A Small Take-along Camera needed UPDATE

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My husband and I have begun taking trips on our motorcycle and my Nikon is proving to be just too big to bring along.  Since I am a point and shoot girl, a take-along camera doesn't have to be fancy, but since I do have a good camera, I am used to getting quality pictures. Suggestions?

UPDATE:

I just got back from Best Buy and there were two that the clerk recommended, but both had LCD screens so :-{

Most of my shots will be outside ones. Both have 3' screen size and 1080 video

Nikon Coolpix S9100 - 12.1 megapixels; 18x zoom.

Sony Cybershot H?9 ( Ican't read my notes, but it is H something 9) - 16.2 Megapixels; 16x zoom.

Perhaps she only showed me these because I told her I had an old Cybershot and currently had a Nikon.  It sounds like I need to check out the Cannon Powershot, Canon ELPH, the Olympus Pen, and the Nikon J-1. 

I did think of an iphone because my kids have one, but I have a flip phone = old school - which fits in my jeans pocket and can be dropped all the time without damage.

Thank you so much for your input.  I can see that I need to widen my search.  Perhaps I can find one with a viewfinder option. Back to the store.......

[F, Calla & Luca]

I love my Canon digital elph. I have an old one and a newer one. The newer one does not have a viewfinder which is a drawback since in really bright light LCD screens can be harder to see. There may still be small cameras that have viewfinders. I love that the camera slips int a pocket though. And it very simple. My albums Italy And the Train show were taken with the newer one.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I have the Canon PowerShot S95.  It's always in my purse.  I've been pleased with the quality of the photos.

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

I have the Canon Power Shot SX 120.  It is Small and takes what I consider wonderful pics.   It has a 10 X zoom and maxes out to 40 X on the extra zoom included in the camera lens (I think its the optical zoom).  I actually got it on

a close out, this model is no longer available, and only paid $30.00 for it.  The bargain of a life time.  However the newer modes SX 130, 140 and 150 all have been intriguing me, they have a longer zoom and if they are half as

good, you might like them a lot.  You can always go to any camera counter and find the ones you are interested in to

'try it out.

I just got an Olympus Pen E-PL 1 two weeks ago, which I do like, but unlike the Canon, it does not do auto-focus as

easily and I have lost a lot of shots to blurriness.  There is a definite learning curve to this camera though just yesterday I re-read the book and it does have a P  (point and shoot) mode which I plan to try today.  It is also a very

small, mirrorless, four/thirds camera, which has the ability to interchange lenses, which is why I wanted it. 

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

Nancy, have you looked at the Nikon J-1?  It looks like the best of both worlds.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

checked this out on line and it certainly does what I want EXCEPT if I choose it, I will have to save up for a while.  hmmmm.

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

Nancy, I was playing with the camera in point and shoot mode today and now I totally love it.  It took great pics, once I

realized the image stabilizer was turned off and turned it on.  All the photos I shot today were in focus.  Guess I just

have to use it more.  It is not pocket size like some, but definitely smaller than a lot of DSLR's. 

[Richard Crowe]

My wife absolutely loves her new Canon ELPH 100HS because of the size and the hot pink color. My criteria for a camera is quite different.  The images that the ELPH produces are certainly decent but, in truth, I don't think that the image quality is up to that of my ancient (1999 vintage) 5.0 MP Olympus C5050Z. But, then again the Oly cost $700 new in 1999 and the ELPH cost only $129 today. I certainly don't think that the image quality that the ELPH produces is anyway near the quality of a T2i/T3i or a 60D/7D Canon camera.

 

There are quite a few 4/3 format cameras produced by various manufacturers which are supposed to produce quite nice image quality.  However, most of these cameras have only LCD screens for viewfiunders and I would never buy a camera that requires live view on the LCD.  It is too hard to view in bright sunlight.

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

I totally agree with you, Richard.  The LCD viewfinder is difficult to work with.  I am toying with the idea of some

kind of shade umbrella for both my cameras, neither of which have the optional viewfinder, however, for another not so small investment the Olympus does sell a viewfinder that attaches to the plate on top.  I will pass on it, too costly for my toys. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I agree about the LCD. The old Elph that I have has one and I much prefer that to my newer one.

[Kate C Pappas]

Right now Panasonic has the Lumix GH1 that is pretty amazing and does have a viewfinder. Next month Sony is coming out with the Cybershot NEX7 and Olympus is bringing one out too. My friend just bought the Lumix and her shots are pretty amazing.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Recently during an interview, photographer Ann Geddes, famous baby photographer, answered this very question.   She suggested the iphone  :)

My iphone has taken wonderful pictures and I only have an iphone 3.   The later models are much better quality and have improved tremendously in photo and video quality.

Look at this old discussion posted by Linda and Toby iphone video

It's an idea.  Similar in cost.  And you only have to carry one item; both a phone and a camera which are always handy.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Interesting thought.