Best Compact Camera To Use In Sunlight

ukcarper

Davesnave wrote: »

Yes, and that was always the way with cheaper cameras before digital too.

It was just a suggestion from the cheaper end of the market, the other costing hundreds of £££. But thank you for making that shortcoming clearer.

The wife bought camera as replacement for older canon camera which had viewfinder but viewfinder on new camera was next to useless much worse by far than ant other viewfinder I have used.

I think the lack of viewfinder is the major drawback of modern compacts there has been many a time when out with just my Panasonic TZ I wish I had taken my DSLR.

I would think the best portion at the lower end of market would be a bridge type camera

Davesnave

ukcarper wrote: »

I think the lack of viewfinder is the major drawback of modern compacts there has been many a time when out with just my Panasonic TZ I wish I had taken my DSLR.

I would think the best portion at the lower end of market would be a bridge type camera

It's a matter of personal preference. I used to carry around a SLR.

However, I find a Panasonic TZ perfectly adequate for my sort of photography, and as it goes in a pocket, it's not only more convenient, but more likely to be around when I want it.

The lack of a viewfinder is something I can live with. Perhaps this is something I worked out with my first digital, an old Sony, where I started by using the viewfinder, but somewhere along the way I switched to the screen, a tiny thing 1.5" across. By those standards, a 3" screen is huge and easy to use!

ukcarper

Davesnave wrote: »

It's a matter of personal preference. I used to carry around a SLR.

However, I find a Panasonic TZ perfectly adequate for my sort of photography, and as it goes in a pocket, it's not only more convenient, but more likely to be around when I want it.

The lack of a viewfinder is something I can live with. Perhaps this is something I worked out with my first digital, an old Sony, where I started by using the viewfinder, but somewhere along the way I switched to the screen, a tiny thing 1.5" across. By those standards, a 3" screen is huge and easy to use!

How do you find it in bright sunlight I find that quite often I can't see the screen even if i have it set to the brightess level and shade it.

I agree the bulkyness of DSLR is a problem that's why I bought TZ.

Davesnave

ukcarper wrote: »

How do you find it in bright sunlight I find that quite often I can't see the screen even if i have it set to the brightess level and shade it.

I agree the bulkyness of DSLR is a problem that's why I bought TZ.

To be honest, the number of times bright sunlight has been an issue isn't that many in a couple of years ownership, but maybe that says something about the weather too!

I still use the Sony as well and I admit that on that it's sometimes a matter of guesswork if I don't use the viewfinder on brighter days.

I rarely shoot in full, bright sun out of choice, as I find the results disappointing, but that's a separate subject really.

GDT78

Many thanks for your comments and useful input.

A Canon with an optical viewfinder like the PowerShot A1400 initially looked good but then I am concerned by the comment --'viewfinder is next to useless, not only is the view finder very small what you see though it is not always what the sensor is seeing'-- which I can believe. Appreciate other comments.

Another option would be the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ35EB with the claim:
High Resolution 3.0 Inch (7.5cm) LCD with High Brightness Mode
A high resolution (460,000 pixels) Liquid Crystal Display is offered with a 3.0 inch viewing area that works well in bright light due to the Auto Brightness sensor that automatically increases brightness by up to 40% when in sunny conditions.

Anyone had positive experience of this feature?

ukcarper

GDT78 wrote: »

Many thanks for your comments and useful input.

A Canon with an optical viewfinder like the PowerShot A1400 initially looked good but then I am concerned by the comment --'viewfinder is next to useless, not only is the view finder very small what you see though it is not always what the sensor is seeing'-- which I can believe. Appreciate other comments.

Another option would be the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ35EB with the claim:
High Resolution 3.0 Inch (7.5cm) LCD with High Brightness Mode
A high resolution (460,000 pixels) Liquid Crystal Display is offered with a 3.0 inch viewing area that works well in bright light due to the Auto Brightness sensor that automatically increases brightness by up to 40% when in sunny conditions.

Anyone had positive experience of this feature?

Yes I was very disappointed with viewfinder it looks like you have to pay a lot for a good optical viewfinder.

My TZ has Auto brightness and it's hard to see in bright sunlight but it is an older model about 3 years old now hopefully the newer models are better.

ukcarper

Davesnave wrote: »

To be honest, the number of times bright sunlight has been an issue isn't that many in a couple of years ownership, but maybe that says something about the weather too!

I still use the Sony as well and I admit that on that it's sometimes a matter of guesswork if I don't use the viewfinder on brighter days.

I rarely shoot in full, bright sun out of choice, as I find the results disappointing, but that's a separate subject really.

Yes it is horses for courses

GDT78

Thanks for your feedback and comments.

Decision made. I have ordered a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40EB. I'll let you know how it meets my expectations.