Digital camera question: 2-word answers are OK

[Denzil]

can be deleted

[RAH]

Any of the Olympus "super-zoom" cameras (C-750, C-765, etc) meet all your criteria except fitting in your pocket. The same type of cameras from other manufacturers (Panasonic, etc) also meet most of them, although I think that Olympus makes the smallest super-zooms.

I'm assuming that when you say "good for long distance," you mean with a long zoom (a lot of magnification). If you mean instead a wide-angle lens to take landscape shots, then instead you would not get a super-zoom, but look for a small camera with a wide-angle lens, which could be MUCH smaller than the super-zooms. For example, the Fujifilm E510 and the Canon S70. Look for a 35mm equivalent of 28mm on the widest setting (the Fujifilm E550, another good choice, gets high ratings, but it has a 32.5mm widest setting, which isn't truly "wide.")

[Denzil]

I'm assuming that when you say "good for long distance," you mean with a long zoom (a lot of magnification). If you mean instead a wide-angle lens to take landscape shots...

Thanks for your reply. I actually meant the latter (good for landscape shots)

[deborahp]

What do forum members consider would be the best digital compact camera that meets these requirements:
- Lightweight as I hike a lot
- Compact enough to fit into a jacket pocket
- Good for long distance as well as close-ups (flowers)
- Good number of pixels as I publish small photos in magazines

Fujifilm Finepix A345 4.1mp or A350 5.2mp: pocket sized, macro capability, uses 2 ordinary AA alkaline or Ni-MH rechargable batteries, fully automatic point-and-shoot takes very nice snapshots (imo).

This is a macro taken with it, link to EXIF data just below photo:
http://photobucket.com/albums/a329/dpallas/?action=view&current=Macro.jpg

This sky at dusk is the closest thing to a wide angle landscape in my Photobucket account (35mm equivalent: 36mm), link to EXIF data just below photo:
http://photobucket.com/albums/a329/dpallas/?action=view&current=2005_0724Image0013.jpg

One fun extra feature for birding is that it takes movie clips with sound if you upgrade to a larger card than the 16mb card supplied. It fit 8+ minutes of a hummingbird swarm on a 128mb card when the camera was left alone on a tripod with no humans too close to scare off the birds.

I sold it to finance a camera with more telephoto ability and regret it because I now have no pocket camera, so I'm going to buy another one now that the prices have come down on it.

[RAH]

I agree with Deborah that AA batteries are VERY desireable. The Fujifilm Finepix E510 I mentioned also takes AAs. It is 5MP. The cheaper model, the E500, is similar, but 4MP. I think these are somewhat better picks than the A345 because I prefer the 28mm wideangle lens, but on the other hand the A345 zooms to a somewhat higher magnification because it starts at about 38mm and then goes 3x, instead of starting at 28mm and going 3x, as the E500 and E510 do.

The 510 and 500 have fully automatic, but also have shutter and aperture priority override as well as full manual, so that is an added benefit. The E510 sells for about $200, and the E500 about $170, so all these cameras are very reasonably priced.

[deborahp]

I agree with Deborah that AA batteries are VERY desireable. The Fujifilm Finepix E510 I mentioned also takes AAs. It is 5MP. The cheaper model, the E500, is similar, but 4MP. I think these are somewhat better picks than the A345 because I prefer the 28mm wideangle lens, but on the other hand the A345 zooms to a somewhat higher magnification because it starts at about 38mm and then goes 3x, instead of starting at 28mm and going 3x, as the E500 and E510 do.

The 510 and 500 have fully automatic, but also have shutter and aperture priority override as well as full manual, so that is an added benefit. The E510 sells for about $200, and the E500 about $170, so all these cameras are very reasonably priced.

In the past few months I've owned the Fuji A345, then the E510, then a Canon A520, then the Fuji S5100, and arriving tomorrow a Nikon D70s in the search for better camera, better being more manual control and telephoto ability with less noise. With the A345 you're highly unlikely to see a noisy image because the automatic exposure tends to function on aperature priority, and it prefers slower shutter speeds and low ISO to noise. It's true that without manual shutter speed control you can run into problems with motion blurring photographing birds, but on the other hand, you almost never need to post-process images for any reason.

With the E510, A520, and S5100 I found I had plenty of control, but not enough built-in noise reduction at 200-400ISO to handle the shots that required the faster speeds. For my purposes, a pocket camera is to take quick snapshots and be done with it, which is why I like the more idiot-proof A345. Anything more demanding and I'll haul the DSLR around. I guess the E510 could be idiot-proof too, set on auto, but I didn't find it (or the A520 or S5100) to be as bright and contrasty for some reason. I suspect Fuji did something different in the software related to consumer eye-appeal.

[Denzil]

Thanks for your reply Deborah. Nice pics too!

RAH - Any news on the Casio EX Z750? It looks pretty good, and compact too.

[RAH]

Thanks for your reply Deborah. Nice pics too!

RAH - Any news on the Casio EX Z750? It looks pretty good, and compact too.
I'm not familiar with it, but there is a full review of it in the September, 2005 issue of Popular Photography. Their website ( http://www.popphoto.com/ ) is usually a few months behind the current magazine, but the review will probably show up eventually. To summarize the reveiw, they liked it a lot. As usual with high MP point and shoot cameras (i.e. all the ones we've been discussing here), there is a lot of digital noise at ISO 400. Only moderate at 200, which is pretty good for a small sensor 7MP camera. It's expensive, of course (about $400, I guess) and doesn't take AAs.

You could also check online review sites like http://www.dpreview.com/ .

[Denzil]

Many thanks! I will do some research.

[rayl]

Canon A610 or A620 depending on budget. For your close-ups the screen flips out and rotates, very versatile. Good to hold, not TO small. Plenty of pixels and 4x zoom, good manual control as you become more proficient. This range of Canon Powershot cameras have consistently got good reviews. Also lots of accessories for these cameras.
Fuji have always given strong bright ie.not natural colours.

Ray

[Denzil]

Thanks Ray. someone else recommended the Sony DSC-P200, which seems to get good reviews on photo websites. Do you have any feedback on this?

I already own a Canon Powershot (A40). It is a few years old so is pretty heavy compared to the newer models. And I was disappointed to find that the battery cover flap broke; I keep the batteries in with elastic bands!