Upgrade from point and shoot (Page 2): Thanks for your thoughts lev29. I've been impressed by the Sony's but would consider another. The HX 400 is pretty much like a SLR in that it has...

2lou

Thanks for your thoughts lev29. I've been impressed by the Sony's but would consider another. The HX 400 is pretty much like a SLR in that it has a view finder as well as a multi positional screen. Still shopping.

Paul J. Svetlik Loc: Colorado

If you like something fitting into your shirt pocket without breaking your bank account, consider

1. Panasonic DMC Lumix ZS50 with 18 megapixels, RAW+JPEG filing, zoom 24-720mm and an electronic viewfinder/with a LCD screen.
About $ 380.00
There is also about one year old model Panasonoc Lumix ZS40 - practically with the same performance but you can get it for only $ 220.00 - on Amazon.com

2. Other Panasonic cameras with a similar performance and no lens changing (and hauling) like Lumix DMC FZ70 have a zoom range from 20mm-1200mm and tilting screens.
Canon (SX60) Nikon and Sony make also this class of cameras.

The third group (but larger body with a protruding lens barrel) I would recommend to look at is the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC RX10. They are both built on a larger 1" size sensor, with 20 megapixels, electronic viewfinder, tilting LCD screen, RAW and JPEG filing - but with a shorter zoom range. (FZ1000 has 25-400mm zoom and Sony RX 24-200mm)
I hope, this might help you to navigate for the camera convenient for travel?

I

katkase Loc: Grapeview, WA

lev29 wrote:

katkase,

Wow. That's quite a few! I take it all five of these cameras still function as expected? Please tell me, IF you do TRAVEL by air, bus, or rail (i.e. not using an automobile,) to a destination, how many different cameras do you take with you, with how many different types of batteries? I don't ask the preceding out of whimsy. Rather, I'm endeavoring to know something about people's habits with respect to portable electronics, in particular cameras.

Thanks, lev29

All cameras work and yes I do use them. I do volunteer photography for the Theler Community Center in Balefair, WA. I use the Fuji and the Olympus when photographing at events. The center uses the photographs as a fund raising opportunity and events like Easter, Halloween and I print the photos at the site. So, I use one camera at a time to print out the photos of the children and families. When I need the highest zoom I bring out the Panasonic camera. Video, I use the Fuji waterproof camera and the Panasonic as they have really great video resolution. Right now, the weather here is rainy, rainy rainy and the weatherproof camera is the camera of choice when outside; for obvious reasons. When it is not raining I will use the other cameras. I kept getting a different one as I wanted to get the features I wanted. Not all cameras are the same. I just ended up with five good and working cameras.

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

katkase wrote:

All cameras work and yes I do use them ...

Thank you for answering my first question. Since you didn't answer the second, I can assume one of three possible scenarios: a. you didn't read the subsequent questions or you decided it's not worth your time to (which is okay, as that is your prerogative); b. all the traveling that you do is by automobile so there's no need to be concerned with much photo equipment you bring along; or c. when you do travel by plane, train, or bus, you bring only one camera along.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

katkase wrote:

All cameras work and yes I do use them. I do volu... (show quote)

That's a lot of point and shoot cameras you have. You must have a remarkable memory to deal with the format menus on the LCD of all those cameras. Unless you have them all set on automatic.

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

mas24 wrote:

That's a lot of point and shoot cameras you have. You must have a remarkable memory to deal with the format menus on the LCD of all those cameras. Unless you have them all set on automatic.

Good question/point.

katkase Loc: Grapeview, WA

mas24 wrote:

That's a lot of point and shoot cameras you have. You must have a remarkable memory to deal with the format menus on the LCD of all those cameras. Unless you have them all set on automatic.

I have had to use the different cameras a lot and so it becomes automatic and I get to know the features by heart by now. I do use automatic but I use the manual features a lot too. I used to have and SLR since 1978 and I had to know how to use f stops, aperture, depth of field etc. I even did my own black and white developing film. Digital allowed me to focus on the photo and not the cost of printing the photos and developing the film, which was getting costly. Again, it depends on the situation a weatherproof camera does give me a sense of confidence in inclement weather.

katkase Loc: Grapeview, WA

lev29 wrote:

Thank you for answering my first question. Since you didn't answer the second, I can assume one of three possible scenarios: a. you didn't read the subsequent questions or you decided it's not worth your time to (which is okay, as that is your prerogative); b. all the traveling that you do is by automobile so there's no need to be concerned with much photo equipment you bring along; or c. when you do travel by plane, train, or bus, you bring only one camera along.

I do not do that much travelling. The last big trip I took was from California to Washington state in 2004. I live in the south sound and I make trips to Seattle occasionally. My last plane trip was in 2004 and given plane travel is more pain than pleasure, I do not miss flying at all. My last train trip was... 2001? If I travel at all it is by car or by ferry, which in the Washington state system is pretty impressive. If you should want to visit, the ferry system goes to some of the most beautiful places here in Washington state.