Reccomend me a compact camera!

[Mike Hoyer]

Seems I'm doing a lot of travelling these days, and not getting much chance to take pictures of the places I've been, I use 2 1d mkIIs for work, but they are usually in the bag whilst at an airport etc., and not always practical to use. I'd like a decent compact with manual settings, decent image quality, photo quality etc. for general stuff. Any reccomendations?

[John Thawley]

I use a Leica D-Lux 3... nice little camera if you want something pocket size. My next choice, though bigger, would be the new Canon G9. I here nothing but raves and if it's anything like my old G5, it's a great camera.

JT

[Ryan Merrill]

I've never used the G9 but I'm going to second that camera... I hear nothing but raves about it also. it's not pocket size but it sure isn't DSLR size. Another plus is your Canon flashes will still work on it.

[Andrew Wheeler]

Mike, I have a Canon G9 and it's perfect for being a tourist (in fact I have used it for work too and have stuff published from it)

If you'd like to see a slideshow from my last working trip to Spain (for the last round of MotoGP in Valencia) then send me a PM or email and I'll send you a link - they're holiday "snaps" but still, the camera is very very cool.

Andrew

[Andrew Wheeler]

To add...it will fit into a jean pocket without a problem...

[Mike Hoyer]

Looks good. Can you go fully manual with it?

[Dustin Finn]

Not only can you go full manual with it, you can attach an EX flash (cuz its got a hotshoe) and can shoot raw (not that you need to - but you can - I do most of the time).

If I had a second choice, it would be for the Canon S5 IS, its also got a hotshoe but a 12x optical zoom with IS in it. Some would say that that its only 8MP - but I think we all know that with these compacts the MP race is a little silly....

I totally love the fact that it can have a flash on it, direct flash always stinks and just popping a 580ex on it (although looks silly) totally renders some aweseome images:

My wife with her neice @ xmas:
http://www.dustinandkatie.com/gallery/family/2007.12.25_Christmas_Andersens/2007.12.25_163844_AndersensChristmas_IMG_0672_web. jpg

Random image from xmas
http://www.dustinandkatie.com/gallery/family/2007.12.25_Christmas_Andersens/2007.12.25_150754_AndersensChristmas_IMG_0606_web. jpg

In car - for no reason - expect I was playing
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2003/2336171114_e3fcc0b2b9.jpg

[Mike Hoyer]

Awesome. How's the image quality at full size compared to a DSLR with a decent lens. Anyone got any examples with the G9? Cheers.

[Dustin Finn]

i would say that the DSLRs do better with noise and the compacts are just too crammed to not experience the noise where the DSLRs are just cleaner in general...

With that said, I have not compared the full sized results 100% to100% because a comparison from a 12MP APS-C sensor to my 12MP 5D or 8MP 1D just isn't an apples to apples test for me...

I would suggest DPREVIEW comprehensive review on the camera to see the noise issues....
(Not sure if I can hotlink to another site from here - so I will leave you to the google)

[Mike Hoyer]

Well, I got the G9! Very impressed with it, as some other of my photographer friends. Not done a lot of "serious" stuff with it, but took it to Shanghai with me last weekend for a play... These are low res images that I put of facebook, because I can't access my website FTP at the moment...

http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v237/187/89/549617580/n549617580_782161_7171.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v237/187/89/549617580/n549617580_782163_8414.jpg

http://photos-e.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v237/187/89/549617580/n549617580_782164_8699.jpg

http://photos-580.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v236/187/89/549617580/n549617580_769716_1377.jpg

[David Karey]

I too am looking at a compact digicam to carry around at events. Frankie Muniz walked right by me in a back hallway inside the convention center this weekend in Long Beach, and i had the 100-400 on the only body i brought. Made me wish i had a little pocket camera. It would be good for shooting static displays too without bothering with removing and changing lenses in a high traffic area.