Upgrade - but to which camera/or I've got dodgy eyesight?

I currently use a Panasonic Lumix which is 5 years old and developing a rather expensive fault which means replacement rather than repair.

The question is for me, what to get? In 35mm days I first used a variety of Pentax SLRs and then moved on to Olympus models. BUT, I like many others of my age group am now suffering from increasingly poor eyesight - the Olympus had a diopter on the viewfinder which made life so much easier.

I have noticed recently that whilst I can see my subject clearly (with glasses) - when it comes to taking the photo I have to remove glasses and then, looking at the image in the LCD cannot tell whether I am really focussed or not and so consequently have many blurred photos (good job it's a digital and I can take loads!!).

I do like a 'clever' camera, having been used to the Pentax with a multitude of lenses etc., but now, with children I need something that is, I gues, an intelligent point and click. And preferably a rapid time from 'click to exposure' (my kids are always moving!!!).

I guess this is probably a tall order but I thought I'd ask more knowledgeable people than I. We have a major family holiday looming - family gathering in the 'House of Mouse' if you get my drift - I don't want to miss a moment.

Mandy

Hi Mandy

you mention that you used at one stage an Olympus, i still use an Olympus the E300 Evolt is now a few years old but still has the DIOPTER on it not sure if the newer models do

Just had a quick look at the other models and its looks like this function has been taken of the newer models

Hope that helps

Hey Mandy,

I am a little confused at exactly what your looking for in terms of 35mm vs Digital, point and shoot vs manual flexibility. SLR vs Pocket camera. I have kids and I sometimes find it hard to pull out my big SLRs at times and revert to my Canon SD750 which I absolutely love as far as pocket cameras go. It has one of the largest LCD display's in its class. Its AF is amazing because it can even focus off-centered subjects and has the quality to print large prints as well. The newest version is the SD790 which features 10 megapixels and a few fixes from mine, which maybe for xmas I will upgrade. You say eyesight is a problem so it may be the way to go because the LCD finder is so large and bright. Also for kids, it definitely is fast from click to shoot which is the biggest factor shooting children. The only downside to a pocket camera is no interchangeable lenses (even in their SLR counterparts that feature a real SLR lens but is permanently attached to the body) and if you really want true control over you photos the manual features are really rather elementary rather then your tool to tweak a really fabulous shot.

As far as SLRs go, I also have a Canon Elan 7e (35mm) which features eye controlled AF. Which really works and is quite reliable. The new Canon's like the EOS 3 and a few of the digital SLRs (if you want digital) now feature it as well but you will have to look into exactly which ones. (Can't remember off-hand and if I get a chance I will look em up for you) This may be useful to you because as long as you can 'frame' the shot, the camera will worry about the focusing. I rent a lot of cameras when I work on pro stuff cause I can't own all the equipment I want for every situation but I love Canon for stuff I own because of the quality and price you can get them for. I also feel that Canon SLRs have some of the best accuracy when it comes to AF especially in their ultrasonic series which are quiet to boot.

Im sure some other's will chime in but there is my take.

P.S do not listen to fjpeterson, it is a spam forum post :(

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Originally Posted by NYArtboy

P.S do not listen to fjpeterson, it is a spam forum post :(

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I second that. A legitimate store would not have to use this method to find customers.

Regarding shutter lag in P & S cameras, I believe the Panasonic Lumix series is the fastest. They also have excellent optics and auto focus fairly fast in decent light. It's a good thing I don't trust my eyes, while looking thru the viewfinder. I've learned to trust the camera's AF system.

Thank you so much for the responses.

I do like my Panasonic but know at 5 years old - it is only a matter of time.

I used to take fairly decent shots - always being asked to cover school events etc for friends cos my shots weren't bad (not blowing my own trumpet here - just telling as it is/was) but more recently I have many more 'rubbish' shots than good - good job the Panasonic has a triple shot facility (and yes, I know it slows the process down generally).

I guess the truth is I'm not entirely sure what is the actual problem but I'm blaming my deterioating eyesight and the fact that with a diopter on the 35mm I never seemed to get that problem.

As much as I liked my 35mm set ups - digital has to be the way for me because of the quantity of photos I take and being able to process etc with my pc.

I liked the sound of the Canon - will have a good look into that. These days I need to have something that is small-ish, can fit in handbag/pocket or whatever else is to hand and is ready to go. I've asked in camera shops, relating my tale etc., and all they try and do is sell me whatever is the 'bargain' of the week rather than listening to trying to resolve my problem - I guess they don't know so cover it up by using the alternative sales pitch!

Thanks again

Mandy

Shutter delay is a way of life in point and shoot digital cameras. It's a common problem with point and shoot cameras. But there are ways to combat it.

1. Prefocus. Hold down the shutter half way to get a prefocus of the image you're shooting. When it changes, prefocus again. This will speed up your camera's performance during picture taking since it won't have to autofocus before it shoots the shot.

2. Use faster SD cards. Yes, there are faster cards and it does make a difference in writing the image file to the card. This is especially key if you're taking multiple or burst images.

3. Fresher batteries. Use alkalines at least. But I recommend using high energy batteries designed for digital photography. Varta is a good brand. They are usually sold in camera shops, are long lasting (because they are sold in small quantities) put out a lot of energy.

4. Pan with the action. You can create some pretty cool shots by panning with your shot, focusing on your subject. This will create the effect of your subject in sharp contrast to the blurry background.

6. Stick with 100-400 ISO. Going higher will cause more noise/grain in your shots, particularly in darker settings.

Doing these, particularly prefocusing and panning with the action will cut your shutter lag by as much as 80%.


As for eyesight issues, most point and shoots are forgoing the viewfinder in favor of larger LCDs. And although I'm not too thrilled with this because that larger real estate will burn up battery life quicker, for those with glasses, they are especially beneficial.

The Canon G9 though, gives you the best of both worlds with a 3" LCD and a viewfinder. It also has a larger chip to give those megapixels some wiggle room in low light conditions.

And since the G10 just came out, it'll go through a nice price drop which makes it even more attractive.

And Screen Shade has an attachable diopter which can come in quite handy.