Compact Camera suggestions?

[eagles03]

Hi again,

I have a friend that is a personal trainer and is in need of a new camera. He wants to be able to take action shots of himself in his gym, as well as have capability of taking video if possible for marketing purposes. He has a budget of $400. The priority is taking action shots, not so much the video. Again, I don't know much about P&S cameras, so I was hoping to get suggestions. I'm assuming he'll need a good aperture and ISO performance, and a decent MP count (12ish).

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I think a beginning level Rebel DSLR would be likely to do a better job than a P&S, they are all slow to focus in the $400 range.
Canon is having a 20% off sale on Refurbs starting tomorrow, so you can get a T3i with lens for $448. You might also find one at B&H or Adorama. The refurbs I have bought have all been virtually new.
Otherwise, a G12, G15, or S100 might do the trick, but there is really no comparison to a DSLR as far as IQ indoors.
http://shop.usa.canon.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10051_10051_283207_-1

Of course, there are $800 and up models, but in the $400 range, a refurb T3i with 18-55mm IS lens is the best option to do HD video and quality stills for advertising.

 

[Hobby Shooter]

I would recommend an S100 if they are still where you live.

 

[pwp]

I'd be recommending a Rebel over a Powershot. Action images are all about catching THE moment, not a fraction of a second after THE moment. I had modest, but reasonable hopes for the performance of the G15. My style of photography is all about "the moment" and I was missing these at such a massive rate I've sold the G15 after just a couple of months. Nice camera for static subjects. Get a video capable DSLR.

-PW

 

[CanNotYet]

Nikon J1 with 10-30 VR is available for 397$ at B&H now...
Fast autofocus, ok IQ, good for filming. Slo-mo could be nice too.

 

[Hobby Shooter]

I'd be recommending a Rebel over a Powershot. Action images are all about catching THE moment, not a fraction of a second after THE moment. I had modest, but reasonable hopes for the performance of the G15. My style of photography is all about "the moment" and I was missing these at such a massive rate I've sold the G15 after just a couple of months. Nice camera for static subjects. Get a video capable DSLR.

-PW

Not to try to start a big discussion about this, considering the budget, a DSLR in that price range won't give you much low light capability compared to the S100 and frankly there isn't much action going on in a gym. Focus won't be the problem as I see it, it's more of getting the shutter speed up.

Otherwise I definitely agree with you, an S100 or similar will often be too slow with moving subjects, but I think our needs are different though as I'm merely an amateur.

 

[tntwit]

As fine a camera as the S100 may be, just like cars, there is no replacement for displacement.

The T3i has a much larger sensor than the S100.

Please visit a review site and compare the T3i and the S100 at ISO 1600 and tell me again that the S100 has superior low light capability.

I suppose I'm not really sure what kind of action they are trying to capture, so performance may not be that important. However, if it is anything fast paced, I would have serious reservations about any compact camera. My experience has been too much shutter lag to capture what you want as noted about the G series above.

 

[Rocky]

Hi again,

I have a friend that is a personal trainer and is in need of a new camera. He wants to be able to take action shots of himself in his gym, as well as have capability of taking video if possible for marketing purposes. He has a budget of $400. The priority is taking action shots, not so much the video. Again, I don't know much about P&S cameras, so I was hoping to get suggestions. I'm assuming he'll need a good aperture and ISO performance, and a decent MP count (12ish).

Any thoughts?


Thanks!

Forget about P &S. get an entry level DSLR. The shutter delay of the P & S will kill almost any shot that you want to take.

 

[Hillsilly]

If he likes smaller cameras, have a look at the Panasonic G3 ($249 at B&H without a lens). The kit lens is an extra $99, but there are a number of lens options that would also keep him under budget. Its a little bigger than traditional point and shoots, but should be a better performer overall.

 

[alexanderferdinand]

If size doesn´t matter I would recommend a used APS-C and the 50/1,8.

A new P+S for action in not soooo bright light for under $400?
The already mentioned Nikon J1 has a high fr/s rate for the right moment.

 

[Hobby Shooter]

As fine a camera as the S100 may be, just like cars, there is no replacement for displacement.

The T3i has a much larger sensor than the S100.

Please visit a review site and compare the T3i and the S100 at ISO 1600 and tell me again that the S100 has superior low light capability.

I suppose I'm not really sure what kind of action they are trying to capture, so performance may not be that important. However, if it is anything fast paced, I would have serious reservations about any compact camera. My experience has been too much shutter lag to capture what you want as noted about the G series above.

LIke I said, I don't want to start an argument here, but I would say that the wide aperture on the S100 will outshine an old kit lens on a Rebel. Hence you don't need to use the high ISO. I don't claim to be correct here, but I have an S100 and I have had a Rebel (400D in Europe), now a 5D3. That is at least what my experience tells me. Shutter lag is definitely an issue though between a DSLR and an S100.

 

[tomscott]

Regardless how small the aperture is on the S100 the APC sized sensor is much much bigger so noise performance is much better, shooting at 1600-3200 at F5.6 say at 55mm on a kit lens will produce better results than say the S100s lowest aperture at say 800. DOF is easier to achieve with smaller sensors but still shooting wide open for documentation is never a good idea as you may miss the focal point entirely.

You have to remember gyms are really quite dark. I do a lot of editorial work for a newspapers and shoot a lot in gym environments and flash with higher ISO for a large DOF is a necessity in most gyms.

Some are better with a lot of available light through windows but in most cases they are quite dingy.

 

[Hillsilly]

The Pentax K-01 with 40mm lens is looking well priced at $358. Very good APS-C sensor, ISO up to 25,600, f/2.8 lens, compact camera simplicity. Although lacks a viewfinder and AF isn't as quick as a DSLR.

 

[paul13walnut5]

Eos m.

One shot af used sensibly (in a gym the action will be fairly contained)
+ 22mm = bright sharp lens, v good low light for 'compact' too, great video.

 

[pedroxha1]

I have used the G1 X for action, just not action that involves much movement nearer or further from the lens. The 2.2fps or so can make things difficult though. The Image quality is very good, so you can safely pop the ISO up to raise the shutter speed. However, I have to agree, that a DSLR could be better.

 

[papa-razzi]

Eos m.

One shot af used sensibly (in a gym the action will be fairly contained)
+ 22mm = bright sharp lens, v good low light for 'compact' too, great video.

+1
B&H has EOS M w/ 18-55 kit for $355, or EOS M /w 22mm & 90 EX flash for $399

 

[dtaylor]

LIke I said, I don't want to start an argument here, but I would say that the wide aperture on the S100 will outshine an old kit lens on a Rebel. Hence you don't need to use the high ISO.

The S100 lens is 1.5 stops faster at the wide end, and is 1/3 stop slower at the telephoto end vs. typical kit lenses. The T3i captures more detail and roughly the same amount of noise at ISO 3200 that the S100 does at ISO 400, a 3 stop difference. Because there's more detail you have greater room for NR meaning the practical difference is probably more like 4 stops. Now add in AF performance and shutter delay...

I don't know what kind of "gym action" this person hopes to capture or what the gym lighting conditions will be like. If the action requires solid AF tracking, an entry level DSLR is the minimum. If not, then the EOS M could be a good choice.

Personally I would recommend a used/refurbished entry level DSLR body and a fast prime at the required focal length if at all possible on that budget.

 

[brad-man]

I'd have to agree with the old rebel + prime or an M crowd. You'd really have to get lucky with a P&S.

 

[FTb-n]

The Canon S100 is a great little camera and surprisingly clean at 1600 for a P&S. But, if action is the priority, then DSLT is the only answer. I'd look at a refurbished T4i, T3i, or T2i through Canon's refubish store.