SLR owner looking for compact P&S

I have a 20D as my main camera, but I find that there are times when I miss photo opportunities because I'd rather not lug it around. I'd like to get a compact point-and-shoot, ideally one small enough for a pocket, for such situations. Given my planned use, I don't think I care about manual controls or the lack thereof.

I know very little about the various P&S options. I was initially thinking about an A590IS (or whatever newer model has replaced it), but I think that might be a bit big. Would the SD880IS (or whatever newer model replaces it) fit the bill? Any others I should look at?

tgelston wrote in post #7424817
The 590 is a GREAT camera and what a price - $109 on Amazon but you are right, it is a little larger than pocket size. The Elph series, especially the SD1100IS

True, it's a bit bigger than the Elph series. But I can fit it into a jacket pocket, and with no jacket, I use a small belt pouch. Either way, I always have it with me, and when I do use it, unlike the Elph, I actually have something to hold too!

I enjoy the other modes (P/Tv/Av/M modes) and the jog wheel on my SX100/110, but if the A590 was too big, that camera is def. too big.

The SD990's the smallest Canon with M, Av and Tv exposure controls. The SD880, however, does go wider, which may be important to you (it's about as wide as an 18-55 at the wide end).

I went with the wide angle SD870 when I went through the same thing as you last year. In a small pocketable camera, I found that the wide angle was more useful than manual controls (camera used mainly for those spontaneous moments where you don't have time to fiddle) or a longer focal length (I don't need to reach crazy telephoto lengths with how I intended to use it).

Yeah, part of the appeal of the 880 for me would be how wide it goes. I do like what I've heard about low-light performance of the Fuji 100, but it sounds like the user interface is pretty bad.

I know exactly what you mean - the Slrs are just too bulky to take along sometimes. I take my dog for a walk along the lake every day and I also carry my SD950 and I am very happy with the quality I get.
Here is a sample:
http://www.littlebowre​sort.ca …8_lbr/slides/IM​G_2107.htm

Elfie

SD990's implementation of manual control left me wanting. It's crippled in range of adjustment. I bailed and bought an LX3. Good control, so long as you can live within it's 24-60 range.

I love my SD1100IS. It fits into my jeans pocket nicely and is a perfect compromise between convenience and sophistication. I have taken pictures good enough for public display and fun enough to share with friends.

I have a 20D and 40D. My SD550 was/is my carry everywhere, stuck on the belt camera. Canon actually provided the belt mounted pouch back then - when they were running $500 retail!!

I brainfarted late in 2007 and bought a G9 for the carry everywhere purpose. Besides being too big, the camera really offers very little performance advantage over my SD550. Forget the A series. Might as well get a G. Whatever you get, full manual controls are nearly worthless on a camera with a midget sensor. DOF is massive unless your subject is a foot away.

Get a close out SD870IS or the SD880IS. The replacement for my SD550, if it ever fails, will be the 880. The wide angle lense will rock, which is just barely narrower than my 20/40 with the 17-40L.

Apparently there is an SD960IS out now too with the wide angle.

If you don't care about the wide angle, and you most likely will; the SD1100 is nice. IS really does work well on these cameras.


My SD550 is not completely useless in manual - ISO adjustment, exposure compensation and Slow Syncro flash leave me with some great controls. I shot about a dozen pics of my daughter tonight baking a cake - the G9 and SD550 were sitting next to each other and I grabbed the SD. I leave the G9 for the three year old to shoot.


I bought my parents an A530 a while back...and the mother in law needed a new camera about April 2008. Got her the A590IS. Great camera for the person that cares nothing about features and composition. Not for a real photog. Paid $160, I see them at $110 now.

I have an LX3, and love it to bits. It has full manual controls (which is nice to have for low-light stuff when 'merely' tuning exposure comp isn't ideal, and while DoF is minimal, it can make a difference), limited zoom range but real wideangle (important to me), and good high ISO performance (for its sensor size). Fits easily in a jacket pocket, although it's a bit big for trouser pocketing. Goes with me everywhere.

I'll probably buy my parents an Ixus (Elph), I think it's the SD890 (the one that won the DPreview shootout, anyway) to replace their almost dead other cam; easy to use, quick, decent zoom range, and compact. Has exposure comp if needed. The other alternative would be a lumix, but most of their smaller cams have relatively poor noise performance, or a Fuji fd series cam.

Compacts are always a compormise, but I have to say I'm quite in love with my little LX3 - wideangle, image stabilisation and f2.0 make a nice little package.