[radiantnyc]

I recently purchased a Panasonic Lumix Camera(2.0). I was drawn to this one because of the Leica lens, but the images have not been to my liking. Part of the problem is that the manual options are limited. I am going to sell the camera and want to trade up. Was hoping I could get some advice fromother mac users as to what their favorite camera is. I am not looking to go wholly professional but do appreciate some manual capabilities. I'm also not looking to go much beyond the $400 range. What are people's thoughts on the canon elphs? I work with dv quite a bit and love my canon GL1 but not sure if the still cameras are comparable.

[JeffTan]

I am currently using the Canon G2 (the latest model is G3), which is a very good 4MP digital camera with fast lens (f2.0-2.5) and long battery life. The only drawback is its size. Canon S45 (4MP) is another good digital camera with many features of the G2/G3 but in a more compact form. The battery life is not as good as the G2/G3 though. The Canon Digital Ixus/Elph V3 (3MP) is very compact but its flash is rather weak (esp for indoor shots) and its battery life is much shorter than the G2/G3 and S45. You can visit the following website which has an extensive review of all the digital cameras:
www.dpreview.com

[Paranoid_Android]

I own the Canon PowerShot S30.
I love it.
I've heard great things about the S45 as well.
Go Canon, Nikon or Minolta. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Ti_Guy]

In reply to:

---

Go Canon, Nikon or Minolta.

---

Nope, Paranoid. I have to dissagree a little here, and add Olympus. I've only used a few digital cameras in the past few years, but I've been a film SLR user for 20 years. The Olympus C4040 (and the new C5050) are, to me, as close as you can get to a REAL film camera. I just love the chubby, but quite compact feel to the C-series.
radiantnyc,
If you like how a camera "handles", then go ahead and enjoy. People have different priorities when it comes to choosing a camera; it gets even more complicated when you add the word 'Digital" to the equation, with all the pixel-count and other geek stuff. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
For me, it's just plain old photography priorities that may never change (aperture, shutter speed, etc.). One has to be more careful with white balance, though.
I suppose anything 4MP or more today will get great results. I personaly like a camera that allows quick manual adjustments without having to go through menus , like white balance, aperture, exposure overrides, etc. I also love a simple, film-camera-like layout. I found that (and a great lens) in the Olympus, and I'm here to recomend it as my choice.

[JeffTan]

Check this out
http://www.dpreview....cpsqpreview.asp
The new Nikon Cookpix SQ looks damn cool!

[Matt_G]

In reply to:

---

I own the Canon PowerShot S30.
I love it.

---

I've been working in a camera store for the past two years--Nikon and Canon put out the best stuff, no doubt. I also highly recommend the S30, or the S40 if you can find a good price on it (it is discontinued, so finding it might be tough).

[Just_Helping_Macs]

I too have a canon s30. It is such a great camera. Has many advance features for a low price. If you print pictures that are 8x10 and lower, you only really need a three mega camera. Anything bigger go for a higher mega pixel ( s45- 4mega but 500 dollars). You can get it for 350 from gateway, and they throw in a 128mb flash card free. Hurry because supplies are dwindling. Good Luck and tell us what you get

[Hunter]

Here's another vote for Canon. I currently use a Canon S40 and had two earlier versions whose names escape me at the moment. All were easy to use, have high quality lenses, work seamlessly with my PB, and use compact flash cards, which means you can use IBM MicroDrive with up to 1 Gig of memory. S40 also has a tremendous number of pre-programmed exposure and focus options as well as complete manual control. I went for the S40 instead of G2 last year because of the camera's size. I can literally stick in my pocket in a pinch so I am much more likely to have it with me. One plus for G series is that you can plug in a supplemental flash if you need to, but I get around that using slaved flashes when I want more light. EBay is a good source for both new and used digital cameras.
The main disadvantage for all these cameras is the limited lens capacity...check out CKC Power Digital Accessories http://www.ckcpower.com/ for lens adaptors and auxiliary lenses for Canon and other Digital cameras. My wife uses the digital elph, now called the S320 or something similar and is also very satisfied with it. It's really small and very good quality, but only 2 Meg.

[cgreer00]

I have an S40 and I love love love it. The size is great and I take it out to the bars with me or wherever else I want to go. But the quality is amazing. I am into photography and I literally sold my SLR and all of the lenses because the shots that I like to take I can easily do with the S40. Prints look excellent....very crisp. Every image on my website is taken with my S40, i give it 2 huge thumbs up.

[Elysium]

THe SQ looks cool but wouldn't it produce a lot of red eye with the lens and the flash right next to one another?

[radiantnyc]

hey everyone! Thank you so much for all the advice. I went to B & H today and got the Canon G2 at a pretty nice price. I am planning on using this camera to get still images for a documentary I'm working on, and much of the time will be spent in low-lighting situations. From what I read in the review sites and what the salesman told me, it appears that the G2 will work quite well for concert/bar/lounge situations. Yes, it is indeed a bit larger than I was hoping for but I imagine that I'll get used to it. I will post my thoughts on the camera as I begin using it. Now, if ony my Ti 17" would arrive!!!

[slffl]

I'm surprised so many people are recommending cameras over $400. Anyway, personally I use a Minolta Dimage 7i. Awesome camera! Manual zoom, VERY easy manual controls, 5mp, $850. However if I was looking for something cheaper and/or smaller it would be the Dimage F300. 5mp also, out soon.

[JeffTan]

radiantnyc,
The G2 is ideal for shooting in low-lighting situations because of its fast lens (f2.0-f2.5). I am able to take some decent indoor pictures without using the flash.

[NightEyes]

I have a Canon S230, which is a 3 megapixel digicam with a 2x zoom. There are some good manual options on this little wonder as well. The S230 sells for around $400, so it's also in your price range.