Compact for my sister

[JonathanRimmel]

So my sister asked for a camera recommendation. I am sure others on the forum have experienced similar things.  She is looking at two price ranges $100-300 & $300-500. My sister has no real photographic knowledge or experience, though I think she could pick it up fairly quickly if she wanted to. She is using it primarily to capture candids of new mothers and their babies (she is birth doula). She will likely be using these image both on the web and for photobooks. My first thought was the Canon s100.

I don't know a great deal about compacts so I am looking for some thoughts on what would be best to recommend.

[marcmccalmont]

Many  LULA posters will end up with a sony RX100 so you should be able to find some good deals on s95's, s100 etc in the for sale category
Marc

[wolfnowl]

My suggestion for all beginning photographers is here: http://www.wolfnowl.com/2011/04/how-to-buy-a-new-camera/

Mike.

[Rob C]

My suggestion for all beginning photographers is here: http://www.wolfnowl.com/2011/04/how-to-buy-a-new-camera/

Mike.

And I thought you were gong to be honest and advise them to put their bank account into their child's name NOW, before it's too late!

The slippery road to perdition; if they can't quite trust the kids, instead of hiding the money via proxy, you could always advise them to take up sailing instead - it's self-governing about how poor you ultimately become.

Rob C

P.S. Thank goodness I haven't got a 'sister'. ;-)

[k bennett]

Any compact camera in the $150-300 range will make good photos in good light. I look for two features: a reasonably wide lens, and optical image stabilization. In any case she'll likely be shooting with a flash indoors.

In the higher price range, up to $500, you get slightly more manual control and possibly a fast lens, at least at the wide end. Something in the f/2 or f/2.8 range might let her shoot available light.

None of the current compact cameras under $500 will do particularly well in poor indoor light (the new large-sensor compacts are all more expensive for now.) She could pick up a used Micro 4/3 body and a 20/1.7, which is capable of excellent low-light shooting, and may be available in the sub-$500 range. I've used my GF1 and the 20mm to shoot in a hospital (and a couple of funeral homes) and got surprisingly good results.

[Deardorff]

Panasonic Lx5. Possibly the new Lx7. The new one is f/1.4 at 24mm while the old one is f/2.0. At 90mm the new one is f/2.3 and the old one f/3.3.

I have the Lx5 and use it even for newspaper work. Clean images and it works well. Small enough for a shirt pocket. The Canon recommended is smaller still and nice as well.

[JonathanRimmel]

Thank you for the replies everyone. I sent my sister recommendations. Now it is up to her.

That new Sony RX100 sure has nice image quality for a compact doesn't it? I may have to pick one of those up someday.