[boead]

Some punk stole my Canon SD 800is out of my car the other night. I really liked this camera, excellent images and very tiny profile. I took hundreds, no thousands of photos with this camera over the past year and half.

I was about to buy the replacement, model 870is but decided to try the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07, 7.2mb, 3.6x optical zoom, 28mm- 102mm Leica lens. Mixed reviews on this camera but nearly all the sample photos I’ve seen from pros and novice I thought were awesome.  I bought it used and cheap.

I’m looking to also get a more flexible point-n-shoot like the Canon Powershot G series. I like the G7 and the new G9. I’m WOWed by the photos it takes and like the small profile and collapsing lens with cap. I shoped for a used G7 but am finding them selling only a bit lower then the newest G9. Price has really dropped on cameras.
Any suggestion on a $300 +/- budget?

The Panasonic/Leica is for convenience and I’ll likely use it most. Very tiny, front pocket-able.  http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/fx07.html

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/g7.html
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/canon_g9.html

[SET Man]

Hey!

   Man! Sorry to hear about your cam got stolen.

   Luckily this had never happen to me..... knock on wood here.

    Personally I find shopping for a compact P&S digicam to be harder than DSLR. There are so many of them with all those feature. Sometime you like the size of the cam but the lens range is not good.... and etc. 

   I don't know about Panasonic/Leica... never used one. But they do have optical based stabilizer and Leica's lens though.

    Well, good luck and keep us posted.

Take care,
Buddy

[goldlizsts]

Hey!

   Man! Sorry to hear about your cam got stolen.

   Luckily this had never happen to me..... knock on wood here.

    Personally I find shopping for a compact P&S digicam to be harder than DSLR. There are so many of them with all those feature. Sometime you like the size of the cam but the lens range is not good.... and etc. 

   I don't know about Panasonic/Leica... never used one. But they do have optical based stabilizer and Leica's lens though.

    Well, good luck and keep us posted.

Take care,
Buddy

Hi Buddy,

I have been a digicam convert for a few years now because I had become tired of having an SLR body and 3 lens on my shoulder when I travel, tho now I still have the itch for a DSLR because they've gotten so light (the reason image stablizaiton is a must for me).  I have had so far 3 digicams in the last 4 years or so.  I find I like the 4-megapixel (MP) Panny DMC-FZ10 to be more preferred.  It gives me decent enough pictures.  That 12X optical zoom pulled in the rhinos from more than 50 ft. away on the African plain and gave me a big enough image.  The Image Stablizaiton functon worked like a charm.  I also bought the Canon G7 about a year ago, thinking it was time for a higher MP.  It was built like a tank.  But... it has only a 6X optical zoom (I totally disregard digital zoom), not good enough for wildlife shooting in Africa.  So, I bought an 8 MP Kodak, 810IS I think.  The IS seemed to work OK on the Canon, but again not as good.  I wasn't confident enough to take the Kodak on the Safari, so I ended up taking the Panny again.  And, it didn't disappoint.  I finally tested the Kodak with some pictures recently, and I didn't like it that much.  The IS didn't seem to work as well.   The pictures just aren't that sharp.  I bought it simply because it was cheap, less than $200, thinking even if I throw it out, not a big loss.  And, it seems to have turned out that way.

I have yet to come across a point-and-shooter that I like enough since the Panny.  I would say IF my arm is twisted, the Canon G series would still be a top choice.  Panasonic hasn't come up with a winner (IMO) in a while.  I like Sony because of the Zeiss partnership.  But, Sony's P&S's aren't that impressive lately either.  So, I am eyeing their Alpha 350.  Don't want to spend megabucks for a pricey DSLR.  Something like the Alpha 350 would be good enough for us non-pros.

 

[boead]

I don’t get it sometimes. I’ve been watching Canon G7’s sell on eBay for the last couple of days and they are selling for over $400 and not any lower then $350. WHY?!
You can but a brand NEW G9 model for $449 on Amazon or from Circuit City for god sakes! Sometimes the seller includes a $20 extra or so but usually not and the cameras are used and have NO warrantee.

I’m also interested in the Nikon D40 dSLR. They seem to sell for about $300 +/- used on eBay. Much larger then the G series from Canon but the photos from this 6MP dslr are amazing.
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/nikon_d40.html

[ooheadsoo]

The D40 is very nice, as long as you don't start looking for more lenses.  The kit 18-55 is extremely sharp, but the telephoto capability can't compare to most point and shoots.  Even the $220 55-200 stabilized lens doesn't give you enough reach for wildlife unless you're less than 10ft away from a small animal.  IMO, it would take the $500 70-300mm stabilized lens to do nicely cropped candid portraits and wildlife.  If you don't shoot candid portraits and wildlife, then by all means, it's a great economical choice.  Well, if you can focus manually like a pro, then you could get older telephoto lenses for much cheaper.

[JohnR]

Cripes, good quality 300mm+ lenses are expensive... my longest is 180.

[Thebiker]

My wife carries a Pansonic/Leica lens p&s.  I think it is @7meg.  Picture quality is excellent, especially outdoors.  She frequently takes shots from the passenger seat of my electroglide, while moving.

The only real limiting factor/issue I have with the camera is low light images are quite grainy.  If she shoots indoors from the far range of her strobe, she gets grain, same for low light outdoors.  Within the strobe range, shots are crisp & clean.  Normal outdoor light or strobed outdoors are also fine.

Very portable, she usually has it in her pocket, which is a good thing, because if I'm riding, I'm probably not stopping except for fuel (food or gas).

Walt

[WerTicus]

you seem interested in photography, id highly recommend you step up to at least an entry level dslr.

the entry level canon 400d or digital rebel as its otherwise known as, is great value.

[boead]

Thanks guys, I bought a Nikon D40 yesterday, should have it tomorrow. I also got the Panasonic FX07 and I don’t like it at all. Disappointed with its quality, my Canon SD800IS was much better. I’ll be shopping for another Canon soon enough if I can’t make the Panasonic work for me this weekend.

Unfortunately, I’m a graphic artist for nearly 20 years and I just can’t help but see the flaws in the FX07 in nearly each and every images I shoot. Way too much noise, it’s just unacceptable. Under extreme lighting conditions, it’s good. I’ve shot over 300 photos already but the yield of acceptable images is low. My Canon and even a much older 3MP Olympus I had are many times better, pulling off some quality shots fairly easily.

The Panasonic has this overall grain, similar to what you see in 35mm film of certain brands and speeds. I can see some old-time film enthusiast liking it or at least being acceptant of its nature but I don’t.

I’ll post some good and bad photos when I get a chance.

[JohnR]

Hey... cool! We're multiplying

I have a spare lens or two right here... PM sent.

[boead]

Hey... cool! We're multiplying

I have a spare lens or two right here... PM sent.

I really like the Nikon D40 so far. Fun to use, lots of flexibility, awesome results so far.
The Panaonic FX07? Umm, sort of sucks. Not quality enough for the hobbyist but then again neither are the Sony’s (for the most part) or the Kodak’s and other similar consumer name cameras. The Leica part of the camera is meaningless but I’m glad I tried it. I’ll sell it this week on ebay and buy a Canon Elph for my pocket.

[WerTicus]

the Nikon d40 is a known winner

good choice, and its a bargain too.

I'm mostly decided on a pentax k20d, it seems great for the money, but i also have a bunch of old lenses it can use, that really makes the choice easy.

[boead]

Some samples of the Nikon DX40.
click on image to see hi res




































Awesome results 9 out of 10 times.