what type of P&S Camera do Pro's use for personal use?

I know this question was asked before last month but I could not find that thread. I have the 20D, but would like to also get a small point and shoot to keep with me in my bag for spontanious shots when I do not have my SLR with me. Thanks.

Ask 10 pro's and you'll probably get 10 different answers. Carry whatever you are comfortable with-

I have an HP photosmart 850. It's most likely been replaced by another model. Mine has 4mp and it takes a very fine picture. Several I've had blown up to 16 x 20 and they're quite good. It does focus a bit slow, but for what I use it for (snapshots) it's perfect. I'm betting you'd find one on ebay cheap. I've had mine since July of 2003 and taken several hundred shots with it and it's still like new. It has iso of 100-200 and programs of Auto, A, S, and all the others like landscape and action etc. It runs on 4 AAs.

what is your need? there just arent any P&S cameras out there that are going to give you a useable image if you do happen to find a great shot by happenstance. if all you want is snapshots of the kids, etc. nearly anything will do. i keep a nikon D100 in the car all the time for that kind of stuff. it is easy to tote around in its little fanny type bag, and it is easy to grab shots with no matter where i am. and if i do happen to run across a good shot, the D100 is adequate to capture a useable image file for me. why not delegate your 20d to that function and pick up a 5D or so for your real work?
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jnorman
sunridge studios
salem, oregon

shoot all work related stuff with a Canon 1DS and 1D mk 2

my little camera was a Canon s60 which I just (had to) replaced with a S80.... love both these two point and shoots.
wouldn't mind playing with a Fuji F10 in the store to see what it's all about.
am

I have been searching this forum for this topic, and it does come up over an over again.

A related question that I am interested in is:

What compact digital cameras do Pros always have at the ready, that can take pro-quality shots that are quite usable for many sales?

In the film days, the Yashica T4 and later the T4 Super were quite popular. The lens was extremely good, and in the right situations, a 35 MM slide taken with a T4 was as good as it needed to be for a wide range of pro sales.

There are many tradeoffs, of course, mostly to do with the fact that there will be a limited range of situations in which the compact camera will deliver the goods (E.g. low low light,or action shots may not work, or they won't blow up to as large a print).

Many of the responses here are what compact cameras to pros carry for personal work.

I want to know if there are any compact digital cameras that, in a pinch, can deliver pro-quality photos that are perfectly sellable, in the range of situations for which that camera is suitable.

What are these cameras? When are they usable, and when are they not?

Apparently, the Olympus 5050, and 8080 are perfectly good for at least One working Magnum photographer, as many have pointed out.

For example, do any pros out there like to carry a Canon S80 or G6 around, and find that they can get usable images if they need to? What are the limitations of these cameras?

The G6 has an advantage that NO DSLR has: an LCD that flips out. This can be super handy for low shots, or shooting in crowds etc. IT seems to me that some of these cameras might be adequate for many pro situations.

Thanks,
Mike

I've seen a few "pros" use the Fuji F10, or the F11. The ISO performance in low light is supposed to be very good.

Eddie Yee said:

I've seen a few "pros" use the Fuji F10, or the F11. The ISO
performance in low light is supposed to be very good.

Click to expand...

I've never even seen a Fuji F10 but a friend recently bought one and is quite ecstatic over its performance because of its low noise at higher ISO's. Check Phil's review, especially the first paragraph of the conclusions
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilmf10zoom/page10.asp

I'm personally put off by the use of xD picture cards but that's my own quirk re the introduction of unnecessary proprietary (and less capable) technology.

If you can get around the noise issues there are lots of P&S cameras that can deliver a professional quality image as long as it doesn't have to be enlarged too much. And 8x10 is certainly not large.

I've been casually looking for a digital P&S to replace my Olympus film P&S cameras. I thought at first I'd get an ultra compact camera so I'd have something to fit a shirt pocket. On further reflection I think I'll go with something larger for better features and handling and carry it in a fanny pack.

Chuck Norcutt
http://www.chucknorcutt.com/

I just checked the specs on the Fuji F11 and see that it adds shutter and aperture priority modes to the F10 specs along with other improvements. Lack of aperture priority was one of Simon Joinson's complaints about the F10. Also, on the last post I mistakenly attributed the F10 review to Phil.

Chuck Norcutt
http://www.chucknorcutt.com/

I use a discontinued Canon S400 as it fits in a compact waterhousing rated to 130' and is good enough for web use. For any sort of images that I hope to have published, accepted by a client, or placed with a stock library, I use Canon 1Ds mkII's.

I used to carry an Olympus stylus around as my pocket camera. It was the smallest (escept for a minox) 35 around and had an exceptional lens.

If "pocket" is what you want I have been tempted myself to get a Canon digital Elph, or the new Olympus stylus.

I would also agree with you that any of the Canon GS series are fine cameras as far as image quality and flexibility (viewfinder rotate, etc.)

I will probably hold off getting anything newer myself until my trusty old Nikon coollpix 9000 dies. It is slightly larger and heavier than the newer cameas, but I like the rotating LCD screen and the image quality is so good that I didn't know it could get any better until I went to a DSLR a few years back.

It might be worthwhile to take a handful of old CF and/or SD cards to a store and tke some test shots then bring them home to evaluate.

hey that is a good idea, I may just have some fun this weekend "window shopping"

robert Strom

It's small enough to carry in a pocket, takes excellent photos for a point-and-shoot, and has a swivel LCD (I love that feature).
Jack