Pana DMC-FX7 OR Canon ELPH S500? Mini-Tripods?

[Canuc]

I have read the many reviews, and am now in decision mode.

I am not a photo-phile - but I do like to carry a camera everywhere to take pictures for memories. I have had many cameras and now know what I really need in one. I'm looking for something to last me 5-6 years.

Criteria, in order:
Size - must be shirt-pocketable.
Indoor pictures - a decent ability to take indoor pictures - without a tripod!
Flash - easy ability to select flash priority (red-eye reduction, no flash, etc...)
Reliability - a good, reliable, repairable (hopefully never) brand.
Remote - I like to take group pics - and I like to be in them!

That has brought me to the Lumix DMC-FX7 v. the ELPH S500 decision point. I've discounted a number of "comparables" for a number of reasons. Can you help? :D

In addition, I need a mini-tripod for it - in the old non-digital days, the type of mini-tripod was an issue since the shutter action caused shake with cheap ones. Any thoughts? :confused:

Finally, any ideas where to buy the camera for cheap. I live in Canada but will be in the US shortly. Warranty validity is obviously important. No grey market stuff. Vann's is one place I've seen mentioned a few times - any thoughts? :eek:

I own the following, FYI:
Canon Optura 100MC video camera - well used and liked
Canon EOS 50E SLR - never used anymore
Pentax Espio 115 35mm camera - brutal camera shake with anything less than 400ISO

Thanks

Filippo :)

[John_Reed]

I have read the many reviews, and am now in decision mode.

I am not a photo-phile - but I do like to carry a camera everywhere to take pictures for memories. I have had many cameras and now know what I really need in one. I'm looking for something to last me 5-6 years.

Criteria, in order:
Size - must be shirt-pocketable.
Indoor pictures - a decent ability to take indoor pictures - without a tripod!
Flash - easy ability to select flash priority (red-eye reduction, no flash, etc...)
Reliability - a good, reliable, repairable (hopefully never) brand.
Remote - I like to take group pics - and I like to be in them!

That has brought me to the Lumix DMC-FX7 v. the ELPH S500 decision point. I've discounted a number of "comparables" for a number of reasons. Can you help? :D

In addition, I need a mini-tripod for it - in the old non-digital days, the type of mini-tripod was an issue since the shutter action caused shake with cheap ones. Any thoughts? :confused:

Finally, any ideas where to buy the camera for cheap. I live in Canada but will be in the US shortly. Warranty validity is obviously important. No grey market stuff. Vann's is one place I've seen mentioned a few times - any thoughts? :eek:

I own the following, FYI:
Canon Optura 100MC video camera - well used and liked
Canon EOS 50E SLR - never used anymore
Pentax Espio 115 35mm camera - brutal camera shake with anything less than 400ISO

Thanks

Filippo :)I'm a little confused. If your camera must fit into your shirt pocket, must it fit in there along with the mini-tripod? If you're having trouble with camera shake, you'll most likely fare better with a slightly larger camera than you can fit in your shirt pocket, IMO. A larger camera, say the size of the Canon S1 or Panasonic DMC-FZ3, both of which have electronic viewfinders, makes it easier to "get a grip" for holding the camera steady enough for a crisp shot. In that sense, the S500, IMO, would afford a better grip than would the FX7, since the former has an optical viewfinder, the latter only the rear-mounted LCD. Yes, the FX7 has O.I.S., and I love it for my bigger FZ cameras, but for me, with my shaky hands, not having an optical viewfinder or EVF would be a deal-killer. As far as remotes go, I think that for both the ELPH and the FX7, you'll need to use the 10 second self-timer to include yourself in the group photo.

[Canuc]

Sorry about the confusion! As far as the tripod goes, I would carry it separately (not a shirt pocket requirement, although I have seen some that would fit).

I truly appreciate your comment on size linked to camera shake. While I am not a surgeon, I do have fairly steady hands. But maybe such small cameras as the FX7 or S500 are hard to grip or hold confidently?

On the viewfinder issue, I'm a bit undecided. I've used my videocamera extensively without ever "resorting" to the viewfinder, so I think I could deal with no optical viewfinder. Any other thoughts on that? :confused:

Thanks again for your helpful comments.

Filippo

[DAVIDTU]

With no viewfinder, you might find it hard to setup your shots in dark places, particularly at night outdoors, or indoors in a dark bar. In these cases, I find I use the optical viewfinder. The Minolta Dimage X50, which you should look at too if you have not already seen it, has a feature where it "gains up" the digital display so you can better seen in such conditions w/o using the optical viewfinder.