craigmoosh's Full Review: Canon Elph LT 260 APS Film Camera
When I was preparing to go to Norway in 1998, I wanted to buy a new camera. The big question was, should I buy an APS or a 35mm? If you're not familiar with it, APS stands for "Advanced Photo System," which was a joint effort by 5 camera and film manufacturers, and was launched in 1996.
ADVANTAGES OF APS:
• Loading the camera is idiot proof. Being an idiot myself, I found that to be a very attractive feature. You simply pop open the film compartment, slide the film in, and close the door. That's it. The camera loads the film automatically, and rewinds it automatically at the end of the roll.
• You have the option of 3 print size options: classic (4"x6"), HDTV •(4"x7"), and panoramic (4"x12"). You can even take a picture in one shape, and have it developed in another.
• After processing, the negatives are stored in the film cartridge. The photo lab supplies you with an index print, which has numbered thumbnails of all the pictures on that roll. This is extremely convenient for getting extra prints made. No more holding negatives up to the light to try to figure out which is the one with little Billy making the goofy face!
• APS camera are also generally smaller than 35 mm, making them more portable.
DISADVANTAGES OF APS:
• Although the prices have been going down, it is still about 50% more expensive to buy APS film and have it processed than 35 mm.
• There are currently only 3 film speeds (100, 200, and 400).
Features: After weighing all the options, I decided to buy an APS camera for the convenience factors. After determining my price range, I shopped for options, and decided on the Canon ELPH 260Z, which was a new model at the time. I purchased it on sale for $129. The one thing that was the most attractive to me about the ELPH was the size. It is only slightly bigger than a pack of cigarettes. The 260Z has a 30-60 mm zoom lens, which is nice for minor zooming, but isn't a major zoom lens. The camera has automatic focusing and automatic flash. It has a setting for the date and time, which is processed on the back of the photo. It also has a timer, which I've accidentally set off several times. I now have some really cool photos of my walls and furniture!
Size: The size of this camera has been my favorite feature. When traveling, I don't like carrying things around, or looking like a tourist with a camera around my neck. With this camera, I can put it in the back pocket of my jeans and forget it is there. When I was in Norway (and this past year in Spain), I kept the camera in my back pocket whenever I went anywhere. You never know when you're going to see something you want to take a picture of (I hate it when I run into Elvis at Burger King or see an alien spacecraft landing and don't have a camera). While traveling in Norway, I'd often find myself in some spectacularly beautiful setting, and it was nice to have a camera along at all times. Its size also made it extremely easy to sneak into concerts last year.
Picture Quality: Okay, so how's the picture quality? Hey, thanks for asking! The camera takes nice pictures as long as you have enough light. It didn't work very well for taking stealth concert pictures since 800 or 1600 speed film, which is best for low light, isn't available in APS format. Turning off the flash on the camera slows the shutter speed, so most of the non-flash concert pictures turned out quite blurry ("Is that Springsteen or the drum set?"). While in Norway, my friend's uncle, who lives in Norway, took pictures of some of the same things I did with a Fuji Discovery 35mm (which sold for $159 in the US at the time), and I compared pictures. The pictures taken with the Fuji were slightly more vibrant than mine, but it's something that probably wouldn't be apparent unless you were doing a side-by-side comparison.
Batteries: This camera goes through batteries pretty fast, considering it takes an expensive lithium battery (about $6). Each battery has lasted only about 5-8 rolls of film, depending on how much the flash was used.
Recommendation: Overall, I'd recommend the Canon 260Z if you've decided on APS, and are looking for a camera in this price range, particularly if you want a small camera for traveling. However, if size doesn't matter, you want a bigger zoom, or you're looking for the highest photo quality, you may want to check out other models, probably at a higher price range.
Compact and ultralight Advanced Photo System camera 2x zoom brings you close to the action Stylish design; bright and clear viewfinder Fully automatic...More at Amazon Marketplace
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.