What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

I know this is probably the dumbest question ever posted this blog but
I need to buy a gift for a friend in Europe who wants a very small
digital camera. That's about all I know and without camera experience,
that would be an easy order to fill.

However, my problem arises from my experience. I'd never ever want any
camera that doesn't use AA batteries ever again so I wouldn't wish a
camera that doesn't use AA batteries on anyone else either -
especially someone I love dearly.

The problem is the smallest cameras don't seem to use AA batteries.

For example, the July 2006 online consumer reports has an extensive
article on digital point and shoot cameras at
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/e...s-small_ov.htm

Consumer Reports recommends these four small cameras
Kodak EasyShare V550 , $295
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX8 , $280
Canon PowerShot SD450 , $275
Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z750 , $330

The problem is NONE use AA batteries.

That means that 25% of the time, my beloved recipient will have a
small camera in her purse which will be useless due to her forgetting
to charge the battery or due to her forgetting to bring the charger or
due to her not having a spare handy or any of the ills that have
befallen me in the past so many times that I've sworn off non AA
cameras for the rest of my natural life.

Which brings me to you for help. I know there's no perfect world, so,
may I presume to ask you experts the question ...

What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

In article , Susan Roger
wrote:

What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

Ricoh makes small cameras that use 2 _triple_ "AAA" batteries, and also
come with a li-on battery. I have the GRD, and it is truly the best of
both worlds.
Double AA's will probably, and necessarily, make the camera larger than
what your friend would like.
Happy Snappin',
NB

Susan Roger wrote:
What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

I'd suggest it also be large enough to get a good firm hold on - and
with controls large enough to easily handle. Some of the tiniest
digicams just don't offer that. Check this out before buying!
In my experience, Canon PowerShot A60 is an excellent choice. It's
small enough to carry everywhere in your purse - but large enough to
easily handle, runs on four AA batteries.

No $4 to park! No $6 admission! http://www.INTERNET-GUN-SHOW.com

Susan Roger wrote:
What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

Here comes the power of scientific thinking. Do a Google search of
dpreview for "AA review specs", or simply follow the link,
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...G=Search&meta=

You will be offered a choice of links to the cameras with AA batteries,
some of them will turn out to be compact point-n-shooters.

\/

"Susan Roger" wrote in message
...
What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

I know this is probably the dumbest question ever posted this blog but
I need to buy a gift for a friend in Europe who wants a very small
digital camera. That's about all I know and without camera experience,
that would be an easy order to fill.

However, my problem arises from my experience. I'd never ever want any
camera that doesn't use AA batteries ever again so I wouldn't wish a
camera that doesn't use AA batteries on anyone else either -

I feel your pain!! I was just bemoaning this after spending an hour driving
around a tourist town trying to find batteries for my Nikon (Duracell CP1s,
which were on CLEARANCE when I did find them, which is scary), I would love
to have a camera that takes AAs as an alternative. (When the dopey camera
owner forgets the charger and needs a "back up.")

Since I'm currently looking for a slightly bigger camera, I don't have an
answer.....but I just had to "weigh in" on this.

Nadine

If you cant decide buy her an extra proprietary pack, the right camera
is important.

"Susan Roger" wrote in message
...
What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

I know this is probably the dumbest question ever posted this blog but
I need to buy a gift for a friend in Europe who wants a very small
digital camera. That's about all I know and without camera experience,
that would be an easy order to fill.

However, my problem arises from my experience. I'd never ever want any
camera that doesn't use AA batteries ever again so I wouldn't wish a
camera that doesn't use AA batteries on anyone else either -
especially someone I love dearly.

The problem is the smallest cameras don't seem to use AA batteries.

That's true. The smallest cameras use lithium-ion rechargeable batteries
which are very small and flat, and a camera using AA cells just can't be
made as small.

But you can come fairly close. Of the digital cameras I own that use AA
batteries, the smallest is the Pentax Optio S60. This is an excellent little
camera, six megapixels and with a 3x zoom, simple and easy to use but has
more than enough features for the average user. Its dimensions are 3.5 x 2.3
x 1.1 inches and it weighs 6.5 ounces loaded with two AA cells and memory
card. I don't know whether it's the world's smallest AA-using camera, but I
doubt any camera using those batteries can be made significantly smaller.

You can get all the information on it he
http://www.pentaximaging.com/product...section--optio

And even download a brochure and the user manual if you like.



For example, the July 2006 online consumer reports has an extensive
article on digital point and shoot cameras at
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/e...s-small_ov.htm

Consumer Reports recommends these four small cameras
Kodak EasyShare V550 , $295
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX8 , $280
Canon PowerShot SD450 , $275
Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z750 , $330

The problem is NONE use AA batteries.

The Pentax Optio S60 by the way sells for $159 with free shipping from Beach
Camera (http://beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=PKOPTS60) or $155 with
free shipping from BuyDig.com, a sister company of Beach. Either seller is
100% reliable in my experience, their prices are usually the lowest among
dependable sellers and both ship very fast. You'll also need to get an SD
memory card, which you can get from either of those sellers or from Buy.com,
or from your local Wal-Mart or whatever. I think Buy.com is generally the
best place to buy those memory cards, but they're a bit slower in shipping.
Personally I wouldn't bother with any of the kits offered by Beach or
BuyDig.com, you don't need that other stuff. Just buy the camera there,
maybe an SD card too (512MB is a good size) if you need 'em delivered
together.

Neil

Susan Roger wrote:
What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

I know this is probably the dumbest question ever posted this blog but
I need to buy a gift for a friend in Europe who wants a very small
digital camera. That's about all I know and without camera experience,
that would be an easy order to fill.

However, my problem arises from my experience. I'd never ever want any
camera that doesn't use AA batteries ever again so I wouldn't wish a
camera that doesn't use AA batteries on anyone else either -
especially someone I love dearly.

The problem is the smallest cameras don't seem to use AA batteries.

For example, the July 2006 online consumer reports has an extensive
article on digital point and shoot cameras at
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/e...s-small_ov.htm

Consumer Reports recommends these four small cameras
Kodak EasyShare V550 , $295
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX8 , $280
Canon PowerShot SD450 , $275
Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z750 , $330

The problem is NONE use AA batteries.

That means that 25% of the time, my beloved recipient will have a
small camera in her purse which will be useless due to her forgetting
to charge the battery or due to her forgetting to bring the charger or
due to her not having a spare handy or any of the ills that have
befallen me in the past so many times that I've sworn off non AA
cameras for the rest of my natural life.

Which brings me to you for help. I know there's no perfect world, so,
may I presume to ask you experts the question ...

What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

I just bought a Panasonic DMC-LZ3 that uses 2 AA batteries.
I don't know that it is the smallest that uses these
batteries, but it is compact and lightweight, and has
features like a 6X zoom and image stabilization.

In article ,
Susan Roger wrote:

What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

I know this is probably the dumbest question ever posted this blog but
I need to buy a gift for a friend in Europe who wants a very small
digital camera. That's about all I know and without camera experience,
that would be an easy order to fill.

However, my problem arises from my experience. I'd never ever want any
camera that doesn't use AA batteries ever again so I wouldn't wish a
camera that doesn't use AA batteries on anyone else either -
especially someone I love dearly.

You really have no idea what you're talking about. AA batteries are the
worst energy source for digital cameras. They are big, bulky, and they
get used up much quicker than lithium ion batteries. I have used both
types of cameras extensively and with the typical digital camera that
uses a lithium ion battery, you can get several hundred shots on it and
recharge it in about 90 minutes or less. With a digital camera that uses
AA batteries, even with good rechargeable batteries, you are lucky if
you get 200 shots per charge. I was out the other day and I took 300
shots with my Sony DS-W100 and the battery still was strong when I got
home. With rechargeable AA batteries, you also have to keep them grouped
together and recharge them at the same time or else they lose their
ability to hold a charge.

With a digital camera that uses a lithium ion battery, you can easily
shoot photos for days on a single charge, even with flash and with the
display in use and you can go even further if you carry a spare battery.
In addition, with rechargeable AA batteries, if you don't use them for a
while, they lose their power so you have to charge them up again. So, if
you get home on a Saturday for example and you charge your AA batteries,
then let them sit in the camera for a week or two, they will lose their
charge. That does not happen with lithium ion batteries, at least not to
any significant degree.

The biggest benefit to digital cameras that use lithium ion battery is
that they can be a lot smaller and lighter than those that use AA
batteries, plus you have fewer batteries to carry around and change.

Shawn Hirn wrote:

In article ,
Susan Roger wrote:

What is the smallest digital camera I can buy that uses AA batteries?

I know this is probably the dumbest question ever posted this blog but
I need to buy a gift for a friend in Europe who wants a very small
digital camera. That's about all I know and without camera experience,
that would be an easy order to fill.

However, my problem arises from my experience. I'd never ever want any
camera that doesn't use AA batteries ever again so I wouldn't wish a
camera that doesn't use AA batteries on anyone else either -
especially someone I love dearly.

You really have no idea what you're talking about. AA batteries are the
worst energy source for digital cameras. They are big, bulky, and they
get used up much quicker than lithium ion batteries. I have used both
types of cameras extensively and with the typical digital camera that
uses a lithium ion battery, you can get several hundred shots on it and
recharge it in about 90 minutes or less. With a digital camera that uses
AA batteries, even with good rechargeable batteries, you are lucky if
you get 200 shots per charge. I was out the other day and I took 300
shots with my Sony DS-W100 and the battery still was strong when I got
home. With rechargeable AA batteries, you also have to keep them grouped
together and recharge them at the same time or else they lose their
ability to hold a charge.

Yes always the first thing I've picked up for any digital is a 2nd
battery, if they have to be charged in camera then a desktop and/or car
charger too so you can have one on charge with the other in use. Always
get better life than AAs, never run into a battery problem with having a
spare.

Demand for the things means copy batteries start from a few quid and
chargers (if required) from not much more. The very idea of even
replacing them with something that takes AAs wouldn't even enter my
head.
--
Jon B
Above email address IS valid.
http://www.bramley-computers.co.uk/ Apple Laptop Repairs.