Wanted: Handbag friendly digital camera
April 2, 2011 4:57 AM   Subscribe

I'm looking for a small, sleek digital camera for my wife, with a few caveats.

My wife doesn't have a digital camera, and we are about to go to Mexico to get married (again, long story) and go on our honeymoon.

I have a pentax SLR with a few lenses and my wife uses it reluctantly. She's look on in envy of her friends with little digital cameras they take out of their purses. I'd like it to have a decent lens, manual modes (if possible), and also be able to survive the rough and tumble inside my wifes handbag.

Price range up to $250 but will stretch for something special.
posted by Admira to Technology (17 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
My go-to tech advice is Barry Sonnenfeld in Esquire. Yep, that Sonnenfeld. He recommends the Canon PowerShot SD1400. I like my SD790 well enough and it's fairly resistant to my beatings, though every now & then the power button gets hit in my pocket and the lens protracts. I imagine this would happen less if I had a cute little case for it.
posted by knile at 5:06 AM on April 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I did some research recently, into 'travel zooms' as the point and shoot cameras are called, that go from wide eyed lense to a decent zoom. And I think the brands and types far more alike than people make them out to be. So it comes down to personal preference, eventually, to what 'feels' best.

Panasonic invented this type of camera, so they still have some edge, with the Lumix TZ8 / TZ 10 [2010 types] [named ZS5 / ZS7 in the US], or the new 2011 types.

Canon does a decent one with the PowerShot SX210 IS [2010 model], SX230 HS [2011 model]. This is the one I got, and that allows me to play with CHDK hack software. Other people cannot get over the mere fact the flash pops up when you put the camera on.

Sony has the Cybershot HX5V. There's a comparable Samsung as well.

This market is very popular. But, in the end it just matters how a camera feels, in your hand, and if you like its looks and weight, because that will make the most difference in how often you'll take it along, and how often you'll use it.

[Have a good honeymoon].
posted by ijsbrand at 5:23 AM on April 2, 2011 [2 favorites]


Best answer: I have a Canon ELPH, which is apparently a cousin of knile's SD1400. Mine's a couple of generations old, but they hold up great stuffed in a purse (mine's going on 4 years now?) and even my out-of-date one takes very nice pictures.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:23 AM on April 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Seconding the rec for a PowerShot. I had one for four years that survived a trip to Europe and a great deal of high school antics, and it was only replaced recently by a newer model because I wanted a smaller one -- the old one still works fine, in the hands of my cousin. Within your budget they have a couple of different models, so pick whatever you think has the most features.

The best thing about the PowerShots is the UI is intuitive. I've attempted to use other types of cameras before (in particular, P&S Nikons) and they're very difficult to navigate, IMO.
posted by iarerach at 5:43 AM on April 2, 2011


Might not be in budget, but check out the Canon S95.
posted by Simon_ at 5:46 AM on April 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


I'm going to be replacing my older Canon soon, and am probably going with the Kodak Easyshare Sport.

Pros: Uses AA batteries, waterproof, NO zoom lens. Every pocket camera I've seen that's broken failed here. Dust and crud get in the zoom mechanism.

Cons: It's not out yet.
posted by Marky at 6:02 AM on April 2, 2011


The Canon S90 and S95 are the best point and shoots. This isn't really up to debate, nobody's put a sensor of that size in any other point and shoot and if you're planning to take any indoor or night shots, anything less will give you grainy, noisy pictures. They've been mentioned many times on Mefi.
posted by exhilaration at 7:49 AM on April 2, 2011 [2 favorites]


The Canon ELPH is the same as the Canon SD____ series, ELPH is just what they call it outside the US.

Recommending an SD1100, SD1400, SDwhateverhundred. They're small, slim, come in colors, and take good snapshots.
posted by fake at 8:10 AM on April 2, 2011


I like my SD1400 very much and would recommend it. But one thing to think about, especially when traveling, is that it uses a proprietary battery which must be removed from the camera and placed in a dock for charging.
posted by Right On Red at 8:29 AM on April 2, 2011


Best answer: The problem with the S95 for a purse camera is it takes a proprietary battery. With an occasional use pocket/purse camera unless you are militant about keeping it charged even when you aren't using the camera its battery will die at the most inopportune time with no way way of recovering short of a wall socket. A AA based camera like the A series can be made operational at practically any retail store. The camera will unfortunately be half a centimetre thicker to accommodate the batteries.

iarerach writes "The best thing about the PowerShots is the UI is intuitive. I've attempted to use other types of cameras before (in particular, P&S Nikons) and they're very difficult to navigate, IMO."

You are very familiar with the interface after 4+ years of rigorous use. You'd have a much better chance of finding the Nikon interface intuitive if you'd put that kind of time into using it.
posted by Mitheral at 8:33 AM on April 2, 2011


I second the Canon S95 / S90 recommendation. I have a S90 and it shoots great pix, has massive manual option and is pretty rugged.
posted by homodigitalis at 9:09 AM on April 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


Best answer: You definitely want the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2. It's about twice your budget. But here's the thing…
  • Dude, it's your wedding.
  • The sensor is HUGE, so your picture quality, dynamic range and overall sensitivity will blow away the toy cameras that the other ladies will be pulling out of their purses.
  • It supports the four-thirds standard lens mount (ultra-lightweight interchangeable lenses) much like an SLR.
  • It's completely manual-overrideable, but also has an effective idiot-mode.
  • Oh yeah, it also shoots HD video @ 60fps. What does that mean? It means high-definition slow-mo!

posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:57 AM on April 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


Just got a digital camera for my husband's birthday. I asked the professional photographer at my museum for a recommendation for a good point and shoot that is fully automatic but can also be adjusted manually (which my husband might want to do as he gets more comfortable with it). Photographer recommended the Canon S95, and I got a fairly good price for it on amazon (though it is above your price limit.) I also bought an extra battery for it. So far he is quite happy with it.
posted by gudrun at 10:47 AM on April 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


Wait, are the manual modes for your wife or for you? Sounds like she'd be happy with any $150 Canon, and they're all about the same level of durable, so we're left with a "wife's caveat" that sounds suspiciously SLR-like. One of the Canon SD-types has a 10x optical zoom with decent glass.
posted by rhizome at 11:44 AM on April 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: The good lens and manual modes are for me, its true. I thought I made that clear by the "I'd like" in front of it, but yeah I should have reworded that. Sorry if that misled anyone!

I was going to try to make this a surprise but after vising a camera shop and trying a few of these today, a lot of it will come to personal preference. Maybe a duty free trip to the camera shop is in order when we are on our trip.

Thanks for the recommendations all!
posted by Admira at 3:34 AM on April 3, 2011


Just jumping in to say I have a Panasonic Lumix and I totally love it. Battery holds a charge for a good long time. It's taken abuse from my students (I was a kindergarten ESL teacher) and keeps on ticking. Not sure on the exact model, but I love love love it. I replaced a Fuji that died after 18 months.
posted by kathrynm at 4:19 AM on April 3, 2011


Best answer: We use point and shoots in our work, and have been through quite a few in the search for the best images. Lately, I am getting really good results from the Canon PowerShot SD4500 IS. The lens is just long enough to make scenery spectacular:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91694861@N00/5531011984/in/set-72157625962290455/lightbox/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91694861@N00/5510483773/in/set-72157625962290455/lightbox/

But is also pretty good for close work, too:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91694861@N00/5503520953/in/set-72157625962290455/lightbox/

Canons are also the best in low light situations, this is a 950, I think, in what is essentially a cave:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91694861@N00/3521038114/in/set-72157617974038900/

In general, the Canons have consistently had the best image quality, and the Olympus Tough series cameras have been the most robust, but image suffers. With every Canon I have had, the demise has been sand in the lens opening mechanism. It is important to keep them in a sunglass-style bag or case for longevity, but I think the image quality is worth it. We are very, very, very hard on cameras, they often accidentally end up under water or crashed on at high speeds - hence point and shoots and not higher-end SLRs for semi-professional pics... and still, we choose the Canons.
posted by chuke at 10:05 AM on April 3, 2011


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