I’ve been using my camera to take pictures and videos of my Lego creations. Examples:
Pictures: (1)(2)(3)
Videos:(1)(2)(3)
I’ve got an old Canon Powershot a720 IS, but it isn’t really up to the job anymore. The resolution isn’t really high enough, and some dead pixels are popping up.
What I’m looking for:
-10 megapixels or more. I’m guessing that’s pretty basic for anything on the market right now. RAW file saving would be nice.
-A video mode. My canon records video in 640x480 at 30 fps, and I’m looking for something that has at least that framerate, and a bit higher resolution. 60fps could be very useful for some of the stuff I do.
-Toughness. I’m not going to toss it down the stairs, but I am going to drive it around at it just might bump into something when I do.
-something preferably light and small. Like I said, I’m driving my cameras around sometimes, and small and light cameras are easier to build into something.
-Ideally, not more than €250 / $300
Due to the above requirements, I don’t really think a DSLR is an option, and that a high-end point-and-shoot camera would best serve my purposes.
Does anyone on the Dope have a camera that comes close, or are there more things I should be mindful of?
I have this little gem. I have had it about 6 months, well long enough for the “new toy” feeling to wear off. Truly, if it was run over by a bus I would stop long enough to see if I could recover the memory card then go get another S90.
For this model, Canon went for fewer megapixels (10 rather than 12) to control noise at higher ISO, and it seems to work. The shots it takes in low lighting without flash are remarkable - you would swear they were in daylight. I was at a country wedding, at night, in a marqee in a field, and the only lighting was powered by a generator (so, few and dim) and the shots I took were clear. The camera wound up being passed up and down the table as people took test shots then wrote down the model number with a view to getting one (assuming they remembered what their notes meant when they sobered up the next morning!).
It is small and light, so it is always in my bag. Heck, if my clothes had pockets it would be in one of them. And it has a RAW option. The video isn’t it’s best feature, but that wasn’t an issue for me - it is good enough for the rare occasions I need to record a random scene. THe stitch function is excellent for scenery.
You will need a second battery and probably a longer wriststrap.
Pixels are a non-issue, seriously. Unless you are planning on making poster sized prints anything over 8MP is overkill. Not all pixels are equal, so a P&S with 14 MP crammed on a tiny sensor won’t every produced crisp clean shots when you look closely, while a 8 MP on a bigger sensor will.
High end P&S and tough don’t really go together well. If you’re looking for robust cameras and don’t want to take the performance hit that you get with a “tough” camera then an ultracompact may be your best choice.
Do you need full manual controls? How much zoom do you need? You didn’t say so I’ll assume your needs are minimal right now. Aside from 60 FPS do you want HD movies?
Mame; it certainly looks like your camera fits almost everything on the bill, save for the higher-resolution filming. Which I do want, given the chance.
Telemark; thanks for your advice regarding megapixels. Maybe I don’t need tough, but I certainly don’t want flimsy.
I certainly want some control; something with only an ‘auto’ mode is not going to cut it. Zoom isn’t a priority at all. Higher resolution filming (above 640x480) has a higher priority than 60 fps.
The S95 is the newer model and gets rave reviews. I’ve been looking for a deal on one for several days now, but the prices are holding firm at about $369. The G-5 is supposed to be a good one also, but I’m not interested in paying that much.
Put me in the fewer-megapixels camp. You might want to look at the kodak line -they ae not popular, and thus heavily discounted. Be sure to try a model with the excellent Schneider-Kreuznach lenses-I have one and I love it.
Ditto on S95, or G12 as an alternative. High end Panasonics like LX5 are very nice too.
Comparison of current high end compacts.
DSLR’s arent really that fragile, so something like the Canon 550D might be worth considering too, and would offer more creative options with DOF, and macro lenses etc. The 18-55mm IS kit lens is very low priced if you do end up breaking it, and would be cheaper to replace than an entire compact - you could also put a cheap UV filter on the front as protection against lens scratches from impacts, which compacts dont have.