Who uses a digital compact camera?

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_Gissa_

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Just wondering who prefers a compact? I recently got back into photography after a 25 year break starting with a Nikon D5000. I found it all too complicated to remember and got tired of lugging 3 bodies and 4 lenses around so I changed to a Fujifilm F300EXR. I love it :). Its small light has full manual control if i need it, easy to use and has the focal range that encompasses all that I had with the Nikon system. The image quality almost equals the Nikon too .Do you use a compact? How do you rate them compared to a DSLR?
 
Horses for courses.
I use digital and 35mm compacts and slrs and there's times when I wouldn't be without the features and qualities of an slr and other times when I wouldn't want to have to lug that much stuff about.
My most recent purchase is a Nex and I have a feeling it may quickly become my most used camera.
 
As most folk will likely say, I use a compact when I can't be bothered lugging my kit around, or if I've gone out without my kit for whatever reason.

I recently found myself with some time to kill in Aberdeen, and had a great time messing around the seafront area with my Canon A590. It's not the swankiest compact out there, but it's small, fits in my work bag, runs on 2 x AA's, has PASM modes, a viewfinder, and I can use 52mm filters with it via a £5 adaptor tube.

When I use it I tend to bung it in P mode, forget about messing endlessly with settings, use the zoom very little, and unconsciously seem to concentrate far more on composing images than I normally do.

As fixedimage says, it's horses for courses. I wouldn't be without my SLR, but I wouldn't want to be without my compact either :thumbs: Also, I'm tempted by a NEX. Must resist :eek:
 
_Gissa_ said:
Just wondering who prefers a compact? I recently got back into photography after a 25 year break starting with a Nikon D5000. I found it all too complicated to remember and got tired of lugging 3 bodies and 4 lenses around so I changed to a Fujifilm F300EXR......
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I would also not want to lug around 3 bodies and 4 lenses! :eek:

Have you tried just carrying a single body and a single lens instead?
 
ronnus said:
I'm tempted by a NEX. Must resist :eek:
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Just do it! You know you want to!

I got mine for a really good price on Play.com but the prices seem to go up and down on there. When I ordered I got the Nex3 and 16mm for £268, the next day the same thing was £450. Right now the red 3 and 16mm is down about that price. By the way, I looked at camerapricebuster but it didn't seem to pick up the prices in Play for some reason.
 
Yeah. I picked myself up a Panasonic Lumix TZ10 and it's great for the times I can't be bothered lugging my slr around. Has all the manual controls also.
 
I've got a Canon Ixus 100 that usually in my camera bag. Mainly for underwater stuff in a Ikelite housing, although it's handy to stuff in a pocket on a night out.

Some of the new phones might be good, but still nowhere near a small P&S camera.
 
fixedimage said:
Horses for courses.
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I've got numerous cameras from a cheapo underwater P&S up to my 7D.

I rarely go anywhere without at least my S90. It is very much my camera of preference for lots of reasons although there are of course plenty of times the dSLR needs to come out to play :lol:
 
I am tempted to get a compact myself for when a DSLR is simply too much. I think it's a good idea, at least then you can still take decent pictures without having to revert to a camera phone!

Was looking at a NEX-5 for this purpose but they're a tad too expensive for a second camera. :eek:
 
I carry an S95 with me all the time, I prefer my G1 but the portability and the quality of the little Canon is good enough.
 
I've got an aged Samsung V50 that I've had for some time. I still take it with me every day 'just in case' but its past its best. I keep wondering about buying another ...
 
I have a Canon Ixus 95 for when I need something small, and a Panasonic FZ7 for when I need a bit more than a P&S without taking the SLR with me.
 
Personally I think if I see a photo worth taking, I want it to be as good as it can be hence I would never consider using a compact. My d5000 with 18-200 was heavier than a compact, of course, but imo it's nothing too strenuous and is no problem to carry around for when I can't be bothered taking multiple lenses.
 
Depends what I'm doing.. anything from phone camera to 8 year-old digital compact to DSLR, or a choice from fully automatic to fully manual film camera in 135 or 120 format.. entirely down to the conditions, what I want to achieve and the CIBA factor.

Sometime a compact is just what's needed, more so when I'm in the company of non-photographers and I don't want to ruin the atmosphere (or a friendship) for the sake of faffing about with lenses, setting and all the paraphenellia that can get in the way of experiencing the moment myself rather than just capturing other people experiencing it.
 
When I go out on the bike, I'll generally take the Canon G11 with me - or perhaps if I'm feeling a bit film-ey the Voigtlander Perkeo. Both are small enough and light enough to go in the shirt-pockets and be fairly unobtrusive.
 
I just bought my g/f a supercheap compact . and I was actually shocked !!!!
it can take beautiful pics if you know your craft and if you know how to change the settings to the better .
 
fixedimage said:
Just do it! You know you want to!

I got mine for a really good price on Play.com but the prices seem to go up and down on there. When I ordered I got the Nex3 and 16mm for £268, the next day the same thing was £450. Right now the red 3 and 16mm is down about that price. By the way, I looked at camerapricebuster but it didn't seem to pick up the prices in Play for some reason.
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If I can get one for that kind of money I could be tempted... just not in red! :lol: Had a PEN for a while but just didn't get on with it. Read somewhere that the NEX3 is being discontinued, dunno if that might mean bargains...

Anyway, thread hijack over, carry on :D
 
ronnus said:
If I can get one for that kind of money I could be tempted... just not in red! :lol: Had a PEN for a while but just didn't get on with it. Read somewhere that the NEX3 is being discontinued, dunno if that might mean bargains...

Anyway, thread hijack over, carry on :D
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That is a rumour made due to the near supposedly release of the NEX 7 so it may be true but I can still see the NEX 3 being the budget option in the NEX line-up and then the NEX 5 would be midrange option and the NEX 7 is meant to be a high end option for professional photographers :)
 
Yeah I also heard the 3 was being discontinued thoughthe person that I heard it from said it was because the 5 was replacing it which I didn't think was quite right.

I decided the added cost of the 5 wasn't worth it just to get 1080p video and the option to use a remote.

The price and function of the 3 was perfect for me, some will say the 5 is more comfortable to hold but only having used a 3 I don't know what I'm missing so I'm happily oblivious!
 
I sold my Dslr to buy a Micro 4/3rds system then bought a Leica X1 and now thats the camera that goes with me all the time. Superb IQ and it fits in my pocket
The 35mm lens is a challenge but will stand really heavy cropping and still look great.
I think a Nex 5 would compliment it but I heard they have an iffy menu system. Do they?
Allan
 
The thing that worries me about a lot of compacts is that they have done away with the concept of the camera actually having a viewfinder and forcing the user to compose using the rear LCD only.
 
htid said:
Personally I think if I see a photo worth taking, I want it to be as good as it can be hence I would never consider using a compact....
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Snob, who has no idea how good some compacts are these days. :shake:
 
I have always had a compact as well as the 40D, but until I bought my S95 I was never completely happy being without the 40D. The S95 has changed all that and the results are so good I am confident to use it as a walkabout camera and leave the 40D at home.
 
Jackwow said:
Snob, who has no idea how good some compacts are these days. :shake:
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I think 'Snob' is a little unfair, but you are right that he may not realise how good some compacts are nowadays. As I said in my previous post I always wanted my DSLR with me until I found out.
 
I haven't bought a compact since the 720is, I keep getting tempted to buy something newer but always seem to find something else to spend the cash on like a new lens or flash or bag.

I just can't find the "perfect" compact, probably because it doesn't exist, but something like a NEX is very tempting....
 
Jackwow said:
Snob, who has no idea how good some compacts are these days. :shake:
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Might be right there, but I've only been using a dslr for about 6 months so I'm hardly a snob :)

Having said that, I'm a perfectionist and I doubt any compact can compare to the pin sharpness of my 300 f4 (forget the fact that it's a 300mm, as I'm sure there are smaller lenses with the same quality or better). With that in mind, I personally think the size and weight difference between a compact and a mid range dslr with say 50mm is negligible.
 
boliston said:
The thing that worries me about a lot of compacts is that they have done away with the concept of the camera actually having a viewfinder and forcing the user to compose using the rear LCD only.
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I agree,mine has one but I find that an even bigger problem is when using the menus outdoors you have to look for a shady spot to have a chance of seeing anything on the LCD.
 
I use a Panasonic TZ5. I used it before I got my D40 and it now lives in my bag with my D40 lol
 
I use a fuji f31fd great little camera takes nice shots above and below water. But sadly they have stopped making it now. I'm looking to move on to my first Dslr for above water shot. I would like to try one for underwater photography as well but housing are out of my price league at the moment
 
htid said:
Might be right there, but I've only been using a dslr for about 6 months so I'm hardly a snob :)

Having said that, I'm a perfectionist and I doubt any compact can compare to the pin sharpness of my 300 f4 (forget the fact that it's a 300mm, as I'm sure there are smaller lenses with the same quality or better). With that in mind, I personally think the size and weight difference between a compact and a mid range dslr with say 50mm is negligible.
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So thats a 1.5kg, £800+(?) lens on a 800g, £800 body

And whilst I like the whole nifty fifty thing, I also it's a restrictive focal length and not something to "capture the moment" with. And whilst it may not weigh a great deal, I still can't realitically slip it into a suit or coat pocket.
 
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well, everything has it's own purpose. from small compacts to large format - they're all different in how they operate and produce results. but the compact line is the one who've seen the most improvements.

D.
 
Ixus 210 here. Rarely leave home without it. :thumbs:
 
I have a TZ7 for when going to parties/weddings as a guest ;)
 
30D when I need/want the DSLR's features and functionality, an ageing A640 and a 50% share in my wife's new TZ9 for everything else.

I wanted the Canon S90/S95 but we got the TZ9 because my wife preferred the zoom capability. It's a good enough camera, but I still prefer the A640, and it's too big/heavy to qualify as a real take anywhere camera for me.
 
I wouldn't dream of getting rid of my Konica P&S compact, wonderful camera that takes wonderful pics. There are time when it just isn't convenient to tote around a DSLR.

Paul
 
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