I will be heading to Thailand in a few months and i am in need of a new camera. Looking around $300+/-, don't really have a clue when it comes to cameras or even where to start. Cheers for any advice.
New Camera for around $300
Lr3volt on 14/01/2013 - 18:53
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Will look into it, looks quite good for the price. Cheers
Bought a Canon Powershot S100 2 months ago from UniqueMobiles — nice P&S with lots of control and shoots RAW. Recently superseded by S110 which has WiFi and touch screen (but no GPS) — probably not worth the upgrade.
I have been reading and most reviews point towards the 100 still being the better option. How do you find the battery life with yours? Seems to be the only real downside i can see. Most places are out of stock or no longer stock it as it has been replaced with the 110.
Yeah the battery is not great. Usually drained at the end of the day (after maybe 100 shoots). It's also not compatible with older Powershot S-series. I had a S95 before but lost it, and they use different batteries/chargers.
I have the S95, in terms of battery life it isn't very generous either (200 shots without flash, or 30 mins of HD video).
Easily taken care of with a spare battery though. Buy 2 from eBay for $10-14, leave a spare in the hotel to charge while you're out and you'll be set.
The S100 has a inbuilt GPS that sips power even though the camera is turned off. Apparently that is what is causing the battery drain issue that users have reported. Turning off the GPS function will prevent that.
Top buy is sold out. Most other online retailers also seem to be aswell. I have found a few silver but no blacks. There are a few on ebay but prices are quite high around the 400+. Might be time to look at the US or look for another model
The Canon is a good choice but if you need a bit more zoom the Sony DSC-HX9V is one of the best travel zoom cameras right now, although some user reviews mention issues with the pop up flash.
http://m.cnet.com.au/sony-cyber-shot-dsc-hx9v-339312086.htm?…
If you want to go underwater with it will recommend the TG-1 from Olympus. Otherwise what they said above are great options.
Here is a list of highly rated cameras within your price range
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-compact-cameras/The Panasonic LX7 can be bought for about $350 grey.
http://www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/astore/Panasonic-Lumix-D…
It's not as pocketable as the S100 but should have better image quality, especially in low light, and the f1.4-2.3 lens makes getting blurred backgrounds easier. It also has a multi-aspect sensor so changing aspect ratios doesn't reduce your resolution significantly
Given the OP has indicated they don't have much experience with cameras, I wouldn't recommend the LX7 unless they plan on getting into photography or playing with manual controls later in the future.
Great camera nonetheless, but like all others I'd recommend the Canon S-series as your all-rounder compact camera.
If you're looking for the Canon S100, Citiwide have it for $258 + $40 postage, although only in silver. Citiwide is a pretty reputable seller too.
Otherwise, if you can spare another ~$30 you can get the Canon S110 from DWI Digital Cameras for $332 w/ free postage. DWI's reputation has varied greatly of late, although I haven't had any problems in past dealings with them.
And, if you're looking for a cheaper alternative, I think the Nikon P310 is also a very good choice- it's got a fast f1.8 lens at wide-angle, is similarly sized and shaped and is also of good build quality, and offers very acceptable image quality. It doesn't shoot in RAW or have the very handy control ring on the lens like the Canon S-series, but as a regular, everyday user these features will have little-to-no relevance to you anyway. You can get it from DWI for $197 w/ free postage.
Thanks for the info mate. Is there much different between the 100 and 110? Most comparisons put the 100 above the 110.
I wouldn't say there's much difference at all. Touchscreen and wifi are somewhat novelty additions, and in terms of image quality it's pretty much the same.
Up to you if you want to spend the extra $30 really. I guess there's the possibility of resale in the future, but I wouldn't pick a camera based solely on that.
For the benefit of anyone else who stumbles upon this discussion at this late stage, the Lumix LX7s Intelligent Auto mode is almost unparalelled when it comes to producing excellent "beginner" results in this price range.
I had a test drive of the Canon Powershot S100 during my trip a few weeks back to Vietnam. Quality shooter, and it also fits in your pocket very easily. Does 1080p video records and has built in GPS.
Sells for $300. Or $270+ from TopBuy
Got very good reviews:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jMRM5dlIHc