I dont own one yet, but may soon. The cameras cost around $200 and have available an inexpensive underwater case [$130 or less - brand new]. I am referring to the Fuji F30 or F31fd.

They are compact [ie purse or pocket size] P&S cameras which provide average image quality and performance but apparently produce GOOD pictures at ASA 800 [8x10] or even 1600 [4x6]. They even produce usable pictures at ASA 3200 [4x6].

They both offer aperture and shutter priority as well as a Macro mode.

The reviews seem to bear out their unique low light performance.

For parents, grandparents, students, etc. they open up the whole area of available light photography -- wildlife, sports, parties, museums, theatre, night scenes, etc. Oh, and did I mention they have an inexpensive underwater case available for that once a year trip to the Keys, Bonaire, or Hawaii.

Love to hear your thoughts.

Bill

Olympus SP-320's are about $170 or so, and the PT-030 housing is about $160 from leisure pro. Have a look at my pictures (in 2007 Bonaire Pictures thread) and see the results of the camera. I didn't use any strobes.


(Message edited by yukoneer on July 18, 2007)

I just purchased the Oly SP350 for $199 at Costco and I love the land pictures so far. Will be using it on Bonaire in Feb.

Mark and Marge - Thanks for your inputs. As attested to by Mark?s, Ron Meyer?s and others photos in BT Trip Reports, the Olympus SP-320 and SP-350 are both excellent underwater cameras. I suggest that both are superior to the F-30 for underwater macro pictures and certainly they have better menu structures and display readability.

However, when it comes to Non-Flash Available Light situations, the F-30 appears to be in a class by itself - significantly out-performing ALL of the other consumer cameras.

So who cares? Well, parents / grandparents, pet owners, outdoor enthusiasts, sports fans, hobbyists for a starter. All run into low-light photo opportunities. Photo-ops requiring 1/10th of a second or longer exposures with the lens wide open or justlow light action shots requiring faster shutter speeds. It?s in this available light niche that the F-30 and F-31fd appear to excel.

I know it is a sin to talk about the following two cameras in the same sentence, but at the link below you will find a comparison of Low Light pictures taken on the Fuji F-30 and the Canon EOS-20D DSLR. Sample pictures are at ISO speeds up through 3200.

http://www.neocamera.com/review_fuji_f30_crops3.html

I, personally, prefer the F-30 pictures. IMHO, if the EOS-20D images were to be brightened a bit [easy to do in Photoshop] they would be comparable to the F-30. The EOS-20D is a state-of-the-art DSLR for available-light photography -- as good as they get. In any other areas, I am sure that the EOS-20D would blow the socks off the F-30. Yet, in that one-area alone, you can match the EOS-20D with a fit-in the-pocket/purse $200 camera.

Matt: I'm not sure how I typed Mark instead of Matt in the previous post, but you have my apologies. Also, I don't know why the apostrophes showed up as question marks but they did.

I really liked your pictures. Are the puffer's eyes actually blue? .. or did you aid them a bit in Photoshop? Your format of a color shot with a matching black-and-white I thought was great

Marge: have a great trip in February!

Photos: The link below is to some sample photos at the same site as previously referenced. Click on the Rose for a shot at 1600 and on the Motorcycles for one at 3200. They are full size so may be slow loading.

http://www.neocamera.com/review_fuji_f30_images.html