Upgrade....but MUST have optical viewfinder

I LOVE my A720IS, but have upgradeitis!

Would really appreciate some recommendations for an upgrade. Would like something with 8 mp or up, at least a 6X zoom, and absolutely essential to have an optical viewfinder.

I do most of my shooting in Costa Rica, and Mexico..."street scenes", candids, in bright sunshine, while wearing sunglasses, and find the LED screen virtually useless.

Doesn't have to be Canon, although I've been much more than satisfied with my existing camera.

Prime candidate seems to be a G11, although I would ideally like something with a bigger/wider zoom, faster maximum aperture, and physically smaller.

Tall order, I know.

Cheers, del Sol

Try out the camera in a store first - the optical viewfinders on point and shoot cameras aren't impressive. Many are totally useless. I'm not sure about the G11, but I can guarantee you it's not like looking through the viewfinder on a 1D.

Since he has an A720, I think he's aware of that. It looks like the G10 and G11 are pretty much the only Canon alternatives that still have optical viewfinders. Maybe you'll find a shelf-model of an earlier camera; I just got a display SD990 for a fair price, but looking for wide and fast are going to be tough. The only wide/fast one out there is the S90, with no viewfinder at all, just the LCD.

I know how you feel about the optical finder, I use photogray glasses and my SD990 LCD is tough to use in bright sun I need the optical finder. The 990 is with me always even though I have a DSLR

Thanks folks,

Sounds like the best plan for me is procrastination.

Fortunately, that's something I'm VERY good at!

Cheers, del Sol

Dunno about that - you might just procrastinate yourself into a viewfinderless future and have to deal with the LCD. :{)#

Good point!

Seems like optical finders are going the way of the wooly mammoth.

Wonder if the "micro" 4/3 gear will shrink a little?

Cheers from sunny Melaque, Mexico.

del Sol

I've got the A720IS and recently upgraded to the SX20IS - meets all your "must haves"

I'm loving it - still kept the A720IS around though - I've had a lot of fun with that one!

duckduckdog wrote in post #9802178
I've got the A720IS and recently upgraded to the SX20IS - meets all your "must haves"

I'm loving it - still kept the A720IS around though - I've had a lot of fun with that one!

That's an electronic viewfinder; there's some lag and granularity compared to a clean optical one. Granted, it does give you exactly what your lens will capture, but the lag/blur are a problem. I have the SX1, A630 and SD990; my wife has the SD600. The last 3 have optical VFs.

Jon wrote in post #9803184
That's an electronic viewfinder; there's some lag and granularity compared to a clean optical one. Granted, it does give you exactly what your lens will capture, but the lag/blur are a problem. I have the SX1, A630 and SD990; my wife has the SD600. The last 3 have optical VFs.

Correct, I was thinking he wanted a view finder, I must have read right over the word "optical."