Good Basic Digital Camera

Author's Rating:

Pros: Durable, great pictures in good ambient light SD Memory cards are convenient.

Cons: Low-light: flash/focus weak in dark Shutter delay: too long in low light

The Bottom Line: 
I'd buy it again--but I still miss my Canon AE-1 SLR

Author's Review
I bought this camera because of the Leica lens. I've not been disappointed. Features a good zoom length -- 35mm equivalent of 35 (wide angle) to 105 (2x telephoto). I use NiMH batteries in it. I have a bunch of them so I always have a bunch of spares. I plan on 25-50 shots per pair of rechargeables. Alkalines will burn out much quicker...maybe as few as 10 shots.

I can put the camera in my trouser pocket and don't worry about it. The lens has an automatic cover to protect it.

Low light photography is tough. Check your picture on the viewfinder for brightness and focus. Low light focus has never been very successful for me. I often just use the range-finder on top in low-light conditions and hope for the best.

On focusing. Taking a picture is a 3-step process. Compose the picture, press the button half-way for focus, then take the picture. When I get rushed and skip the focus step, I'm never sure what will be in focus until I see the picture on the display or a computer.

Shutter delay. I never really know when the picture will be taken. I wouldn't recommend this for a lot of action shots.

I'm over 2000 pictures with this camera and have lost about 12 pictures...probably a SD memory failure of some type.

I would buy this camera again. I recommended it to my mom and dad today.