best digicam for an idiot
 

advice looked for please... have read the other "which digital camera" thread, but am still lost...

I am a photography idiot who is going alaska - argintina starting next year. i want a digital camera that is indestructible, small (but not so small its easier to lose), can be charged from 12V (i.e. the bike), takes about a billion pictures, doesn't have huge shutter delay, never runs out of batteries and ideally, knows what i am TRYING to photograph, rather than what i am actually doing...

the ability to plug into a computer with a USB is a must (internet cafe's only), and ideally it will not have more than 2 cables (camera computer, and (small) charger in). i don't want anything too complicated. just a robust, superbly practical point and shoot with zoom.

and, typically, i don't want to spend too much money... (i also don't jave any objection to second hand, slightly older stuff) - every 30 quid is another day in south america.....

my mate has recommended the casio exilim as his survived a back packing rtw, but it has a "base station" that has to go with it... which i really don't want. (it will get lost, or more likely, broken whilst knocking about in the panniers....)

so really, someone please tell me, what camera do i buy! (working on the assumption they will be cheap after xmas...)

cheers

dan

Recommended reading: http://www.achtung.com/cameras/A80/index.html

Where he writes about chargers just add your requirement in for 12V power. The camera he recommends is now out of production, but easily available second-hand. Just bear in mind that the successor, the A610, is available from 230€, a lot less than the old A80.

Hi, try the Canon IXUS 2, mine has survived a couple of long distance trips in a hard case. Its fairly idiot proof, has to be for me to half decent pics.


PK

Well, this guy reviews one single camera and concludes with the judgement "The rest is useless junk". That's debatable, to put it mildly.

I have owned this camera (canon Powershot A80) for some 2 years, and while it is quite good, the shutter delay is really unacceptable by today's standards.

If Canon is what you're after, I'd take the Poweshot A610. It's very similar to the A80. The same twist- and turnable monitor (great feature!), but with a faster processor (less shutter delay!), more resolution (5 Mpix), and you can get it cheap - for $275 at Amazon, for instance.

The 12V requirement is easy to match - there are plenty of AA battery cargers available that can be run off the 12V vehicle battery.

Look up my home page below, all pix in 2004 and 2005 were taken with the Canon A80.

Greg
http://hothaus.de/greg-tour/


[This message has been edited by ghorian (edited 23 December 2005).]

Well, yes and no. In his FAQ he recommends a few other cameras, based on different requirements. He minces no words, but, oh well... I have read all his articles several times and followed several of his links. As a result I bought my then girlfriend an A80 and she's very happy with it.

On one of his pages he describes how you can use one of the custom modes to get a "snap mode" with a very short shutter delay.

I agree with your take on the A610 and it's exactly what I am now looking for. It goes new for little more than a second-hand A80 on Ebay. The housing, however, is now plastic.

I also agree on the charger. Here I also learned a lot about how to find a good charger, although they are pretty hard to come by here in Europe. Particularly, it seems impossible to buy a good charger that is not an ultra-quick one now.

Have to agree with Ixus comments. Mine has made it to Cape Town from London (actually not quite true - it's the second one. First one broke after I filled it with sand in Mauritania. My fault.) I have a cig lighter socket for charging on the move (or stationary - can charge two batteries at least without draining bike battery). It "knows" what pic you want to take but you can override the auto stuff when you get your head round it. And it's small enough to go in a pocket.

------------------
Simon

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/fitzpatrick

thanks...

having looked around, (and read that guys site) have decided on a powershot A610

found a nice, fast, cheap 12v charger at maplins, and there seem to be a few of these cameras around 2nd hand "but mint"....


having said that i will probably fall over something cheap tomorrow ;-) (ahh the path of least resistance!)

thanks, have a good xmas

dan

[This message has been edited by scdan3 (edited 24 December 2005).]

I just finished 7 months on the road and I took two digital cameras with me.
Camera 1
Canon Powershot A95
Great pics,5 megapixel, 12X zoom, little bulky
Lasted the whole trip till the Sahara where I was careless and no digital camera will survive the sands of the Sahara.
Camera 2
Sony DSC-200
Great pics, 7 megapixel, 6X zoom, very slim

I did tons of research and these are the two best cameras for cheap digital cameras, both under $300 USD on the internet.
Outfit both with a Gig card and you are good for well over 500 pics.
Josh
www.ridingtheglobe.com

I personally use an HP Photosmart R707 and am very happy with its zooming and panorama stitching facilities.

I would recommend www.dpreview.com (Digital Photography Review website) for good guidance.

Best wishes


[This message has been edited by cozcan (edited 28 December 2005).]