I find that I can see more clearly than looking at a small screen. i don't know how much you want to spend, but all of nikon's digital slr's (d50, d70, d200, ect.) all have optical viewfinders versus the screen. you still have a screen obviously, but it's used for viewing the pictures you've taken rather than using it to shoot the pictures WISE DECISION!!! I lament the passing of the optical viewfinder and I would choose almost any camera with an optical viewfinder over one that only has an LCD viewfinder. Why?
1. You never have the option of turning off the LCD and these things eat batteries for lunch and spit them out. Why do away with the option of a viewfinder that has zero electrical drain?
2. You have to hold an LCD viewer out at some distance in front of your face. This is more conspicuous than I prefer to be all the time.
3. The need to hold a camera at arms length will introduce some shake. I like the idea of stabilizing a camera against my face when I am taking a picture. This is especially important with a longer zoom lens. No wonder "image stablization" or "vibration reduction" is necessary with these cameras. Not that there's anything WRONG with IS or VR, but it is really a requirement with LCD viewfinders and telephoto lenses.
4. Using the LCD to view photos after you've taken them slows down the camera quite a bit. You can't shut of the LCD monitor and still take pictures if you don't have an optical viewfinder.
Now... Did you want an recommendation? You did not give us a budget or tell us anything about your level of experience, but let me pass this along anyway. If you are looking to spend more money, ask again and give more information about your purchase plans. These cameras all have an optical viewfinder or I would not recommend them.
Consumer Reports for November 2006 has ranked the Canon Powershot A620 as the best compact digital camera. It is becoming almost a legend for longevity at the top of various consumer lists. It looks like this model has been replaced by the A630, which I would expect to be just as popular. The A640 appears quite similar and shares the "600" series numbering, so I guess it's just another upgraded version of the now-classic A620. It looks pretty much the same except for baing a 10 MP camera. The continuous drive is a little slower, but the files are larger, so that's no surprise. I own a few Nikon DSLR's and I'd buy the Canon A630 or A640 for myself.
With this camera, you will find the memory card is a cute little token of thanks from Canon, but not much more. Buy a 1 GB Sandisk Ultra II or Extreme III card. You will NEED the increased capacity and write speed to fully realize the benefits of your camera.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_...
If you want to trim the budget a little, the Canon Powershot A430, A530 or A540, are all great choices. You will need a decent memory card, though. I'd say get at least 512 MB.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_... Most of the Fuji digitals have a viewfinder in addition to the LCD. Browse a bunch that are reviewed here... Very comprehensive. |
