Wedding Blog
Hive, again, I need your help. I was taking some pictures last week (for Weddingbee, no less) and I dropped my camera (okay, maybe more than once). All of a sudden my pictures went from this:*
To this:
Mr. PT looked it over and gave a very non-professional diagnosis—it’s broken. He thinks it has something to do with the whitescale. Or something like that.
This poses a big problem—with all our exciting events coming up (hello, we are getting married)—we NEED a camera. And seriously, how will I take a before and after picture of my hair trial this weekend without one!! I can’t let the hive down again.
Since this is not an expense that we had budgeted, I want to take advantage of a Target gift card that we have. Thus, our options are slightly limited. Here are the top three that we are considering. Please weigh in and let me know what you’d recommend.
Mama Peep highly recommended the Panasonic Lumix because of the Leica lens. While I wish we could afford this one:
I think this one would better fit our budget:
My coworker is all about the Canon Powershot, and I have to admit, this one seems to have great ratings online:
And last but not least, the Casio Exilim, which would be the upgrade from my busted camera that I actually really liked:
*These pics are a preview of our Blurb guest book.
So hive, if you were buying a point and shoot camera, which one would you get? I need it by this weekend, so I’d appreciate any help you have to offer!
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Oh, Miss Peep Toe, I feel your pain! I turned to the hive for camera help as well, and generally was advised to look at Canon products. Please update us if you select one to purchase!
I bought a Powershot years ago and still have it! I recommend that one, but I’m a Canon girl so I’m a little biased!
i love my canon! i hardly ever have to charge the battery!
I am also a Canon Powershot ELPH girl for a small point and shoot. Actually, just bought a new one on Monday! 
my canon only lasted like 18 months….but i think that might have something to do with dropping it in more than one beer cup during college.
i LOVE my exilim, but be warned….there are plenty of sites that report on the battery death….mine literally lasted a year and 2 days. but a new one only cost $20, and it worked perfectly until the day it dropped dead….so i still give it a thumbs up =)
I have the Powershot and love it, though I did prefer the Exilim (which I exchanged for the Powershot… bummer).
I also love my Canon Powershot ELPH. I’ve had mine for a while and I think it’s only 4 megapixels, but it takes great pictures. And it fits into almost every bag I own.
Panasonic Lumix! We have it and people are always raving about how amazing our pictures come out.
Of those, I can say that the Powershot is probably the most reliable over the long run. I dropped my Olympus 800, and it is dead and gone. Fiance has dropped his powershot a number of times and it is still going strong…
Though I suspect cameras prefer not to be dropped at all! (just a hunch)…
Check this out !!! It has a review on virtually every camera!
I have a Canon Powershot as well and I have to say that it is a great camera. I have that blue one pictured! The response time is great, it has face tracking and is easy to upload from.
However, I would almost suggest going with an upgrade of your current camera if you know it well and know you’ll like it.
POWERSHOT! those have to be some of the best cameras. but not on your list (and one that i really wanted) is the olympus waterproof digital. It would be great for a honeymoon!! sorry about your camera though… i would die without mine.
I have the Lumix (rec. by Mrs. Cupcake.) I love it! I have owned two Powershots, and they both had a hard time taking good closeups in macro mode.
I’ve been wanting a new camera forever! Maybe I should ‘accidentally’ drop mine!
i’ve been a loooong time canon lover and still am! by far, i personally believe the battery life and quality of a canon point and shoot outnumbers any other point and shoot i’ve ever tried! best of luck!
the canon powershot handsdown will give you the best pics for a point and shoot. it captures lighting where you don’t think there would be enough. it’s much better than my exilim!
I have a powershot that I’ve had for years. It still takes great shots and has a great batter life.
CANON CANON CANON!!!! My first digi camera was a Canon Powershot and I had a similar mishap…I roughed it up a bit which consequently resulted in white lines much like yours. I decided to purchase an Exilim to save a little money and I regret every day that I didn’t spend a little extra to get another Canon.
Plus - some of the Canon models do this AWESOME trick where you can isolate a color and when you take a picture, it is completely black and white except for anything that is the isolated color! (And you don’t even need to be a photo-pro, it’s just a click of a button!)
My husband and I are professional photographers, and we use the second Lumix camera you posted (for non-pro work, of course!). We absolutely love it! It takes a great photo, especially outdoors. My husband also really likes using the video option. The sound quality isn’t fabulous, but the image is excellent. We purchased it because we wanted the Leica lens, and it hasn’t let us down. Go for the Lumix!
Canon! That’s what I have and really like it. I’m still learning to work it, but it seems to have a lot of neat little functions. ALSO, have you called tech support on your camera? I only ask because I DROPPED MY CAMERA IN A BOWL OF CLAM JUICE last summer and it went freaky, even worse than yours. Everyone, including some online help board said the camera was toast. So I gave up on it for like three months. But before we went out to purchase a new one, Mr. P called tech support on my camera and they walked him through a “reset” procedure. And now it works fine. Just sayin…
I’m a hardcore Canon girl, and I’ve been a powershot fan since they came out. They’re easy to get familiar with and you get pretty pics. FYI, if you buy at Best Buy (i know, not Target, but still useful info–their product protection plan now covers drop and water damage–SO worth it to someone who is really hard on cameras!)
Good luck, and I’m sorry about your camera!
I’m obsessed with my casio. It has made it through so much (many drops)!
I’ve had two sony cameras, and I loved them. I recently converted to Canon because they have more zoom power, and you can zoom in and out while shooting video, and you can’t do that with the sony.
you can’t go wrong with the canon.
I LOVE my Lumix — we spent countless hours at Best Buy and almost all the sales guys told us Lumix over the more expensive cannon (which was the one i thought we needed b/c it is a cannon after all). While comparing the cannon and the Lumix in store i found that the Lumix had a clear picture at a further distance than the cannon yet the cannon does have a fast click time than the Lumix. I say go to the store and take photos (if Target doesnt have them on display go to best buy and than buy it at target). Good Luck.
I love my casio exlim. My hubby has one too!
I am obsessed with my Panasonic Lumix. I have already coerced Mrs. Penguin and Miss Snapdragon into buying one Worth every penny and we are SO glad we had a good camera for our honeymoon! The ability to get great close-ups and the smart auto are were what sold me.
I have the Panasonic Lumix and I absoultely LOVE it. It takes great shots with little to no fuss, and it has great shutter speed so you don’t miss candid shots. I’d highly recommend it!
I am such a klutz too!!! I’m going to have to recommend the canon - I just think they have the best cameras out there but I’m biased. Most my friends, family and I have different canon cameras!
I don’t have experience with either of the other two cameras that you mentioned, but I really like my Canon PowerShot. It takes really nice pictures, and I’m not even that good with a camera The only other camera I had was a Kodak Easyshare, and the Canon is a MAJOR upgrade from that!
i love my canon powershot! Super durable and has the longest lsting battery!
I have the canon powershot sd1000. It is ok, but it isn’t my favorite. I prefer the sony digital camera that I used to have. I j ust feel like the canon is too small and doesn’t take the best photos. Sometimes they turn out a little blurry.
The Canon Powershot line is very good, and you can pretty much bet on getting a great bang for your buck performance out of them.
The Panasonics are a great other option, along with the Casios.
If you can splurge, get the Panasonic, otherwise, go Canon IMHO.
I love my canon powershot, but if it broke today I would get the lumix, because of the lens. My cousin has it and I wish it was mine. I think both would be great but def. try to call tech support, then get the lumix if it is in your budget, if not get the canon! Blurb book looks great, I want to see more!!
panasonic tz5 (the first one) is awesome! i’ve owned three powershots and finally converted to the tz5 this year, and i am loving it! you will absolutely love the 10x optical zoom - it is amazing. the quality of pictures on the panasonic are noticeably better than any of my powershots. the only thing is that the tz5 is definitely bulkier & heavier than the powershot, but i was willing to give that up for better quality pictures.
oh, and i forgot to mention that the panasonic also records video in HD, which the powershot doesn’t.
powershot. i just love canon… it’s all i’ve ever owned!
I am a fan of the first two because they are the same lens and electronics?! the Leica cameras without the Leica price.
I had the Casio Exilim and loved it, but one *little* drop on the ground, and the think completely broke. Wouldn’t turn on ever again! I upgraded to a more durable Sony camera.
I have that exact same Powershot and it’s great. The rechargeable battery is a huge plus!
Canon! I have a powershot and love it. I’ve convinced everyone in my family to get one as well.
I have the Canon and it is WONDERFUL. So easy to use and takes great pictures!
Definitely the Canon..I’ve had my ELPH SD200 for 4 years now and it’s still going! Three members in my family have gotten new Canon’s as well and they love it!
@doctorgirl: i just concurred with my camera and yes, they don’t like being dropped. lol
but i love my canon powershot. i’ve had it for almost 3 years now and its still going strong, though i suspect that i’m way underutilizing it. pity. but canon is a great brand. plus it doesn’t take long to recharge the battery. extra plus
I’ve had two Canon Elphs, my FI has a sony, and we have a Nikon D-40….however I’ve had the exlim for 2 years and it is the go-to we use for most of our travels, etc. The battery lasts forever on a charge, and is inexpensive to replace later. I think it has a better color range, and also does well in Macro mode. Plus Target offers it with a rebate or free gift card from time to time.
That said…I think you’ll be happy with any of the 3 you’ve picked out though.
Generally speaking, I have heard good things about Canon. I have a Lumix but it’s currently broken, if that says anything about reliability!
I love my Canon Powershot. I have the SD630 for like 3 years. And I love it. It’s so reliable and durable. I’ve dropped it a couple of times and it’s still works great.
I have a BA in Photography and Art Ed, and have taught photography for a number of years. You can never go wrong with a Canon Powershot. Every owner I’ve ever known–including me–thinks their Powershot (many different types) is the best camera they’ve ever owned.
Canon Cameras are the best.
In our household, we have a Casio point & shoot and a Canon SLR.
That said, it’s hard to beat the Panasonic models and I’ve owned a couple. They hold up well and are very competitive in image quality.
We had a Canon but it broke on its own and they’re cheaper to replace than to fix.
We purchased the Casio because we had a Sharper Image gift certificate and that was all they offered. It has done been easy and reliable as well.
I’d probably go with whatever feels best in your hands. Disregard the megapixels in your evaluation, it’s a non-issue.
Good luck!
so sorry to hear about the dropped camera! I have a powershot by cannon and i love it! it takes great photos and is so small!
I have a Powershot that’s 4 years old and still ticking. I use it ALL the time and I’ve dropped it a ton and never had a single problem. Battery lasts forever too. Happy shopping!
I love my Lumix, I highly recommend it. It’s the best point and shoot I’ve ever bought and I’ve had canon’s, sony’s and nikons. The zoom capabilities are amazing.
I have a cannon digital elph. As well, a lot of friends who always take amazing pics also have one. That’s definitely what I recommend!
Honestly, I would want to go to something like cnet.com and read the reviews and/or do a comparison of the features offered by each of the cameras. I would want to know the zoom capabilities, the different settings each offered, the number of megapixels that it could go up to, how fast its response time is when taking a picture… etc.
All the cameras you listed are great, I would just want to look at the specs to see if there’s a clear “front runner” in terms of functionality. Otherwise, I think it’s personal preference and to go with whatever you like the most/would feel most comfortable using.
My entire family has Powershots!! Love them! I strayed from the pack when my Powershot pooped out and bought a Nikon (I was in a panic as it was the day before my sister’s wedding, of course!)—I regret it everyday 
The Cannon Powershot is one if not the top rated point and shoot camera by Consumer Reports. I read my Dad’s issue on cameras and other electronics before buying my own Cannon Camera around Christmas. Good Luck!
I wanted to add that my Canon lasted 3 years and TONS of photos. I think it was too tired to go on!
I have the Panasonic Lumix in your picture and I love it! It takes great pictures and it very user friendly!
I would get the Canon Powershot. I have the Casio Exilim and everyone loves the pink color - but between the two cameras, I think Canon takes a better picture. I don’t know much about the Lumix.
We have two generations of the Lumix and love them. The picture quality is amazing especially on close-ups. Also, I have found that for blow-ups of pictures the Lumix handles this much, much better than a canon, which I also have as a back-up.
I love my powershot. It’s over 5 years old and still takes EXCELLENT photos. And I have four newer cameras, two of which are dSLR’s… yet i still love my dear old canon. My only warning about the lumix is personal: my grandma had one and didn’t like the photo quality or the screen on the back - I guess it was hard to see outside. I don’t know this for myself, just what she said.
oh, and grandma replaced her panasonic with a canon powershot, which she loves. haha.
CANON POWERSHOT For sure! I have this camera and it is incredible for a point and shoot. The pics come out amazing when printed. I bought one and shortly after my MOH bought one too. Love!
I just went through the same thing, and after a lot of research we ended up purchasing that first Lumix– and I LOVE it!!! It even takes really nice video, which has been wonderful to have. I had always been a Canon girl before, but the Lumix feels great to hold & I am really happy with the decision!!
I have that Lumix (the blue one you posted) and it takes GORGEOUS pictures. Not to mention the insane zoom. It’s really sturdy which I obviously love. The only downside is that it isn’t quite pocket sized, which bugs my fiance so if ever we’re going out and I don’t want to bring a bag (like concerts and stuff) he’ll bring along his Canon Powershot that fits in his pocket.
Yes, the Cupcake spoke, and I listened! I just LOVE my Panasonic Lumix! It takes the most amazing close up shots. I’m so glad she suggested the camera to me! It is so so great. The colors come out really sharp and vibrant too.
Canon all the way. I loved mine so much I went and bought a few to give to gifts as family. We all love them and have never had any issues with them! I have had mine 3 years now and it’s still great.
I love my canon! i have that exact camera (but in pink!) and it’s awesome. go canon, peep. do it.
My first digicam was a Casio Exilim…I liked all the fun shooting modes, but I like the warmer colors that my Canon Powershot produces better. My bf has the blue Powershot pictured in your post and it’s a great little camera. I’ve seen amazing pictures taken on the 10X zoom Lumix…at a concert where the shooter was sitting waaaaay up in the back of the arena, so what really impressed me was the zoom power. But if you’re only going to get 5x zoom anyway, the Canon Powershot, for all intents and purposes, should be fine for your needs. I don’t know how the size between the 2 cameras compare, but the Canon is very sleek and pocketable.
I have a Lumix, and it has lasted 2 years with no problems. I still like it a lot.
I say the Canon one! .. I had a Sony (hated it.. due to a problem that the technical service at sony can’t seem to beable to fix time after time).. I had a canon, love it! but i threw up all over it after too much to drink on my birthday…I went and got another canon and loves it, but then my bf bought me the new sony smile shutter, (complicated cool, expensive camera), but i would still choose the canon, it’s simple, sturdy, and great quality!
I’m a Canon girl. I’m on my second PowerShot and have never had any problems. I tried a Nikon and use the Casio Exilim at work but I don’t like either of them. The Nikon took forever to take the next picture!
We have a Cannon Elph (I think it’s a type of powershot) and it has been AMAZING - so much better than I expected. I would highly recommend it.
I have the Casio Exilm and LOVE it! It is small enough to fit in your jean’s back pocket… and my purse so it is always with me. It takes great pictures and I’ve not had any issues with it!
I have the Canon Power Shot and think it’s the greatest little camera I’ve ever owned! It takes great pics and is incredibly easy to use. That is the one that I would recommend.
Cannon!!! I love, love, love mine. It’s the older version - nearly four years now - but it’s held up remarkably well and I don’t have any good excuse for getting a new one because it works so darned well. Good value for the money, too.
We have a cannon powershot and its been a great all around camera for us. i recommend it.
Go for the Cannon!! Cannons are the best!! The pictures are amazing and I can’t live without the Image stabilization feature, which really helps you take clear crisp pictures even in low lighting!
The Lumix Leica. I think I am among the minority choosing this though. I have a lumix camera- and leica lens are the best on the market. So I would sway more that way… personally. But if I were you, I would check the consumer reports on these three cameras- or even a photog message board on point and shoots.
I recommend the canon. i owned the 7.2-megapixel version of the exilim. my ILs gave me the Canon SD1100 this holiday season and I consider it a MAJOR upgrade. It’s a ton of bang for your buck, and my husband did a TON of research on cameras before recommending this one, which was the point-and-shoot pocket-sized favorite of those in the high-end camera shops he visited.
Canon. I love mine - so perfectly formed and fits into even my smallest clutch bag. Pictures are great every time, even in sun/rain/night.
I have the first Panasonic Lumix you showed (with the 10x optical zoom). It’s a great little camera, but not good for taking pics of people indoors. The flash is pretty bad. That said, I take beautiful pictures when I’ve got time to set them up. You can see examples on my blog of both food and scenery.
Here’s scenery and some use of the micro setting: http://iamthebeholder.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/half-marathon-training-day-16/
And then here’s some food (also with the micro setting in natural light)
http://iamthebeholder.wordpress.com/2009/02/25/a-mouthful-of-awesome/
Hope that helps!
I have a powershot and I LOVE it. Definitely recommend that one!
I vote for Canon. After owning a Sony, Nikon, and Olympus camera, my Canon is a godsend. I highly recommend it to everybody. Especially the SD750.
I vote Canon as well. After owning several other brands, I have come to the conclusion that it is the way to go!
Flickr has a feature that allows you to see photos taken by specific cameras. This is really useful to see photographers with a variety of ability-levels shooting photos with the cameras you’re considering. It’s what convinced me to guide my fiance toward the Panasonic Lumix (the top model you have pictured) when he was shopping for a point & shoot. I have a Canon Powershot that I like a lot too, but it’s one of the higher-end models. I can’t speak on behalf of the compact ones.
The cannon powershot. I’ve had one for years and LOVE it!!
I actually own the Casio Exilim, and have one work of warning for you.
The display on the back of my Casio isn’t that great. So when I take a picture and then immediately try to view it, the picture quality looks bad to me.
I’ve always had Canon cameras, so maybe I’m spoiled.
But when I pull the picture up in Adobe, the picture quality is fine…it’s just the screen on the back of mine isn’t that great.
I don’t know if this is something that other people have problems with or not…just thought I’d share my experience.
If you are not too fussed about the controls and want a “dummy” (for want of a better word) camera i.e. great photos/minimal fuss/minimal adjusting, I would say go for Canon. I have 2 Canon Ixus and while they are reliable, they are not the funkiest cameras around (i.e. rigid with settings). Would prefer the Panansonic Lumix series as I heard good stuff about it
iviary, that is so cool about the Flickr feature, I didn’t know about that.
I bought a Casio Exilim after my own Canon went the way of your camera right before I left to study abroad. The Exilim was the best I could afford at the time but I think it takes great pictures, even after three years of me dragging it around in my purse 24/7 and whipping it out for countless drunken (read: rough; it’s been dropped a lot) facebook photo sessions. That being said it doesn’t have very many settings and I find the macro pretty disappointing.
Casios may as well be sold under the “disposable cameras” section because they break WAY too easily.
I used my friend’s Canon powershot, that thing was AWESOME!! For a P&S it did the trick, and I was amazed at the clarity of the pictures!! (No blurry mess!)
I have that exact Canon and I LOVE it! It makes my shots look professional, even though it’s just a point-and-shoot!
I know this is not one that you were looking at but I LOVE my nikon coolpix. The pictures are amazing! Its 10 megapixels. I have had mine since 2007 when they first came out and I have dropped it, squished it, gotten it wet (not soaked but wet), and generally abused it and it still takes great pics. The movie features are pretty cool. And they now make them in a touch screen so that is really neat too. I wouldn’t I have a sony cybershot (I got it for a Cmas present and I NEVER use it because the pictures are not as great) and I have the Canon Rebel EOS SLR which does take amazing pictures but it is so big that I never take it with me on a day to day basis.
I bought my FH a Canon Powershot 10 MP and it has really worked well! Check Amazon.com - I got it for a steal (under $125)…sometimes they put them on special!
I also have the first Lumix that you showed. I love it! The image stabilization is good, and the video image quality is very surprisingly good. Of course I’m salivating over my FMIL’s Canon Rebel now, but for a point and shoot the Lumix is probably the best.
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Mrs. Peep Toe, San Francisco
Age and Occupation: 29, Policy Analyst
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 36, Olive Oil Production Manager
Engagement Date: December 16, 2007
Wedding Date: May, 2009
Blogging Since: November 26, 2008
Venue: Hotel Vitale
About Me: I am a west coast lady who loves the San Francisco Bay Area. I love living with Mr. Peep and our animals: Huck the Dog and Ferris the Cat. I work to save the environment in San Francisco, while Mr. Peep makes ridiculously delicious Olive Oil. On any day you can find me reading the latest book I have gotten my hands on, eating Swedish Fish, and perusing wedding blogs! We are both champagne drinking foodies on a Bud Light budget. We are planning an eco-chic, intimate, and interfaith San Francisco City wedding.
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