architect Loc: Chattanooga

By compact camera, I include simple point-and-shoots, and the more sophisticated superzooms. They all have in common a much smaller sensor than a DSLR. Even though many have a high pixel count, up to 10, 12 megapixels or more, the quality of the images needs something to be desired in terms of digital noise, lens distortions and resolution in comparison to a late model DSLR.

1. Shoot at your lower ISO settings (50 to 100). Noise (looks like film grain) and the more bothersome color-noise (specks of magenta and green, etc. in shadow areas) increases rapidly as you increase your ISO settings. If you use AUTO, the camera will decide on the ISO setting. (Some cameras allow you to set a range of ISO's the camera will select from.) If you use PROGRAM, you can set the ISO, and that will give you some control over the quality, if your P&S does not have Aperture priority, Shutter priority or Manual settings.

2. Use a tripod or some solid support for important shots. While this is counter-intuitive for those of you who love P&S's because of their pocketability, (and ability to simply point and shoot) it will improve the quality of your low light shots. Another advantage of a tripod is that, for many shots, you can avoid using the on-camera flash, with it's quick light fall-off and tell tale shadows.

3. Learn to edit your images using imaging software. You can use it to level the horizon , correct perspective, crop creatively, adjust exposure, white balance, color, contrast, saturation and sharpness, and with some programs (Photoshop CS2 and higher for example) correct lens distortions such as barrel and pincushion distortion caused by the zoom lenses.

4. Optimal exposure is important to avoid excessive noise caused by trying to correct over or underexposed images. To ensure the optimal exposures, use your camera's bracketing feature which will take three shots in rapid succession at three different exposures, as metered, from 1/3 to 1 stop above and below. If your camera supports RAW, by all means use it whenever you can, as RAW files provide much more graphic information than Jpeg files. They do require more time to process to Jpegs though. Well worth it in my opinion.

5. Accept (and work around) the creative limitations of a compact camera such as the difficulty in getting blurred backgrounds in portraits, and close-ups (compact cameras have relatively deep depth of field at most settings), the inferior autofocus systems (tracking flying birds at long zoom settings is virtually impossible), long night-time exposures (beyond 8 or 10 seconds) and other features that DSLRs have, such as low noise levels at high ISOs allowing hand held night photography. And finally:

6. Master your compact camera. Learn all that it can do. Read your Instruction manual. Learn all you can about photography. Who knows, after you learn a lot, you may need to have a DSLR to do what you want. OR, you may decide that the advantages of small size, minimal equipment and convernience of compact cameras are right for you either all the time, or as a backup to your DSLR.

And don't forget, you can take a ocean cruise with your compact camera for the price of one good DSLR lens.

East Bay Hills shot with a Panasonic DMC TZ3

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

all good advice. The best positive advantage a point and shoot has is that you can put one in a pocket and always have a camera with you. untill i can afford a dslr again almost all my shots posted were taken with either a nikon l-22 p+s, a cannon powershot a530 P+s, or various nikon 35mm film cameras scanned into photoshop album. P+s digital still has more creative control then say shooting with an instamatic.

architect Loc: Chattanooga

When I took up photography again after a two decade hiatus from film SLRs, I did not want to be hauling around a big camera and a bag full of lenses and filters again, so I started out with a 3 mp digital P&S, going through a series of them by Canon, Panasonic, Nikon and Samsung. Pretty soon I was hauling around a big sturdy tripod to improve my shots. Which is kind of counter productive.

Today I am hauling around a big DSLR and a bag with lenses, etc. My wife sticks with her Kodak superzooms, and take photos as good or better than mine (or so she thinks).

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

Beautiful photo. I commend you on your talent.

architect Loc: Chattanooga

Thanks Bob. I forgot to mention that some compact cameras can take excellent macro shots, with lots of depth of field, so the whole insect or flower is sharp.

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

Here's an example of what a pocket camera, a Nikon S550, can do at very close range. Hint, that tiny mushroom is growing between the crack in a sidewalk.

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Mushroom

architect Loc: Chattanooga

Good example of what a compact camera can do. Here is my example. Taken with a Canon S70 on a mini tripod.

Flat Crep Fungi

liv2paddle Loc: Wall, NJ

beautiful shot architect..just proves with certain subjects..such as landscapes..the PS is quite capable..as long as it's attach to a talent such as you..LOL

architect Loc: Chattanooga

Thanks liv2paddle.

With any artistic discipline, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your tools will allow you to make the best of their potential. And in my case, I recognized that I had gotten to the point where I could not do some of the things I wanted to do with a compact camera. I still have one as a backup though.

SladeCalhoun Loc: Oxford, MA

Here are a couple that I took recently w my point and shoot. I like to keep it with me whenever I go out. You just never know when something might catch your eye.

bruce Loc: Vancouver, Wa

Wonderful commentary. I have a 50d and a Sony Cyber Shot with HD video. I carry the PandS always!!! I can just stick it out the window of the car and get crazy street shots on the fly. But I love my Canon 50D for all the reasons listed in your comments.

bruce Loc: Vancouver, Wa

These were taken yesterday only because I had my Sony P and S
with me. We stopped at pool hall to have a bite to eat and saw these two wonderful characters and the other of the city is while my husband is driving. I shot this out the front window of the car!

bruce Loc: Vancouver, Wa

Ok, I need to try again for the pool hall shot. And needless to say...I did some post editing. This is the first time I've added photos here.

saw this couple, took the shot then offered to email it to them. They were thrilled. All because I had my p and s with me.

JKious Loc: Columbia, MO

I took this with a Samsung S860 P&S... I have had many great comments on it.

Not real seaworthy

bruce Loc: Vancouver, Wa

Gorgeous!