Best Point & Shoot For Travel

[malia1]

I am looking for a reasonably priced point & shoot camera for my upcoming vacation. I had a Canon s120 and although I thought the pictures were pretty good the battery life was horrible. Not sure if I got a defective camera but after a few month of owning my camera the battery would die out after taking 1 or 2 photos! It would then turn back on and take another but it kept going to a black screen with a "change battery" warning.

Anyway, I'd love some suggestions for a good quality camera that takes nice photos. Decent battery life is a must.

 

[bratkinson]

I'm quite sure you will receive as many choices as replies to this thread.

Me, I chose a Canon G15 to be a 'pocket' point and shoot that can go from full auto to full manual modes and everywhere in between. It's simple to use, fits my front pants pocket, and produces surprisingly good results after dark, even on full auto! If you're new to photography, it's a good camera to start with because it has a full complement of options and settings.

 

[Matt.Lacey]

I would actually argue for giving the Canon a second chance. I've had the older S100 for almost 2 years - I bought it so I could take it everywhere with me - and I think it does the job very well. I sympathise on the battery life because it is a bit disappointing, though not quite so bad - I can expect 150-200 photos on one charge (but this is with things like GPS turned off, which is a serious battery drain). I give it the benefit of the doubt though, because it's enough for me for a day's holiday photos and it ticks other boxes well - RAW files, very small size, lens is fast and has a large range, and it's flexible enough for when you need to take more control. If battery life were more problematic I'd still probably stick with it and just take a spare battery (or two) with me.

I think it's pretty versatile:


Torch Tower, Doha, Qatar - 1 second exposure using a lamppost for support


Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar


St Mark's Square, Venice - ISO400, where f/2 is handy


Islandsbron, Uppsala, Sweden - it was -20 °C at the time

 

[Ido]

What's your budget?
I keep linking to this website, but it's really good - when the articles are relatively fresh: Cameras on The Wirecutter.

 

[goodguy]

I'm quite sure you will receive as many choices as replies to this thread.

Me, I chose a Canon G15 to be a 'pocket' point and shoot that can go from full auto to full manual modes and everywhere in between. It's simple to use, fits my front pants pocket, and produces surprisingly good results after dark, even on full auto! If you're new to photography, it's a good camera to start with because it has a full complement of options and settings.

Another vote for the Canon G15 or Canon G16 which are very similar cameras with very few advantages to the G16
I also have the G15, excellent camera for the novice and hobbyist that want to go light.
You can squise about 350 picture from my G15 and probably a bit more from the G16, more then enough for a days work.

 

[Orrin]

I would look for a camera that uses AA batteries, then get a set of Eneloop rechargables.
They last a long time in my old Canon SX130. This way you can also use readily available
alkalines in an emergency.

 

[timor]

. Not sure if I got a defective camera but after a few month of owning my camera the battery would die

Few months ? What about warranty ?
Go but in Office Depot, they have (for additional fee, I think 8-10%) own warranty: full replacement within 12 months. No questions ask, of course no visible damage. Just complain about some malfunction, they won't check.

 

[timor]

I would look for a camera that uses AA batteries, then get a set of Eneloop rechargables.
They last a long time in my old Canon SX130. This way you can also use readily available
alkalines in an emergency.

That's an option to.
Cameras that take AA batteries (photos) - CNET