# Looking for a new digital camera



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

So the wife and I will be spending three weeks in England with her family for the holidays this year.

Was thinking about replacing my old Nikon Coolpix 995 before we leave. Bought it when it first came out and while it still takes a very good picture it is somewhat bulky and in less than ideal light conditions it doesn't do so good.

Was wondering if we had any photography buffs in the group that had a recommendation on a good affordable digital camera. I don't want to spend a arm and a leg for one as in a month it will be outdated just like anything else electronic these days.


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## HALLSHAY (Nov 30, 2008)

I just bought a new canon sx 40 hs and it should be here today if the UPS man doesn't get stuck in a snow drift. Not very compact, but has some awesome features including 35x optical zoom and HD video. I hunt a bit and so I wanted something with some zoom. I will post some pics from it later. Less than $400 and so very cheap when comparing to a DSLR and a telephoto lens. I also read some good reviews on a new canon sx100 (I think) that is compact.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I was kind of looking at this one: Canon PowerShot G12 information from Consumer Reports

I'll look into the one you mentioned as well.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

I've had both Nikon and Canon. I personally think Canon makes a better digital. I recently bought my wife a Canon SX 40 HS (you're going to love it Tim!). I used it at a wedding last week. The zoom and low-light capability turned out pictures I could have never taken with our other digital cameras.

She mainly uses it for point and shoot with our granddaughters. It takes great pictures and the zoom is amazing. It also has a burst capability for action shots (horses over jumps) and will take almost an hour of HD video on a 16Gb card. It also has special settings to optimize for special situations.....if you like to tinker with it. It is bigger than the digital she carried in her purse, but the pictures make it worthwhile.....Just like the SLR's we use to carry but lighter.

I've lived in the UK three times. This would be the perfect camera for the insides of pubs, castles, and cathedrals. I got it on Amazon....no sales tax.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

I prefer the Canon Rebel models. Yes they are higher priced, but take a great picture. Mine with zoom lens cost about $800. I will never go back to the lower grade digitals. I'm a Realtor as well as a farmer so I use it a lot for taking pictures of properties. Plus I take pictures of homes and properties about to be foreclosed on for lenders so it's good to have a camera that can zoom in fast and take a picture very fast before anyone knows I'm there. It also does great for taking pictures of hay to send to potential customers. I also have bought the new Iphone 4s. That takes a better picture then any other digital camera, besides the Canon Rebel, then any others I've ever owned.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I checked the stats on my old camera, had a 4x optical zoom, the one I'm looking at has a 5x. I really never go nuts on the zoom so I'm not sure if paying for something that has a 35x is worth it. However if in low light situations it takes a better picture, then that alone might be worth it.

Was at King's cathedral last time we were there, no flash allowed so if the SX40 takes a good pic with no flash in low light, again might be worth it even if I never use the full potential of the zoom.

I have a Motorola Atrix 4g now with a 5 megapixel camera and it takes amazing pictures as well, almost does better then my Nikon until you have to Zoom, picture quality degrades rather rapidly with nothing but a digital zoom. Started with a different phone that had a 8 mp camera and it was really amazing, but as a phone it sucked.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

Marty, I'm in Guatemala right now and the SX 40 HS is the best travel camera we've ever had. Takes great pictures and movies!!!


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## HALLSHAY (Nov 30, 2008)

I haven't had a chance to post any pictures yet with my new camera, but I really like it so far. Should get some cool pictures this weekend as I will be deer hunting. I built a camera arm that mounts to the tree and this is one of my first videos. After the deer, click next and there is a short woodpecker video.
Tim Hall | Facebook


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Bought the SX40 and it takes some amazing photo's. Almost too good, the wife had me take a few shots around the house of the minimal x-mas decorating she did this year then had me post em to Facebook. Later after looking at the pics on Facebook, I pointed out she needs to dust the kitchen chairs.


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## NCSteveH (Jun 30, 2009)

mlappin said:


> Bought the SX40 and it takes some amazing photo's. Almost too good, the wife had me take a few shots around the house of the minimal x-mas decorating she did this year then had me post em to Facebook. Later after looking at the pics on Facebook, I pointed out she needs to dust the kitchen chairs.


Now you did it, no matter how nice the pictures come out she will remember you posting the pictures of the dust furniture for all to see with that new camera.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

mlappin said:


> Bought the SX40 and it takes some amazing photo's. Almost too good, the wife had me take a few shots around the house of the minimal x-mas decorating she did this year then had me post em to Facebook. Later after looking at the pics on Facebook, I pointed out she needs to dust the kitchen chairs.


Congrats! Learn to use the video option before you head for the UK. I missed some great opportunities before I remembered what I had read in the manual. Have a good trip!


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Mike120 said:


> Congrats! Learn to use the video option before you head for the UK. I missed some great opportunities before I remembered what I had read in the manual. Have a good trip!


How well does the video function work? I haven't played with it yet. If I use it too much I might want to pick up a 32gb card for it in England. Flash media is stupid cheap over there. I do have a JVC Camcorder that uses a 60gb mini hard drive.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

mlappin said:


> How well does the video function work? I haven't played with it yet. If I use it too much I might want to pick up a 32gb card for it in England. Flash media is stupid cheap over there. I do have a JVC Camcorder that uses a 60gb mini hard drive.


Once I remembered how to do it (use the red button by the view finder) it worked very well. Look at the video Tim posted...he also shows the power of the zoom. With all of the brush/trees it seemed a little slow on the focus, but in that situation a camcorder would act the same.

I never shot more than 2 minutes of video at a time but it was perfect to capture what I wanted in the instances I used it. In a normal street scene or panorama it does a very good job with the focus and stability. I could have shot more video and we didn't come close to filling up the 16Gb card even with the 400+ pictures (at max resolution) we took over seven days. I was also very impressed with the low-light capabilities. I took some pictures in some underground ruins....the camera captured more than I could see.

I've got a HD Sony camcorder that we use for shooting sales videos and horse shows. I haven't had time to compare the output from the two cameras, but the SX40 gives me the opportunity to do everything I need at one time and the zoom is MUCH better than the camcorder. I might put the camcorder on Ebay.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Well Mrs. Claus put the Canon sx40hs in my stocking this morning. Got a chance to play with it this afternoon and was it ever grand! Took a couple of shots of 18 acre timothy and orchard grass field that I sowed back the first of October to send to Byron seed rep. As I rode by a small pond I have near the hay field I noticed a group of 5 mallard ducks so I zoomed in real tight and made a beautiful picture of three greenheads and two hens. The drakes color was brilliant. I am really impressed with the zoom capabilities and I am looking forward to getting to know this camera. It is everything that you fellas spoke of and what the reviews I read stated.









Regards, Mike


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

Congrats on the gift and glad you like it Mike. It's been a long time since I was impressed by a reasonably priced digital camera, but this one I love!


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I've took over 300the pictures around felixstowe and once we got access to a laptop to view em they are fantastic.

Also picked up a compact Sony Cybershot that drops right in your shirt pocket. For what it is it takes some good pics as well. Picked it up with my cashback from Discover and the wife has been pestering me for something she can carry in her purse for her girls night out.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Should point out that the cybershot would never replace the canon but for a night out pubbing or snapping a few pics of family on boxing day the canon is a wee bit overkill and the sony more than suffices.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I hear you Marty. My Canon was purchased with landscape and wildlife pics in mind. I also have a compact digital for my back-country trips and informal indoor snapshots.

Regards, Mike


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

mlappin said:


> Should point out that the cybershot would never replace the canon but for a night out pubbing or snapping a few pics of family on boxing day the canon is a wee bit overkill and the sony more than suffices.


Speaking of boxing day, did you hunt foxes or wrens today??? Isn't that the old custom that the British do on boxing day?


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Upper crust might still hunt foxes but I doubt it given the strong animal rights sentiment here. About everything that van ne raised free range is. Ill have to ask about the wrens, really a stronger tradition I think in ireland.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Finally had a chance to start viewing some of the shots I took with the SX40 on my 24" LG monitor and my god it was well worth what I paid for it. The camera picked up more detail in low light conditions than I could even see while taking the shot. Ely Cathedral and King's Chapel is just breathtaking.


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