Before the DSLR virus attacked, I have been using a few Canon Powershot cameras. This is the last one I used:
Those compact point and shoots are an excellent choice for walk around photography. I loved the reasonable image quality I got from these cameras. I have used an old 2MP version using compact flash cards (not used any more in that segment for a long time) and a more recent one (see picture) working with SD cards, already 3 years old. The user interface is reasonably intuitive, the package is compact, the functionality is quite extended for a consumer grade package.
An advantage of those cameras is that they use standard AA batteries, an enormous advantage. No need for exotic (and expensive) replacement batteries or for an exotic charger. You'll find replacement batteries (rechargeable or not, everywhere in the world.
Pros
- small, light and compact
- good image quality
- works with standard AA batteries
- auto modes for beginners (landscape, portrait,...)
- reasonably priced
Cons
- AF performance - very slow
- extremely slow startup
- poor ISO performance
This is the type of camera I would recommend (the more modern Powershots or Ixus cameras from Canon) if you want a small but good camera for holiday/tourist photography or for simple family shots.
A few examples:From the 2MP version I have used:
From the 4MP version I have used:
