On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:59:06 -0700, rw
wrote:

wrote:

Man, the proprietary battery thing is, IME, a whole lot bigger thing
than a mere annoyance - obviously, YMDV, but I'd offer that if Larry is
planning on taking this thing down south, it might be a deal-breaker for
him - I'd stick with standard battery types (AA, AAA) - again, YMMV.

I thought it would be more of a problem than it is. Two fully charged
batteries (I carry three) are adequate for a week-long float trip in the
wilderness, taking hundreds of photos. Those lithium-ion batteries are
powerful and compact.

If you're somewhere that you can buy AA or AAA batteries, you're
probably somewhere that you can recharge your "special" batteries.

It's really a matter of priorities. My number one criterion is that the
camera be waterproof. I've ruined a couple of cameras by taking
unplanned dips. I especially don't want to be carrying a camera that
inhibits my already marginal wading skills.

My number two criterion is that it fit into a shirt pocket. Lithium-ion
batteries easily have the highest energy density, so they're the natural
choice for compactness.

I don't know of any generic-battery cameras that fit those criteria.
Maybe there's one. I don't know of it.

I'd think you'd be right as far as the smallest of the small ones, but
unless it has swung back to all "special" batteries, Canon, Olympus and
Nikon all had? smallish PnS's that used AAs. Another possible reason to
look at used cameras. And I'd agree that lith-ion AAs are the way to go
when possible. I didn't realize that the "special" batteries had gotten
to the point of hundreds of pictures per charge. My experience with
them was that they seemed to go when you at the most inopportune time,
but that is with cameras 2-4 years old.

If that is the case, I'd not worry about it, but take at least one extra
and make sure to take adaptors that might be needed to recharge, or, if
you're camping and/or spending lots of time outdoors, think about one of
the solar chargers.

TC,
R


BTW, I also dislike the lack of a range finder, but that's another story.