A small camera for teh wife

[yawner]

A fair swap some might say

Seriously - she wants a small digital camera for Chrimbo. Preferably one thats EASY to use as she's the original technophobe. Oh, and quality  required as she's also the original snob.

Suggestions?

ta muchly snappy chappys

[Tanthalas]

Them wee Panasonics are good.  I've got one from the previous range and the lens is great, plus the optical stabilisation is impressive.  Apparently the new ones being advertised are pretty nice.  Someone with more knowledge might be able to back me up on this.

[Notorious MCSE]

A fair swap some might say

Seriously - she wants a small digital camera for Chrimbo. Preferably one thats EASY to use as she's the original technophobe. Oh, and quality  required as she's also the original snob.

Suggestions?

ta muchly snappy chappys

I thought you'd given up on 'posh birds' and wanted a bit of ruffage?

[Jeewhizz]

Canon Ixus are small, easy to use, and they look nice. She'll be happy

[sarahA]

I bought my non-technical parents a Nikon L4 a couple of years ago. They're pretty happy with the standard point and shoot on that. It's similar to my Nikon compact, same scene modes just a couple of less options. The Nikon L5 can be picked up for about £65 now.

Argos are cutting the cost of a lot of compacts right now, Fujifilms are up to half price. Not sure how these compare with online prices but they had some nice, decent ones for under £100.

argos link

[slaughteredlamb]

I've always been a fan of the Canon Powershot and Canon Ixus range

[chavalier]

Argos are cutting the cost of a lot of compacts right now,

 

[rutty]

Canon Ixus are small, easy to use, and they look nice. She'll be happy

What he says. My Dad got the Ixus 70 and if that old sod can use it then anyone can

[samhs]

Once again I'll roll out the "My Sony DSC-T7 is good" card. It's well out of date model wise now, but they do have an equiv. model. Highly recommended. My missus can use it even!

Sam

[slaughteredlamb]

What's your budget?

If up to £100 check these out:

Canon Powershot A550
• Sensor: CCD - 7.1 Million pixels
• Lens: 35-140mm - f2.6-5.5
• Focus: TTL Auto - 5cm Macro
• Exposure: Program AE/SP/AP/M
• Metering: Evaluative/Spot/CW
• Movie Mode: Yes with sound
• Storage: SD/SDHC/MMC Cards
• Size/Weight: 91x64x43mm-160g
• Transfer: USB 2.0

£99

Fuji Finepix A920
• Sensor: CCD -9.3 megapixels
• Lens: Fujinon 4 x Optical zoom lens , F2.9 - F6.3
• Exposure: Program AE
• Metering: 256-zone TTL
• Monitor: 2.7" TFT LCD
• Movie Mode: Yes with monaural sound
• Storage: Internal memory (approx. 10MB) /xD-Picture Card TM ( 16MB - 2 GB )
• Size/Weight: 97.5 x 61.9 x 31.8mm - 156g

£95


If up to £150 check these out:

Canon Powershot A570 IS
• Sensor: CCD - 7.1 Million pixels
• Lens: 35-140mm - f2.6-5.5 With Optical Stabilisation
• Focus: TTL Auto - 5cm Macro
• Exposure: Program AE/SP/AP/M
• Metering: Evaluative/Spot/CW
• Movie Mode: Yes with sound
• Storage: SD/SDHC/MMC Cards
• Size/Weight: 90x42x64mm-175g

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canona570is/

£139

Fuji Finepix S5700
• Sensor: CCD - 7.1M pixels
• Lens: 38-380 mm, F3.2-3.7 10x zoom
• Focus: TTL Auto/Manual - 1cm Macro
• Exposure: Program AE, 12 Scene
• Metering: TTL 256-zone metering
• Monitor: 2.5 " TFT LCD
• Movie Mode: Yes - with sound
• Storage: 27MB Internal, xD, SD
• Size/Weight: 106x76x81mm - 370g

£125

Now at first glance this camera isn't a point and click, in fact it's a bridge camera i.e. it gives near DSLR features/performance but in a compact body. However like any bridge camera or DSLR (except for certain pro DSLR's) this camera has very simple to use program modes as well as fully automatic mode. This means that this camera can be used as a point and click or as something slightly more advanced or as fully manual. Why else should you consider this camera? Erm, quite simply you won't find anything else with that lens at that price. This camera boasts a lens that goes from 38mm to 380mm whereas most other compacts have a lens that only goes to around 140mm. That's a big and very useful difference. At £125 I personally think this camera is an absolute bargin!

If your budget is higher let me know and I'll dig around a few more cameras.

[Jeewhizz]

If your budget is higher let me know and I'll dig around a few more cameras.

It must be. After the bike, and his new H-dee-tee-vee, he's got some serious sucking up to do

[Mr Anderson]

Fuji Finepix S5700

£125

Just ordered one from Amazon, £103.20 with free delivery

[slaughteredlamb]

Fuji Finepix S5700

£125

Just ordered one from Amazon, £103.20 with free delivery

  That is an absolute bargin!!! I personally think that Fuji make the best bridge cameras and that their Finepix S series offer features and performance that no other manufacturer is either unable to match or chose not to compete with. Whilst it's true that some Finepix S series camera's aren't as good as some other models in the same range there isn't really a bad camera amoungst them but I would always go for one that has a 10x optical zoom like this one as a powerful zoom is incredibly useful. The only 'bad' thing about Fuji, and this is just down to personal taste, is the way they capture colour. Some people love it, some people think it's fake. Basically Fuji colours are always vivid which is most noticeable in the blue spectrum which is why you'll sometimes hear people refer to it as the 'Fuji Blue'. This is deliberate on Fuji's part as it goes back to their film days where there film stock was used by photographers who wanted particulary vivid colours and they've just tweaked their software/CCD's to accentuate these colours. A lot of the time I like it but sometimes it can look a bit odd and overdone but this is personal preference. On the plus side for the average punter who just wants to take a photo and then print it without having to tweak them in Photoshop, this colour boost issue is actually a selling point.

£103 for a S5700!!! 

[Chris H]

Is shutter lag an issue with that Fuji?

[sarahA]

£103 for a S5700!!! 

not to forget the 4 or 5% back via affiliate fees in my account

[slaughteredlamb]

Is shutter lag an issue with that Fuji?

Not really. All cameras, even DSLR's have shutter lag but DSLR's and good compacts are measured in milliseconds unlike the bad old days. In the real world the only time you'll probably notice 'shutter lag' with a camera like this it won't actually be shutter lag but a delay whilst the camera try's to make a big focus change, if there is very big latitude between higlights and lowlights etc but this would be the exception rather than the rule i.e. it won't happen often. A DSLR will out perform it in things like burst modes where you can shoot several frames very quickly, for example my camera shoots 5fps whereas the S5700 only manages 2fps so yes the S5700 does have a 'slower' shutter than a DSLR but only in terms of how quickly it can repeatedly open and close not in terms of it opening in the first place.

HTH

[Chris H]

Is shutter lag an issue with that Fuji?

Not really. All cameras, even DSLR's have shutter lag but DSLR's and good compacts are measured in milliseconds unlike the bad old days. In the real world the only time you'll probably notice 'shutter lag' with a camera like this it won't actually be shutter lag but a delay whilst the camera try's to make a big focus change, if there is very big latitude between higlights and lowlights etc but this would be the exception rather than the rule i.e. it won't happen often. A DSLR will out perform it in things like burst modes where you can shoot several frames very quickly, for example my camera shoots 5fps whereas the S5700 only manages 2fps so yes the S5700 does have a 'slower' shutter than a DSLR but only in terms of how quickly it can repeatedly open and close not in terms of it opening in the first place.

HTH

Ta.

My spiffy Vivitar gives me time to make a cup of tea between pressing the button and taking the picture.

Just nosed at some tables and the Fuji is mid-range for the decent equivalents.

Ta

[Tony]

If she's a snob, you need teh red badge!

http://www.wilkinson.co.uk/store/product.php?productid=16548

[yawner]

Thanks guys - plenty food for thought there.

Couple of quick reactions:

Argos

She'd rather catch a tropical disease

red badge

She wouldn`t appreciate it

[keri]

my dad just bought my mother this one tis nice and small, very few buttons and has a nice large screen.

[Tony]

red badge

She wouldn`t appreciate it

Want me to email her direct to explain?

[yawner]

red badge

She wouldn`t appreciate it

Want me to email her direct to explain?

only if you don't mind me cutting off your legs with a rusty penknife 

[Tony]

red badge

She wouldn`t appreciate it

Want me to email her direct to explain?

only if you don't mind me cutting off your legs with a rusty penknife 

You wouldn't be able to afford one after buying that! and argos don't stock em

[yawner]

And the winner is............ Ixus 70

I did have a look at the aforementioned bargain-priced Fuji Finepix S5700, but decided that looks far too much like a proper camera. She wouldn't appreciate that.

Thanks again for all the advice. You lot aren't as bad as Sam says you are. 

[Matt]

And the winner is............ Ixus 70

I did have a look at the aforementioned bargain-priced Fuji Finepix S5700, but decided that looks far too much like a proper camera. She wouldn't appreciate that.

Thanks again for all the advice. You lot aren't as bad as Sam says you are. 

Good little cameras, have a couple here.