Do You SLR'ers Ever Wish You Had a Good P&S?

[astrostu]

I consider myself a fairly advanced amateur photographer, though in some respects pro (since I've been paid for both photos and photo consulting). I've been an SLR guy since August 2005. I like the faster glass, the better construction, better features, etc.

BUT ... sometimes I really wish I had just a decent P&S. Case-in-point is this coming Sunday. I'm headed to Flagstaff (AZ) for a conference that will include a few side trips, including a 3-km, 3-hour hike with the USGS (US Geologic Survey) and other conference-goers around the rim of Meteor Crater. It's going to be hot, the hike is not easy, and there are usually severe wind gusts. I really don't want to lug around 15 lbs of photography equipment along with my water bottle. It'd be so much nicer just to be able to pull a ~5oz camera out of my pocket and snap some shots than worry about putting together an SLR and taking the shots and putting it back in a case and then lugging it around for the next few hours.

Do any of you folks feel the same way? Have you actually done it and just gone out and bought a P&S for situations like this?

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[PhotoXopher]

Yes.

So I bought one.

Quickly realized I hated it and remembered why I bought a DSLR.

Sold it.

[Big]

I still love my point and shoot. My dlsr is not something I plan to shove into my bags while snowmobiling in 10 degree weather... There is a time and a place to use a point and shoot over a dslr. It's just your decision. I'd go with the p&s in your case.

[Craig J]

I load my Voigtlander, Vitessa (rangefinder) with film and slip it into my back pocket.

Craig

[PhotoXopher]

They do have their place, I guess if I ever got another one I'd go to the link below and get one of the faster ones to ease the pain.

Digital Camera Shutter Lag Comparison Table

Hmm, dang it - now you have me looking again

I may look at the Canon SD1200is tomorrow.

[Derrel]

Yeah, I bought a Canon PowerShot G2 I guess it was, back when I had a D1 and D1h as my two d-slr cameras. Both of them weighed about 3.8 pounds with battery and no lens,and the Canon was NICE--it had decent manual aperture and shutter controls and also used an external speedlight.

The external speedlight and easy to use manual f/stop and shutter selection all together made it bearable. It was shocking to see how much better the pictures were when using a 285 or a Nikon SB-28DX in the shoe of the little Canon point and shoot. I gave it to my teenage niece when she expressed a desire for a digital camera,and bought a Fuji S2 Pro to replace it.

In 2007 I bought a Panasonic DMC-TZ3 with a 10x lens...nice enough camera, but not very rugged...the zoom lever control just dropped off,and I have not had it replaced. Awfully slow on the trigger too--missed a LOT of shots with it.

I bought a Fuji J-20 for our babysitter's grduation this summer....amazingly small,credit card sized camera--good video, but only so-so picture quality. I tried it out before gifting it. Loved the size, didn't like the stills.

The new Canon PowerShot G11 looks like it might be "the one"--looked at the dPReview preview gallery,and it looks like an excellent lens and sensor.

[JIP]

I did and that's why I bought a P6000. I use it as my just kick around snap shot camera since it is not always convenient to pull out a D700.

[UUilliam]

I might buy my Pentax E-30
Great compact, had it before but my uncle was eating sausages (with his fingers...) then touched it, so it was all greasy... and im guessing you can tell what i did from there...

But there was Abseloutely no - noticeable - Shutter Lag, Resolution was good, Nose handling was exceptional... really good for a P&S
Starting to miss it now =[
wish i had it, would take it to college with me instead of my bloody DSLR
that would then meani would have space in my bag for course work...

[Stormin]

I've never found one that I was really happy with, but I've only had four. I end up getting a new one every year or so, and then selling it when the little event that I bought it for is past because for most of my photos I simply don't like the P&S lack of versatility. I don't mind carrying around my DSLR.

Just sold the last one I bought to a buddy who broke his. Bought it at Costco for $225, used it at a birthday party, sold it to buddy getting back from Mexico with a broken camera (for $200). I guess it's about the same price as buying one of those single use ones.

[JamesMason]

I do keep meaning to get one. To keep with me 24/7 but i would never trade my slr for it.

[lvcrtrs]

Absolutely! Always carry a compact Powershot SD550, need to replace it really just because the flash is so strong and washes things/people out if it's too close. There's no control to adjust it.

I'm still waiting for the ultimate fast start up, fast focus (if it has that I'll even take a slower write to card time) superzoom p-n-s that uses a lithium battery. I won't hesitate to pick it up when it comes out. Always have the 10x Kodak 6490 in my pocket book as well. Nice pics but man o man, slow start up, slower focus. Pulled over to get a hawk on the wires yesterday. Out in the open, low wires, I'm right there and the Kodak, while and I turn on, pop the cap and zoom, while I'm driving because it takes so long, it couldn't remotely handle trying to focus on a bird with the sky background on a dime. So Mr. Bird flew off into the sunset making me think about this very thread.

UUilliam's Pentax E-30 sounds pretty good.