Simple fast fixed zoom camera
Discussion
I walk dogs for my local rescue centre and then ramble about them on social media.
Getting photos greatly adds to the narrative and at the moment I use a budget smartphone.
Photo quality is great and most of the time it does the job but......
By the time the camera app sorts itself out and the auto focus does does just that, I've missed the shot.
Also, if a dog is in full shake, the image blurs.
I've tried a 16MP Go-Pro clone which take the shot fast enough, but the results looks washed out, particularly in sunlight, and distorted as it has a 170 degree lens.
A mid range smartphone may do the job, but I don't want to spend that much.
So, what else could I use?
Requirements :-
Very pocketable, so no protruding optical zoom
One handed operation
Fixed or very fast focus
Fast shutter to capture moving dogs reasonably well
Decent outdoor photo quality
Capable of staying on for a couple of hours (with screen powered off?) to be ready for the shot
Reasonably robust
Cheapish (ideally under £100)
Any suggestions?
Getting photos greatly adds to the narrative and at the moment I use a budget smartphone.
Photo quality is great and most of the time it does the job but......
By the time the camera app sorts itself out and the auto focus does does just that, I've missed the shot.
Also, if a dog is in full shake, the image blurs.
I've tried a 16MP Go-Pro clone which take the shot fast enough, but the results looks washed out, particularly in sunlight, and distorted as it has a 170 degree lens.
A mid range smartphone may do the job, but I don't want to spend that much.
So, what else could I use?
Requirements :-
Very pocketable, so no protruding optical zoom
One handed operation
Fixed or very fast focus
Fast shutter to capture moving dogs reasonably well
Decent outdoor photo quality
Capable of staying on for a couple of hours (with screen powered off?) to be ready for the shot
Reasonably robust
Cheapish (ideally under £100)
Any suggestions?
k-off DSLR but welcome to the photo forum 
ctdctd said:
Will you be commuting to the kennels for the rambles? 
If you pay enough mileage allowance to feed the big cat... if not you can always bring the mutts over to Simposhire 
My stab at answering the original question is to say that no such camera exists, but I don't stay up to date so maybe there is some whizz-bang mirrorless thing that will do it for £99 and is voice (bark?)-activated with (dog)face recognition if you put it in 'pet mode'
I think your photos are OK for what they need to do. If you want to be a 'dog tog' that's a whole new ballgame. Rubber ballgame I guess...
Oh yes, the photos that I post fit their purpose.
However, it would be nice to capture the moment and not a second or so later!
As an example, here's Violet. A couple of seconds earlier, she was flat out on the ground looking up at me having decided not to walk any more.
It would have been a great shot.
By the time I'd got the phone out of my pocket and it had focussed, she had sat up.
My Panasonic compact would have failed as well as it would have taken a couple of seconds for the zoom to unwind.
Trying to have it always on and dangling round my neck would quickly result in a broken or chewed camera!
The Go-pro clone is capable of grabbing the shot quickly but the wide angle lens makes it look a bit odd, the quality is poor (but probably OK for purpose), still get motion blur and it really needs to focus for closer shots.
However, it would be nice to capture the moment and not a second or so later!
As an example, here's Violet. A couple of seconds earlier, she was flat out on the ground looking up at me having decided not to walk any more.
It would have been a great shot.
By the time I'd got the phone out of my pocket and it had focussed, she had sat up.
My Panasonic compact would have failed as well as it would have taken a couple of seconds for the zoom to unwind.
Trying to have it always on and dangling round my neck would quickly result in a broken or chewed camera!
The Go-pro clone is capable of grabbing the shot quickly but the wide angle lens makes it look a bit odd, the quality is poor (but probably OK for purpose), still get motion blur and it really needs to focus for closer shots.
I'd say that if you have to keep the camera in your pocket because a dog will chew anything you have around your neck, you're going to miss every shot of a 'moment'.
And don't forget, the internet is full of 'great' shots of cats and dogs that are anything but great. The shot might mean something to an owner, but that's about it.
And don't forget, the internet is full of 'great' shots of cats and dogs that are anything but great. The shot might mean something to an owner, but that's about it.
Both Nikon and Fuji manufacture tough compact cameras with a fixed lens, you can take a look at them and several others in PC World or John Lewis, am pretty sure they are water-proof which must be quite useful when out walking your dogs. They are available in a variety of colours. They are priced around £129 - £149.
rich888 said:
Both Nikon and Fuji manufacture tough compact cameras with a fixed lens, you can take a look at them and several others in PC World or John Lewis, am pretty sure they are water-proof which must be quite useful when out walking your dogs. They are available in a variety of colours. They are priced around £129 - £149.
Thanks, that lead me to the Panasonic DMC-FT30 which is similar and my other compact is a Panasonic - looks like they have an internal optical zoom so pocketable when powered on.Looks like it could do the job!
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