GaryS1964 Loc: Northern California

I want a camera for my truck so I always have one with me. There have been times when I'm out driving somewhere that I see a really good photo opportunity but I don't have my camera with me. I'm looking for something relatively thin and will fit easily in my glove box or center console. I would like it to shoot RAW, have some shooting modes like AV and TV and of course have great IQ. Nice to have features would be IS, viewfinder, and have a decent wide to zoom range. Finally I would like all this for under $300 if possible. I'm willing to go with a refurb to keep it within my budget.

Any recommendations? Am I dreaming?

picpiper Loc: California

I know exactly what you're talking about. Regardless of what my "main" camera is at the time, I always have a pocket camera with me. From 2009 - 2011 I was using a Canon SD770. I bought a Canon Elph 310 in 2012 because it had a CMOS sensor, wider and faster lens, does 8X optical zoom and has larger, better LCD (but alas, no viewfinder :( ) You can search Flickr to see stock IQ on these cameras.

I say "stock" IQ because these Canons and most all of the Canon Powershot cameras can run CHDK. CHDK gives you RAW (.dng format), AV and TV modes, shutter and focus bracketing, and much, much more. See http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_in_Brief

Even if you want something a little bigger - if you're really into photography - I would strongly recommend you consider a Canon that has a CHDK build available. (Do pay attention to the camera firmware version though.)

Last week in Yosemite we parked behind the Village store and were going to walk up to the museum and I didn't feel like hauling out the D5100. After all, we've been camping there every year for many, many years and what could be new or interesting to shoot? Well... here's what I got thanks to the Elph 310 in my pocket:

RAW (.dng) 8x optical zoom - PS rendered - Topaz sweetening


Cropped 8x optical zoom .dng - PS with Topaz sweetening


Camera-prooduced .jpg 32x full digital zoom - resized

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Take a look at the Canon G-12; since the G-15 was introduced, prices have been falling rapidly.

Buildrt Loc: Sarasota Fl

I picked up a Nikon P510 it does about everything except shoot RAW, fits nicely in my trucks center consol. Very pleased with it for that type of use.

bvargas Loc: Palm Harbor, Florida

Check out SONY DSC-HX9V. This camera does it all with excellent results.
Lens 24-384mm, 16mp, HD MOVIES, 3-D, PANORAMA. Price has been reduced since newer models introduced.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

RX100 has a big sensor, shoots RAW and is on the camera list in Lightroom 4.2.

bogeyeliot Loc: Signal Hill, CA

You could consider a used Coolpix P7000, which I think has all the features you've listed...originally retailed just under $500, should be much cheaper now....it's now my "second-stringer" as I've graduated to a D5100.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

Only the G12 has an Optical View Finder. Really needed for serious photography. Also, it has raw and jpeg. full manual, etc.

sbesaw Loc: Boston

and it's $ 648

whittmike Loc: Northeast Georgia

I own the Nikon Coolpix s9100 and I shoot all kinds of things with it. 18X zoom lens with 12.1 mgp and a great cmos sensor! Fantastic in low light!!! Paid $259

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I bought it instead of something like a Nikon D600 with a 24 to 85 lens for $2600 that would not fit in my pocket. A Nikon 3200 with a 18 to 55mm lens for the same price as the RX100 wouldn't fit in my pocket either!

GaryS1964 Loc: Northern California

CHDK sounds like Magic Lantern for the DSLRs. I can live without the viewfinder so I'll check it out.

jcarlosjr Loc: Orange County

Canon "S" series. I have and old 5mp S50, and a newer S95. S100 is the current version. All will slip into a pant pocked without a bulge.

I also shoot with a Canon G11. I like the viewfinder and hot shoe mount. It will fit into a shirt or pant packet, but is bulky. With a comfort neck strap, I carry it in a waist pack.

Joe Lynn Loc: Bend, Oregon

I've had very good photos from the Fuji Finepix HS 10 and HS 20.Here is information about the HS 20. There are also the HS 25 and HS 30: F ujiFilm FinePix HS20EXR Review
Review posted 7/26/2011
Quick Take
Pros
• Great Versatility from 30x optical zoom lens
• dSLR style body is easy and comfortable to handle
• Fully Automatic and Manual controls
• High Quality Fixed lens
• Good overall image quality
• Robust shooting performance
• LCD is an excellent shooting and viewing option
• Good quality HD videos at 720p
• HDMI output
Cons
• Manual Zoom lens can be difficult to turn smoothly
• Mid to High ISO image quality is poor
• No audio input
• Very noisy "Advanced" shooting modes
Bottom Line
Fuji's FinePix HS20 EXR is a powerful and versatile digicam that is loaded with easy-to-use and useful features. It has good performance and image quality, although it does struggle a bit with image noise at higher ISO settings. Read more in our Full Conclusion.

Fujifilm's award winning FinePix HS20EXR is an advanced, high quality SLR-like camera. It has been equipped with a new 16-megapixel EXR-CMOS sensor, a powerful 30x manual optical zoom (24mm-720mm equivalent), and a tilting 3.0 high contrast LCD. The electronic viewfinder features a "heads up" sensor that will switch automatically from the LCD to the EVF. The HS20EXR can deliver high speed continuous shooting at 8fps at full resolution, and features the option to capture full panoramic photos (with Motion Panorama 360). With improved intelligent processors and EXR technology, getting the best looking image is easily achieved. Using your choice of 27 scene modes or the EXR Auto mode, the HS20EXR will automatically choose what settings are best for the current subject. You can also choose form a host of manual controls to add your own creative touches.

The HS20EXR is capable of shooting movies at a true 1080p HD quality. These are captured with H.264 high profile compression, for smaller file sizes without sacrificing quality. High speed movies can also be captured thanks to the new High Speed Movie Options, that can capture at an incredible 320fps.


FujiFilm FinePix HS20EXR features:
• 16-megapixel EXR-CMOS sensor
• 30x manual optical zoom lens
• 3.0-inch titling LCD screen
• Optical image stabilization
• 8fps burst mode
• Full 1080p HD video
• RAW, RAW+JPEG shooting
• Motion Panorama 360
• Purple Fringing Reducer/Corner Resolution Enhancer
• Super Intelligent Flash
• Multi-Bracketing
• Face Recognition
• Face Detection and Automatic Red-eye Removal
• Photo Book Assist
• Powered by 4 AA batteries
• HDMI Output
• SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot
The FujiFilm FinePix HS20EXR is available now with a MSRP or $499.95 US. See our buy box below for the most current online pricing at various well known retailers.

What's n the Box?:
• HS20EXR camera body
• 4xAA type alkaline batteries
• Shoulder strap
• USB cable
• A/V cable
• Lens cap and Lens cap cord
• CD-ROM
• Owner's manual
• Lens hood (excluding China)


Additional Views:










Steve's Conclusion
Fuji's FinePix HS20EXR is a compact, powerful and incredibly versatile digital camera. Sporting a 30x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization, a 16M - back side illuminated EXR CMOS image sensor, and an EXR image processor, the HS20 is the most powerful Fuji yet. However, don't let this frighten you, this camera was still designed to be completely user friendly. Featuring Fuji's EXR Auto shooting mode, scene modes and specially designed advanced modes, there are shooting options for all beginner and amateur photographers. If that is not enough, a full set of manual controls is also present. A full 360° Motion Panorama and Full 1080p HD video capture top off the amazing set of features.

As one of Fuji's first camera's to sport the new EXR CMOS imaging sensor, the HS20 EXR combines the quality of Fuji's EXR system with the speed and quality of the back side illuminated sensor to produce outstanding image quality and amazing performance. EXR Auto chooses between 3 sensor modes and 27 scene shooting modes based on your current shooting conditions. This allows for anyone to capture the best possible images, even in the toughest situations. These features are paired with the Extra-Low Dispersion Glass lens to provide the best optics possible to complete the EXR system.

With the same shape and feel of a small dSLR camera, the HS20EXR is comfortable to hold and easy to operate. All of the camera's controls are easy to use and easy to find when you are out shooting. The only difficulty with the operation comes from the zoom lens which is a little hard to turn, causing it to not work as smoothly as it could. This could be an issue if you need to zoom while recording movies or making fine adjustments for your composition. To frame and view your images, you have the option between the 3.0-inch LCD screen or the EVF. With a 460,000 dot resolution, the tilting LCD is your best option for screen quality. With 100% frame coverage you will be sure to see everything that the camera will capture. If you are usually more comfortable with an optical viewfinder, then the EVF will be your preferred choice for framing. With a resolution of approx. 200,000 dots and 97% frame coverage, the quality isn't going to be as good as the LCD screen; however, it is easier to see in bright and direct light.

Looking at our outdoor sample images, you can see a good overall exposure, vivid colors and an overall sharp image. In the cannon shot, some of the white areas are overexposed, which happens often in this shot. There are also some minor instances of aberrations throughout the outdoor samples, along the sides of buildings and power lines. Framing and composing your images is made easy with the 30x Fujinon optical zoom lens. With a 35mm equivalent of 24-720mm, its versatility is amazing. This means that you will never find yourself in a shooting situation thinking that you wished you had a different lens.

Our indoor samples show the exposures are excellent, but the auto white balance is on the warm side. The lower ISO settings show very little noise and a great deal of detail. As the ISO increases so does the noise, making ISO 800 and above unacceptable for large prints. Assisting with your low-light and indoor photography is a small, built-in flash unit. With a range of up to 23.2ft. (W) at ISO auto, you will be able to fill a mid-sized room but with some image noise. Fuji's super-intelligent flash correctly lights the image while allowing your background to stay as you see it, adding a great deal of background detail to your images.

Shooting portraits is easy with the HS20EXR as the camera not only detects any faces within the frame, it can also recognize them. Since the camera knows that it is taking pictures of people, it automatically adjusts all of the camera's settings for the faces over the rest of the image; depending on the mode you are using. The camera did very well in this area, but the amount of noise that appeared in our sample image is a little disappointing. At just ISO 400, you would expect a little more detail in the image. There is enough noise here that it will become noticeable in larger prints. This means you will need to shoot your portrait images outside or use a more powerful external flash unit with your camera.

With Fuji's EXR system built-in, the HS20 is capable of some advanced shooting modes as well. It uses the system to capture multiple images quickly and combines them within the camera. This allows for the Pro Focus and Pro Low Light modes. After multiple images are captured, the camera combines them to lower noise and blur the background behind the subject. This also works for the Motion 360 Panorama mode. It captures multiple images and stitches them as you pan the camera, allowing you to see your image just a few seconds after capturing it. You can also play it back on the camera and watch it rotate as you did.

Another great feature available on the HS20 is its ability to capture full 1080p HD videos with just the push of a button. Its dedicated video recording button allows you to start recording instantly, no matter what shooting mode you are in. Our sample shows that the video is a little bright, as is tried to compensate for the dynamic range, dulling the color a bit. Auto focus worked well, keeping the subject in focus, but if you watch closely you can see it working. Since the zoom is manual, the entire 30x optical zoom is available, but it will throw off the auto focus if you zoom to quickly. Recording sound for your movies is a stereo set of microphones that are built into the body of the camera. While these are very sensitive, they did very well outside at not picking up any wind noise.

The HS20 is powered by 4 AA-sized batteries, allowing you to find a spare power source almost anywhere in the world. During our tests, we used Energizer 2450mAh Ni-MH rechargeable batteries which allowed us to capture approx. 300 images and several short videos before they needed to be replaced. This came up a little short of Fuji's claims for any type of batteries, but with such a readily available power source, you should have plenty of spares on hand at all times.

Bottom Line - FujiFilm's FinePix HS20EXR is an incredibly powerful and versatile digicam. It's loaded with appealing features, sporting Fuji's 16-Megapixel EXR CMOS imaging sensor, EXR processor and a 30x optical Fujinon lens. Its full auto modes make it easy enough for anyone to use, while the fully manual settings allow even a professional to be creative with it. It does lack a little on the performance end, and the images show a lot of image noise, especially at the mid to high ISO levels. With a MSRP of US $499 US, you are entering the price range of an entry-level dSLR. However, with the HS20's 30x optical zoom lens, and it vast array of exposure options, you will receive comparable features and versatility.

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

Canon SX40 is about the same size as the P510 and with CHDK will save in RAW. Or extend the zoom and get the SX50 that saves in RAW right out of the box!!

However all of these (P510, SX40 & SX50) are over $300 unless you find one on sale or used.......
I am considering selling my sx40 to get the sx50