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Thread: Point and Shoot Camera?

  1. #1

    Point and Shoot Camera?

    Should probably be in the Dark Room but I am looking for responses from those out trashing cameras.
    I had a small Canon camera that lasted for years and it finally died. I have gone thru 2 $150 ones lately that have been worthless around sand. Have been treating them as nice as possible but the lenses go south. So now I need to buy another, what are you avid canyoneers using that is holding up. I am looking for one now that does not have a moving lense.
    On another question I use Picasa which has the I'm feeling lucky button. I was looking at Eric's pics and they were awes. Does P.S. do a better job then the feeling lucky button for cleaning up the picture? Before Shane chimes in it's not that kind of feeling lucky button!

    Mark

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  3. #2
    I've had the best luck with Canon. My current point-n-shot camera is a Canon PowerShot SD1200IS, which has now been replaced by the Canon PowerShot SD1400IS. When the new models came out I picked up a 1200 on closeout for $120 which was a bargain.

    The camera is smaller then a deck of cards and the pictures it takes are incredible. I have no clue how it will hold up as I've only had the camera a few month's. So far I really love the camera, your mileage may vary.... You are welcome to stop by and play with the camera for a while if you like.

    And I'd really like to find a good, and easy to use photo shop program.... any suggestions? I downloaded Paint.NET the other day but haven't played with it yet.

  4. #3
    Where is Dan Ransom when we need him? There are quite a few choices now days for water/shock/freeze/sandproof cameras. Olympus, Panasonic, Canon, and now Sony all have options. When the new Olympus' came out I hated them but they have improved a lot. I chose the Olympus because it was cheap ($199) and I didn't want to pay much for a point and shoot when I spent a lot on my nice camera. I figured I could fix the cameras shortcomings in photoshop and so far it's working out. Olympus has three models depending on what features you want and how tough you want the camera to be. The more expensive one can be submerged deeper and dropped from higher than the cheap one, it also has a better zoom and some extra features.

    When I look at point and shoots I don't look at megapixels. Anything over 10 is gonna be fine. I look for minimum f-stop, the lower the number, the better the camera is going to perform in low light (the lower the f-stop, the faster your shutter speeds can be) The canon wins in this category (2.8 compared to 3.3 on the Panasonic, 3.5 on the Olympus, and 3.6 on the Sony) and I almost bought one because of it.

    The second thing I look at is the focal length, the lower the first number is, the wider the angle the camera will go. Wide angle in slots is pretty important, this is the Canon's shortcoming, it only goes down to 35mm where the Olympus, Sony, and Panasonic all go to 28mm.

    After that it's what features you want etc... I wouldn't buy anything with a moving lens as sand will get stuck in it and destroy it. Also if you get a waterproof camera, have a way to keep the lens dry still, if you submerge it in water you'll end up with water droplets on all your photos. I treat mine as if it's not waterproof, but like the comfort of knowing it is... just in case.

    The answer to your other question is yes, Photoshop does a lot more than the I'm feeling lucky button. It has automatic fixes like Picasa but sometimes it gets them right and sometimes it doesn't. I usually end up doing things manually. Photoshop is very powerful but it's also very complicated and hard to just figure out. Picasa is made for everyday photo users and is very simple. Photoshop is made for professionals and can be difficult to learn. I've still barely scratched the surface, actually I just discovered the shadows and highlights fixes that filled in all the washed out portions of my photos from my last trip. I can't believe how much better they look.

    Here are links to the Waterproof cameras:

    Sony:
    http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...specifications

    Canon (I believe a new model is coming out, it might have a wide angle):
    http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/co...elTechSpecsAct

    Olympus:
    http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_se...on=stylustough

    Panasonic:
    http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-e...702#tabsection

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by shaggy125 View Post
    The second thing I look at is the focal length, the lower the first number is, the wider the angle the camera will go. Wide angle in slots is pretty important, this is the Canon's shortcoming, it only goes down to 35mm where the Olympus, Sony, and Panasonic all go to 28mm.
    FWIW: The new Canons now go to 28mm.

    Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS Specs

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Iceaxe View Post
    FWIW: The new Canons now go to 28mm.

    Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS Specs
    Sorry, I was referring specifically to the one waterproof camera Canon makes. I'm sure others go to 28mm or lower. The new waterproof model that is supposedly coming out soon may go wider as well, I don't know.

  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by moab mark View Post
    On another question I use Picasa which has the I'm feeling lucky button. I was looking at Eric's pics and they were awes. Does P.S. do a better job then the feeling lucky button for cleaning up the picture?
    Yes, especially when you are shooting RAW.

    PS (cs3/Cs4) is geared towards graphic design... If you are doing photos Lightroom is the must have program.
    Download and install the free Adobe Lightroom3 beta - http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom3/ - It may seem a bit complicated at first but there are over a bazillion videos on YouTube that will guide you step by step through the program.

  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by shaggy125 View Post
    I was referring specifically to the one waterproof camera Canon makes.
    FWIW: I have never been a fan of any of the waterproof cameras. The technology in the waterproofs is always behind, the camera's are bigger and bulkier, they are expensive, and you still have to keep them out of the water or you get spots and film on the lens.

    Here's my deal... when the new camera models come out in March every year you can pick up the older models at fire sale prices if you look around. I usually keep a point-n-shot for a couple years and then pass the camera on to my kids because the new stuff coming out is so much better. A camera's life technology wise is measured in dog years. I'm guessing I use a point-n-shoot a lot more than most normal people. I estimate I shoot 25,000 pics a year through mine. I've never had a camera ruined by water, only had one ruined by dust and that camera was 6 years old and had passed through all my kids. I normally carry my camera in my shirt pocket. If its blowing sand I might put it in a zip lock bag. I'm a big believer in the theory you want a lot of good pictures you need to carry your camera where you can get to it easily. I really don't take very good care of my camera's. I like to carry a camera that is cheap enough that if its destroyed I don't lose any sleep over the loss of the camera (this will vary with each individual). I've had 3 or 4 cameras destroyed because someone tossed my backpack with the camera in the top compartment.

    Anyhoo.... that info might be helpful to someone.... I'm not saying its the best way to do things.... its just what works best for my after years of trial and error.

  9. #8
    Pentax also makes an Optio series. I've been using the Optio W60 for a while. Check out www.adventure-geek.com, click on Trips on the left and look at any trip in the past year (with the exception of the Belize one, which I took my underwater camera and housing.)

    Overall, I think my older Olympus did a little better in low light; but with a steady hand, the Pentax still works fine in the darker slots. Also, there is a new W80 that might be a bit better. Both the W60 and W80 go to 28mm like the others...

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