Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:40:58 +0000, tienshanman wrote:


Needs to be grab-and-shoot with no fuss and no wait.

Recommendations ?
Thanks in advance,
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

Get something with a wide angle lens. Most small cameras max out at 35mm
equiv. These are useless in the cockpit. The Panasonic LX3 is an
excellent choice - 24mm equiv; has HD movie mode too.


Agreed. 28mm is about right.

I have a Ricoh GR1s I use for this - its a fixed lens 28mm film camera.
Filling it with 400 ASA, setting f22 aperture and landscape focus puts
everything from panel to horizon in focus and it remembers all settings
when its off. Good film cameras still have a few advantages!
You can get the same functions in a digital camera, and far more, so I
see only disadvantages to a film camera like that. My Panasonic TZ5 will
turn on in 400 ASA (or any other choice), landscape mode (or 20 others),
28 mm equivalent, no problem at all. And it has 10 x optical zoom, 3"
LCD monitor, image stabilization, movies, ya da, ya da. Forget film -
digital has it all and much more.

Besides, who wants to shoot only 36 shots, then change the film?! There
are several 28 mm zoom digitals that will do what Dave wants, not just
the TZ5; however, I would get a 24 mm model, now that they are more
available. Love that wide angle!

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org