Canon PowerShot A3000IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD

For serious photography, I prefer a big, heavy digital SLR. But where my goal is not photography, but I want a camera for snapshots, I use it here.

I expected to buy a Lumix LX series or the Canon S95 - both attempts to match the capabilities of an SLR as much as possible in an easy-pocket camera. But when I read the reviews, I was more confused, until I remembered the basic physical laws are not repealed.

For roughly summarize camera review sites, all major brands subcompact does a good job in bright light. The differentiators are low light, flash, performance, and manual control. And when you read carefully, you realize that there are a lot of practical difference here either. But there is no way to compare them but to exaggerate the differences that make them sound more important than they really are.

Low Light
In low light, increasing digital cameras, ISO, which means that the weak signal from the sensor is amplified. This also increases the noise, causing an overall grainy look and the dark areas, colored confetti. I do not expect a camera to work well in low light, and this also applies to pro-digital SLR cameras and film as well. So pay extra for a camera that is really bad in low light instead of the horrible little sense to me. There's a lot to choose sunglasses based on their performance in low light, or a screwdriver to his ability to drive a nail.

FLASH
For flash, usually a commercial photographer with a power supply that can draw 15 amps AC and power multiple heads that range in size from 4 "diameter to over 36". Subcompact cameras are ridiculously small batteries and small tubes flash (usually less than 0.2 sq inches) located at the worst possible place: close to the lens. It amazes me that any of them work so well as they do. Do I really care that extends to 13 feet and another just 11.75? There have been times when I wanted a more powerful flash, but I think an extra 30 feet, I would not notice an extra 2 or 3

The A3000 flash sync a regular slave flash, if you turn off the red eye feature in the camera. It will not measure it, however, so it is easy to wash out the picture. I think this is true for all Canon subcompact.

PERFORMANCE
When prefocused shot to image processing time is barely noticeable - less than half a second. When you include focusing time, less than 2.5 seconds. It is faster continuous shooting option that does not focus between exposures. This is respectable, and more than enough for my needs. To keep up with a very active children or pets can speed up performance. Tested with 4 GB Lexar Platinum II SDHC 9MB/sec.

MANUAL button
I use the manual controls on my SLR for the most part. I had it on my last two subcompact, and rarely use it. The A3000 has not. The only time I missed it used slave flash. If I am out with my family, I do not think like a photographer so the camera will probably make better decisions. And manual control are less comfortable in a subcompact because of the ergonomic compromises required for such a small camera. Nice to have, but as processors become more intelligent, less important.

Megapixels
The best professional printers print 90,000 dots per square inch. This means that it takes 4 x 6 x 90 000 = 2.2 megapixels with a 4 x 6 Print. 5 x 7 = 3.2 megapixels. 8 x 10 = 7.2 megapixels. Higher megapixels enlarge photo and shot to shot delay (while the camera compresses the image and print it to the card). The only advantage of that "higher resolution" than is required for your final output: you can crop the image a bit without losing image quality. The A3000 is 10 megs, if they had a 6 MEG version, it would be a better camera. Canon knows this and they also know megapixels is much easier to sell.

Sensor size
Bigger is better, but more important than the sensor size, pixel size - the larger the pixels, the higher dynamic range, which means more detail in very bright and very dark areas. This usually means better performance in low light and less noise due to other technological possibilities because of the larger pixels.

The difference in sensor size between this and some of the more expensive small cameras (S95) seem significant until you put it in perspective. The pixel size of a Canon S95 is 6% as a 12-MEG-professional digital SLR (FX format). A3000 is 4%. Given the dynamic range and low light of a pro DSLR is not so great, I can not see any reason to pay a premium of 6% and 4%.

CONCLUSION
My perfect little camera - pocket usably large viewfinder (I can accept a smaller LCD), 5-6 megapixels, manual controls, image stabilization (small cameras are difficult to keep stable), not cluttered with stupid functions - is no longer made. If a camera manufacturer wants me to spend more, they need to get closer to it, more megapixels do not.

Until then, I'm OK with the A3000. The pictures are great for a subcompact. Lightning in a large room is more than acceptable for on-flash, focus is fast and remarkably adept at identifying the right subject, image stabilization works as well as I had hoped. The controls are well laid out and intuitive. LCD is bright and clear, even outdoors. The trigger may be more prominent, and I can attach a thin rubber disc to make it easier to find by feel.

The A3000 does not look expensive, then subjects tend to ignore it. And I'm more inclined to take it, because if damaged or lost, or meetings uneconomical to repair "lens error" that seems to plague all brands, it's not a big deal. The manual is a PDF file on the disc, also available online. Camera in Malaysia. 1-year warranty.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS10 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS10, compared to other waterproof point and shoot cameras are a great choice! I have used a number of Olympus 'Tough' cameras (6000, 8000, etc.) and Panasonic are competing for more than admirable.

The shutter speed seems to be a nagging problem with most waterproof Point & Shoot cameras. I think DMC-TS10 has very little shutter - signficantly less than any waterproof, Point & Shoot Olympus, I have used. I can not tell you how annoying and frustrating it is to pull the trigger and has a camera waiting 1 / 2 to 1 second before it responds.

The menu is much more intuitive and less "law" than the Olympus cameras. A nice feature is the ability to take a picture anytime, from anywhere in the menu system. A simple, easy to press the shutter button takes you directly into the picture with certainty, no matter where you are in the menu system.

The picture quality is very good to excellent. It will not compete with a digital SLR, but it is definitely above average in the waterproof point and shoot category. Battery life is also very good. I could shoot almost 45 minutes on 720 high-definition video before the battery is depleted. Note: You can just shoot around. 8 min. continuous video before you have to start over again. Even cheap aftermarket batteries are available, but they must be "firmware" compatible with the DMC-TS10, otherwise they will not work. At this writing, I could not determine how many images can be done on one battery charge.

DMC-TS10 comes with an attractive silicone cases that do an excellent job of protecting the camera in and out of the water.

One final note: If you read the Amazon reviews, I think you will find all the waterproof point and shoot cameras have some watertight integrity issues. All watertight, Point & Shoot cameras I've seen (regardless of price) has a very similar structure in the access to memory card, battery and USB / power / charge connector. Bottom line, if you try to open the door at one of these cameras when the camera is wet in any way, you risk permananently damage the camera. From my experience, you have to let the camera sit for a few hours before trying to open a gap. If you choose not to allow the camera to "air dry" and just wipe the outside, the water will remain under the edges of the doors. The moment you open the door, the water is sucked into the inside of the camera (via a vacuum effect), no matter how careful you are drying your camera.

If you are looking for a waterproof, Point & Shoot camera with good / excellent image quality, minimal shutter / lag, good usability and a good battery life, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS10 definitely worth considering!

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20K 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

I bought this camera specifically for a vacation to Rio de Janeiro. I also have a Nikon DSLR, I love, but can not afford to carry around Rio. I wanted something I could easily put in my pocket and pull out to quickly take pictures.

I checked several point-and-shoot cameras and all the suffering, it is almost standard issue with Point and shoot - do not deal well with low light, blurry when compensates for low light, the delay time, etc. These things are pretty much a fact that point and shoot.

After playing a few different camera, I chose the Lumix DMC-FH20. The main reasons Zoom - 8x optical, and then up to 32X digital with the correct settings.

On my trip, had this camera does not disappoint. Sure, I had to play with the settings a bit to get the desired effect, but I basically just used for auto, landscape, night, landscape and macro settings. All this worked perfectly.

In low light, I had to stabilize the camera on a bench or a fence, but it is expected and not a dead camera.

All in all, I love this camera and found it worth the price I paid (about $ 180us). I find it far exceeds any other camera I've played with (about the same price point).

I would buy the same camera again - no questions asked.

Canon PowerShot SD1300IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Blue)

I bought this camera as a replacement for my Canon PowerShot SD600. The main reason that I chose to replace it was the IS function. When I bought the SD600 it was on sale and features cameras were an expensive option on the upgraded models. I must say that the function works as expected. It is apparently not doing much if there is a lot of camera shake, but it does the job for what it is intended to do. The picture quality is excellent. Dim lighting makes it good despite the reviews I've heard. Manual settings to make as good as the automatic settings. I like the play button that lets you preview images instead of having to change the camera in another state. When you take more pictures the time between shots is minimal. Videos work well with it, but it is annoying someone in and out zooming during video calls. The sound quality is surprisingly good with video mode as well. It takes good outdoor video with little wind noise. I was a bit wary of buying a camera with someone who looks like my last camera had one, but let's face it, I barely used it when I had it. Insist on a camera with a viewfinder also substantially limited my choices to point and shoot. I am pleased with all the viewfinder and this camera is exactly what I expect in a good point and shoot. I thought about it SD1200IS as it was for sale and a little cheaper, but I thought a few extra features, it is worth the extra $ 50 Battery life is amazing! Even during moderate to heavy use, it lasted all night and part of the next day. I would suggest always having another battery as a backup but you never know when you might need it. I would recommend this camera to anyone looking for a quality point and shoot. For the price I do not think you can ask for much more in a compact digital camera.

Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

In short, this is a good camera in a small package that gives excellent results! I wanted a small portable camera with HD video capabilities that I could take with me when I do not want to lug around my DSLR (Canon 40D + lens), and this little gem fits the bill perfectly.

This camera replaced a Canon PowerShot SD780IS (black) which I returned because of the constant sound noise (HUM) while recording video. Rather than risk having any other defect SD780IS with the same subject (many seem to report hear noise / HUM), I decided to upgrade to the latest Canon PowerShot SD1400IS (black). I am glad that this camera has no such problems with audio when video is being recorded.

The picture quality on the SD780IS and SD1400IS is about the same and on par with what one should expect from such a small ultra-portable camera. Going from 12 MP to 14MP has a sink which sensor is the same size and the results are very similar. I have placed several pictures of flowers under "customer images" in Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP (black) and also uploaded several 100% crops of each shot, so Pixel Peepers can see the details, give this camera.

Let me make clear that anyone who believes that this camera will produce anything near the quality of a DSLR deceive themselves. There is no way that this small of a package (3.6 x 0.7 x 2.2 inches, 4.6 ounces) can produce the same picture quality as a DSLR. If the picture quality if critical, would be better considering the Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera, but you will lose the HD feature some portability and spend more. When I want extreme quality, I take only my Canon 40D + lens with me and shoot in RAW.

Auto mode is smart, and I think there is more going on behind the scenes than you might think. If you take the same image (same ISO settings, lighting, shutter, etc.) in Auto and then in Program mode, the results are similar, but I think the auto mode to win almost every time. I have no way to confirm this, but the auto mode seems to have different compression algorithms depending on the subject and can give a less noisy images at high ISO than the programming mode. Inside shots are fine, but I wish I could make an ISO range of forcing the Auto mode does not exceed 400 ISO.

Tip: If you get blurred images, you must remember that the minimum focal length is much less then 5cm at 28mm and much more 50cm when zoomed to 112mm. So if you try to get the camera close to the subject, be sure to measure your zoom / subject distances correctly otherwise your item becomes blurred. Perhaps it would have helped the 1 star reviewer.

Final points to note:
First there is no viewfinder, and frankly was small viewfinder on the SD780IS worthless, so I will not miss having one. The LCD screen is bright and works well on bright days.
2nd There is no optical zoom while recording video, only digital zoom, so you must decide on a zoom length before you start shooting. This is a non-issue for me as many people overuse the zoom, and normally would have been better to just play a static image instead of making me dizzy with shaky-cam + zoom at the same time.

Bottom line: This is a fantastic pocket camera that can be decent images with HD video recording as a bonus. It is small enough that it will be everywhere, making it possible to capture that special moment. I would highly recommend it to anyone, as long as they realize the limitations of ultra-compact cameras. I hope that this review is helpful.

Update: I forgot to mention that you should be sure to get no less than a "Class 4" SD Card (Class 6 would be even better) to prevent any video issues (lost images, etc.)

Update 2: Still love this camera after six weeks of use, I particularly like HD video capability and use it all the time. The. Mov video files makes it easy to import into Apple's iMovie to edit and produce great results. At a recent event, I could get some very nice pictures in low light without flash in AUTO mode. I was really surprised at the quality achieved in such tough conditions. The best results were not to zoom too much, because there is less light there is (f-stop change when zoomed). If you experience blurred images, try to zoom smaller and closer to your subject.

Update 3: I just ran over the recent release of Canon PowerShot SD4000IS (Black) 10 MP, that was just released, and the list price is currently more than SD1400IS but the new 10MP Backlit CMOS sensor are very promising for reducing noise is common in sub-compact cameras. The SD4000IS also have HD video capabilities, plus stereo sound and can zoom while shooting video with a new "Super Slow Motion" video feature and a faster f/2.0 lens. It will be interesting to see what users think of this new camera in the coming months. I hope that this update is helpful.