P&S camera suggestions?

**warweasel** · 07-06-2012, 11:33 AM

Not sure where I should post this... this looks like as good a place as any. Apologies if it should be elsewhere.

Can anyone suggest a good P&S camera? Going to a couple of concerts next month and can't get my 5D into those shows. Want something that has decent zoom capabilities and takes overall good photos. (especially in low light) Will be using it for an all purpose, carry about camera outside of this. (Something to toss in the car to use when a cell phone cam just doesn't quite cut it.)

Reasonably priced would be a bonus... hoping to stay in the $200-$250 range, but may spend a bit more for the right cam.

Thanks in advance!

**MichaelEmouse** · 07-06-2012, 02:12 PM

Good photos in low light and 200-250$ don't go together very well.

I'm quite satisfied with my Canon ELPH 300.

For comparisons, use this:
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Put snapsort and the names of the two cameras you want to compare in Google.

You may want to read over this thread as well:
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Whatever you get, make sure it has optical stabilization.

**warweasel** · 07-06-2012, 03:37 PM

Thanks, I'll check that out. I haven't used a P&S camera in years so I'm kinda outta touch with what's good & available. I have time to research, but input gives me a starting point... so thanks for that.

The low light... won't be terribly low light, but I'd like to get decent photos at the concerts... just wish I could get my 5D in there, unfortunatley that's a no go.

**MichaelEmouse** · 07-06-2012, 11:03 PM

What will you be photographing during the concerts? Would blurred movements add or detract from the pictures*?

If you will be taking pictures of things that don't move or where blurred movements are desired, then you could use long exposure photography, which will allow you to take low light pictures and still get sufficient exposure. You will need a tripod or some way to keep the camera stable during the picture.

If you want to take pictures which are above the standard cellphone camera, the one major improvement is stabilization (optical and through a tripod). This reduces camera-related blur and allows you to have a faster shutter speed which further reduces camera and subject-related blur.

Or perhaps you know this already.

*It might seem like the answer is obviously "no" but blurred movements can be used to good effect.

**warweasel** · 07-07-2012, 07:04 AM

I've shot bands before with my 5D... I just don't have the ability to do that for these 2 shows, as I'm not the event photographer, don't have a press pass & have no connection to the bands. I'm just going as a spectator, but want to get some good shots. I'm fairly well versed in photography in general, but I haven't even looked at P&S camera in.. 10 yrs or so. No idea what they're capable of or what brands offer the biggest bang for the buck, etc. I've shot with Canons for years, so... your ELPH suggestion is a good starting point.

**Resonance** · 07-08-2012, 08:26 PM

There are plenty of point and shoots that do relatively well in low light. Any camera with Sony's EXMOR image sensor will be good.

Alternatively, you can try a micro 4/3s camera.

**thesorehead** · 07-09-2012, 06:59 PM

Sorry to say OP, if you're used to the quality of your 5D there's not a single P&S that will produce acceptable output in typical concert conditions (which is to say: at night/in a darkened space, at a reasonable distance). How far away will you actually be? Is this an outdoor festival environment?

I am a huge, huge fan of Canon P&S cameras for their generally excellent "Auto" mode and image stabilising. But you'll struggle to find anything new under $250 that has a decent sensor size or lens quality you're accustomed to.

Seeing as you're a DSLR user, I'd recommend taking a look at Canon's Powershot G series - the G9, G11 and G12 in particular are older models and are larger than your average P&S but would be permitted in a concert. More importantly you'd be able to come in under budget - a quick check of ebay.com.au shows a G9 going for practically pocket change - and you'll get substantially better quality images than any pocket-sized P&S.

**Resonance** · 07-09-2012, 07:36 PM

The Canon S-series is pretty nice too. Sony has some pretty nice ones too. However, like the first reply said, a good P&S is hard to find under $250.

**Wapiti** · 07-09-2012, 11:40 PM

I miss my canon sx130is with CHDK installed for situations like you describe. Sadly I lost that camera. I'm strongly considering an sx150 for such situations, cheap and decent quality. Not sure chdk will work on it but I'm a Canon fan.

07-06-2012, 11:33 AM	#1
warweasel Member [07%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 316	Not sure where I should post this... this looks like as good a place as any. Apologies if it should be elsewhere. Can anyone suggest a good P&S camera? Going to a couple of concerts next month and can't get my 5D into those shows. Want something that has decent zoom capabilities and takes overall good photos. (especially in low light) Will be using it for an all purpose, carry about camera outside of this. (Something to toss in the car to use when a cell phone cam just doesn't quite cut it.) Reasonably priced would be a bonus... hoping to stay in the $200-$250 range, but may spend a bit more for the right cam. Thanks in advance!
warweasel is online post a comment

07-06-2012, 02:12 PM	#2
MichaelEmouse Member [26%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 1,049	Good photos in low light and 200-250$ don't go together very well. I'm quite satisfied with my Canon ELPH 300. For comparisons, use this: To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Put snapsort and the names of the two cameras you want to compare in Google. You may want to read over this thread as well: To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Whatever you get, make sure it has optical stabilization.
MichaelEmouse is online post a comment

07-06-2012, 03:37 PM	#3
warweasel Member [07%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 316	Thanks, I'll check that out. I haven't used a P&S camera in years so I'm kinda outta touch with what's good & available. I have time to research, but input gives me a starting point... so thanks for that. The low light... won't be terribly low light, but I'd like to get decent photos at the concerts... just wish I could get my 5D in there, unfortunatley that's a no go.
warweasel is online post a comment

07-06-2012, 11:03 PM	#4
MichaelEmouse Member [26%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 1,049	What will you be photographing during the concerts? Would blurred movements add or detract from the pictures? If you will be taking pictures of things that don't move or where blurred movements are desired, then you could use long exposure photography, which will allow you to take low light pictures and still get sufficient exposure. You will need a tripod or some way to keep the camera stable during the picture. If you want to take pictures which are above the standard cellphone camera, the one major improvement is stabilization (optical and through a tripod). This reduces camera-related blur and allows you to have a faster shutter speed which further reduces camera and subject-related blur. Or perhaps you know this already. It might seem like the answer is obviously "no" but blurred movements can be used to good effect.
MichaelEmouse is online post a comment

07-07-2012, 07:04 AM	#5
warweasel Member [07%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 316	I've shot bands before with my 5D... I just don't have the ability to do that for these 2 shows, as I'm not the event photographer, don't have a press pass & have no connection to the bands. I'm just going as a spectator, but want to get some good shots. I'm fairly well versed in photography in general, but I haven't even looked at P&S camera in.. 10 yrs or so. No idea what they're capable of or what brands offer the biggest bang for the buck, etc. I've shot with Canons for years, so... your ELPH suggestion is a good starting point.
warweasel is online post a comment

07-08-2012, 08:26 PM	#6
Resonance New Member [01%] MBTI: ENFX Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 16	There are plenty of point and shoots that do relatively well in low light. Any camera with Sony's EXMOR image sensor will be good. Alternatively, you can try a micro 4/3s camera.
Resonance is offline post a comment

07-09-2012, 06:59 PM	#7
thesorehead Member [20%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 827	Sorry to say OP, if you're used to the quality of your 5D there's not a single P&S that will produce acceptable output in typical concert conditions (which is to say: at night/in a darkened space, at a reasonable distance). How far away will you actually be? Is this an outdoor festival environment? I am a huge, huge fan of Canon P&S cameras for their generally excellent "Auto" mode and image stabilising. But you'll struggle to find anything new under $250 that has a decent sensor size or lens quality you're accustomed to. Seeing as you're a DSLR user, I'd recommend taking a look at Canon's Powershot G series - the G9, G11 and G12 in particular are older models and are larger than your average P&S but would be permitted in a concert. More importantly you'd be able to come in under budget - a quick check of ebay.com.au shows a G9 going for practically pocket change - and you'll get substantially better quality images than any pocket-sized P&S.
thesorehead is offline post a comment

07-09-2012, 07:36 PM	#8
Resonance New Member [01%] MBTI: ENFX Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 16	The Canon S-series is pretty nice too. Sony has some pretty nice ones too. However, like the first reply said, a good P&S is hard to find under $250.
Resonance is offline post a comment

07-09-2012, 11:40 PM	#9
Wapiti Core Member [357%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 14,287	I miss my canon sx130is with CHDK installed for situations like you describe. Sadly I lost that camera. I'm strongly considering an sx150 for such situations, cheap and decent quality. Not sure chdk will work on it but I'm a Canon fan.
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