You should get the GoPro HD Hero and use it on the streets of Japan so we can have first-person POV videos. (Edit: In case you missed it here/on the wiki: http://www.youtube.com/user/egawauemon# … 160C710C64)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOio4t08boc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL84E … r_embedded

Last edited by nest0r (2011 September 04, 4:00 pm)

Lumix Panasonic are great imo. The FujiFilm X100 is superb.

Make sure you buy it before you come to Japan, by the way.  The models for almost all of the camera companies are different in Japan, and you can generally get a better camera for less outside of Japan.

The exception is Nikon, which has the same models in and outside of Japan.  I ended up having to get a Nikon since I'm in Japan, and I went with the Coolpix s8000.  It's a pretty good camera, and I got it on sale for less than 200 dollars.  But, I could have gotten a better camera for cheaper if I was buying Canon in America.  (The good Canon models in Japan were all very expensive)

There are a lot of really serious camera websites online, and I recommend checking them out.  Usually they have like twenty page reviews of cameras that are really in-depth.  They will primarily review SLRs, but most of them also review the best compact cameras that are released each year.

(For example, when I bought my Nikon I first read through this review:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/C … S8000A.HTM )

Last edited by Tzadeck (2011 September 04, 7:13 pm)

In my experience I've found that compact cameras aren't much different than current phone cameras. So if you decide to drag along another gadget with you, it should be a proper camera like a DSLR.

I've bought Panasonic Lumix a few years back (for around 350$ if I remember correctly) and I've been very disappointed with its picture quality, it takes decent shots in perfect conditions (outdoors, bright sun) but anything indoors, half-lit or otherwise problematic becomes grainy with lots of noise and generally very dark. Horrible picture, just like my camera phone. So why bother with a compact?
I've used it a few times but soon just ditched it for my phone camera since it was just more convenient.

In Japan I bought a Nikon D5100 and I'm really happy with it: picture quality is great, movies are great, it performs well in every situation and now I am the only factor that limits quality of my pictures.

In my opinion you should look at something like this. It was my second choice, goes for around 57000 yen (but you get a 10% tax discount), great reviews but a little worse picture quality than D5100 (much cheaper in return). Perfect for a first DSLR.

TheVinster wrote:

I'm really not considering a DSLR. [...] It might be easy for some people to just go up a few hundred dollars, but I don't have enough money for that. Yes I'm going to buy it while I'm still here in America and no I won't go over $200.

If you want a point and shoot stick with Canon, not Sony. Like these ones:
• Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera ($198.95)
• Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera ($229.00)

The first one is an older model but right within your budget.

gdaxeman wrote:

TheVinster wrote:

I'm really not considering a DSLR. [...] It might be easy for some people to just go up a few hundred dollars, but I don't have enough money for that. Yes I'm going to buy it while I'm still here in America and no I won't go over $200.

If you want a point and shoot stick with Canon, not Sony. Like these ones:
• Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera ($198.95)
• Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera ($229.00)

The first one is an older model but right within your budget.

The newer model looks pretty good. I can definitely go up a couple bucks if it means getting a better camera. Along with most peoples recommendations, it seems Canon would be the better, if not the best, choice for a point-and-shoot. I'm not leaving until the end of November, so I can still explore model options, but I am liking the PowerShot ELPH.

TheVinster wrote:

gdaxeman wrote:

TheVinster wrote:

I'm really not considering a DSLR. [...] It might be easy for some people to just go up a few hundred dollars, but I don't have enough money for that. Yes I'm going to buy it while I'm still here in America and no I won't go over $200.

If you want a point and shoot stick with Canon, not Sony. Like these ones:
• Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera ($198.95)
• Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera ($229.00)

The first one is an older model but right within your budget.

The newer model looks pretty good. I can definitely go up a couple bucks if it means getting a better camera. Along with most peoples recommendations, it seems Canon would be the better, if not the best, choice for a point-and-shoot. I'm not leaving until the end of November, so I can still explore model options, but I am liking the PowerShot ELPH.

I bought a Canon IXY 400F (14.1 MP) in Electric Town last year, and it was very reasonably priced. Are you sure you can't get a better camera for the same (or better price) in Japan? I would think that you'd have a better selection of models in Japan than the typical Best Buy wares. However, if you prefer brand-name memory cards, you might want to buy them stateside to save a few coins.

i'm against people getting a DSLR unless they have a true desire to learn photography.

too many people buy DSLRs and take tired, boring pictures that they could've have taken with a regular, cheaper digital camera.

i'm especially sickened by the people that use the zoom lens to zoom in and out instead of setting a focal length and walking back and forth, it shows a complete lack of photography knowledge.

composition comes first; then the technical aspects come in.

if there's something in the foreground that they want to take pictures of (people, signs, etc.) then they need fill flash; otherwise the foreground becomes underexposed if they use the sun as background.

Last edited by kainzero (2011 September 06, 1:34 am)

Has anybody used the Canon Hacker's Development Kit (aka CHDK)?

All this talk has me thinking about trading in my old Rebel XSi kit for a T3i body before I head to Japan. The magic lantern stuff looks hot, and all I would need would be a mounting kit for my old Sennheiser mics. I already have the 17-55 EFS f/2.8, which is a great little digital crop lens, and an old 80-200 EF-L f2.8, so I'm good for lenses that don't suck.

Hmmm....

Yeah, I second dpreview.com. It's the only site I know of that puts a monitor calibration bar on its reviews. Only caveat: it can be a little over-the-top with the lingo if you don't know it. Otherwise, it's a solid site. It's what has gotten me to really start thinking about the T3i, because the body is relatively cheap, any my XSi kit is still in really good shape.