Sombrero57
TPF Noob!
- Joined
- May 7, 2004
- Messages
- 2
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I'm writing this on behalf of my mom, who is a very good photographer but doesn't like computers. (I have not followed in her footsteps in terms of photography.) Anyway, for many years, my mother has used 35 mm SLRs and a few medium format cameras (Rolleiflex, Mamiya and a fairly inexpensive Yashica she let us kids learn on), and overall produced great photos. She's not a professional but an amateur with high standards for herself who always wanted to produce high-quality photos for friends and our large family. Recently, she impulsively gave away all her equipment to family members saying she's too old for the stuff. She says that now she just wants a compact film camera (not digital) with a high-quality, fast lens that will meet her needs. Unfortunately, I don't know if there's one out there that will fit the bill. I've researched P&S cameras with and without zoom and discussed the options with her. Being satisfied with her old equipment, she hasn't really kept up-to-date with the trends, i.e. not very good zoom lenses on P&S cameras being all the rage with many people, myself included. 
OK, now on to more specifics. My mom is impressed with the specs of most of the non-zoom P&S cameras. However, she's skeptical about whether she'd be able to take good photos of her main subjects -- people, pets, the wildlife that visits her back yard, flowers and insects she deems friendly. She says that with a 35mm or 38mm or even 40mm lens (on the Leica Minilux, I think), she'd have to get rather close to her subjects, and then people and pets would end up being distorted. I've only managed to find a few sample photos from fixed lens P&S cameras on the Web. My mom doesn't want to buy and try every good-looking possibility out there.
Most of the things I see written about these fixed-lens cameras is very general, saying simply that they take great photos. Few people are specific regarding what they mean by that. Great photos of what exactly? I read one review on epinions.com saying you can indeed take good people "portraits" with the Leica Minilux. My mom is skeptical, as I said. She says all the fixed lens P&S cameras have wide-angle lenses, and she says those aren't good for taking pictures of people and pets.
So, my main question is this: Is there a compact camera out there that might fit my mom's needs?
And secondly, do people mainly shoot landscapes with these fixed lens P&S cameras? I'm just curious.
OK, now on to more specifics. My mom is impressed with the specs of most of the non-zoom P&S cameras. However, she's skeptical about whether she'd be able to take good photos of her main subjects -- people, pets, the wildlife that visits her back yard, flowers and insects she deems friendly. She says that with a 35mm or 38mm or even 40mm lens (on the Leica Minilux, I think), she'd have to get rather close to her subjects, and then people and pets would end up being distorted. I've only managed to find a few sample photos from fixed lens P&S cameras on the Web. My mom doesn't want to buy and try every good-looking possibility out there.
Most of the things I see written about these fixed-lens cameras is very general, saying simply that they take great photos. Few people are specific regarding what they mean by that. Great photos of what exactly? I read one review on epinions.com saying you can indeed take good people "portraits" with the Leica Minilux. My mom is skeptical, as I said. She says all the fixed lens P&S cameras have wide-angle lenses, and she says those aren't good for taking pictures of people and pets.
So, my main question is this: Is there a compact camera out there that might fit my mom's needs?
And secondly, do people mainly shoot landscapes with these fixed lens P&S cameras? I'm just curious.
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