Compact, lightweight, ten times zoom AND viewfinder in one camera

"Robert Montgomery" wrote in message
news:H3D1o.9549$Z6.2826@edtnps82...
Are there any compact, lightweight cameras that have both a good telephoto
capability (i.e. ten times zoom) and a viewfinder?

Depends on how fussy you are about that term "compact."

The Panasonic FZ35 has an excellent 18x zoom and a viewfinder. It is very
compact for a camera of its type, but most users would not regard it as
pocketable if that's what you mean by "compact."


I can find compact, lightweight cameras with ten times zoom, and compact
lightweight cameras with viewfinders.

But I have yet to find a camera that has all of these characteristics:
• compact
• lightweight
• has at least a seven times zoom lens AND
• has a viewfinder.

I can hardly see the image on the monitors of cameras on sunny days
because of all the light and glare – both in shooting mode and playback
mode.

Yep. Shading the monitor with your hand can help, but certainly does not
eliminate the problem. There are some third-party accessories that may help
more -- folding hoods, or hoods with eyepieces.


It seems to me that any camera lacking a viewfinder is a camera for
amateurs. And I don't understand why even amateurs wouldn't be bothered by
this problem.

It's a trade-off. A large monitor is nice both for seeing better what you're
taking a picture of, and for showing it in-camera to others. Ultracompact
cameras are now so small the monitor often takes up most of the back of the
camera, leaving little if any room for a viewfinder. Remember that any sort
of viewfinder (optical or electronic) means more parts in the camera too,
increasing size, weight, complexity and cost.


I can't understand why consumers don't demand viewfinders.

I was even told by a clerk at a photography store that viewfinders are
less frequent on the new cameras!

Yes, they are definitely going out of style in ultracompact cameras and have
been for the last few years. I don't think I've ever seen an ultracompact
10x zoom with a viewfinder anyway, though.

Robert Montgomery wrote:

Are there any compact, lightweight cameras that have both a good
telephoto capability (i.e. ten times zoom) and a viewfinder?

I can find compact, lightweight cameras with ten times zoom, and compact
lightweight cameras with viewfinders.

But I have yet to find a camera that has all of these characteristics:
• compact
• lightweight
• has at least a seven times zoom lens AND
• has a viewfinder.

I can hardly see the image on the monitors of cameras on sunny days
because of all the light and glare – both in shooting mode and playback
mode.

It seems to me that any camera lacking a viewfinder is a camera for
amateurs. And I don't understand why even amateurs wouldn't be bothered
by this problem.

I can't understand why consumers don't demand viewfinders.

I was even told by a clerk at a photography store that viewfinders are
less frequent on the new cameras!

Robert
Olympus has two compact cameras, one with 26X and the new one, the
SP-800UZ with 30X. They're larger than P & S and smaller than SLR's. I
haven't looked at the specs for the 800UZ, but the older model has both
live view and viewfinder. However, neither model has a mirror, so that
makes them EVF cameras. Neither, as I'm sure you know, has
interchangeable lenses.

On Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:23:58 GMT, Robert Montgomery wrote:



Would a collapsible hood fit properly on all small digital cameras?

Robert

They usually come with some sort of attaching
bands, or you can just hold it against the LCD
with one hand and the pressure of your eyesocket,
a bonus is you will get a steadier picture than the
usual 'arm-length' posture.

John Turco wrote:

That's been the tendency, these past few years. Today, the large LCD
VF is dominant, and it occupies the majority of a given digicam's back
panel.

That's because of some driving consumer desires:

* smaller cameras
* desire to use a camera as a display device,
so larger displays are better

The limit is a display the size of the camera,
which leaves no room for (separate) viewfinder
or controls.

Consequently, the LCD is obliged to function
as both viewfinder ("EVF", user interface
(menu, display, previews, adjustments) and
controls (touch screen).

BugBear

"Robert Montgomery" wrote in message
news:%fF1o.9712$z%6.1562@edtnps83...
Rich wrote:
On Jul 21, 10:00 am, Robert Montgomeryinfo-bl...@northern-data-
tech.net wrote:

But I have yet to find a camera that has all of these characteristics:
• compact
• lightweight
• has at least a seven times zoom lens AND
• has a viewfinder.

Check out the latest P&S offerings on Dpreview.

www.dpreview.com

Thanks.

Does anybody know of any offhand? I've already looked considerably at
http://www.photographyblog.com, but I can't find any.

I thought the pen EP1 or EP2 had that ability or you could add a viwfinder
as an option.


Robert

On 21/07/10 7:00 AM, Robert Montgomery wrote:
Are there any compact, lightweight cameras that have both a good
telephoto capability (i.e. ten times zoom) and a viewfinder?

I can find compact, lightweight cameras with ten times zoom, and compact
lightweight cameras with viewfinders.

But I have yet to find a camera that has all of these characteristics:
• compact
• lightweight
• has at least a seven times zoom lens AND
• has a viewfinder.

There are none available anymore.

I can hardly see the image on the monitors of cameras on sunny days
because of all the light and glare – both in shooting mode and playback
mode.

Indeed, the lack of an optical viewfinder is a huge disadvantage.

It seems to me that any camera lacking a viewfinder is a camera for
amateurs. And I don't understand why even amateurs wouldn't be bothered
by this problem.

It's not that they're not bothered by it, but those amateurs have all
switched to digital SLRs that do have an OVF.

An EVF is an acceptable compromise, and most of the ZLRs have an EVF,
but ZLRs are not all that popular because they offer a physical size
close to that of an SLR, while not providing the significant advantages
of a DSLR.

I can't understand why consumers don't demand viewfinders.

It's a race to the bottom by the manufacturers who market megapixels and
LCD sizes. To add the cost of an OVF (which also takes up space where a
larger LCD could be placed) is not something they want to do.

"http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/cameraList.php" provides an easy way
to filter out different criteria you're looking for.

If you select "6x-9x" or "10x-14x" under "optical zoom," and tick the
box for "optical/electronic viewfinder" there are no results until you
also tick the box for "Show discontinued models."

Such is life. The popularity and fall in prices of D-SLRs have allowed
the camera manufacturers to decontent the P&S cameras.

On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:38:23 -0700, SMS wrote:


I can't understand why consumers don't demand viewfinders.

It's a race to the bottom by the manufacturers who market megapixels and
LCD sizes. To add the cost of an OVF (which also takes up space where a
larger LCD could be placed) is not something they want to do.

There maybe hope if this comes about:
http://www.epson.jp/e/products/devic...cation/evf.htm

On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:38:23 -0700, SMS wrote:

On 21/07/10 7:00 AM, Robert Montgomery wrote:
Are there any compact, lightweight cameras that have both a good
telephoto capability (i.e. ten times zoom) and a viewfinder?

I can find compact, lightweight cameras with ten times zoom, and compact
lightweight cameras with viewfinders.

But I have yet to find a camera that has all of these characteristics:
• compact
• lightweight
• has at least a seven times zoom lens AND
• has a viewfinder.

There are none available anymore.

I can hardly see the image on the monitors of cameras on sunny days
because of all the light and glare – both in shooting mode and playback
mode.

Indeed, the lack of an optical viewfinder is a huge disadvantage.

It seems to me that any camera lacking a viewfinder is a camera for
amateurs. And I don't understand why even amateurs wouldn't be bothered
by this problem.

It's not that they're not bothered by it, but those amateurs have all
switched to digital SLRs that do have an OVF.

An EVF is an acceptable compromise, and most of the ZLRs have an EVF,
but ZLRs are not all that popular because they offer a physical size
close to that of an SLR, while not providing the significant advantages
of a DSLR.

I can't understand why consumers don't demand viewfinders.

It's a race to the bottom by the manufacturers who market megapixels and
LCD sizes. To add the cost of an OVF (which also takes up space where a
larger LCD could be placed) is not something they want to do.

"http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/cameraList.php" provides an easy way
to filter out different criteria you're looking for.

If you select "6x-9x" or "10x-14x" under "optical zoom," and tick the
box for "optical/electronic viewfinder" there are no results until you
also tick the box for "Show discontinued models."

Such is life. The popularity and fall in prices of D-SLRs have allowed
the camera manufacturers to decontent the P&S cameras.

The above load of crap was brought to you by a pretend-photographer TROLL
who has never even owned any camera and invents his psychotic stories for
attention on the net. The following link being a prime example of his
delusional stories:

http://www.wifi-forum.com/wf/showpost.php?p=448381&postcount=101

On 8/16/2010 4:06 PM, Irwell wrote:
On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:38:23 -0700, SMS wrote:


I can't understand why consumers don't demand viewfinders.

It's a race to the bottom by the manufacturers who market megapixels and
LCD sizes. To add the cost of an OVF (which also takes up space where a
larger LCD could be placed) is not something they want to do.

There maybe hope if this comes about:
http://www.epson.jp/e/products/devic...cation/evf.htm

If what comes out, electronic viewfinders? What rock have you been
hiding under?

On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:51:15 -0400, J. Clarke wrote:

If what comes out, electronic viewfinders?

No the making of smaller profile EVFs
Maybe I got it wrong but it seems to imply that the Epson
technology will results in a smaller profile EVF suitable
for P&S.
What rock have you been hiding under?

My present Panasonic G1 has the usual
hump rather like the SLR viewfinder.
6 years ago I had a Panasonic FZ20 with an EVF - similar profile. The
present range of Interchangeable lens P&S's like the EPL1 from Olympus
have an optional EVF ()that plugs into the hot shoe, still bulky
and fairly expensive.

So if the EVF technology from Epson can result in a smaller
profile with a good EVF for P&S cameras it will be welcomed
by a lot of users, I should think.