Spec me a point and click

tintin82 · 29 Dec 2017 at 16:00

Hi Folks,

I am in the market for a new point and click digital camera, nothing fancy, just great shots. I don't care for Wi Fi / GPS, and all that fancy stuff, I just want great pics with a camera that's simple to use.

I have been a Cannon IXUS user for years having a 750 back in 2006, 95 in 2009, and my current IXUS 220 HS since 2012. It has served me well, but as time goes on the pictures just seem a bit washed out, and the low light capability is rubbish. My wife took a selection of shots on Xmas day and they were pretty blurry which frustrated us, hence my thoughts that technology might have moved on and an upgrade is overdue.

I see deals are quite good on the IXUS 185, although note that the movie is only 720p vs my current 1080p.

Any recommendations?

Thanks

EsaT · 29 Dec 2017 at 22:21

With cameras in all cellphones whole compact digicam market has almost imploded and there really aren't much of selection compared to that of decade ago.

Except for not so pocketable/even bigger superzoom cameras there aren't much of fixed lens cameras besides few compacts and some ruggerized+waterpoofed cameras.
(like waterproof to depth of 15m, 2m fall shockproof and you could sit on top of it)

You can use Dpreview's search for finding options, there's also 1080p selection for video
https://www.dpreview.com/products/search/cameras
If you want to improve image quality while being satisfied to less zoom so called 1" sensor size would give it.

You can use this site for comparing physical sizes:
http://camerasize.com/compare/

Just notice that cameras can have different naming in different areas like IXUS apparently being called Elph in North America.

snapdragon · 1 Jan 2018 at 16:29

With no mention of budget but talk of washed out colours and poor low light performance I'd give the Sony RX range a look.

Hard to touch for a P&S

a1ex2001 · 2 Jan 2018 at 03:39

Budget will be key!

What phone do you have? My wife has an iphone 7 and it has relegated our high end compact to the shelf so worth considering an upgrade of phone instead of camera!

Begbie · 2 Jan 2018 at 06:48

Budget depending, the RX series are great. I have the Mk1, and it's certainly better than my phone. But I think to beat a flagship phone with a p&s you need to spend a fair bit of money these days.

EGuitarStar · 2 Jan 2018 at 20:05

As others have said:

1. Which mobile phone do you have?
a. Do you have an upgrade due soon or are you looking for a new mobile?

2. The Sony RX100 series or the Panasonic LX15 are great enthusiast cameras though they come at a price. So what is your budget?

Spleen Sauce · 3 Jan 2018 at 07:47

Someone is selling a Sony RX100 Mk1 on the members market section, worth a look.

snapdragon · 3 Jan 2018 at 11:50

Hah thanks spleen that is me.

ddoubleep · 10 Jan 2018 at 09:56

tintin82 said:
Hi Folks,

My wife took a selection of shots on Xmas day and they were pretty blurry which frustrated us, hence my thoughts that technology might have moved on and an upgrade is overdue.

Thanks

Did you have it in auto? What shutter speed was being used? A low shutter speed will be a common cause for this.

The RX100 M1 is decent. I had it for a couple years before upgrading. Even in auto mode that will blur from time to time if people move whilst you take images of them. I used to use it in shutter priority mode to compensate for this as in auto mode it was far too happy to be stuck in 1/30 shutter.

Energize · 11 Jan 2018 at 05:19

A new camera isn't gonna stop your photos being blurry, every camera will take blurry pictures if you leave it in auto mode when taking pictures in dark conditions. The camera doesn't know that you're trying to take photos of moving people or have shaky hands and need a faster shutter speed.

In order to get the photo that you have in your head you need to tell the camera what to do eg. putting it in shutter priority.

tintin82 · 6 Feb 2018 at 11:18

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Its a SGS5. Using it in auto all the time, which is probably as you say why its blurry.

Daytime shots on my phone are fantastic, whoop my compact hands down, but night shots are again blurry. Guess I need to learn how to use shutter settings

D.P. · 6 Feb 2018 at 13:19

yeah, if you get a P&S and leave it in auto the photos at nighttime wont be any better than the phone.
TBH, at night time there is no short cut really, your options are:

1) Use a tripod. Best option, but doesn't work if people are moving
2) Set up a load of external lighting and strobes. works for moving people but you need the equipment set up. Will give good results but you need to do a lot of learning. Will need DSLR/mirrorless
3). Flash mounted on camera, bounced off ceiling. With proper aperture and ISo you get good results. Will need DSLR/mirrorless
4). FF camera with very fast prime and shoot at very high ISO. Accept that their will be grain. And just because there is no flash doesn;t mean the lighting will be the most natural. Also, if the subject moves sufficiently then you will need a flash anyway.