cameras, concert photography

[erilyn]

I'm considering getting a new camera for my 30th (which is approaching far too rapidly). Does anyone have recs/anti-recs for a compact or ultra-compact? What do you have, how have you found it? I currently have a three year old Canon A85.

I've been going through a few sites (like Digital Photography Review - very useful for feature search and side-by-side comparisons) but am feeling overwhelmed by choices and options. Good video is essential (especially for concerts *g*).

Speaking of concerts - my photos are often very hit and miss (with greater emphasis towards miss). If you take photos at concerts, what settings do yo tend to use? Fully auto, a specific mode, or do you manually adjust aperture and ISO speed etc?

* ** *** * *** ** *

Thanks to very useful info from babygotbass (eg the sold out message is an error, and check your order history when it times out during processing), I have conquered the FBR store and ordered the deluxe edition of Pretty. Odd. \o/

I really need to make a proper To Do list for February. I don't have uni for the next 3 1/2 weeks, and I'll be working a bit but not full-time (afaik), so it is Time To Get Shit Done.

Also, the mystery of Pete and Patrick's apparent trip to Europe and Russia is solved! I hope they go to Paris a lot "".

Comments

[i-naiad.livejournal.com]

I love my Canon A700. I'm not sure what it's like for video, because I didn't buy it with that in mind, but it takes great photos, uses AA batteries (awesome in an emergency) and can be used manually as well. I like Canon's in general too. Before this one I had one of their micro sized cameras and it was also excellent.

Have had Olympus in the past and been disappointed.

[nimmy.livejournal.com]

Seriously, you can't go wrong with a Canon, we have 2 in the house and my sis has 1 and we love them all. I have Power Shot S3 IS and it's the next best thing to a digital SLR (at about half the price but don't think I wouldn't have the SLR if I had the cash) Micaela has a A430 which is super easy to use and my sis has an Ixis which is tiny and takes great pix.

*hugs* hope that helped!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I've currently got a Canon A85, so a similar-but-older model to yours it looks like :) Thank you!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

All the info is useful, thank you! I've currently got a couple of years old Canon, Powershot A85, so I'm looking to upgrade to either a similar or more compact one, I think.

[nimmy.livejournal.com]

I think there's a newer model than the A430 but that's the closest to an upgrade if you want more compact then it's the Ixis (whatever the newer model of that is)

good luck!

[nyydesignsync.livejournal.com]

I got my new canon SD850 in June - I got it the day it was released for sale and glad I waited and didn't settle. It's compact and has great functions. It is 8megpix and has 4x zoom with up to 16x which is outdoors is GREAT. it has a lot of fabulous features too. I highly recommend and it's getting great reviews all over.

[nikibee.livejournal.com]

The Canon SD series. Contrary to common sense, they do not go in order of number (the SD1000 is not better than the SD850). I prefer the 800 and the 870 as they both have wider angle lenses. The "family tree" of that series is here (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_sd850-review/).

[rikes]

I vote for a Canon Powershot (I just bought a720is), they give you lots of options. I used to have a Canon Digital Ixus (=SD series in the US) and I hated it, because I felt like there was nothing I could do about how a picture was going to turn out. Of course the Ixus cameras are a lot smaller, if that's important to you.

[misha-bsb.livejournal.com]

Crashing the thread again to let you know someone posted on LiveDaily that BSB will be on Australia TV. Not sure if it's Wednesday AM or Thursday AM

BSB will be on the Today Show here in Aussie tomorrow morning channel 9.

On from 6.00am till 9.00am

...

http://today.ninemsn.com.au/

If you go down on that page you may see where they say about BSB on there.

[bluna81.livejournal.com]

ooh never choose kodak, it suxx, well just my bad experience ...

i for myself would by one with a high optical zoom

my current well and my prefered one is a olympus z740 ... where you can do your own settings 2 ... it depends on the light but for concerts i use sport modus without the flash (you need a a calm hand for that) and multi pictures, iso is automatic and i play around with the light, when it suites i use it for all pictures

[bluna81.livejournal.com]

by - buy

[misha-bsb.livejournal.com]

NVM, it just aired

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I saw it, thanks, someone posted about it to the Aussie list last night. It was incredibly blah, Richard Wilkins isn't a great interviewer, and there was nothing of note in it. I don't think Howie said one word during it, heh.

[misha-bsb.livejournal.com]

Could you ask your friends on the list to send an email to this station?

http://www.mix1065.com.au/misc/unfiledarticles.asp?articleid=7390

Apparently they interviewed AJ last Friday. They have some podcasts on their site, so maybe they will post the interview if there's demand. I tried to email them but their site filters out some non-Australian email sites.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Yes, I can't decide between one in that size range and something like the Canon A720. Too many options!

Thanks for the info :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

That family tree is really useful - the naming conventions of cameras are useless! I'm really torn between the SD series and the A series - just can't decide :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

They are Ixus here as well - sometimes finding the corresponding models (cause so many reviews are from the US) can be challenging.

I'm really liking the A720. The size of the Ixus is tempting, but 6x optical zoom may win out.

Thanks!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I'll pass it on!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info! :)

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc8RHHa_CF8&eurl=http://lj-toys.com/?journalid=1384771&moduleid=20&auth_token=sessionless:1201680000:embedcontent:1384771%2

[nikibee.livejournal.com]

I think the A series has more manual settings and the SD series are ultracompact (can fit in your pocket). Which of those features will you use/value more?

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

That's what I can't decide about. I was leaning towards the ultracompact range (either in Canon or Fujifilm), but I'm starting to talk myself into the A series instead. I suspect the bigger optical zoom and more settings will be more useful than being able to fit into a pocket, but I just don't know.

So hard.

[legally-blonde.livejournal.com]

I have a Panasonic Lumix and absolutely love it - it has a great zoom and flash that takes great concert pictures (and other pictures) and is pretty compact. Sony Cybershot is a good camera, too - I had an older model of it before getting the new camera :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Guess what I'm getting for my birthday - a Lumix :)

[legally-blonde.livejournal.com]

awesome! :D

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Now I've just got to learn to use it before the Backstreet concerts in three weeks *g*.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

Random: Do you have an mp3 of the MCR track 14 (the one about being an awful fuck) that DOESN'T have the minute or so of silence in the beginning?

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I didn't, but I've made one :D

http://download.yousendit.com/9D5B474975EA4832

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that :D

Also, hope you have a fabulous birthday!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Not fabulous, but good. Didn't really feel like a birthday, but that's ok.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

You're obviously suffering cake deprivation.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

People at work gave me a choc muffin :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I was just wondering - any particular settings you've found best for concerts? Thanks :)

That is such a cute icon, I wish we were getting new eps soon.

[legally-blonde.livejournal.com]

Any of the settings that have a flash work well - I've tried most of the basic settings and had good results with them all :)

Thanks! Me too, especially after the last new episode's ending!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks! They're saving the last few Bones eps for May sweeps, I believe?

[legally-blonde.livejournal.com]

No problem! And yeah, I believe you're correct.

By the way, I love your icon :)