Looking for a new point and shoot camera

[mtnbikerskierchick]

I love my Canon PowerShot A620. But, it's on it's way out. I've had it for 4 years and with several drops and being covered over and over again in wet snow or blasted with dirt/dust... it's just had it. It's tired.

So, I'm looking for a new point and shoot camera. Actually, I've been kind of keeping my eye out for a year or so now. But, the things I love about my A620 seem to be non-existent in point and shoot cameras anymore. Maybe you folks could help me out.

What I love:
-custom setting so I can just having it set default on continous shooting for action shots
- swivel LCD screen so I can use it or not when I want, saves battery power, can also swivel it around to take pics when I can't actually see what I'm taking a pic of
- view finder- because using the LCD for action shots is impossible as the skier/biker usually goes faster than the LCD can keep up with

So, I've noticed that most point-and-shoot cameras don't have these things anymore. My main concern is that they don't seem to have view finder. Photogs- How do the new screens work with action shots? Do that have a lag time? Can you actually see the screen on a sunny day?

Any recommendations for a camera? Yeah, I can pay $500 for a Canon G12 that has these things. But, I paid $150 for the A620 in 2006. So, it seems odd that I would have to pay $500 now. I am looking for a camera that fits easily into a pocket that takes a variety of good pics, has easy settings that can be adjusted on the fly, has continuous shooting, and is good for action shots....

Any advice is welcome, please! And if there is a thread on this already, please point me to the right direction. I searched for one, but could not find it... Thanks!

[horizon]

If you find out...don't tell me, since I just spent the $ for a Canon G12 after a very similar thought process.

[tsproul]

- view finder- because using the LCD for action shots is impossible as the skier/biker usually goes faster than the LCD can keep up with

If you are concerned with "action" shots that an LCD screen can't keep up with, shouldn't you put shutter delay right up there as a BIG detail? And you probably want a camera that continues to focus between frames during continuous shooting....sucks to take a 10 fps burst and find only the first frame is in focus.

I couldn't tell you which p/s meets those criteria. I have Panasonic Lumix that is good on having minimal shutter delay. But I'd never try to capture much in the way of "action" shots with it, despite it's ability to take something 9 fps bursts.

[L7]

When I bought my G9 I found the viewfinder really narrowed the field. Like you I considered it essential for the same reason.

[boltonoutlaw]

Since no has mentioned...the NIKON COOLPIX P5100 is a good point and shoot with DSLR capabilities. Does not have the swing out LCD, but you can turn the screen off to save power, and use the viewfinder. Meets most of all your other criteria. (EDIT: This camera has a threaded barrel that accepts [camera-specific Nikon] wide-angle & telephoto lenses). Worth a look:
http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product-Archive/Digital-Camera/25580/COOLPIX-P5100.html

[mtnbikerskierchick]

If you are concerned with "action" shots that an LCD screen can't keep up with, shouldn't you put shutter delay right up there as a BIG detail? And you probably want a camera that continues to focus between frames during continuous shooting....sucks to take a 10 fps burst and find only the first frame is in focus.

Well, I was thinking a view finder wouldn't be such a big deal if the LCD screen can keep up with the "action". I wasn't sure if there was one that could. It sounds like there isn't...

Since no has mentioned...the NIKON COOLPIX P5100 is a good point and shoot with DSLR capabilities. Does not have the swing out LCD, but you can turn the screen off to save power, and use the viewfinder. Meets most of all your other criteria.

BOL- Thanks for the rec! I'll definitely check it out!

[Tippster]

The CoolPix 5100 is discontinued. The 7000 has taken its place and is the same price as the G12, FWIW.

[horizon]

I was really hoping that the P7000 would be the one (not that it was much less expensive...) but apparently it's quite a bit slower in operation than the G12, and has some intermittent focus issues which may or may not have been remedied by the latest firmware.

tsproul, you're right of course, autofocus lag (and shutter delay to a lesser extent) means that current compacts are far behind a DSLR for action shooting. However, to some extent you can plan around this (eg prefocus, take advantage of deeper DOF by smart photog placement, etc). But if you can't keep the skier in focus due to LCD blackout then there's no way to get the action sequence. That was my trouble with the Panasonic ZS3.

DSLRs rule for action shots, but for me a compact is just much more handy when skiing (or hiking).

[The AD]

Fuji X100. It won't have a swiveling LCD, though. Oh yeah, it's going to cost around $1,000.

[hop]

I will mention that if you are not a total punter, you can take quite satisfactory action shots w/ a p&s that doesn't have a burst mode and doesn't have an optical viewfinder.

The Canon S90 did just fine with these recent shots:

[Crampedon]

LOVE my s-90!
the HD movies are sweet, custom settings easy to use, and pics clear and sharp. I find myself in unique places and like a small camera loaded with features...

Kaupo-

[hop]

S90 takes Low-Res video. S95 has HD.

[couloir]

canon s95 seems to meet ur criteria nicely... and its very pocketable unlike the g12 which is a bit bulky for a p&s, im thinking about getting one myself... were on sale on B&H over xmas but theyre sold out now

[The AD]

canon s95 seems to meet ur criteria nicely

I'm not quite sure why people are saying this since the S95 does NOT have a viewfinder, and that was one of the requirements she specifically mentioned.

[summit]

When it comes to ski photography with a point and shoot camera, today's camera is no better than one from 4-5 YEARS ago!

The A610 is same thing as the A620 and I used it for years going through 3 of them. I went to the G7 last season. We have three of them.

The G series has:
Optical viewfinder that you need to track and shoot action shots.
2x custom exposure modes instead of one
Longer zoom range than the A620 with equally fast lens

The G7 has:
2fps, much faster than any more modern G series, equal to the A620.
The only thing the G7 misses vs the G10/11/12 is no wide angle, but it is equal to the A620
No flip/twist LCD.

Get a used G7 for ~$200+- If you can't find one, we might be willing to sell one of ours..

[boltonoutlaw]

From the comments section of http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...hread=37237297 - the OP's review is a joke:

Performance is still the main issue. IQ is about evens. While the Raw write times have improved on the P7000, it is still nearly twice as slow.

When you go from playback to shooting by half pressing the shutter, it takes about two seconds longer for the Nikon to get it's LCD to brighten up to view the scene in front of you.

AF is about on a par now. But going into the menus is real slow on the Nikon. And you will have to do so often as the ISOs are buried in there. The ISO Auto implementation is ancient and what you would have found on the 3 year old Fuji F30. Even the Fuji F31 had a ISO Auto 800 and 1600. The Nikon stops at ISO400. The G12's ISO Auto is a lot more usable in real world shooting and now you can have a say in how fast it bumbs it up too.

The G12's LCD is cool being articulated, but I find the P7000's OVF a lot better to use for framing. Battery life is pretty good on both cams, so no problems here. The two areas where the Nikon trouces the G12 (and the reason I bought it) is the extra reach out to 200mm which is quite sharp, and for it's video. The video is pretty good, and you can zoom and AF during video which is excellent. The G12's video is a joke by comparison and so was the G9's. And the P7000 was about 1 stop better in high ISO performance over the G9 which spelled the end of this lovely camera for me.

There are my thoughts in a nutshell. I bought the P7000 first, with concert photography in mind. I waited to see if they would fix the performance issues with a firmware to use the Nikon as an everyday cam also. But after downloading the firmware, I found that they only addressed half the issues in performance. The slow access to the menus, the slow recovery times from playback, the bad ISO Auto implemtation, the poor custom and funtion button, left me real frustrated to use the P7000 as a day to day camera. Hence why I bought the G12.

If you want a good everyday walkaround camera and are willing to give up the 140-200mm range....it's hard to beat the G12. Probably one of the best G's I have used to date having owned the G7,9, and 10.

[Crystal_Mt_Dreamin]

Can you do the Canon loyalty program to get a G-series camera?

[JoeStrummer]

I second buying an older G series. I get reasonably fast sequences of skiers with my G9 and the optical viewfinder is a must for me. No swivel LCD screen but I play with a lot of cameras and this is the only P&S I haven't disqualified for some minor prejudice. Maybe I will pop for a G15 but right now this one is fine for me.

Someone is selling one on POTN for $275 shipped with some extras with 3k snaps.

And yeah, the loyalty program applies to P&S cameras.

[rush1975]

So mtnbikerskierchick what camera did you get?

[MrCritical]

Besides my digital SLR (Canon 40D), I've have several Canon G series camera's including the G2, G7, G9, and most recently the G12. I photograph wildlife and scenery with my digital SLR but use the G series for sports oriented photography - mountaineering, climbing, skiing, and Mtn Biking. The fps is an important spec, esp. for skiing, and I always want the best IQ I can get.

Due to the potential damage of pocketing a camera while skiing or climbing, I recently purchased a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2. It is waterproof, shock proof, dust proof, and freeze proof. Condensation can be a problem for a digital camera, e.g. when walking into the lodge after skiing (the solution is put the camera in a ziplock bag before entering the lodge) but it is not a problem with the Panasonic - in fact you could drop it in the snow. Similarly, when rock climbing, I hang the Panasonic from my harness and don't worry about it getting knocked around (a bit). However, while on the ground, I still use the G12.

There are several competing cameras in this category from Canon, Pentax, Olympus, etc. All of them have compromises on IQ and fps and in researching the market with www.DPreview.com or www.imaging-resource.com, I found the Panasonic to be the clear winner.

Bottom line the Panasonic won't replace the G12 or digital SLR but it is very convenient for sports, especially in good light. The fps is about 1.8 fps. Here is pic using the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2 from just a couple weeks ago.

Good hunting!

[jon gaper]

Any updated advice?
Also looking at G12 vs P7000
Would get the G12but wish it had a bit more reach at 140 vs 200

[#######]

The biggest advantage in the g12 is having a physical dial for many of the essential camera functions. If you don't mind going through a bunch of menus to do the same thing, the s95 is the g12 minus the dials and swivel lcd, and a fair amount of bulkyness. Mine fits in the hip belt pocket of my Ortovox pack perfectly.

[jon gaper]

just arrived............the sony hx9v. amazing features. i am not going to dissect your criteria........i considered a viewfinder indespensible too......but the video on this is amazing for a p/s ,and i just shot a panorama of over 180deg that was fun. i almost got the g12. maybe still will

[El Chupacabra]

Can you do the Canon loyalty program to get a G-series camera?

I did -- I turned in a broken G7 and paid about $250 for a G11, last year. I'm very happy with the G11.