Digital Camera Q

[Flying Illini]

I am looking to buy a Digicam but wanted some input from others with experience.
There are lots of good cameras out there so to narrow it down, I am looking for something very portable that I can carry around easily without looking like a Japanese tourist. I would also like it to be something that I can carry in the cockpit without being a burden. From that, I know I am looking at something along the lines of an "ultracompact" camera. The two cameras at the top of my list right now (I'm very open to suggestions) are the Casio Exilim EX-Z4U and the Canon Powershot S400 Digital Elph. I've gone on CNET.com and searched and read reviews on many cameras and now I would like your reviews.
Please try not to show too much bias, just give me the pros and cons of the camera(s) you are familiar with.

Thanks!

 

[Tim47SIP]

Digital Camera?

You make enough money to buy one of those things?

I msut be in the wrong job!

 

[2000flyer]

For travel I use a Sony Cybershot 5.0MP. Small, light weight, manual/automatic options. Takes great pictures (good enough for some to be posted on Airliners.net.....cheap personal plug there ). I also sprung for a 128MB stick as the standard 16MB doesn't hold too many 5MP picutres. A 256MB stick is also an option if you don't carry a laptop and need a lot of storage.

2000Flyer

 

[CA1900]

I've had a Canon S-230 Digital Elph for the better part of the year, and it's been a fantastic cockpit camera. Fits in my pocket, and sits on the dash without getting in the way. At the time I bought it, it was the only Elph with better than 2 megapixels (it's 3.2). Today, I'd go with the S400 because of its higher resolution and better zoon (3x vs. 2x on the s230). Physical size is the same.

It uses the widely-available (and inexpensive) CompactFlash memory, which I like. (The Sony cameras, nice as they are, are out for me because of the MemoryStick being so much more expensive.)

I'd go for the S400. I'd buy another Canon in a heartbeat.

 

[ShawnC]

My biggest slection criteria are, is it from one of the major camera brands, Canon is one of the two big ones, Nikon is the other, and does it use Compact Flash (cheap, durable, and common memory type).

I then look at the features of the cameras that fit both that catgories, I have looked at the Canon it's a great little camera.

Heres a pretty indepth review of it.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canons400/

That site IS the best Digital Camera review site on the net.

 

[enigma]

My old Sony DCP50 irritates the krap out of me because it takes pictures when it wants to, not when I tell it to. Does anyone know of a digital cam that acts like a good SLR? Somtimes I want to capture a moment, and I lose it because the Sony delays the shutter.

Thanks,
enigma

 

[jdru25]

I've been using an Olympus Stylus 4.0 megapix camera for a little over a month now and it takes great pics. It's relatively small and its weatherproof (if that matters to you).

 

[Floyd94]

Just got the Cannon EOS Rebel, 6.3 megapixels... What can I say, that thing is awsome!!! Definately worth the extra if you can swing it..

 

[Widgeon]

Interestingly enough....those were the 2 cameras I was just looking at. In the end, went with the Canon S400 and couldn't be happier. I liked the size of the Casio, but when comparing the two side-by-side...the Canon wins hands down. Take the Casio and just pan around with it while looking at the display...slow to update- with the Canon, its like using a video camera.

I won't delve into much more detail on here to keep people from falling asleep...but if you have any other questions...drop me a note!

 

[fracflyer]

I own the Casio EX-Z4U and have been very happy with it. Very small size, battery lasts forever, and high quality pictures. Got it on walmart.com for about $360

 

[LearLove]

I have the Canon PowerShot SD100 Digital Elph. Have had it about 5 months. Easy to use and takes awsome pics and great video. I've got video of landing in a snow storm at mins in SYR. Also landing visual on 15 at DCA, approaching over Arlington Cem and the Pentagon. There is a spot on the inst. dashboard just ahead of the glareshield that the camera sits on and stays in place. On final I just reach up and press the button and whamo, a great view over the nose of the approach and landing.

 

[Jet Skiing]

go for the sony....i was able to finance it through best buy for something like 48 months no interest....

 

[FearlessFreep]

I use a Minolta F100. Good 4mp camera with manual control options available in addition to very good automatic functions. Minolta now has a number of variants of this camera with up to 5 mp resolution.

I choose this camera based on a number of reasons -

Relatively small travel type camera
Manual control options
Good build quality - I hate plastic cameras. They do not have a sense of permanence.
SD storage card media - My laptop has an SD port so that I can just pop the card out of the camera and into the computer. That allows me to carry one less accessory.
Good battery life
Camera able to use widely available batteries - Again one less accessory to carry; a charger.

The Minolta F100 is a good camera though it did represent a few comprimises. Overall for a travel camera it is excellent. I have made some very good > than 8 x 10 prints with it.

After purchasing it a while later the Canon S50 came out. This camera looks like an attractive option in that it has a number of characteristics that are appealing to me. Notably these are 5.0 mp and a RAW file mode.

The thing with digital cameras is that they are always changing and you have to put up with constantly present spectre of obsolescence. Just pick a good one that is 4 mp or greater and has a decent chunk of glass. Anything less than 4 mp is just not worth the money at this point in time. Additionally understand the difference between optical & digital zoom. Stay away from cameras that only offer digital zoom. Trying to keep up with the changing technology is cost prohibitive - that is unless you are one of those really well heeled airline pilots!

Someone suggested the dpreview website as a resource. This is an excellent site. Another site that is in scope more for the beginner/amateur is http://www.dcresource.com/ They also have a compendium of reviews and feature lists that are very useful in assisting you with your choice.

Take Care & Good Luck To Us All!

 

[Flying Illini]

Thanks for all the replies so far! All of the recommended websites are great.
I was on Canon's digital camera website and saw that they have two cameras above and beyond the S400 Digital Elph. The S500 and S410 seem to be fairly similar except for the MPs they offer.
Does anyone have any experience with these two cameras?

I am well aware of the problems with digital zoom. Unfortunately the size camera that I am looking at only seems to offer 3x optical and 3 or 4x digital. I wish there was an "ultracompact" out there with a nice 10x optical zoom on it...that will probably hit the market a few weeks after I take the plunge and purchase a camera!

 

[I.P. Freley]

Enigma...

The delay between the time you depress the "shutter release" and the actual taking of the picture is part and parcel of the digital camera. Some are faster than others, but all these things have a noticeable delay.

Maybe someday the technology will catch up and you will be able to snap a shot the instant you press the button, but for now you get that quarter-to-half-a-second-or-more delay.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Avoid the delays, go for a digital SLR if you can afford it.
The key here is you can use any comaptiable lens.

I suggest www.bhphoto.com for very good prices. Very much worth a trip into the city if you are stuck in TEB or something all day....impressive store!

 

[CA1900]

Avoid the delays, go for a digital SLR if you can afford it.

True, but that's out of the running for the original question, which was a recommendation for something "very portable" which would not be a burden in the cockpit. The Canon Digital Rebel is an amazing camera, but doesn't fit his requirements (or mine, for that matter) for a camera to bring on a trip.

You can greatly minimize the shutter lag on most point-and-shoot cameras by doing a half-press, wait for it to focus and compose the shot, and then squeeze all the way when you're ready to actually record the picture. Not as quick as an SLR by any means, but a big improvement.

Second the recommendation on B&H photo, though. Good prices, good web site, and a huge selection. That's where I got my S230; I'd definitely go back. (The SD100 that LearLove has is essentially same camera as the S230, but with SD cards instead of CompactFlash and a few interface improvements.)

 

[ShawnC]

The half-press is the best way to improve your digicam preformance. I have a Nikon 995 (a camera that many bitterly complain about the shutter lag), but I was able to take it to the races it get some very good photos using the half-press method.

I also have to add my approval of B&H Photo, I order most of my stuff through them. But also check Newegg ( http://www.newegg.com ) they have some very good prices.

 

[JeffSKDTW]

Enigma

My old Sony DCP50 irritates the krap out of me because it takes pictures when it wants to, not when I tell it to. Does anyone know of a digital cam that acts like a good SLR? Somtimes I want to capture a moment, and I lose it because the Sony delays the shutter.

That was the main reason why I got rid of my "prosumer" digital camera in favor of a digital SLR. The price of a digital SLR dramactically went down recently when Canon released the Digital Rebel (300d).

I have a Canon 10D now after selling my Sony F707. Very happy.

TO THE ORIGINAL POSTER -

I bought the Canon S400 for my wife. It is "ultracompact", quite reliable, and takes good pictures. It sounds like it would fit your bill perfectly.

 

[JeffSKDTW]

The half-press is the best way to improve your digicam preformance. I have a Nikon 995 (a camera that many bitterly complain about the shutter lag), but I was able to take it to the races it get some very good photos using the half-press method.

However, the press-the-shutter-button-half-way technique is only useful if the distance from you to the moving target does not vary considerably between the "half-press" and the shutter release.

For most prosumer cameras, when pressing the shutter button halfway down, the exposure and focus are "locked". If the distance to the subject varies during this time, the photo will be out of focus.

 

[EatSleepFly]

I own a Canon PowerShot G3 and love it. Its 4.0 megapixel, and has a 4x optical zoom. I wanted to get the digital SLR, but then decided I wanted something smaller. This one is kind of in between. Its got some of the same features as an SLR, yet its size is more practical for the cockpit. Also, you can add various types of flashes, lenses, and filters. You can take as much video (with sound) as you can fit on a memory card (uses Compact Flash).

Hope that helps...