Compact digital camera needed for nightime and low light shots - Recommendations?

usignuolo

I used to have a Canon point and shoot (not digital) camera that took great photos indoors in the dark or low light with the flash illuminating the whole scene. I took pictures in caves, down mines, indoors in clubs, all sorts of things. Unfortunately it broke last year. I replaced it with a Canon digital compact power shot which turns out to be useless for night time outdoor shots and indoor shots in low light.

(The Canon has a night time setting but frankly it's not much use in any sort of low light. It automatically sets to flash and when it is on it just focusses on the nearest object and I get an overexposed face usually and no background. If there is no nearest object, eg people dancing at a party, I get a general blur. It I turn off the flash, I just get a dark blur. Outside or in enclosed places the same is true. It doesn't seem to have any long exposure setting.)

I went to a friend's wedding in Canada earlier this year and could not get a decent result taking streetscapes and landscapes at night or at the after wedding party which was in a hall. The group dancing scenes all came out blurred which was very disappointing.

Can anyone recommend a compact digital camera that works in the dark (in caves which is one of my hobbies) and also in low light indoors and out? I want to take street scapes and general views indoors and out at night without needing to focus on a person in the middle of the picture. Is the Lumix anygood or does that again assume you are taking people in the middle of the frame? I can spend up to £250.

nomoneytoday

I would check dpreview.com - they are pretty clued up on cameras

isofa

It's all about technique. Are you leaving it in auto?

You'll always get a blur at night if you've got a slow shutter, unless you use flash or up the ISO (sensitivity) but then it'll get noisy. TBH you'll never get an excellent good pic in a very dark situation on a compact without flash, and it'll be almost impossible if it's hand held too.

Most Canons and Panasonics will be your best choices, but it's what the user can achieve with the camera too, you need to understand shutter, aperture and ISO.

I'm a pro-photographer and use pro Canon SLRs and lenses but keep a Canon Ixus as a snap camera for parties when I'm not being employed to take photos, the flash is so bright at night. Also it's pretty good without flash.

The Canon Digital Ixus 95 IS is hard to beat at under £200. If I was looking for a new compact today, I'd buy it.

isofa

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/digital-cameras/256717/canon-digital-ixus-95-is

And a huge list of reviews here: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/digital-cameras

DPReview and StevesDigicams are great, but bare in mind many of the models have different US model numbers, so may appear differently in US site reviews.

Antispam

I agree with isofa its hard to get any decent picture with a camera with some help. The bigger the lens the more light is allowed taking pictures with a compact camera with wil need help either using a flash or long exposure which in itself can cause blurring without a suitable tripod

Some compacts are better than others and have night time settings but usually you have to increase iso settings which increase noise as mentioned above you can in some circumstance overcome this with software like noise ninja http://www.picturecode.com/


typical noise by iso before and after

[Deleted User]

Long shutter speed, tripod + some lanterns should make some nice cave photos

How about some photography guides to help you? http://www.ephotozine.com/article/A-shot-in-the-dark--guide-to-cave-photography-4680