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compact with a decent viewfinder

thoramay
Posted 15/03/2012 - 09:57 Link
Hi. I have checked out both of these cameras. Great reviews but they are not compacts.
This camera is for my beloved. Herself has become impatient with my failure to meet her expectations and have visited Jessops. The assistant has informed her that the latest compacts do not suffer from the problem of viewing in bright sunshine.
Herself is now exploring Pentax compacts.
Who am I to challenge a Jessops assistant.
So! Which Pentax compact do |I steer her towards
johnriley
Posted 15/03/2012 - 10:01 Link
All the information you need is here:

http://www.pentax.co.uk/en/digital-compact.html

You could also see if this entices her:

http://www.pentax.co.uk/en/digital-mirrorless/PENTAX-Q
Best regards, John
thoramay
Posted 15/03/2012 - 10:10 Link
The camera has to be a shirt pocket model. The term compact covers a multitude of sins. I do not think the Q fits the bill.
I would like someone to confirm or deny the statement from the Jessop's assistant.
My expectation is that herself will still reject a compact that does not have a viewfinder, but who knows the mind of the fair sex.
The saga plays on
johnriley
Posted 15/03/2012 - 10:21 Link
Maybe the solution would be to take her to Jessops and let her choose? Our favoured benefits may not be hers?

As regards screens, in very bright sunlight they benefit from being shielded by a hand, but given that they they can be worked with.

I was working quite happily with the Q in brilliant sunlight on Sunday.
Best regards, John
Edited by johnriley: 15/03/2012 - 10:22
Pentaxophile
Posted 15/03/2012 - 11:18 Link
If she sees a camera she likes the look of, the importance of the optical viewfinder may recede somewhat! I can understand why someone would want an OVF, but the truth is, the OVFs on compacts (excepting the X10, which is probably too big / expensive) were always pretty poor and a screen is much better. The OVFs on digital compacts were really just a leftover from the days of film when there was no possibility of using a screen. As screens have got bigger and better, they have been phased out.

OVFs on compacts are always small. they do not allow you to check focus. They are not accurate in terms of framing as they are not TTL. They do not display any shooting information.

You can hold the camera steady while using the screen by tucking your elbows in and resting them on your chest. And choose a model with image stabilisation to get rid of any remaining unsteadiness.
[link=https://500px.com/will_brealey/[/link]
Edited by Pentaxophile: 15/03/2012 - 11:21
johnriley
Posted 15/03/2012 - 11:52 Link
Please don't post links to other marques, discussion here should be Pentax-related. Many thanks.

Off topic post removed accordingly.
thoramay
Posted 15/03/2012 - 14:07 Link
Having stood and listened to advice given to prospective customers in our local Jessops store I would never take or send anyone there.
My wife is as gullible as the next one which is why I am resting upon the advice of this forum regarding how much improved are the rear screens. I, personally am sceptical.
Having just spent a week cruising in the Caribbian in very bright sunlight I saw very few of the cruise passengers using digital compacts. There were many DSLR's. Those using compacts and mobile phones were constantly shielding both cameras and mobile phones!!
OK. So we don't suffer from this intense sunlight here but it did give me sufficient reason to support the wife in wanting a viewfinder as a backup when using the camera in bright conditions, which is what she did when in the Caribbian. The search began simply to find a similar camera that uses SD cards
I appreciate the comments given. If the solution had been simple I have sufficient experience to have sorted it.
The lack of Pentax compacts with viewfinders have found us straying a little from the point here and I support John in that we should not actively promote other makes.
I can now take the search away from Pentax. I am sure those other Forums will welcome my interest in their make of camera.
helios
Posted 15/03/2012 - 20:53 Link
As Pentax and Ricoh camera divisions are now under the same management it might be worth considering one of the Ricoh compacts. The GX200 is available as a kit with a clip-on electronic viewfinder which could be used on sunny days and left off on the more frequent dull ones. I have no experience of this camera but I have a GXR which is probably bigger than you would want but its electronic viewfinder proved very effective in the bright sunshine of Western Australia on a recent trip.
Archie
morelia
Posted 16/03/2012 - 11:52 Link
I am in the same position as thoramay.
My wife has an ultracompact Pentax Optio s5i from 2005 which has a viewfinder and she will not consider a more modern one without a viewfinder.
She is a keen photographer and takes a lot of photos.
So I bought two more Optio s5i cheaply on Ebay,so she has three to choose from if faults occur. Presently all three are faultless.
ADLONG
Posted 16/03/2012 - 15:04 Link
I ended up with discontinued G11, viewfinder is naff but articulated screen is good. Still find compacts difficult to hold steady much prefer my K20D.Interesting comment on Helios view finder, could be worth pursuing.
thoramay
Posted 16/03/2012 - 18:37 Link
The Optio S5i is an almost match size wise to the current Fuji that my wife is now using and has a SD card slot. This is certainly worth following up..
It surfaced in 2004. Unless a model was purchased late it might be a bit chancy used.
How many models after this did Pentax continue the viewfinder I am wondering? Is there any way of finding this information?
I have tried to search for details of an electronic add on viewfinder but guess this would make any compact bulkier than the wife would expect, but it all adds up to expectations.
The wife would not expect me to offer her a naff viewfinder. Having now handled a new Pentax optio without a viewfinder, she was almost overcome with the beauty of the beast. You can never win!!
MarkTaylor
Posted 03/04/2012 - 21:50 Link
thoramay wrote:
Having stood and listened to advice given to prospective customers in our local Jessops store I would never take or send anyone there.

Indeed. I was in a Jessops store the other day and overheard one of the salesmen advising a customer who was obviously new to the DSLR world that they would need a UV filter for each of their DSLR lenses because looking through the viewfinder without one could, I quote, 'damage your retina'.

I also overheard a salesman in the same store advise a customer that a certain model of bridge camera was 'the only one on the market to offer a hot shoe'. At least the UV filter advice could be put down to ignorance at a pinch, if one were feeling generous. This one is simply an outright lie.
My FlickrPentax K-5 • K-5 II • Sigma 8-16mm F/4.5-5.6 DC HSM • Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD ASL • SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F/2.8 ED [IF] SDM • SMC Pentax-DA 55-300mm F/4-5.8 ED • SMC Pentax-DA 18-135mm F/3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] WR • Vivitar 100mm F/3.5 Macro AF • Metz Mecablitz 58 AF-2
Edited by MarkTaylor: 03/04/2012 - 21:55
michaelblue
Posted 03/04/2012 - 23:26 Link
MarkTaylor wrote:
thoramay wrote:
Having stood and listened to advice given to prospective customers in our local Jessops store I would never take or send anyone there.

Indeed. I was in a Jessops store the other day and overheard one of the salesmen advising a customer who was obviously new to the DSLR world that they would need a UV filter for each of their DSLR lenses because looking through the viewfinder without one could, I quote, 'damage your retina'.

I also overheard a salesman in the same store advise a customer that a certain model of bridge camera was 'the only one on the market to offer a hot shoe'. At least the UV filter advice could be put down to ignorance at a pinch, if one were feeling generous. This one is simply an outright lie.

Says it all about this so-called camera shop
Regards,
Michael
fourfivesix
Posted 12/04/2012 - 16:34 Link
I know someone who used to work in jessops, the pressure is on them to sell the extras NOT cameras
flickr
link
Roscoe
Posted 12/09/2012 - 20:38 Link
thoramay wrote:
Hi. I have checked out both of these cameras. Great reviews but they are not compacts.
This camera is for my beloved. Herself has become impatient with my failure to meet her expectations and have visited Jessops. The assistant has informed her that the latest compacts do not suffer from the problem of viewing in bright sunshine.
Herself is now exploring Pentax compacts.
Who am I to challenge a Jessops assistant.
So! Which Pentax compact do |I steer her towards

Second Hand S50!

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