Help! I need a new digital camera!

[nacelle]

So my old digital camera has bit the dust and wont work properly anymore.
Its time for a new one but what i need is something that can take photos of moving objects in low light conditions without the flash on and come out in good sharp quality and not blurry. Like a sports mode for indoor events.
Movie mode with sound also required.
I need it to be a compact and not an SLR, they are too big.
Any suggestions gratefully received

 

[Mr. B]

Sharp low light pictures with a point-and-shoot is a big ask, but you might consider the Canon G9 or G10.

 

[DonIago]

Afraid the only suggestion I have based on your parameters is...good luck with that.

Sorry, compacts just aren't known for their low-light picture-taking in general. When you then want to be taking pics of things that aren't standing still...

 

[Crusher Disciple]

I went to Consumer Report and picked out a nice Canon point and shoot.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

The question is, how much money are you have/are willing to spend?

I got a Canon Rebel XTi last year. It's an 10 Mp SLR, I got 3 Canon lenses along with it. Got one of those package deals on ebay.

It definitely has the features/abilities you're looking for and a lot more. It's available now for under $500, but I'm not sure if the prices I see include a lens or not.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I've got a Sony CyberShot and I love it.

 

[DonIago]

The question is, how much money are you have/are willing to spend?

I got a Canon Rebel XTi last year. It's an 10 Mp SLR, I got 3 Canon lenses along with it. Got one of those package deals on ebay.

It definitely has the features/abilities you're looking for and a lot more. It's available now for under $500, but I'm not sure if the prices I see include a lens or not.

The OP said they don't want an SLR...

 

[Tiberius Jim]

^ True, but what the OP is asking for is a tall order when it comes to point-and-shoots. Best bet would be an ultra-zoom point and shoot with a large lens like a Nikon P90 (what I'm getting for my birthday) or a Canon SX200IS. They aren't pocket sizes compacts, but if you want good low light quality, you need a large lens and will have to sacrifice size for quality.

 

[nacelle]

^ True, but what the OP is asking for is a tall order when it comes to point-and-shoots. Best bet would be an ultra-zoom point and shoot with a large lens like a Nikon P90 (what I'm getting for my birthday) or a Canon SX200IS. They aren't pocket sizes compacts, but if you want good low light quality, you need a large lens and will have to sacrifice size for quality.

Oh crap i was afraid someone would say this. I need something that will fit in my bag, thats travel size but would give half decent quality pics of moving objects. Weight is also a factor and an SLR is too big and heavy. I do have an SLR - not a digital one but its too big to travel with anymore and i havent used it in years.
The canon powershot D10 looks interesting, its waterproof! Has anyone got or used one of these?

 

[Tiberius Jim]

I highly doubt the D10 would give you the image quality you're looking for with lowly lit, quickly moving objects. There's really no way around getting a larger camera for those types of shots. As a famous Scottish engineer once said, "I cannae changes the laws of physics!"

 

[Angry Angel]

Go to http://www.dpreview.com/ ... they have reviews of about any camera. I'd check what they say on the forum there as well though. They tend to be a bit more blunt there wrt (dis)advantages of certain types.

 

[TrekkieMonster]

^ True, but what the OP is asking for is a tall order when it comes to point-and-shoots. Best bet would be an ultra-zoom point and shoot with a large lens like a Nikon P90 (what I'm getting for my birthday) or a Canon SX200IS. They aren't pocket sizes compacts, but if you want good low light quality, you need a large lens and will have to sacrifice size for quality.

I would agree with Flux's recommendation of the Canon for your purposes, largely because I have a good deal of experience with Canon digital point-and-shoots (and not with the Nikon.) In addition to other cameras, I've got a great little digital Elph (SD800IS) that I find I take just about everywhere with me. It's small, light, and produces surprisingly great pic's just about every time. For your purposes, though, I think you would probably find that Canon's mechanical image stabilization technology in conjunction with their "night" setting will produce surprisingly good pictures in low light without a flash (as I have.) Of course, the lower the light the more likely you'll need a tripod to get the best results. However, I have been surprised how good a picture I can get just using a fence railing or convenient door jamb to help steady my hand.

Anyway, I've had great luck with the Canon products and tech, and think you'd find it a good choice. Whatever you pic, good luck!

 

[Danoz]

So my old digital camera has bit the dust and wont work properly anymore.
Its time for a new one but what i need is something that can take photos of moving objects in low light conditions without the flash on and come out in good sharp quality and not blurry. Like a sports mode for indoor events.
Movie mode with sound also required.
I need it to be a compact and not an SLR, they are too big.
Any suggestions gratefully received

Moving objects in low light conditions without flash is not obtainable with a small, point and shoot camera (these are typically for family snapshots where everything is in focus). Even with a decent DSLR you'd struggle to get that kind of shot without the proper lens.

I'd look at the Nikon D40-- relatively inexpensive and a very good camera.

 

[Canadave]

^ Yeah, I'd second the D40. They're very good cameras, and by DSLR standards are fairly inexpensive.

Based on what the OP said I'd have to agree that low light + fast movement is not going to work out well with a P&S camera. The lens and sensor in a compact camera are just to small to pick up light quickly enough to take a good shot in those conditions. You could get a more expensive P&S, of course, but honestly I think that would be a gamble... there's always a good chance that you'd waste a couple hundred dollars on something that won't really do what you want it to.

 

[TrekkieMonster]

And I apologize; I seem to have skimmed over the "moving objects" part of the low light requirement.

As Homer Simpson would say ..., "D'oh!"

And, as Emily Litella would say ..., "Never mind."

 

[RJDiogenes]

I've got a Sony CyberShot and I love it.

This is what I use as well, but mine doesn't do very well in low light at all. I don't much care about moving objects, but I'd definitely like something that did better in low light.

 

[nacelle]

I think i may have found one that does pretty much everything im looking for. The Samsung WB550. It seems to be a new one out but the reviews i can find on it seem positive so far. The other ones im considering are the Nikon Coolpix S620 but that only had a 4x optical zoom and i like the sound of a 10x zoom on the samsung better as the 10x would be more handy for trek conventions! Another one was the Canon PowerShot SX110 IS. I looked at the DSLRs but they are too big and a little out of my price range! Preferably need to keep somewhere under $400.
Ive spent most of the day looking at high end compacts but i think i might hit the shops tomorrow and try a few out before making a final decision.

 

[wew]

I've got two, the SX110IS and a Kodak Z885. The SX110IS has some problems in low light, works great outdoors, and it has a sports shooting mode. The Kodak, was a 5x optical zoom, has an in motion mode, I used it to take pictures from a bus going about 35-40 miles per hour, the pictures came out very good in that mode.

But, moving pictures in dark conditions, not sure of.

 

[SmoothieX]

My wife has a Canon Powershot and it works great, but its just getting dated. I had a Kodak EasyShare that was a mess from the time I got it out of the box and recently kicked it as well.

I was looking at the Poweshot A1000 or A1100 - just a decent, versatile point and shoot.

 

[Sheep]

Sharp low light pictures with a point-and-shoot is a big ask, but you might consider the Canon G9 or G10.

I can't speak on the Canon G10, but I own the G9 which was pretty much best in class at the time for what the OP's looking for (non-SLR/DSLR i.e., smaller casing, takes great photos). It pales at night compared to a DSLR, but you can coax a good night/dark shot out of it by tweaking the manual settings.