Battery pack + SD + mini-B connectivity - where have they gone?

[Ben Johnston]

I'm trying to track down a decent digital compact which uses SD cards, has standard ON BODY USB connection and which uses a rechargable battery pack. Something around £200 - 250.

I've just bought two Ixus i cameras, to discover they have rather nasty plastic docks for connection. I then went for a Cybershot to discover a proprietry connection on the camera. My fault, I realise, for not properly researching. However, some of this info isn't always easily available.

Digital optical gear is getting smaller and sexier, but often loosing features or adding non-standard features. Try to find a sub £600 mini DV camera with mic input, headphone output and analogue pass-through... hardly any left.

[John_Reed]

I'm trying to track down a decent digital compact which uses SD cards, has standard ON BODY USB connection and which uses a rechargable battery pack. Something around £200 - 250.

I've just bought two Ixus i cameras, to discover they have rather nasty plastic docks for connection. I then went for a Cybershot to discover a proprietry connection on the camera. My fault, I realise, for not properly researching. However, some of this info isn't always easily available.

Digital optical gear is getting smaller and sexier, but often loosing features or adding non-standard features. Try to find a sub £600 mini DV camera with mic input, headphone output and analogue pass-through... hardly any left.
All the Panasonic cameras come with a USB jack on-camera, and include a cable in the kit with a standard USB connector on the non-camera end for interfacing with computers. They use SD cards, and have a rechargeable battery, for which a charger is also supplied. (those that don't use AAs; AAs are of course rechargeable if they're NiMh)

[bascom]

"I'm trying to track down a decent digital compact which uses SD cards, has standard ON BODY USB connection and which uses a rechargable battery pack. Something around £200 - 250."

I think all digicams have USB connection and use rechargeable batts. Most use SD cards. I don't see what the problem is here.

Yes the SD's have a flimsy plastic USB cover. A lot digicams do. Is that the problem? How much USD is £200 - 250?