Do they still make cameras with viewfinders?

Factual Questions
21

For “sightseeing with a friend” as in the OP, a decent P&S is a quite proper camera. The OP was not looking for high optical performance, but for something they could handle conveniently in a high-glare environment. Even an alternative electronic viewfinder that you could call upon in such cases would be an improvement.

Count me as one of those disappointed by Canon’s gradual abandonment of the optical VF in their A-series. That and their use of AA cells had made them easy choices for me, with the manual settings controls a nice bonus that in the end I seldom used. But today, it’s not just the budget/pocket cameras, even middle-level P&S cameras are missing some such features – the Canon SX120 keeps the AA’s and a lot of the manual modes, but lacks the optical VF; in the end the device’s design left no place to put it.

As mentioned before, there was no incentive for manufacturers to continue producing such units, in part because of the “marketing-driven features arms race” by which the mass-consumer level cameras are de-contented and sold on the basis of how many megapixels in how light-small-idiotproof (and easy to use with one hand, facing backwards :rolleyes: ) a package. And cell phones have brought us the digital equivalent of a focus-free “brownie”/Instamatic. Meanwhile features such as viewfinders and manual controls got bumped upmarket to the “prosumer” line – because, why cut into your margin by giving the mass market cameras features the average facebooker will never use?

Isn’t it common for many DSLRs to emulate the unsuccesful APS film format?

22

Not even close to true. I’ve sold many photos for publication that were taken with P&S and ultrazoom cameras. For the vast majority of applications a good P&S camera can take extremely high quality shots.

DSLRs are great (I have one) but they are not the only equipment that can take excellent quality images. To believe so IMO is elitist propaganda and we’re here to fight ignorance.

23

Canon, Nikon, and Sony each have DSLRs that in APS-C and 35mm size sensors, typically called “crop” and “full frame” bodies. Canon and Nikon also produce lenses specifically for the crop cameras and those lenses may not work on full frame bodies depending on the brand.

24

Yes, but the APS-C format is still considerably larger than the sensors found in P&S models. (and every time I type ‘P&S’ I want to type ‘POS’)

Here’s a nice comparison of sensor sizes. The only one they leave out is the APS-H, which only Canon uses in the 1D.

DPReview.com has a chart showing the actual dimensions of P&S sensors; most of them are smaller than the average pinky fingernail.