UKC

I'm looking for a compact camera to take winter climbing. It doesn't need to have any fancy features... Just a shutter and on/off buttons I can operate with a pair of gloves on and a secure point for a lanyard. It needs to be slim enough for a chest pocket and I don't want to spend much more than £100. I was thinking one of the Canon Ixus models, but haven't used these in the past. Would also consider second hand. Any recommendations?

In reply to chris_s:

I had pretty much the exact same requirements from a camera and ended up with a second hand Canon S90 for much cheaper than £100. It's pretty robust and takes a good shot. The newer ones are meant to be excellent too.

In reply to aldo56:

Yes, they look good. Will take a look on eBay, thanks.

In reply to chris_s:

I have a canon S100 or S110 (can't remember which) and overall find it alright despite a few negatives.

Good;
Slim (fits in a chest pocket)
Robust (It's been dropped, dented and got wet yet still functions)
Takes RAW as well as Jpeg (Gives you more flexibility if you need to salvage a few shots in Lightroom)

Bad;
On/Off button is tiny (Takes a lot of getting used to if you wear big gloves)
Battery life was initially awful - Maybe more of a problem common to all compacts, but on the first few outings it would be lucky to survive the first couple pitches of a route. Although after a few recharges it can now last a full day on one battery.

In reply to CMcBain:

Two pitches is no good! Probably an issue with many of the small compacts. I have a G11 which has amazing battery life, but it's just too bulky to put in a pocket.

In reply to chris_s:

I have a Canon Power Shot A1300. It's best feature is that it's one of the few compact camera's with a view finder. The trouble with those with only screens is that, especially in winter with bright light and snow, framing a shot is pure guesswork.

In reply to chris_s:

I use a nikon coolpix aw110. Its on the high side of budget but it is waterproof to 10m which is nice. I'm not sure I'd go secondhand for that one, the waterproof seal can apparently go if the camera isn't looked after in storage (if you leave it open grit will degrade the seal, I just keep it closed unless i'm removing memory card or battery.) Battery lasts for a couple days if kept warm, and can shoot HD video if desired. The mic seems surprisingly good. I didn't buy it to use video but I've found it fun on occasion.

In reply to CMcBain:

We have the one before that, S90 I think. I agree about the buttons. Battery life was a problem but I think it was the battery charger so I kept putting it back in after the light indicated charged and this seemed to sort them out. We get a good few days on one battery but have a few ebay back-ups as well.

Chris S: there is a Canon s/h waterproof digital on Ffordes website but it might be overpriced and the newer model is not as bulky, I seem to recall. Someone might be selling the newer model somewhere. As these WP cameras are pretty well sealed, the scratches don't necessarily mean that the 'innards' are that bad and the buttons are usually much better with gloves and even goggles.

In reply to CMcBain:

My S90 battery life seems fine, i suppose it depends how much you use it and how cold it is. I've easily lasted a weekend on one charge. Maybe down to the more advanced features on the newer S series?

In reply to chris_s:

I have Pentax WG-3 - hard to find new as it's been replaced by the Ricoh WG-4 which is still well above £100 new, but you could probably get one on ebay on budget. It's probably not as good as the S90 on image quality, but it is waterproof and rugged which is pretty handy for climbing. I sometime keep it on my harness for quick shots. Overall I'm really pleased with the results it gives. It's a bit flaky for landscapes for some reason but great for action shots - it's much happier when the subject is close. It also has a fast lens which really helps.

In reply to chris_s:

Thanks for the suggestions everyone

In reply to chris_s:

My girlfriend has a years old Canon Ixus and it takes great shots. Buttons are easy to operate, but it is fairly dinky so can be tricky in big gloves.

In reply to hamsforlegs:

If only Canon would make a dinky Ixus with chunky buttons!

In reply to chris_s:

I have an S110 and, like a previous poster, the battery life was absolutely dire when I first got it. First time out it lasted 30 seconds (honestly) but by the end of the week could last a day. I can now get a few days out of it, but it's still fairly terrible compared to any other camera I've owned. Cold seems to affect it more than most cameras too. Overall I like it, but the skies often appear 'blown out' on it compared to other cameras I've used. I deal with this by reducing the exposure by 1/3 or 2/3 but this obviously can create dark bits too. It's a good camera, but I think there must be better ones out there.

In reply to chris_s:


Not so silly really, since it's only the power and shutter buttons that are completely critical.
Unfortunately the ixus power button is very small (current models look similar).

Seriously, though, I'm often blown away by the quality of the jpegs this turns out on Point and Shoot mode. The canon engine for guessing the scene and processing it properly is very impressive at the price, and the camera is tiny (jeans pocket tiny). Might be worth taking your big gloves to a shop and seeing if you could live with it.