If indoor photos contain moving subjects (human etc.) than I.S. is of no help. Fuji F31fd should be your best bet among compacts. (Avoid Sony T100 as it compresses the images to death.). As a thumb rule, consider Fuji F31fd as 2 stop better than others at ISO1600. (Fuji ISO1600 equi.

Difference will be less at less ISO..

Boyrobot wrote:.

I'm looking for a new digital camera and hesitating between so manydifferent models. My main requirement is that the camera perform wellin low-light as I've been too disappointed with previous cameras(Minolta Dimage Xt, Fuji Finepix Z3...) and at least half of myphotos are taken indoors..

The Fuji F30/31 took my fancy but it looks a bit plain/old. I'm stilltempted to purchase it but I've been looking at other models:.

- Sony DSC-T20 (maybe DSC-T100)- Sony DSC-W55- Canon Ixus 75.

None of these appear to perform as well as the Fuji (although the T20is supposed to have image stabilization so that must count forsomething) in low-light. The trouble with customer reviews is thatthere is no real measure of the performance. Other than knowing thatall these cameras perform worse than the F30, I don't know by howmuch..

I'd be perfectly happy to compromise a bit on performance..

Keep smiling, Ajayhttp://picasaweb.google.com/ajay0612(Thanks for your precious time & invaluable comments)..

The reviews on this site of the F30, and then the F31fd, tell the whole story, whichis that they are in class of their own in low light. (and they are!).

Just read every word of the review conclusions carefully and you will know all thatyou need to. (the "compared to" sections are interesting too)..

Thank you guys for confirming that the Fuji F30 or F31 are my best bet. I'm just really not impressed by the look of it. Whereas I wouldn't care so much for a standard compact or a DSLR, for a small ultra compact, I would like the camera to look good..

I had a look at the review of the F31. It clearly performs better than the Canon Powershot SD750 at the same ISO setting but can I really base everything about low-light conditions on that?.

Does a camera really need to perform well at ISO 800 or 1600 to be a good low-light camera? I guess the logical reason is yes because the higher the ISO, the less risk of blur. Before the Fuji F30 came around, surely people still managed to take photos with ultra compacts in low-light?.

But I've been looking at Flickr photos from the Sonys and Canons and they seem to get good shots out of them too...

Any of these cameras will give you good results in normal light. So if you are really interested in lowlight photography and cant compromise on this, you dont have much choice, but to go for Fuji...http://budding-nature-photographer.blogspot.com/..

I guess you are right. I'm surprised because I know a lot of people with compact cameras who take perfectly acceptable photos in low-light conditions.I'll have to ask them what they actually are..

The Fuji Finepix F31 is a sure bet but I thought that maybe a Canon Powershot SD750 or similar would allow me to get by in low-light...

There are different types of low light. It's the low light when a 1/20 s, f/2.8, ISO400 so you can use with a certain degree of success grip techniques. There is 5 s, f/2.8, ISO400 that you need a tripod and the self-timer to get a picture..

From the compact cameras that are acceptable at ISO400 (real speed not the declared one) Fuji are quite good. There are several cameras that have a good ISO200 and if that is sustained by the Image Stabilization that pushes the envelope. Unfortunately most cameras have a good ISO125 and IS..

Low light means large sensors and fast lens. Compact cameras have small sensors and not so fast lens..

The solution depends on the scene. If there is no motion or slow motion in the scene you can use a tripod (or other means of stabilization like a table or a bean bag) and the acceptable ISO speed of the camera. If the scene has motion you need flash and a Tv mode to freeze somehow the action (P modes tend to use slow shutter speeds for flash photography like 1/40 s or 1/60 s and the medium motion can be frozen with at least 1/100 s).In a club you have the low light of 2 s, f/2.8, ISO400 to 1/10 s, f/2.8, ISO400..

All ISO speed I talk about are real ISO speeds. Presently the manufacturers use different measurement of the ISO speeds and these are from 2/3 stops to 1 stop exaggerated. Newer cameras seem to be less sensitive to the light than older cameras because of the pixel cramming. I have a 2 year old camera (Canon A610) that gives me at their base ISO speed (ISO50) the same parameters as a newer camera (Fuji F40) at ISO100. The Canon A610 ISO speed seems to be accurate because it gives me the same parameters with the old film rules in bright sunny scenes and with my friend's Canon 20D (at ISO100, f/5.6, 1/1000 s).VictorBucuresti, Romaniahttp://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m268/victor_petcu/..

Get a D40..

Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window..

If you want superior lowlight with a compact than despite the fact you find it old looking you will do no better than the F31...its not a lowlight miracel worker, but it produces excellent results...A picture is the expression of an impression.If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?Ernst Haas..

Do you want a camera to take great pictures or just a fashion accessory?.

Take the Fuji F31, some of the others may look a little more 'funky' or up to date but once you use the camera for a while and begin to appreciate it's finer qualities you will soon forget about it's looks..

Most likely you will keep this camera in a pocket or a bag - you won't have it hanging around your neck so the choice is simple..

I have an S6500 which has the same sensor as the F31 and you can make great A4 sized prints from most ISO 1600 shots..

Cheers..

Boyrobot wrote:.

Thank you guys for confirming that the Fuji F30 or F31 are my bestbet. I'm just really not impressed by the look of it. Whereas Iwouldn't care so much for a standard compact or a DSLR, for a smallultra compact, I would like the camera to look good..

I had a look at the review of the F31. It clearly performs betterthan the Canon Powershot SD750 at the same ISO setting but can Ireally base everything about low-light conditions on that?.

I guess the bottom line is what is more important to you, an outstanding tool to get you pictures or a fashion/wardrobe accessory. That is really what makes or breaks the deal for anyone is what matters the most to YOU..

As folks have said, if you need low light performance with minimal noise and excellent image quality, look at the Fujis, F20/F30/F31. If you want a camera to serve as an accessory to make you look good, then pick out the prettiest camera you can find and settle for the image quality you get....it is all a compromise. The bottom line is get what makes you happy as almost any new camera will take decent images in normal conditions..

JohnPentax *ist-D, K100D, Fuji F20/31fd, Oly Stylushttp://www.pbase.com/jglover..

A few months ago I bought a P&S based on looks/advertised features and paid the price. Anything over ISO 200 is too noise to be useful - so it's now gethering dust..

I now have a brand new Fuji F31fd which is still a pretty small, good looking camera and still fits in my pocket with ease..

The difference is I can now take pics up to ISO 800 and not have to worry about noise. And ISO 1600 isn't bad at all..

The OP should also bear in mind that the battery life on the F30/F31fd is way superior to other P&S cameras - so you do get something tangible in return for the fact that they aren't the slimmest models around........