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Topic: Ultra compact camera with high digital zoom and MP (Read 2 times) previous topic - next topic
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Ultra compact camera with high digital zoom and MP
Yahoo Message Number: 89574
Thanks for all your good advice about a miniature camera with high digital zoom and megapixels. After studying your responses and even more internet research, I have narrowed by choices to:

1. Panasonic Lumix TZ5: 9.1 MP, 10X opt. zoom, 7.5 oz.,
4.07"x2.33"x1.44", available 4/20/08 for $349.99  
2. Olympus Stylus 1020: 10.1 MP, 7X opt. zoom, 4.8 oz.,
3.9"x2.2"x.99",available March 2008 for $299.99  
3. Fujifilm Finepix F100fd: 12 MP, 5X opt. zoom, 6.0 oz.,
3.8"x2.3"x.9", available 4/20/08 for $379.99  
4. Nikon Coolpix S550: 10 MP, 5X opt. zoom, 4.2 oz., 3.6"x2.1"x.9",  available March, April or May 2008 for $239.99  
5. Kodak EasyShare Z1285: 12.1 MP, 5X opt. zoom, 5.7 oz.,
3.5"x2.5"x1.2", available now for $191.

Any thoughts?

Stan
Re: Ultra compact camera with high digital zoom and MP
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 89576
Great list!  Looking forward to hearing which one you decide upon.

I love finding the best internet price- Here's what I found on the least expensive camera of those you listed:

Kodak EasyShare Z1285

Dell $ 170 free shipping (current promo), but tax
Re: Ultra compact camera with high digital zoom and MP
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 89587
"I love finding the best internet price"
 Comparison shopping is good, but the lowest internet price on cameras is usually not the one to go for. Abe's of Maine is a good example: they're one of the sleaziest camera/electronics dealers in a district famous for shabby dealers: Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn. Avoid them at all costs. Also to be avoided: Beach Camera, BuyDig.com, et al.
 Dealers like these will pull every trick in the book, from pressuring you to spend extra money on accessory kits that are worth a fraction of their cost (or in some cases are the accessories normally included with the camera!)... to selling you "gray-market" goods that have no US warranty... to promising overnight delivery, charging your card and then waiting months to ship... to not shipping at all.
 I've been buying photographic equipment since 1970, and I've seen most of these scams either firsthand or from my friends' experience. My philosophy is that saving twenty or thirty bucks isn't worth the risk, not to mention the heartburn, involved in dealing with shysters like these.
 There are two vendors that have proven reliable over the decades: B&H Photo-Video (bhphoto.com)--the choice of most professional photographers I've known--and J&R Computer/Music World (jandr.com). Amazon is also dependable, as long as you're buying from Amazon itself--some of their merchandise is sold by affiliated vendors who don't have the same return policies or commitment to customer satisfaction. Read the Amazon product listing carefully to see who is actually selling you the goods. Among these three sources, you can almost get within a few dollars of the lowest online price--but without the high risks of dealing with outfits like Abe's of Maine.
 If you choose to go elsewhere to save a few pennies, be sure to check the vendor's reputation with resellerratings.com before ordering. If they're not listed, or if they only have a couple of positive ratings, my advice it "Don't buy."

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Ultra compact camera with high digital zoom and MP
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 89594
You might factor in the cost of a spare or replacement battery while your at it.  Some of the cameras that don't use AA rechargeable can be quite expensive.

Dave
2004 PleasureWay TD
Digital camera bargain
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 90202
if anybody's interested, the Canon A720 IS digital camera I recommended awhile back is currently on sale at the Dell Home store for $160 with free shipping:

http://tinyurl.com/2u9u3d>
 Highlights: compact body, 8 megapixels, 6x (35-210mm equiv.) zoom (very unusual in a compact), zooming optical eyepiece instead of micro-LCD (also very unusual in a camera with a 6x zoom), 2.5" LCD... plus image stabilization, face detection, all the usual digital camera features and then some. The A720 has fully automatic modes for point-and-shoot use, but also offers full manual control when you need it (very unusual in a compact).

It's highly rated by users and reviewers:

http://tinyurl.com/2eo9f3>
 No, I don't own one and no, I don't get paid for recommending it. ;-) But this is the best all-around camera I've yet seen; the Canon "A" series cameras have consistently been tops in their class... and at this price, the A720 is an excellent value. If I had to own just one camera, either this or the similar Canon A650 would be it. (The A650 has 12 megapixels, but costs $300.)

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Digital camera bargain
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 90207
Thanks Andy.  Just ordered one for my wife.  Best, David
 Andy Baird andybaird@...> wrote:          if anybody's interested, the Canon A720 IS digital camera I recommended awhile back is currently on sale at the Dell Home store for $160 with free shipping:

http://tinyurl.com/2u9u3d>
 Highlights: compact body, 8 megapixels, 6x (35-210mm equiv.) zoom (very unusual in a compact), zooming optical eyepiece instead of micro-LCD (also very unusual in a camera with a 6x zoom), 2.5" LCD... plus image stabilization, face detection, all the usual digital camera features and then some. The A720 has fully automatic modes for point-and-shoot use, but also offers full manual control when you need it (very unusual in a compact).

It's highly rated by users and reviewers:

http://tinyurl.com/2eo9f3>
 No, I don't own one and no, I don't get paid for recommending it. ;-) But this is the best all-around camera I've yet seen; the Canon "A" series cameras have consistently been tops in their class... and at this price, the A720 is an excellent value. If I had to own just one camera, either this or the similar Canon A650 would be it. (The A650 has 12 megapixels, but costs $300.)

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/

Never miss a thing.   Make Yahoo your homepage.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Digital camera bargain
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 90210
I do own one and highly recommed it. Small enough to stash in a purse, but still takes AA batteries. Image stabilization and face recognition. Nice big display on the back.

 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Digital camera bargain
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 90279
Does anyone know if this camera will accept a UV or polarizing filter?

Lynne

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Digital camera bargain
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 90321
You can get wide, telephoto and macro lenses with a converter to attach them, all sold separately. However, I don't see anything in the manual about using lenses. The lens retracts into the camera for protection, so I doubt that it would be possible to attach something Canon didn't design it to do.
Digital camera bargain
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 90324
Quote
Does anyone know if this camera will accept a UV or polarizing filter?

Lynne

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
While it is hard to see in the promotional pics of the A720, the trim ring around the base of the lens releases with the push of a button to reveal a molded-in bayonet mount. This mount accepts the Canon LA DC58G adapter which surrounds the lens barrel and extends beyond the lens front element when the lens is powered out to the shooting position. The outer end of the LA DC58G is threaded to fit any 58mm accessories including filters and auxillary lenses. Here's a link to B&H Video's listing for the adapter.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/425702-REG/Canon_1172B001_LA_DC58G_Lens_Adapter.html

Hope this helps, George

"Arby", the 2007 RB in red
Digital camera bargain
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 90325
"Does anyone know if this [Canon A720 IS] camera will accept a UV or polarizing filter?"

Yes. Canon's LA-DC58G adapter ($20-$25) lets you attach any 58mm-threaded accessory to the A720. That includes Canon's WC-DC58N wideangle lens, their TC-DC58N telephoto lens, their 250D close-up lens... and (obviously) any 58mm filter. These and other accessories are covered in the review I cited in my original post:

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_a720-review/index.shtml>
 The review doesn't specifically mention filters, but you can be sure that the 58mm threads on the adapter will work just as well with 58mm filters as with 58mm screw-on accessory lenses. Although I don't own an A720 IS, I've seen the same Canon adapter and lenses in use on other A-series cameras, so I can attest to that.
 Note: as with all cameras that have a retracting lens, you can't leave a filter in place "for protection" when the camera is not in use (nor is there any need to, since the lens is self-capping).

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Digital camera bargain
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 90326
George beat me to it with firsthand information... and it looks as if my last sentence is probably wrong. Sounds as if you *can* leave the filter in place with the lens retracted--correct, George?

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
 
Digital camera bargain
Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 90329
Quote
George beat me to it with firsthand information... and it looks as if my last sentence is probably wrong. Sounds as if you *can* leave the filter in place with the lens retracted--correct, George?

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Yes, Andy.
 While I don't own the A720, I have no doubt that the adapter works the same as the ones for my Canon S2 and S3. It is a fixed-length unit and the lens barrel extends and retracts within that. Attachments (threaded or clip-mounted) can be left in place.
 I'm surprised Lensmate doesn't make their superb aluminum adapter to fit the A720 but their website doesn't mention it. I believe the Canon unit is plastic and extra care when "threading" things on is a good idea. If you change aux lenses and filters as much as I do, I would suggest more than one adapter to allow quick use of the cam's bayonet mount for swaps rather than the very fine threads the adapter has.

For folks seeking general info on adapters, aux lenses, and such,
www.lensmateonline.com has a wealth of good stuff, comparison sample pics, and the like. They're good people.

George Starcher "Arby" the RB in red