Yes yes, yawn yawn, which digital compact camera for a relative, usual dull thread.
However, there's only one question I need answering.
Said relative insists she hates the little digital screens in the back, and want an optical viewfinder to peer through (as well is fine).
She wouldn't change her camera from her existing old Konica that uses slide film at all if it wasn't now so difficult to source the film, show the slides to people and so forth.
I can't track down anything at all in this kind of market with an optical viewfinder - seems pretty dead in the water as an option, unless you buy something "expensive" (over about £200 tops) or very complex (needs to be really point and shoot, and quality isn't going to be a huge issue I don't think to be honest).
So just in case, anyone got or know of such a beast?
|
Canon powershot A1300
www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5621422.htm
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 25 Jan 13 at 16:20
|
I bought a Canon A640 five years ago partly because it had a look-through viewfinder. Truth is, I almost never use it, mainly because it's barely usable. It shows so little of the scene that I end up with pictures full of unwanted features at the edges, which the viewfinder didn't show me. And to get any exposure information I have to put the camera down and look at the LCD anyway. Mrs Beest's Ixus 70 has a finder that's even worse. I can't imagine the cheapie A1300 is any better, and it's likely to be infuriatingly slow.
Fuji's X10 has a much better viewfinder - and a deliciously mechanical zoom action - and is available at run-out prices now there's an X20 (but google 'white orbs' before buying one) but not sub-£200. The optics in a viewfinder cost money, so they're either expensive or useless.
The Olympus XZ-1 is available at close to £200 now, and will take an accessory finder if Rellie insists (at a price, of course.) But my guess is that the clarity of a good modem LCD will change her mind; it changed mine.
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Fri 25 Jan 13 at 17:05
|
Very good suggestion, A1300 at £59 on Amazon. 'Snap' one up while it's there. Not my sort of camera but fantastic value.
I really like the Fuji X10 too - might appeal to somebody who has used something more traditional.
Last edited by: Manatee on Fri 25 Jan 13 at 17:06
|
|
.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Fri 25 Jan 13 at 17:13
|
Brilliant, thank you for the suggestions. I shall put them before her.
She will, of course, expect to see them in a camera shop as the Internet hasn't reached the untapped wilds of her consciousness as being anything relevant, but that's a whole new hoop game.
As ever, I'll update next week sometime when there's anything worth saying.
Note that having anything worth saying has never stopped me posting before, and no precedents are being set.
|
|
One of today's crop of nuisance emails from Amazon contained an offer of a Nikon V1 with standard zoom for £230. The V1 has had mixed reviews and wouldn't be my cup of tea but it has some clever features and a built-in electronic finder. At that price (I imagine it's about to be superseded) it looks like a lot for the money.
|
|
Nikon V2 was released last October
|
|
I must admit a viewfinder is probably the only lacking thing I miss that was initially on my essential list when I bought my Sony compact travel zoom. I really liked the bridge cameras that had an EVF with eyesight correction.
|
|
I have just bought a second hand travel camera. It is a Nikon S8000, which looks as if it has never been out of its box. Initially released about three years ago it does all I will need and is a good quality camera. I updated the firmware to the latest version which took about five minutes and now have an as new pocket sized camera for a fraction of the new price.
|
Late last year I bought my daughter a used Sony travel zoom (the same model as mine) from Ebay and that has proved perfect at £180 less than original selling price.
I did look at the Nikon S8000 when I bought my Sony but I take a lot of HD movie clips and found you couldn't use the Nikon optical zoom when filming.
|
Which digital compact camera - Zero
