As this question isn't about "proper" cameras you can ignore it if you want! I'm about to purchase a new 35 mm compact with zoom to replace my ageing (very ageing!) Nikon that is finally giving up the ghost. I'm told the Pentax Espio range is worth a look. Can anyone help me out please?

-- Jean (eandj@netcentral.co.uk), June 21, 2000

Answers

The photonet archives are chock full of long threads covering most every point and shoot on the market. Here is a quick summary:The fixed lens cameras have the best lenses by far. This includes the Yashica T4 super (T5 in Europe) and the Olympus stylus epic. The zoom cameras all tend to have noticeable vignetting on the corners at the wide end, are less sharp, and have very small apertures at the long end. If you stick to a small zoom range like 35 to 70, some of the better cameras do OK. Stay away from the 35 to 120, or 28 to 105 zoom range cameras unless you really only want 4X6 snap shops. Some of the better zoom cameras are the Rollei Prego cameras, The fuji DL Supermini,and Olympus Epic Zoom 80. I have the Yashica T4 with the 35mm Zeiss Tessar lens, and have made many crisp 8X10 prints with it that rival the shots taken with my Nikons.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 21, 2000.

You might want to check the Leica P&S (The mini 3 and the 35-70 zoom) They have color rendition that is very endearing. One feature I find very useful is the exposure compensation.

-- k k cheung (imkkcheung@hotmail.com), June 22, 2000.

I must respectfully disagree with Mr. Schank. In particular, I disagree that the fixed lens compact cameras "have the best lenses by far." While the fixed lenses certainly are faster, some current compact cameras have zoom lenses which I contend are as sharp, contrasty, and flare-free as fixed lens compact cameras, with the possible exception of the "posh" Leicas, Nikons, and Contaxes. Case in point is the Canon Sure Shot Classic 120, whose lens (38-120), while slow, I will put up against any under-$500 compact camera lens, fixed or zoom. By comparison, I also owned an Olympus Stylus 35-70 zoom camera, whose lens, focus, and flash were all plainly inferior, and a Leica Minilux, whose focus was inferior, whose flash was comparable, and whose lens was marginally superior, mainly due to its speed (40/2.4). Given the focusing complaints I've heard about the Yashica T4/T5 and the Olympus Stylus Epic, even if their lenses are sharper (which I question), the focusing problems, in my opinion, will lessen the picture quality more than any increased sharpness will improve it. To me, the more important consideration is (or used to be) the fact that you have to use 400- or 800-speed film with the zoom compacts, whereas you can get away with 100-speed film in a compact with a fast fixed lens. Nowadays, however, with the improvement in 400- and 800-speed films, that consideration is lessened. So my recommendation is that you try the Canon Classic 120, which costs around $200 from B&H.

-- Chris Crevasse (ccrevasse@millermartin.com), June 22, 2000.

Chris C. says: "Yashica T4/T5 and the Olympus Stylus Epic, even if their lenses are sharper (which I question)" I suggested to a friend that she buy a T4 super. My jaw dropped when I saw the quality of pictures that came from that zeiss lens. I shoot Nikon primes and pro zooms and will honestly say the sharpness and contrast of this lens is as good if not better than any lens I use in 35mm. I find it impossible to beleive that similar results can be acheived useing a point and shoot zoom lens and if you haven't tried one of these first hand I don't think you can understand.
Also I think you should think carefully about the speed of the lens. An f/6 or f/8 lens means you will be useing the built in flash a lot. Tiny built in flashes are what give photos from point and shoots that...well point and shoot look. Although you can load it with NHGII 800 and use less flash, if you have a f/2.8 of 3.5 lens you may never need the flash with fast film and you still have the option of useing slower film when you have more light.

-- Mark Meyer (mark@photo-mark.com), June 24, 2000.

Happy Hunting to you Jean. I am at the moment trying to replace a 35mm Yashica I received as a gift 20 years ago. I really enjoyed using the Yashica and had wonderful success with the quality of my pictures. I didn't realize camera hunting would be so difficult. Let me know what you decide...Merry Christmas...

-- Dawn (Chason8@bellsouth.net), December 01, 2000.

Another question? Just bought a Canon Sure Shot 120 and after developing two rolls of 400 DX Kodak film and finding many over- exposed shots in the Auto Focus mode. I like everything about the camera, but can't live with this. Any suggestions? I'm a novice.

-- Beverly Melanson (melanson@megalink.net), February 19, 2001.