I’m reading camera reviews... I think I want a replacement for my trusted Exilim S2. Right now the Digital Camera Resource Buyers Guide recommends various Canon Powershots, Fuji FinePix F30 because it is “great at low light shooting” (something I like to do a lot!), Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1 because of the big zoom, and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W50 because of numerous accessories.
Digital Camera Resource Buyers Guide
I was totally ready to buy another Exilim, but the Fuji FinePix F30 does sound interesting. I’ll have to spend some more time reading the reviews. Unfortunately they don’t use SD cards and I just bought a 1G SD card... 🙁
The stuff I liked about the Exilim S2:
What I didn’t like:
#Photography #Gadgets #Camera
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Why not go for a Digital SLR? You get much better picture quality, better battery life and more control.
For the price, the Pentax K110D is hard to beat. Here in the UK it’s just £376 including lens, over £100 less than the cheapest Nikon or Canon. The K100D is much more expensive (£599). The only difference is that the K100D has built in image stabilisation. It’s nice, but no great loss for the difference in price. It uses SD cards too, so your 1Gb card won’t be wasted 😄
The K110D looks perfect for low-light photography. It goes all the way to ISO3200 - that’s 3 stops more sensitive than most compact digitals, and what I use on my Canon 300D for night photography.
If I was looking for a throw around camera, that’s the one I’d go for.
– GreyWulf 2006-11-26 14:03 UTC
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Hm, the review does sound interesting. I’m just afraid I got used to very small and light-weight cameras. I’ll try and find a shop here in Zürich where I can pick it up give it a try. Too bad I gave away my dad’s very old non-digital camera with some lenses many years ago. Should I buy a “real” camera again, those lenses would have come handy.
It seems that I should be able to get the K100D with the 18-55mm lens for CHF 871 (GBP 372) from a shop in the town I work in. That would be nice because I could go there if breaks...
– Alex Schroeder 2006-11-26 14:45 UTC
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Good idea. When it comes to cameras, it’s all about how it feels in your hands and whether your mind works the same way as the controls. I prefer Canons while Christa loves Nikons. It’s a mentality thing, nothing more.
If I remember rightly, the Pentax is tiny for a digital SLR. While it’s not as small as a compact, it should fit easily into a large coat pocket. And Pentax lenses are great - very cheap, very popular, and very sharp. It’s easy to pick up second-hand pentax lenses for very little money right now. While I’d never buy lenses from ebay, it does give a good indication of second-hand lens prices for Pentaxes.
of second-hand lens prices for Pentaxes
The lens that comes as standard with the camera looks very good though, so I don’t think you’d need to replace it for a while 😄
– GreyWulf 2006-11-26 15:09 UTC
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For quick snapshots without waiting for things to set up, I’ve come to appreciate being able to have my cellphone (Sony k800i) ready in standby mode and just open the lens cover and shoot whenever I find a composition.
– DianeMurray 2006-11-26 20:32 UTC
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Hm, how strange. The difference between the Pentax K100D (CHF 871) and Pentax K110D (853) seems to be really small (using the price comparison portal toppreise.ch). I like built-in image stabilisation because I don’t like using a flash.
When I picked up one of the cameras in a shop, I was surprised how light they were, but I was still scared of the bulk. Would I carry such a camera on the streets of Rio, Tetuan, or Rome? I don’t know. I’ll have to change my entire approach to digital fotography. I think I’ll just have to go ahead and do it.
And so I did.
I ordered it.
As for mobile phones – both Claudia and I are currently stuck with lousy 1.3 megapixel phones, and we’re not planning to invest any money in new phones. I’ll probably give my Exilim S2 to Claudia and she’ll carry it along... 😄
– Alex Schroeder 2006-11-27 22:57 UTC
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Excellent! I look forward to seeing your photos.
That price difference is unfair! The cheapest I’ve found the K100D in the UK is £549 - that’s a big price hike from the K110D. Ah well.
I’ve lugged cameras though Kenya, Venice and New York, among others. Generally there’s no problem provided you don’t just leave it someplace and walk away. I’ve known soooooooo many people do that with their cameras, then act surprised when it ain’t there when they return. Park benches. That’s the most common spot.
If I’m in a tourist area, I always wind the strap around my wrist rather than carry the camera around my neck. That way it’s more accessible for me, but less accessible to others. Simple, really.
The only time I had trouble was here in the UK - a group of “youths” approached looking non too friendly. That’s when I was happy I’d got my black carbon fibre monopod on hand. A quick flick of the release mechanism on that and they fled 😄
– GreyWulf 2006-11-28 17:18 UTC
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What’s this monopod thing? A martial arts kind of thing? 😄
In all fairness, the merchant hasn’t written back to confirm my order. Weird.
– Alex Schroeder 2006-11-28 17:52 UTC
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ich bin super zufrieden mit meiner exilim 7.2. schnell, gute bilder, klein.
und du meinst, bevor ich mir (endlich!) eine neue sd karte kaufe, soll ich mal bei dir nachfragen? 😄
– zeno 2006-11-28 21:16 UTC