So hard to find..

[Strangways]

My son is off round the world next month with a backpack and has decided he doesn't want to carry around his 400D. He wants a small compact to carry in his pocket to take some reasonable pictures to look back at in the future.
There are so many compacts on the market you would think it would be easy to find a few to choose from, but unless I'm missing something it is very limited. Apart from taking a reasonable picture there are three things that I feel are quite important.
Firstly, he doesn't really want to lug another battery charger with him so it wants to be something that takes AA or AAA batteries.
Secondly it needs to have a viewfinder. We all know what it's like trying to look at an LCD in the sun and most places he visits it will be sunny. It will also double his battery life if he uses the viewfinder.
Thirdly it needs to fit in his pocket.

The only Camera I have found so far is the Canon PowerShot A1100 IS.

Does anybody know of other cameras that fit the bill?

 

[Ian W]

Sounds like a tough spec. to match.

As you'll no doubt know, the AA / AAA batteries are usually only used on low end cameras with the higher end cameras coming with rechargable batteries. At the same time, it's only those higher end cameras that will have the viewfinder.

Good luck with the search, but if the PowerShot fits the bill and the battery / viewfinder issues aren't flexible at all I'd go with the PowerShot

 

[akr]

Could get a film compact I suppose?

I'm sure your son is more than capable of making his mind up about the charger, but all I'll say is he'll no doubt remember the trip for the rest of his life and for the price of lugging a small charger around compared to lugging a charger for an ipod etc around I'd take the camera one everytime. Camera and maybe a phone for emergencies, leave everything else, he'll be busy meeting people \ seeing the sites etc. Just IMHO. I still look back at my pictures now.

Also when I did mind to try and safeguard my pictures as best I could, I use to get them printed and copied to CD. I'd then send a copy of the pictures home with the previous CD, and so on so I always had two copies of the pictures, and my family got to see them (not facebook for me back in 2001!)

Sorry that's not much help to your original question!

Al

 

[tijuana taxi]

I have a Canon A720 IS 8MP, takes 2 x AA's and has a viewfinder (of sorts)

Lasts for ages on a couple of lithiums, range of manual controls and IS too

Although its now an old model, might be worth looking for, always been pleased with mine. It gets used for work and carried all over the place in a rucksack, so despite its plastic case, must be fairly tough

 

[Strangways]

Sounds like a tough spec. to match.

As you'll no doubt know, the AA / AAA batteries are usually only used on low end cameras with the higher end cameras coming with rechargable batteries. At the same time, it's only those higher end cameras that will have the viewfinder.

Good luck with the search, but if the PowerShot fits the bill and the battery / viewfinder issues aren't flexible at all I'd go with the PowerShot

It does seem to be a reasonable camera, but I just felt there may be some other choices.

Sorry that's not much help to your original question!

Al

Always interested in suggestions and ideas.

I have a Canon A720 IS 8MP, takes 2 x AA's and has a viewfinder (of sorts)

Lasts for ages on a couple of lithiums, range of manual controls and IS too

Although its now an old model, might be worth looking for, always been pleased with mine. It gets used for work and carried all over the place in a rucksack, so despite its plastic case, must be fairly tough

I think the A1100 is just a later model of your A720, so it's good to here you are happy with it.