Looking for budget friendly compact camera: Next month I am going to Costa Rica with my daughter to celebrate her high school graduation. It's an adventure-type tour and my Canon T3i...

saralynn143 Loc: Missouri

Next month I am going to Costa Rica with my daughter to celebrate her high school graduation. It's an adventure-type tour and my Canon T3i will be too unwieldy.

I am looking for something that is small enough to take along hiking, horseback riding and ziplining but gives me more creative control that my old Olympus Stylus point-and-shoot.

Unfortunately budget is an issue. I'm kicking myself for not seeing a $299 Canon PowerShot G15 deal last month until after it expired.

Right now I am considering a used PowerShot G12 in the $240 range and a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 for $249. I welcome comments and other suggestions in the sub-$300 realm.

Thanks,
Sara Lynn

emmons267 Loc: Arizona, Valley of the Sun

The Canon SX50 is a good all around camera with great zoom and macro capabilities. It usually sells for 399.00, but I've seen them for as low as $300 to $329.
Enjoy your trip. Costa Rica is a great country to vacation in.

acceptance16

saralynn143 wrote:

Next month I am going to Costa Rica with my daught... (show quote)

Cannon SX50 I paid $350 and love it.

acceptance16

mfeveland wrote:

The Canon SX50 is a good all around camera with great zoom and macro capabilities. It usually sells for 399.00, but I've seen them for as low as $300 to $329.
Enjoy your trip. Costa Rica is a great country to vacation in.

Agree. This is a great little camera. Lillian Stokes often uses it for taking pictures of birds.

saralynn143 Loc: Missouri

Thanks. I think I'm scrapping the used idea. I have found the SX50 for $299, a G15 for $329 and the Panasonic for $239. Now to balance the tradeoffs among cost, features and portability . . .

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

I'm a big fan of the advanced point & shoot cameras. The G12 or G15 would be a good choice and you can save money buying the older models. Don't overlook other older models from different manufacturers that might have a more powerful zoom.

saralynn143 Loc: Missouri

Thanks. I may swing by a brick and mortar later this afternoon to check out the relative sizes, but I think that the SX50 might be a little bigger than I want to carry. I also took a look at the S110 (at a very attractive price point of $199), but I'm thinking that the midsize G15 might be just the ticket.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

saralynn143 wrote:

Thanks. I may swing by a brick and mortar later this afternoon to check out the relative sizes, but I think that the SX50 might be a little bigger than I want to carry. I also took a look at the S110 (at a very attractive price point of $199), but I'm thinking that the midsize G15 might be just the ticket.

Yes, some bridge cameras aren't much smaller than a DSLR. The sensors in the advanced point & shoot cameras are a little bigger than the average compact camera and again...you can save money buying an older model and the spec's of those older models are still pretty impressive even by today's standards. Three years ago, I bought a advanced point & shoot, a Nikon P7100 for $500.00, today you can pick one up for around $300.00. Because of the impressive image quality, to this day, I still use it more than my DSLR.

saralynn143 Loc: Missouri

Thanks again for all of the comments and suggestions. I just pulled the trigger on a G15. Currently $319 at B&H in case anyone is interested.

saralynn143 Loc: Missouri

Wow. B&H has already shipped. Scheduled to arrive Tuesday!

Racmanaz Loc: Sunny Tucson!

saralynn143 wrote:

Thanks. I may swing by a brick and mortar later this afternoon to check out the relative sizes, but I think that the SX50 might be a little bigger than I want to carry. I also took a look at the S110 (at a very attractive price point of $199), but I'm thinking that the midsize G15 might be just the ticket.

Don't you already have the Canon G15?
Oops I just saw that you ordered it :)

saralynn143 Loc: Missouri

No, I put it in my signature in anticipation of its arrival.

Racmanaz Loc: Sunny Tucson!

saralynn143 wrote:

No, I put it in my signature in anticipation of its arrival.

Very nice, Those Canon G series cameras are really nice, I was just looking at the G1X :)

saralynn143 Loc: Missouri

Yeah, can you tell I'm anxious to get it?

BTW very pretty avatar pic. Where was it taken?

Racmanaz Loc: Sunny Tucson!

saralynn143 wrote:

Yeah, can you tell I'm anxious to get it?

BTW very pretty avatar pic. Where was it taken?

That was taken here in Tucson about 2 months ago :)