Peter's Picks
I am particularly keen on the Panasonic Lumix line of digital point and shot cameras.
I have used several of the Lumix cameras over the past three years and I am impressed with the overall consistent quality of the lenses and the sharp and vibrant images they produce.
Most of the lenses used in the Lumix cameras are made by Leica and I think they are some of the best lenses found in point and shoot cameras.
One of the current models is the TS-4, which is waterproof, freezeproof, shockproof, and dustproof.
It is a 12 mega pixel camera with a 4.6X zoom lens. The zoom range is small because the camera is a sealed unit. The lens is completely self contained and does not protrude outside of the body, hence limiting the range of the zoom. It has a good macro setting for those close up shots.
I have used my own similar Lumix camera on the beach in Jamaica and on various ski hills. I did not have to worry about getting it wet at the beach or dropping in the snow. The Lumix TS series cameras would survive that without a problem.
The TS-4 comes in different colors black, orange and blue.
Another camera, perhaps for a more advanced photographer who does not want to carry around the weight that a full bag of lenses offers and still wants high quality images, is the Fuji X-S1.
It houses an extremely versatile 26X zoom lens equivalent to a 24-624 lens on a 35 mm camera.
It is not an interchangeable lens but with that kind of zoom power not much more would be really be needed for most practical applications.It has a macro setting (close up) so that combined with the wide zoom range, it covers a lot of territory. Fuji X-S1 is a 12 mega pixel camera with a very efficient CMOS sensor that will even satisfy that advanced photographer.
Just to round out the trio of cameras that have recently peaked my interest is the Pentax LS 465.
A 16 mega pixel camera with a 5X zoom, the Pentax LS 465 is small and light weight, tipping the scales at only 122 grams even with the battery and memory card installed. This makes it a great travelling companion, as it does not add a lot of weight to the luggage when getting weighed in at the airport. It even comes with changeable skins so you can vary the look of the camera for different occasions.
Phone one of our stores for more info on price and availability.
Written by Peter Goodale at the APS Dartmouth location.
The actual mailing address here in Dartmouth is 202 Brownlow BUT the customer retail entrance is facing Burnside, we are close to Pets Unlimited and between AlphaStrike Laser Tag and the Helly Hansen outlet store.