JohnH wrote:
On Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:17:34 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

Don White wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
news Don White wrote:
Wife wants to upgrade from my 3 yr old HP R707 compact digital camera.
This camera works fine...although the original battery doesn't seem to
hold its charge as long anymore while sitting on the shelf.
Costco just happens to have a super price $270.00 CDN
for its popular Canon A650 IS compact.
I also see the Nikon D40 on sale here with lens at just under $500.00.
I can't justify the higher end SLRs...especially when they seem be be
somewhat obsolete every three or four years
vs the old manual film SLRs that were still fine after 20-25 years .My
usage these days is more snapshot than trying to be artistic...although I
do like to do justice to scenery.
The D40 is a great simple to use camera, that can be used in it's auto
settings or allow you to manually adjust all settings.

It is light weight and you and your wife will absolutely be pleased with
the quality.

As far as the "obsolete" factor. The digital cameras will only be
obsolete, if you want the new and improved features of the newer improved
digital cameras. If you are pleased with the camera, you can expect over
100,000 photos from the D40. A digital camera will have an expectant
average life similar to the average film cameras.

The big thing about the SLRs vs the compact cameras is the size of the
processer.
I saw an illustration where the D40s processor looked like a 35mm slide
compared to an old 110 frame equaling a compact.
Dramatic difference!
Another concern...I really like to control shutter speed, F stop and focus
manually. ( re my Minolta SRT200 manual film SLR)
I'll have to go to a real camera store and find out what the Canon compacts
can do.


There are some compact cameras that do allow you to manually adjust your
shutter speed, aperture, focus and other numerous other settings you did
not have on your film camera, it is still a trade off on compact vs
DSLR. I personally find it very difficult to see the compact LCD screen
in the sun, I (and probably all people) find the small compact camera
impossible to hold steady at slow shutter speeds. You are holding the
camera away from you instead of using your arms and head to stabilize
the camera. On the other hand, the compact cameras fit in a pocket or
purse easily. Many photobugs own both, just so they always carry a
camera and never miss a shot. If you think about it, the best camera is
the one you have with you.

I am thinking about buying this Nikon P80 as my compact camera. It not
only has the LCD screen, but an eyepiece so you can hold it the same as
a SLR and see your composition in bright light. It is not as tiny as
most compact cameras, but it is easy to carry, even if it is bulky in
your pants pocket.

http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Ni...OLPIX-P80.html

Have you tried out the P80 at all? I'm thinking of a new pocket camera for
my wife. If you try this one out, or buy it, let me know what you think.
Please.
--
John H

*Have a Super Christmas and a Spectacular New Year!*

Someone at the Eastern Sierra workshop had one, and I played with it
some. For me, it is the only compact camera, that I have enjoyed using.
It feels and operates like a DSLR. I am often asked to take a photo
of a couple, and if they have a point and shot, I ask them to set it up
the way they want, and all I do is compose and click the button. If all
you want is a P&S, the compact cameras are easy. If you actually want
to use manual functions, the ease of use can be vary drastically between
cameras.