I am in the same boat, I would probably forget the Fuji for your trip unless you are going to take mostly indoor shots, which from your description you are not..

I am looking at the Canon 850IS as a good general camera, however the biggest weakness is that none of these camera have a wide enough angle lens for good scenery shots..

Do not discount the DSLR's all together. They are smaller than the old SLR's of the past. I understand I have an old Canon A1, but I would hate to lug that around for days in the back country. However, if you really want to capture some stunning shots, an SLR with a 14mm or 17mm wide lens may be your best bet. Roger..

Thanks for your quick reply Roger. I had thought about getting a DSLR originally - i'm the kind of person who likes to do things 'properly', hence my research on here and asking questions of experts and enthusiasts rather than just buying whatever has the most pixels for the lowest price. However after considering things I'm not sure I can justify a DSLR, partly on grounds of expense (possibly double or triple the price, plus i'd probably end up needing another camera for P&S occasions such as parties when a DSLR wouldn't be practical..

There's also the size and weight as you mention - I have to carry it the whole way for several three or four day hikes, so the difference between a 300g (half pound) compact with a small spare battery and a 1kg (2 pound) camera, plus potentially a couple of lenses and a decent size bag for storage is quite marked..

Thanks for the advice on the Fuji - I was thinking that might be one compromise too far. They sound like great P&S cameras for many reasons and possibly perfect as a camera I could carry in my pocket, but probably not what I need for this trip...

Davewomble wrote:.

Panasonic TZ3 - I particularly like the range of the lense,especially at the wide-angle end, 28mm combined with 16:9 seems likeit would allow me to take some great panoramic shots..

I don't know anything about the Panasonic. Is it a true 16:9 or does the camera just take a full size image and cut off the top and bottom to make it a widescreen or 16:9 aspect ratio? If that's the case, then many compact cameras have that feature. Just make sure this isn't a deciding factor..

Canon - I'm not really sure which Canon would best fit the bill - G7,SD800IS / Ixus 850IS (the 28mm one) or one of the A SeriesPowershots..

I love the Canon SD series. Their small and portable. The older SDs I have are quite durable. When I went biking and hiking, I brought my Canon. The SD800/850 has image stabilization (IS), which I'd like to have..

Fuji - F40fd or F31fd. These apparently win out on image quality,especially at low-light levels which is apparently the TZ3 struggleswith. They'd also be more versatile for the rest of the things i'llprobably end up using my camera for (indoors, low light).

I'm not exactly sure how one point-n-shoot camera can be better than another in low-light situations. If you're indoors and there's not enough lighting, or it's just plain dark where ever you are, the flash HAS to be used otherwise the picture will come out blurry. That's my experience with a non-IS compact. I've always believed that harsh flash is better at capturing a moment than a blurry image that can't be saved (even through post processing)...

Josswest wrote:.

Davewomble wrote:.

Panasonic TZ3 - I particularly like the range of the lense,especially at the wide-angle end, 28mm combined with 16:9 seems likeit would allow me to take some great panoramic shots..

I don't know anything about the Panasonic. Is it a true 16:9 or doesthe camera just take a full size image and cut off the top and bottomto make it a widescreen or 16:9 aspect ratio? If that's the case,then many compact cameras have that feature. Just make sure thisisn't a deciding factor..

I believe that it does have a "true" 16:9. The full dpreview states:.

Despite it's 7.2 megapixel headline resolution the TZ3 actually has a rather unusual 1/2.35" 8.5 megapixel sensor, which is larger than the largest standard (4:3) picture size. This allows the TZ3 to offer wider aspect ratios without sacrificing the angle of view. The idea is that no matter which aspect ratio (4:3, 3:2 or 16:9) you choose you're still getting the equivalent of a 28mm lens if you measure the angle of view using the diagonal (actually the horizontal angle of view is increasing and the vertical angle of view is decreasing). It's a small, but nice touch that means you aren't losing as much as you would if the camera simply chopped a bit off the top and bottom of the frame..

So you get the same pixel resolution no matter whichever aspect ratio you use. I think!.

Canon - I'm not really sure which Canon would best fit the bill - G7,SD800IS / Ixus 850IS (the 28mm one) or one of the A SeriesPowershots..

I love the Canon SD series. Their small and portable. The older SDs Ihave are quite durable. When I went biking and hiking, I brought myCanon. The SD800/850 has image stabilization (IS), which I'd like tohave..

I agree that IS is probably going to be very useful in a compact. I've read that the IS on the Panasonics (Mega OIS) is second to none though, so there's not much to call there I guess..

Fuji - F40fd or F31fd. These apparently win out on image quality,especially at low-light levels which is apparently the TZ3 struggleswith. They'd also be more versatile for the rest of the things i'llprobably end up using my camera for (indoors, low light).

I'm not exactly sure how one point-n-shoot camera can be better thananother in low-light situations. If you're indoors and there's notenough lighting, or it's just plain dark where ever you are, theflash HAS to be used otherwise the picture will come out blurry.That's my experience with a non-IS compact. I've always believed thatharsh flash is better at capturing a moment than a blurry image thatcan't be saved (even through post processing)..

Well I believe that's where the Fujis I mentioned excel. Obviously i'm just going on what i've read on these forums and reviews, but apparently the Fujis allow you to take pictures without flash at much lower light levels / higher ISO settings whilst still getting good results. The flip side being that their performance in bright sunlight conditions isn't so good. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable that me can confirm that though!..

The TZ3 is very well suited to your needs. I am using as one of a number of cameras and it does a great job with the perfect zoom range. The lens is very free from distortion so your wide angles will look good. There are no manual controls but if you know your way around the camera you can have a lot of creativity with the camera. On the Panny forum there have been a number of threads from people wanting to use the TZ3 for trekking..

I have a number of galleries on line..

London - all TZ3 and some macros with a close up lens used with home made adapter.Twilight in NY - look at Exif there are a few Canon images also in thereCentral Park - all TZ3terryhttp://tbanet.zenfolio.com/..

It's a very difficult one to answer and a question that I have been asking myself for a while. As my knowledge of what to look for in images grows, my dissatisfaction with the IQ of the current crop of compacts grows too..

Ideally you should have a 28mm or wider lens, my Panasonic LX2 would be great for this but the IQ constantly disappoints. I think that the TZ3 has slightly less of a problem here but it still is not up to scratch for me. There is the Canon Ixus 850IS but you get very little control and the NR looks quite agressive. Possibly the best of the bunch is the Ricoh GX100, that's not to say that it is perfect but it probably gets closest. However, only you can decide if paying 400 for a compact camera is worth it..

If you can live with a lens that starts in the thirties, then your choice widens considerably and I would look at something like the Canon A710IS which has a good zoom range (albeit from 35mm) and reasonable IQ..

Malcy.

Http://www.flickr.com/photos/malcy/setshttp://picasaweb.google.com/lumachrome..

Dave.

Just make sure it's waterproof ! The west coast of New Zealand's South Island is the wettest temperate site on the planet. Something in the region of 13 000 millimetres (500 plus inches) of rain falls there each year..

Nevertheless Fiordland is awesome and you are very fortunate to be able to walk the Milford Track..

Another plus is the fact that New Zealanders are great people, you'll enjoy them..

Dave R.South Africa..

I know that they were discontinued quite some time back, but you may be able to pick up a Nikon Coolpix 8400 on ebay. I have used one for 30 months and thrive on the 24 to 85mm zoom range. A bonus is the superb lens..

I wouldn't venture onto South Island without a 24mm lens. I was there back in 1993 and had a bag full of Pentax stuff. The lens I used most frequently was the 24mm/f2.8..

If the CP 8400 doesn't quite fit the bill, whatever you do, choose a camera with a zoom range that starts at 28mm, anything longer than this will frustrate...

Hi Terry, thanks for your comments - the TZ3 is certainly top of my list currently. I've read quite a lot of the forum threads about it (including your excellent and useful comments and photos, though I doubt i'll be able to take any which match them!) It seems there are some issues but given that the "perfect" camera for my needs doesn't exist (compact with ultra wide-angle, DSLR-like performance, probably waterproof!) the TZ3 seems closest on more criteria than the others I'd mentioned - certainly the Canon or Fuji alternatives. The GX100 seems like it might be worth considering though..

Thanks,.

Dave..

Hi Malcy, thanks for your advice - it certainly seems that 28mm as a minimum is going to be a must, given the kind of photos I want to take. Which currently means the TZ3 or the Ricoh GX100..

Regarding price i'm in quite a lucky situation as I have a friend who lives in Tokyo who can buy me my chosen camera before he comes over here in a couple of weeks. Looks like the TZ3 is about 32,000yen or 130 ($260), which is an excellent price - for that kind of money I can always experiment with it for the next couple of months then ebay it and try something else if it turns out not to suit my needs..

The Ricoh is quite a bit more, but 60,000yen, 250 ($500) is still a lot more reasonable than the 400 UK price. I'd probably end up shelling out more for the 19mm adaptor though!.

IKB wrote:.

It's a very difficult one to answer and a question that I have beenasking myself for a while. As my knowledge of what to look for inimages grows, my dissatisfaction with the IQ of the current crop ofcompacts grows too..

Ideally you should have a 28mm or wider lens, my Panasonic LX2 wouldbe great for this but the IQ constantly disappoints. I think that theTZ3 has slightly less of a problem here but it still is not up toscratch for me. There is the Canon Ixus 850IS but you get very littlecontrol and the NR looks quite agressive. Possibly the best of thebunch is the Ricoh GX100, that's not to say that it is perfect but itprobably gets closest. However, only you can decide if paying 400for a compact camera is worth it..

If you can live with a lens that starts in the thirties, then yourchoice widens considerably and I would look at something like theCanon A710IS which has a good zoom range (albeit from 35mm) andreasonable IQ..

Malcy.

Http://www.flickr.com/photos/malcy/setshttp://picasaweb.google.com/lumachrome..

Hi Dave,.

I'm lucky enough to have been to NZ once before in 2002, so I know about the legendary rain (and Kiwi hospitality)! Though having said that we were lucky and had beautiful clear sunny weather for most of our trip - especially at Milford Sound (though we didn't walk the track, which is my main reason for wanting to return). I'm assuming that the weather might not be so good this time though, hence my concerns to get a camera which isn't going to be useless without bright light conditions..

I was planning on getting a soft carry case with a rain-cover but do I need to think about a full waterproof hard-case?.

Cheers,.

Dave.

Australopithecus wrote:.

Dave.

Just make sure it's waterproof ! The west coast of New Zealand'sSouth Island is the wettest temperate site on the planet. Somethingin the region of 13 000 millimetres (500 plus inches) of rain fallsthere each year..

Nevertheless Fiordland is awesome and you are very fortunate to beable to walk the Milford Track..

Another plus is the fact that New Zealanders are great people, you'llenjoy them..

Dave R.South Africa..

Hi Dave.

I doubt you'd need a hard case. A good soft case (Look perhaps at what Lowepro have to offer) with some form of outer (improvised) waterproof covering should do the job. It's not as if you're going to be in monsoon-type downpours (although, having said that, NZ's Fiordland comes a close second !). Besides, you're going to be after shots in better light, when it's not raining. That's when you'll whip the camera out..

I know that you'll be wanting to keep the camera handy as you hike, not buried in your backpack..

I do a lot of cross-country mountain-biking and am regularly frustrated by having to dig for my camera, when a photo opportunity arises. I do have the advantage of more clement weather though, so could hang the camera around my neck, but don't - it doesn't really work well on a bicycle..

Hope this helps..

Dave R.South Africa..