BootsnAll Travel Community

So I've decided that I really can't stomach lugging around a DSLR camera with all the accompanying lenses and accessories. Instead I've got my sights set on the Canon SD800 snapshot camera. This is the one of the few compact snapshot cameras with a "wide angle" (28mm) lens. This was important to me because one of the reasons for my even considering a DSLR was the diversity of lens offerings and the therefore the possibility of taking wide angle shots. Granted, the SD800 is over a year old now, but Canon has not released any new compact cameras with a 28mm lens since then.

I'm wondering though, even with a snapshot camera, is it possible to take "nice" pictures, pictures you might want to frame. Any tips on what you can do with tha snapshot camera?

It is entirely possible to take good pictures with any camera. With the new technology in digital cameras (that changes every week it seems) unless you are going to enlarge your pictures up to huge sizes you should be okay with any 4-7 mp camera. If you are like most people with a small digital camera you want to maybe enlarge up to 8x10 as your largest size. Most new small digitals can do this with ease. If you want more ammo for your decision read some reviews at cnet.com or dpreview.com

It is not the camera it is the photographer. A couple of years ago, I read a story about a photo contest in which the entrants were required to use disposable film cameras. Amateurs and professionals entered and overwhelmingly the professionals won the prizes. (If I remember right, 8 of the top 10 prizes went to the pros). The professionals, it was though, fared better because they had a better knowledge of composition and lighting.

That said, for a point and shoot, I use my wife's Canon A95. Also, if I had an extra 600 bucks sitting around, I might get the Ricoh Caplio GX100. The latest Nikon Coolpix (I think it is the P5000) is also pretty snappy.

I bought a digital (my first) camera last year, and had narrowed it down to three, a Nikon, a Sony and a Canon.

Although the Canon was the size, shape and weight I preferred: I went with the Nikon.

And do you know why? Because I took six photos , two with each camera. The Nikon had the most true to life colour,. And it wasn't blurry. I have taken hundreds (about 750 actually) of photos all over NZ and they have all come out brilliantly. As the salesman described it, " It's the best point-and-shoot camera you'll ever buy".


Have a nice day, Whistler.


Travel broadens the mind and flattens the wallet. SMC.