Another "what compact digital camera?" thread

[Bish]

Currently I own the Canon A95 which has been great. However I fancy something just a little smaller to carry round, especially at festivals and gigs. I know I will probably lose some of the manual features but to be honest I rarely use them and a point and shoot will do me. Price isn't really an issue and something with image stabliser might be useful. finally one which is good in low light may come in handy.

I know the Fuji f31 (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump2.php?url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000L9SCIW/thedvdforums-21) is supposed to be good at low light but would the more expensive F40 (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump2.php?url=http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p(17211)a(60823)g(106115)url(http://www.jessops.com/Store/s48735/0/Digital-Compact-Cameras/Fujifilm/Finepix-F40-Digital-Camera/details.aspx?&IsSearch=y&pageindex=1&CatId=236&comp=y)) be a better choice.

Another one I've seen is the Canon IXUS 850is (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump2.php?url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000IMF3CK/thedvdforums-21) which i think may be the smallest of those I've listed.

Are there any others I should consider or comments on the above?

:)

[Boink!]

The F40fd is bigger in the megapixel range, but is not necessarily better all round than the F30/F31fd, from DPReview (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0701/07010402fujifilmfinepixf40fd.asp)
Fujifilm has announced a new model that joins the F20, F30 and F31fd in the growing FinePix 'F' range. The F40fd offers an increased pixel count (8.3 MP) and (perhaps because of this) a slightly lower ISO 2000 maximum sensitivity, and Fuji's new Face Detection system. Interestingly the F40fd has dual memory card slots (xD and SD), but lacks the F30's Aperture/Shutter priority modes.
So no Aperture/Shutter priority modes, less ISO performance and a 2MP increase isn't going to make much of a difference to print sizes. You'd bet better using the extra money for more memory & batteries for the F31fd.
edit Extensive review of the F31fd here (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilmf31fd/).

Don't know anything about the Canon, specs here (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_sd850is.asp). According to DPReview there's no Aperture/Shutter priority with it so there will be less manual flexibility with it.

How's that?

[Bish]

Thanks Boink, I've done a fair bit of reading about this and it appears that the Fuji F31fd is a damn fine camera and it is about about £80 cheaper than the Canon 850IS.

I'm still undecided but I do like the idea of image stabliser on the Canon :shrug:

[Bish]

I'm even more undecided now :thinking:

Initially I wanted to move to a smaller camera than my current A95 but I've been looking at the Canon A710 IS and the 6x optical zoom with image stabiliser is very tempting (G7 is just a bit bigger so not that keen on it). Also I know I said I wouldn't miss the manual functions but now I'm not sure :?:

I even toyed with the idea of going the other way and getting a DSLR but as tempting as it is I know lugging a big camera round plus lenses won't appeal to me.