Looking for a good point and shoot

pseudonympseudonym Michigan Icrontian
edited October 2009 in Lifestyle
I've been looking for a decent point a shoot for some time now and have decided to get something. My previous one is an absolutely horrid Kodak that takes pictures worse than my cellphone and has a ludicrous amount of image compression. Everything comes out grainy, and the low light performance is simply horrid even for a compact point and shoot. Dropping the ISO still makes everything look like crap so I've decided enough is enough!

I'm looking at a budget of around $200-$250 (cheaper never hurts) not including the mem card and really what I'm looking for is a decent all around performer that doesn't compress the image to insane levels, works halfway well at night, and has some good redeye reduction and image stabilization. Currently I have my eye on the Casio Exilims (S12, S5 for a cheapie) and the Sony DSC w290.

Any help/experience is appreciated or perhaps what to look for, since I'm no camera geek. Thanks!

Comments

  • NiGHTSNiGHTS San Diego Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    I've no idea how the technology has progressed recently, but I picked up a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W55 2 or 3 years ago that I enjoy. Everything you'd expect from a P+S (doesn't shoot in RAW, etc.) but has a relatively quick write to memory which makes multiple shots a breeze.
  • fmuellerfmueller Auckland, NZ Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Well, to be frank I know very little about P&S cameras, since I have been using an SLR for decades, but I have recently wondered if the technological development by now has slowed down enough to make it worth looking at used digital cameras. I am quite fond of eBay as well as Craigslist, but wouldn't want to buy a digital camera from there, because it's hard to check if everything works even if you have the thing in your hands, and you'll never know what it has been through. However, I have had very good experiences buying used photo gear (lenses, flash units and other accessories) from KEH.com.

    I am fairly ignorant regarding P&S models, but I believe Canon's G-series have been pretty solid performers, and they've recently released their new G11 for around $500, which supposedly made the price of the G10 drop, but I still see them sell for around $480. Nowadays you could buy a used DSLR for half that, which IMHO makes it crazy money for a P&S.

    BUT, KEH is currently offering used G5 from $126 - BGN rated, but KEH has somewhat of a reputation for selling BGN rated stuff that's better than other folks' EX, and I have personally found that when buying lenses from them. Downsides are that the G5 has no IS and a maximum ISO of only 400. However, it has a comparatively fast lens - film equivalent 35-140/2.0-3.0, it can shoot RAW in addition to JPEG, and it offers a high level of manual control. I haven't bought one yet, but I am tempted.

    The G6 is about twice the price of a G5, but still within your budget (under $250). Unfortunately feature wise a G6 doesn't offer any significant advantages over a G5 that I can see. The G7 has IS as well as ISO up to 1600, which are huge improvements, but it's around $350, and for that money I'd buy a Rebel XT (which I have and love). Who knows.

    Frank
  • MarushkaMarushka cambridge, ma Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    So, I shot the whole photo-a-day challenge on my Canon PowerShot sd 850 IS http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=15262.

    It says there 299.99 which is a bit over your budget. I keep it in my purse without a case, and its gotten fairly beat up on the outside, but takes great pictures regardless. Being able to have it always with me is the most important thing to me.

    In addition to the features it has (I like the macro option and the pictures I can take with that), I downloaded some firmware called CHDK. You can load it onto your flashcard in your canon, and get access to a lot more features. With that, I can shoot in Tv mode or even do some bracketing and try my hand at HDR.

    You can see my photo-a-day challenge shots on flickr here. My camera could do a lot more than I knew when I started, and I loved it more the more I learned about photography over the challenge.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Brian: Cnet has a LOT of reviews on P&S cameras. You can break it down by price brackets, and rank them by editor ratings. They're very good for consumer electronics.
  • lunchb0xlunchb0x Lansing, MI New
    edited October 2009
    I recently got an olderish P&S Canon from my folks and I'm a fan of it. Little older than what Marushka's linked, but still does a solid job.
  • pseudonympseudonym Michigan Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Thanks for the help everyone! I just ordered this after much hair pulling and deliberation.

    http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Cameras-Camcorders/Digital-Cameras/Lumix-Digital-Cameras/model.DMC-ZR1K_11002_7000000000000005702

    Wide angle 25mm, 8x zoom, image stable and all that good stuff. HD video record (720p, 30fps) with zoom usage during recording too. It basically manages to have a ton of high end features and good pictures for a cheap price. Paid about $240 for it so I'm fairly stoked.
  • fmuellerfmueller Auckland, NZ Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Sleek looking little thing! Post some sample pictures when you get it.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    That looks like a really good all-around choice, gives you a lot of flexibility.
  • edited October 2009
    Canon Powershot G11. That is what I am planning to buy. But Panasonic's are also getting very good reviews.
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