Another Camera thread: Help me pick the right P&S.

[Mje]

Ok, Ok, yet another camera thread, but none of the previous ones that I read fit my situation closely. I'm going on a trip for most of the summer. I need a good point and shoot travel camera for about $200 or less. This is not a photography trip. I'm not a camera buff, but I know a little. The camera doesn't need to be dummy proof either.

I will be taking mostly stills(outdoor and indoor), probably some motion, but not many fast motion shots. Both normal and low light conditions. The camera has to be light, and not very bulky. I don't know wether to go with APS or 35mm, most of the prints will be small but I may want to blow one or two up to a larger size. I like the print size features of APS, but is it really worth it? Also, how much more is APS to develop at a "quality" photo lab like K-Mart? I've never had an APS camera before. I'll usually be in a situation where I can focus by moving myself, but in a few instances I could see focus being useful, manual is ok, so focus is not required but would be helpful. Manual exposure time setting would also be a plus for usability when I get back from the trip, but not required. I also need to have the camera in my hands 5 days from now. Monday, 5-6-2002. I have most of the big name stores within reasonable distance. I'm in PA around Wilkes-Barre.

Suggestions please?

 

[Lucky]

what point and shoot you want really depends on how much zoom you want. Would you be OK with the lack of zoom of the stylus epic? If so, get that camera, bar none. If you need zoom, let us know how much (what range) you are looking for.

 

[Mje]

No zoom is fine. Auto focus is good. Do you think the panoramic mode of the deluxe model worth the extra cash(+20)? I'm guessing the lab will not know its panoramic if you just take the film in, being that this is 35mm?

Another question... Film reccomendation?

Thanks for the help.

Edit: This is the perfect camera. I didn't realize how small it was.

 

[Lucky]

it really is the perfect camera. I shoot professionally but always carry that camera around. Its just an awesome camera.

The panoramic feature is, as you might know, misleading in 35mm cameras. All it does it move a "mask" that physically crops the area of the film being exposed. You actually lose part of the picture. A lab will know its panoramic and print it accordingly but you are much better off just finding a shot that you exposed normally and tell them to print it in a panoramic format. That you you still have all the *whole* picture but yet you can also take it in to make a pano.

edit:

any film should be fine. Its got a good enough lens that you can get away with 100 speed film at night (w/flash) but if you are shooting a lot of nighttime shots you might want to get a mix of 400 (night) and 100 for the day.

 

[Mje]

Thanks again. I'd give you another 5 if i could.

Now to find one that will get here by monday...

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

i don't like the APS film system for the following reasons:

1) pricey to buy
2) pricey to develop
3) harder to get developed in 1 hour
4) negatives are stored within the film cartridge, which makes for messy stacks of developed pictures. Net effect is that storage is problematic, and more likely to result in lost negatives.

So I would suggest you go with a 35mm camera.

 

[Lucky]

most places like ritz camera, cord camera, wolf camera, etc carry that camera. $80-$100.