P&S Camera recommendations

[Sas]

Hi

My old camera has died (Sony P93) so I am looking to get a new one.

I don't know a lot about photography and cameras but the things I want in my new camera are fast lens, wide angle, good macro, good in low light (as I do a lot of night diving), manual settings, and HD video (though that last one is just a nice to have, not a deal breaker).

I was considering so far Canon S90 or Panasonic FX48 (used the latter one and found it quite good and a few people have recommended the former). Any other ones I should look into? My budget is 700AUD (650USD) for camera + housing but preferably less.

I'm not super serious about photography so doesn't have to be super fancy and I don't want a strobe (like the fact that with my old camera if I got bored of taking photos I could just clip it off and carry on the dive without it getting in the way). This is about the level I am at and the type of quality photo I am after: Favourite Dive Photos - a set on Flickr

Anyway, any suggestions would be appreciated I've been without a camera for nearly a month so wanting to get one soon!!! But there are so many options out there it's kind of hard to decide...

 

[stu_in_fl]

i just took the S90 out for it's first outing this weekend (no strobe) - certainly quite compact so could be clipped off (unlike my previous one) - and in the right sort of price range (in the USA at least). I don't believe the video is HD, but it does do video.

here are the 2 threads i posted:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/canon-corner/312948-s90-pics.html
and one with a mini-review
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/canon-corner/313119-s90-ikelite-housing-first-impressions.html

sorry - don't know about the panasonic (i also heard the LX3 was good)

 

[Sas]

i just took the S90 out for it's first outing this weekend (no strobe) - certainly quite compact so could be clipped off (unlike my previous one) - and in the right sort of price range (in the USA at least). I don't believe the video is HD, but it does do video.

here are the 2 threads i posted:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/canon-corner/312948-s90-pics.html
and one with a mini-review
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/canon-corner/313119-s90-ikelite-housing-first-impressions.html

sorry - don't know about the panasonic (i also heard the LX3 was good)

Yea I will be ordering from the US (perhaps Adorama unless anyone else knows of a cheaper place). Stuff is much cheaper in the US given we are near parity

Great pictures! And appreciate the link to your thoughts.

 

[Hetland]

Canon G11 gets my vote. Some of the high ISO images I've seen are pretty striking in their quality. No HD video, and the lens isn't as fast as the S90, but the S90 is tiny, and the controls on the G11 are a little easier for me. Minimum focus distance on the G11 is 1cm, compared to 5cm on the S90, so that would be an important consideration if you want macro without add-on lenses.

I just picked mine up tonight, and I'm waiting on Amazon to deliver my Canon housing

 

[Sas]

Canon G11 gets my vote. Some of the high ISO images I've seen are pretty striking in their quality. No HD video, and the lens isn't as fast as the S90, but the S90 is tiny, and the controls on the G11 are a little easier for me. Minimum focus distance on the G11 is 1cm, compared to 5cm on the S90, so that would be an important consideration if you want macro without add-on lenses.

I just picked mine up tonight, and I'm waiting on Amazon to deliver my Canon housing

G11 is well above budget Nearly 800AUD.

But the minimum focus distance is a good point... I would much prefer 1cm over 5cm (I notice that FX48 is similar)... My old camera was 10cm though and I was pretty happy with that. Something to think more on though as I do not want add on lenses.

Size of camera is not a big issue for me, but smaller is prefered.

 

[hammerhead man]

Saspotato, you can get the DX-1G in the US for around the amount you want to pay (check on ebay). I have the DX-1G and am very happy with it. You can check my photos link to see the type of pics that can be taken. It is a point and shoot camera with full manual capability as well. It is expandable to include a wide angle lens, close-up lens, and strobes. The lenses can be attached or taken off underwater. It has a macro setting that lets you focus up to 1cm from the subject. The camera is very compact, for UW camera housings, and has a short lag time. However, it doesn't take HD video.

Regards,

Bill

 

[Hetland]

G11 is well above budget Nearly 800AUD.

But the minimum focus distance is a good point... I would much prefer 1cm over 5cm (I notice that FX48 is similar)... My old camera was 10cm though and I was pretty happy with that. Something to think more on though as I do not want add on lenses.

Size of camera is not a big issue for me, but smaller is prefered.

Should be pretty close to the price of the S90 if you're ordering from the US (Retail is $499) But I'm not the man to ask about international purchases or currency conversions. Have you looked at the G10? The price on those are falling. You won't get the same high ISO performance, but I've seen beautiful photos taken with that camera. One of the reasons I love Canon is because it's easy to get factory housings from them, and the price is reasonable (especially compared to a housing by Ikelite that runs $600 or Fix that runs in four digits).

Check out dpreview.com they have a tool that lets you search for features, and compare multiple cameras side-by-side.

 

[AndyT]

While it is great to have a camera that can focus up close, at 1cm you are going to have a heck of a time getting any light (flash) onto your subject, even with an external strobe.

 

[JackConnick]

I have the Sea & Sea DX1G for only $649 - cheaper than most any place around. 10mp, shoots RAW, fiber optic connections, rugged Sea & Sea quality housing good to 180'. Very good camera, with lots of features and lenses and lighting packages available.

Jack

 

[Hetland]

While it is great to have a camera that can focus up close, at 1cm you are going to have a heck of a time getting any light (flash) onto your subject, even with an external strobe.

That distance may very well be a problem. While my current cam won't focus that close, the water where I dive is often so turbid that I have to bounce my strobe anyway, even at night I often have to aim my strobe in the opposite direction of my subject. I believe I can overcome the challenge, but I'll have to wait on my housing to arrive before I can start working on the problem.