Best bang-for-the-buck point-and-shoot digital camera to buy

kevindd992002

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I'm waiting for Black Friday to see if there is any good deals for what I need. I basically want the best bang-for-the-buck point-and-shoot camera that I can get with a max budget of around $350 shipped. I'm just a newbie but my last DSLR was a Nikon D3000 that I sold because I needed money.

Any ideas? Please help. Thanks.
 
Oh ok. So the Sony is the better one between the two? Where does that Sony go on sale, do you have the exact model number? Is that the one with the pink kit?
 
Usually when talking about "point and shoot" cameras people mean fixed lens compact cameras. The cameras we are discussing have detachable lenses but you can use them to "point and shoot".

If you can find a Sony Nex-3N for US$330 that's great but I doubt you will. The Nex-3N is portable and has high image quality. You might find a Nex-5R (the next model up) for around $350 as it has been discontinued - it focuses slightly quicker and has a touchscreen like the EOS-M but like the EOS-M its flash is an external unit.

The EOS-M doesn't focus very quickly although it's much improved after a firmware update. Unlike the 3N its kit zoom lens doesn't collapse but the 18-55mm lens the 5R usually comes with in the US doesn't either.




Another option you may consider are the Nikon 1 cameras like the Nikon S1 and Nikon J2. The two are very similar except the S1 is slightly smaller and lighter and has a lower resolution screen. The Nikon J1 is nearly the same as the J2 except it has the same screen as the S1. They all focus very quickly in reasonable light.

A second hand J1 with 10-30mm lens is under US$200, a new J2 with 11-27.5mm lens is US$270, a new S1 with 11-27.5mm lens is $289 and a new J2 with 10-30mm is a little over US$300.

The 11-27.5mm lens is 1.1cm thinner than the 10-30mm but lacks image stabilisation. The S1 with 10-30mm lens option may be unavailable in North America.
 
Usually when talking about "point and shoot" cameras people mean fixed lens compact cameras. The cameras we are discussing have detachable lenses but you can use them to "point and shoot".

If you can find a Sony Nex-3N for US$330 that's great but I doubt you will. The Nex-3N is portable and has high image quality. You might find a Nex-5R (the next model up) for around $350 as it has been discontinued - it focuses slightly quicker and has a touchscreen like the EOS-M but like the EOS-M its flash is an external unit.

The EOS-M doesn't focus very quickly although it's much improved after a firmware update. Unlike the 3N its kit zoom lens doesn't collapse but the 18-55mm lens the 5R usually comes with in the US doesn't either.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sony_nex-3n_/pool/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/eos-m/pool/

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=nikon+j1

Another option you may consider are the Nikon 1 cameras like the Nikon S1 and Nikon J2. The two are very similar except the S1 is slightly smaller and lighter and has a lower resolution screen. The Nikon J1 is nearly the same as the J2 except it has the same screen as the S1. They all focus very quickly in reasonable light.

A second hand J1 with 10-30mm lens is under US$200, a new J2 with 11-27.5mm lens is US$270, a new S1 with 11-27.5mm lens is $289 and a new J2 with 10-30mm is a little over US$300.

The 11-27.5mm lens is 1.1cm thinner than the 10-30mm but lacks image stabilisation. The S1 with 10-30mm lens option may be unavailable in North America.
Gotcha. So in short, the Sony Nex-3N is the most high-end among the bunch you mentioned?

If the Nex-5R is the next model up from the Nex-3N, does it have a disadvantage considering it is already discontinued?

When you say the lens doesn't "collapse", what do you exactly mean?
 
Usually when talking about "point and shoot" cameras people mean fixed lens compact cameras. The cameras we are discussing have detachable lenses but you can use them to "point and shoot".

If you can find a Sony Nex-3N for US$330 that's great but I doubt you will. The Nex-3N is portable and has high image quality. You might find a Nex-5R (the next model up) for around $350 as it has been discontinued - it focuses slightly quicker and has a touchscreen like the EOS-M but like the EOS-M its flash is an external unit.

The EOS-M doesn't focus very quickly although it's much improved after a firmware update. Unlike the 3N its kit zoom lens doesn't collapse but the 18-55mm lens the 5R usually comes with in the US doesn't either.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sony_nex-3n_/pool/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/eos-m/pool/

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=nikon+j1

Another option you may consider are the Nikon 1 cameras like the Nikon S1 and Nikon J2. The two are very similar except the S1 is slightly smaller and lighter and has a lower resolution screen. The Nikon J1 is nearly the same as the J2 except it has the same screen as the S1. They all focus very quickly in reasonable light.

A second hand J1 with 10-30mm lens is under US$200, a new J2 with 11-27.5mm lens is US$270, a new S1 with 11-27.5mm lens is $289 and a new J2 with 10-30mm is a little over US$300.

The 11-27.5mm lens is 1.1cm thinner than the 10-30mm but lacks image stabilisation. The S1 with 10-30mm lens option may be unavailable in North America.
Gotcha. So in short, the Sony Nex-3N is the most high-end among the bunch you mentioned?

If the Nex-5R is the next model up from the Nex-3N, does it have a disadvantage considering it is already discontinued?

When you say the lens doesn't "collapse", what do you exactly mean?
Nope the canon has the higher resolution screen and optically better quality lenses, although there is only 3 right now without the adapter!
 
Usually when talking about "point and shoot" cameras people mean fixed lens compact cameras. The cameras we are discussing have detachable lenses but you can use them to "point and shoot".

If you can find a Sony Nex-3N for US$330 that's great but I doubt you will. The Nex-3N is portable and has high image quality. You might find a Nex-5R (the next model up) for around $350 as it has been discontinued - it focuses slightly quicker and has a touchscreen like the EOS-M but like the EOS-M its flash is an external unit.

The EOS-M doesn't focus very quickly although it's much improved after a firmware update. Unlike the 3N its kit zoom lens doesn't collapse but the 18-55mm lens the 5R usually comes with in the US doesn't either.




Another option you may consider are the Nikon 1 cameras like the Nikon S1 and Nikon J2. The two are very similar except the S1 is slightly smaller and lighter and has a lower resolution screen. The Nikon J1 is nearly the same as the J2 except it has the same screen as the S1. They all focus very quickly in reasonable light.

A second hand J1 with 10-30mm lens is under US$200, a new J2 with 11-27.5mm lens is US$270, a new S1 with 11-27.5mm lens is $289 and a new J2 with 10-30mm is a little over US$300.

The 11-27.5mm lens is 1.1cm thinner than the 10-30mm but lacks image stabilisation. The S1 with 10-30mm lens option may be unavailable in North America.
The nikonos not even close to aps-c!
 
Usually when talking about "point and shoot" cameras people mean fixed lens compact cameras. The cameras we are discussing have detachable lenses but you can use them to "point and shoot".

If you can find a Sony Nex-3N for US$330 that's great but I doubt you will. The Nex-3N is portable and has high image quality. You might find a Nex-5R (the next model up) for around $350 as it has been discontinued - it focuses slightly quicker and has a touchscreen like the EOS-M but like the EOS-M its flash is an external unit.

The EOS-M doesn't focus very quickly although it's much improved after a firmware update. Unlike the 3N its kit zoom lens doesn't collapse but the 18-55mm lens the 5R usually comes with in the US doesn't either.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sony_nex-3n_/pool/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/eos-m/pool/

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=nikon+j1

Another option you may consider are the Nikon 1 cameras like the Nikon S1 and Nikon J2. The two are very similar except the S1 is slightly smaller and lighter and has a lower resolution screen. The Nikon J1 is nearly the same as the J2 except it has the same screen as the S1. They all focus very quickly in reasonable light.

A second hand J1 with 10-30mm lens is under US$200, a new J2 with 11-27.5mm lens is US$270, a new S1 with 11-27.5mm lens is $289 and a new J2 with 10-30mm is a little over US$300.

The 11-27.5mm lens is 1.1cm thinner than the 10-30mm but lacks image stabilisation. The S1 with 10-30mm lens option may be unavailable in North America.
Gotcha. So in short, the Sony Nex-3N is the most high-end among the bunch you mentioned?

If the Nex-5R is the next model up from the Nex-3N, does it have a disadvantage considering it is already discontinued?

When you say the lens doesn't "collapse", what do you exactly mean?
Nope the canon has the higher resolution screen and optically better quality lenses, although there is only 3 right now without the adapter!
http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Compa.../736/(lens2)/990/(brand2)/Canon/(camera2)/819

http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Comp...(brand)/Sony/(appareil2)/819|0/(brand2)/Canon

optically better.. you better look up the whole list, canon falls below the sony lenses
 
I'm waiting for Black Friday to see if there is any good deals for what I need. I basically want the best bang-for-the-buck point-and-shoot camera that I can get with a max budget of around $350 shipped. I'm just a newbie but my last DSLR was a Nikon D3000 that I sold because I needed money.

Any ideas? Please help. Thanks.
Fuji XF1? $249 now. I don't speak from experience, just a suggestion for P&S.
 
Gotcha. So in short, the Sony Nex-3N is the most high-end among the bunch you mentioned?
The Nex-5R is the most high end of the models I mentioned. Image quality from the Nex-3N is identical to from the 5R but the kit lenses may differ optically.
If the Nex-5R is the next model up from the Nex-3N, does it have a disadvantage considering it is already discontinued?
Not really as the model that has replaced it, the Nex-5T, is almost identical. Image quality from the Nex-3N, 5R and Nex-6 bodies is identical.
When you say the lens doesn't "collapse", what do you exactly mean?
Zoom lenses can either stick out when turned off or collapse into themselves to make them thinner and more portable.
Nope the canon has the higher resolution screen and optically better quality lenses, although there is only 3 right now without the adapter!
The resolution difference between the LCD on the 5R and EOS-M is not significant. The EOS-M and Nex-5R have touchscreens, the other cameras mentioned do not.
optically better.. you better look up the whole list, canon falls below the sony lenses
What you linked to shows the Canon kit lens to be a moderately better than the Sony 16-50mm. But the 16-50mm lens is more portable. The Sony 18-55mm lens should be optically better.
The nikonos not even close to aps-c!
I never said it was. They're cheaper and have their own niche.
Vivitar T137
A random cheap point and shoot camera from four years ago?
Fuji XF1? $249 now. I don't speak from experience, just a suggestion for P&S.
A Nikon 1 would be a better option in that price range unless the greater portability of something like the XF1 is required. Its 2/3" sensor isn't on the same level as the mirrorless cameras'.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/fujixf1/pool/
 
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Gotcha. So in short, the Sony Nex-3N is the most high-end among the bunch you mentioned?
The Nex-5R is the most high end of the models I mentioned. Image quality from the Nex-3N is identical to from the 5R but the kit lenses may differ optically.
If the Nex-5R is the next model up from the Nex-3N, does it have a disadvantage considering it is already discontinued?
Not really as the model that has replaced it, the Nex-5T, is almost identical. Image quality from the Nex-3N, 5R and Nex-6 bodies is identical.
When you say the lens doesn't "collapse", what do you exactly mean?
Zoom lenses can either stick out when turned off or collapse into themselves to make them thinner and more portable.
Nope the canon has the higher resolution screen and optically better quality lenses, although there is only 3 right now without the adapter!
The resolution difference between the LCD on the 5R and EOS-M is not significant. The EOS-M and Nex-5R have touchscreens, the other cameras mentioned do not.
optically better.. you better look up the whole list, canon falls below the sony lenses
What you linked to shows the Canon kit lens to be a moderately better than the Sony 16-50mm. But the 16-50mm lens is more portable. The Sony 18-55mm lens should be optically better.
The nikonos not even close to aps-c!
I never said it was. They're cheaper and have their own niche.
Vivitar T137
A random cheap point and shoot camera from four years ago?
Fuji XF1? $249 now. I don't speak from experience, just a suggestion for P&S.
A Nikon 1 would be a better option in that price range unless the greater portability of something like the XF1 is required. Its 2/3" sensor isn't on the same level as the mirrorless cameras'.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/fujixf1/pool/
Where can I buy a Nex-5R for less?
 
Best value in a tiny sensor would be a Pentax Q or Q10, which are often $200± here and there online with 02 zoom (28-80mm equivalent). You can change lenses if you want, or adapt big ones like the NEXes. It can shoot raw and makes images I never thought a small sensor could produce, especially if you are willing to do a bit of 'developing' after the shot.

Busted! iso500 jpeg, crop only

Busted! iso500 jpeg, crop only

--
Jim in Oregon -- Pentax user, Alpha & m4:3 veteran
talking to myself at http://granitix.blogspot.com
 
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I said you might find... (on Black Friday).

But you can definitely buy a refurbished Nex-3N for US$350.

Make sure whatever you buy comes with a bundled lens (is not "body only").
 
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