Zoran
02-07-2007, 02:33 PM
My brother's birthday is coming up on the 14th and the family is looking to all chip in and get him a digital camera. For a while now he's been using my Powershot S30 but wants to get a camera of his own. His only real requirement is that it is portable. He goes out a lot (clubs, bars, restaurants, theater, etc) and wants to be able to drop in it in a pocket. He also likes how my Powershot S30 is built like a tank and he doesn't have to be *too* careful while handling it. Here's the questionnaire:
Budget
$400-420
Size
Small enough to carry around without needing a case (would fit into an average coat pocket) though don't need anything extremely small that will sacrifice image quality.
Features
How many megapixels will suffice for you?
6 should be more than enough
What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify)
Standard zoom
* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
9
Do you care for manual controls?
No. A "smart" camera that can take optimal pictures with little user intervention is preferred.
General Usage
What will you generally use the camera for?
All-around use.
Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
No
Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
Yes
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
Not really.
Miscellaneous
Are there particular brands you like or hate?
I've been extremely happy with my Canon I bought a few years ago. Still, I haven't had any experience with other brands so I'm always up to try something else.
Are there particular models you already have in mind?
I was looking at the Canon Powershot SD800 and the Fuji FinePix F30. I like how the Canon has optical image stabilization and the fact that I was extremely happy with the quality of the last Canon I purchased (Powershot S30). On the other hand, I like how the Fuji is regarded as one of the better "low-light" cameras. Still, the one knock I have against both of these is that they may be *too* small, meaning there'd be room to spare inside a pocket. I'd be fine with something a little bigger if it meant better image quality.
(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
Image Stabilization would be preferred simply because it assists in getting better shots.
Budget
$400-420
Size
Small enough to carry around without needing a case (would fit into an average coat pocket) though don't need anything extremely small that will sacrifice image quality.
Features
How many megapixels will suffice for you?
6 should be more than enough
What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify)
Standard zoom
* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
9
Do you care for manual controls?
No. A "smart" camera that can take optimal pictures with little user intervention is preferred.
General Usage
What will you generally use the camera for?
All-around use.
Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
No
Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
Yes
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
Not really.
Miscellaneous
Are there particular brands you like or hate?
I've been extremely happy with my Canon I bought a few years ago. Still, I haven't had any experience with other brands so I'm always up to try something else.
Are there particular models you already have in mind?
I was looking at the Canon Powershot SD800 and the Fuji FinePix F30. I like how the Canon has optical image stabilization and the fact that I was extremely happy with the quality of the last Canon I purchased (Powershot S30). On the other hand, I like how the Fuji is regarded as one of the better "low-light" cameras. Still, the one knock I have against both of these is that they may be *too* small, meaning there'd be room to spare inside a pocket. I'd be fine with something a little bigger if it meant better image quality.
(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
Image Stabilization would be preferred simply because it assists in getting better shots.