Need advice on Compact Camera

Hugh Jarse

Hugh Jarse

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Steve
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Am out of my depth here.

A friend dropped her old Kodak compact at her grand daughter's sports day yesterday and it is busted.

She is off to Rome on holiday on Sunday and needs a new compact camera in a hurry.

I have no idea of what is good bad etc. I have a Samsung DV300F as my pocket camera but it does not have a viewfinder which my friend is insistent on.

So advice please. The essentials are

1. Budget - Up to £135
2. Must have a Viewfinder not just an LCD screen
3. Good lens rather than Megapixels
4. Brand name preferable
5. SD card rather than microSD (use current stock og cards)
6. Decent optical zoom rather than digital
7. Small size but well made.
8. Colour not an issue.
9. Simple settings as rarely uses modes/manual.

Hope that makes sense.

If I have put this in wrong thread can a mod move it please.

Regards

Steve
 
You will be lucky to get a cheap compact with a viewfinder I think. Canon make a couple, the A1100 is one. But definitely a limited choice.
 
ernesto said:
You will be lucky to get a cheap compact with a viewfinder I think. Canon make a couple, the A1100 is one. But definitely a limited choice.
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Had a feeling that might be the case. Perhaps a bridge camera with an electronic viewfinder? Not compact really.
 
Look at the Fuji bridge cams in Argos, if there's one nearby? They have view finders and are usually good for the price, plenty of zoom, reasonable quality output, easy enough to use and even learn the basics of manual controls on. It's what I started on really.
 
Cagey75 said:
Look at the Fuji bridge cams in Argos, if there's one nearby? They have view finders and are usually good for the price, plenty of zoom, reasonable quality output, easy enough to use and even learn the basics of manual controls on. It's what I started on really.
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I think bridge may be the way forward though they are bulkier.

Thanks.

I have vreed to take her out tomorrow so Cribbs Causeway in Bristol. Has an Argos, John Lewis and a reopened Jessops.

S
 
They are bulkier than a small compact, but generally better quality sensors, and they're not all that big. Much smaller than a dslr still. Make sure to look for ones with image stabilization. Makes a massive difference with these 'super zooms'
 
Cagey75 said:
They are bulkier than a small compact, but generally better quality sensors, and they're not all that big. Much smaller than a dslr still. Make sure to look for ones with image stabilization. Makes a massive difference with these 'super zooms'
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TBH the purchaser will baulk at the size. Apart from the Canon Powershot A1100 I don't think there is a compact to fit tge bill and a bridge won't fit her handbag!!!
 
Hugh Jarse said:
TBH the purchaser will baulk at the size. Apart from the Canon Powershot A1100 I don't think there is a compact to fit tge bill and a bridge won't fit her handbag!!!
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She needs a bigger handbag! :D When I had the bridge I used to pester the missus to hold it in her handbag when I wasn't shooting. I had a cam bag, but it was more fun to annoy her. The fuji I had, the s1000fd, was pretty small.
 
Cagey75 said:
She needs a bigger handbag! :D When I had the bridge I used to pester the missus to hold it in her handbag when I wasn't shooting. I had a cam bag, but it was more fun to annoy her. The fuji I had, the s1000fd, was pretty small.
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Well tomorrow we will see a good few and she has decided she will buy "something" for her holidays. My comment was that pictures of striking workers at the Rome tourist hotspots will be interesting.

Thanks for your further input!

Steve
 
To be honest steve the optical viewfinders even on the premium compacts are by and large rubbish, the exception being the one on the Fuji X20, but thats a much more expensive camera.
It would be far better to concentrate on the image quality etc or maybe try and find one with an EVF, though I don't think you will in your price bracket.
 
iancandler said:
To be honest steve the optical viewfinders even on the premium compacts are by and large rubbish, the exception being the one on the Fuji X20, but thats a much more expensive camera.
It would be far better to concentrate on the image quality etc or maybe try and find one with an EVF, though I don't think you will in your price bracket.
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Agree with what you are saying but my friend was struggling to frame her pictures yesterday as her Kodak compact doesn't have a viewfinder and even with a small amount of sunlight she couldn't see her grand daughter to place her in the picture.

She blames this factor on dropping the Kodak and breaking it.

I think overall she dumps her pictures to facebook so quality is secondary to getting something that mrans someting - ie pics with people's heads not missing!.

I have just remembered I have an an old 3.2mp Olympus C series which I may dig out and give her. It has a 1 gig Xd card in it. Small with a viewfinder too.
 
The EVF on bridge cameras is alright, they have gotten way better over the years. And yes, a VF is only for framing/composing, not admiring your images on :D
 
Steve, if she's happy with your old Oly and wants an extra card, drop me a PM - I have a redundant xD 1 GB card somewhere - my Oly died and they didn't want to know so I'll never have another and I think even they now use sD anyway. Can't get it to you for the weekend but 1GB in a 3.2 MP camera should be plenty for her for the time being anyway!
 
Nod said:
Steve, if she's happy with your old Oly and wants an extra card, drop me a PM - I have a redundant xD 1 GB card somewhere - my Oly died and they didn't want to know so I'll never have another and I think even they now use sD anyway. Can't get it to you for the weekend but 1GB in a 3.2 MP camera should be plenty for her for the time being anyway!
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Nod

Thats very kind.

I dug out the camera. It's in a very nice condition and found a long forgotten Fuji USB Xd card reader in the bag along with a pack of 2014 dated Lithium AA batteries!

Heading off to meet her at 11am so hopefully it will do the job and I will avoid my going "shopping".

Will get back to you later one way or the other

Regards

Steve
 
Nod said:
Steve, if she's happy with your old Oly and wants an extra card, drop me a PM - I have a redundant xD 1 GB card somewhere - my Oly died and they didn't want to know so I'll never have another and I think even they now use sD anyway. Can't get it to you for the weekend but 1GB in a 3.2 MP camera should be plenty for her for the time being anyway!
Click to expand...

Nod

Sorry for delay getting back to you. My friend dragged me around the shops and in the end decided to yake the Olympus. I then had to go to Slough so did not get back till late.

Although late for her trip, is your offer of the Xd card still on?

Regards

Steve
 
Yup, I've even found it! It's a 1GB H (which I think is a speed rating but I'm not sure) Olympus branded Samsung card. PM me a snail mail addy and I'll drop it in the 1st class post (taped to a bit of board to keep it thin and cheap to post!) for you ASAP.
 
Nod

Have sent you a PM.

Steve
 
Card all enveloped up and waiting for stamp and posting.
 
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