Simple digital camera to replace dead Fuji F10

[MacGee]

My Fuji F10 has just died after 18 months and Fuji want £120 to repair it. Since I could buy a new one for £140, that seems like a bad idea. So I'm looking for a new camera. I don't want another Fuji; I'd have no confidence in its reliability.

I'd like something fairly simple to use, small, light and pocketable, but of reasonable quality. I bought the Fuji despite reservations about its rechargeable battery and proprietary XD cards, so I'd like the new camera to use AA batteries and SD cards. Any suggestions?

Michael.

[alan_rymer]

My Fuji F10 has just died after 18 months and Fuji want £120 to repair it. Since I could buy a new one for £140, that seems like a bad idea. So I'm looking for a new camera. I don't want another Fuji; I'd have no confidence in its reliability.

I'd like something fairly simple to use, small, light and pocketable, but of reasonable quality. I bought the Fuji despite reservations about its rechargeable battery and proprietary XD cards, so I'd like the new camera to use AA batteries and SD cards. Any suggestions?

Michael.
Canon Powershot A540 ?.

[level seven]

Canon Powershot A540 ?.
Or the A530. A bit cheaper I think but still with plenty of manual control if required. I got one recently and have been pleased with it.

[MacGee]

Canon Powershot A540 ?.Thanks, Alan. I've been doing some more research since posting and I think I'll restrict my choice to Canon or Nikon. The A540 was one I looked at, as well as the A530 and Nikon Coolpix 5600. I'll try and find some reviews.

Michael.

[level seven]

Here's a review of the Canon A530

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/A530/A530A.HTM

[alan_rymer]

Thanks, Alan. I've been doing some more research since posting and I think I'll restrict my choice to Canon or Nikon. The A540 was one I looked at, as well as the A530 and Nikon Coolpix 5600. I'll try and find some reviews.

Michael.
Link to prices for 540
http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/photography/digital-cameras/566995/prices

another review
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/a540.html

HTH

I'm thinking of this model for digiscoping when my A95 gives up the ghost!.

[Robert L Jarvis]

I think with either of those Canon A series you may experience vignetting problems due to the 4x zoom. There is a thread under digiscoping cameras by Neil of Hong Kong where he provides a good deal of info about digiscoping with the Canon A6 series which also have a 4x zoom and appear to be identical to the 530/540. You may wish to look at that thread before making a final decision.

Robert

[level seven]

I think with either of those Canon A series you may experience vignetting problems due to the 4x zoom.
My digiscoping experience is limited to about a dozen shots I took on Sunday using my A530 and Opticron scope and just holding the camera to the eyepiece. The results were poor as you might expect from a first, light-hearted, attempt but quite a few of the shots didn't show any vignetting. It looks as though at certain zoom ratios at least, it might not be a problem.

[Keith Dickinson]

I'm using a 540 with a Kowa 823 scope and have no problem with vignetting even at 4x zoom. With the 32x eyepiece on the Kowa the lens of the camera fits within the rubber eyecup quite nicely.

[MacGee]

Having specified that the new camera should take AA batteries, I'm now wondering if it would be worth it to accept a built-in battery in exchange for a huge reduction in size, especially width. The model I would be buying on that basis is the Canon Digital Ixus 60. Is the quality of that still within shouting distabce of the Powershot A540 or A530?

Michael.

[Keith Dickinson]

Stay with the 540,my wife has a Kodak with rechargeable batteries and the number of times her cvameras has died due to flat batteries. I have had that happen once and just walked into a newsagent and bought 2 more AA cells and up and snapping in just a few moments.
I now use rechargeable AA cells and have 2 sets which I keep fully charged and always take the spares out with me so no longer have the flat battery problem.

[MacGee]

Stay with the 540,my wife has a Kodak with rechargeable batteries and the number of times her cvameras has died due to flat batteries. I have had that happen once and just walked into a newsagent and bought 2 more AA cells and up and snapping in just a few moments.
I now use rechargeable AA cells and have 2 sets which I keep fully charged and always take the spares out with me so no longer have the flat battery problem.I know. I just managed to unearth my old Konica Revio, which takes AA batteries and I am aware of the advantages. But look at the depth of the Powershot. The old Revio is about 34mm, not counting protrusions, the Fuji about 28mm, the Ixus 22mm and the Powershot 43mm! That is pretty fat for a pocket camera. The Revio already seems bulky (though its protruding lens and viewfinder don't help); I don't know if I really want something bulkier than that.

Michael.

[level seven]

I know. I just managed to unearth my old Konica Revio, which takes AA batteries and I am aware of the advantages. But look at the depth of the Powershot. The old Revio is about 34mm, not counting protrusions, the Fuji about 28mm, the Ixus 22mm and the Powershot 43mm! That is pretty fat for a pocket camera. The Revio already seems bulky (though its protruding lens and viewfinder don't help); I don't know if I really want something bulkier than that.

Michael.
I know these things are relative, but I'd hardly call the Powershot fat or bulky. Depends what one's used to I guess. It fits my pockets with no problem at all. Part of the reason for any extra width might be because it has a x4 zoom.

[MacGee]

I know these things are relative, but I'd hardly call the Powershot fat or bulky. Depends what one's used to I guess. It fits my pockets with no problem at all. Part of the reason for any extra width might be because it has a x4 zoom.I'll try and have a look at them in Jessops. You can't always go by measurements and pictures.

Michael.