPZpkQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX3mvFPZpkQ[/video]

Not bad considering how close I was to the stove.

Your going to chew through batteries using an ordinary camera so IMHO it makes sense to sort out a power source for your phones.

 

[lou1661]

I have been using an Olympus Mju for a fair few years and it has handled everything that has been thrown at it and everything that it has been thrown at!. When it finally gives up the ghost I will be changing for an updated model (so long as they have not got too bulky)
something like Olympus TG -850.

 

[Paul_B]

Smartphone has non-replaceable battery but a battery pack would solve that.

The key point is we carry smartphones but they never get used. Mine is LG g2 which has a good camera. Gets good images. It is my main phone which I don't want to run out of battery, drop, damage or get wet. So when a good photo opportunity comes along it's stashed in a sealed bag in the rucksack. I'm looking for a separate camera that's not too expensive but small so it can sit in an easily reached pocket to get pull out quickly. Anything else won't get used. Seriously an issue, proof is 10 photos in 2 weeks holiday. It was full of opportunities that were missed.

So far the £115 Panasonic ft30 I think someone recommended sounds good. It's almost as small as the Nikon s3x00 cameras I liked the look of.

 

[TomD]

Hello, its a bit left field but have you looked at the HTC Re? Im looking at them at the moment. They are tiny, water-resistant, fairly robust, the thing I really like is they are instant. There is a sensor in the grip that turns it on when you pick it up. I get annoyed with getting my phone, unlocking it, opening camera, focusing and then seeing its too late! This would be pick up, point, click...

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

 

[Paul_B]

Not looking for a phone based solution. My whole first post was because the phone option never gets used. Phone is needed for phone uses, I've only got one and it's expensive to replace. A cheaper and slimmer camera I'm more likely to have it handy. That's my view and what we need, a camera that's very pocketable and we're not going to stress out if it runs out of battery power, gets wet or damaged. All for hopefully less than £100. I'll spend a little more IF there's something a step change better for just over £100 mark like the £115 waterproof and still compact Panasonic ft30 which has a decent rep I think.

 

[TomD]

Found a picture of the Re (if this works)