compact, low light, 7x(?), touch screen ?

[mrag]

I was recently at two different concerts. At both, the person sitting in front of me was taking photos with a small camera (like a PowerShot sd1000). It was dark, but the photos were well lit up (no flash that I could tell) and the entertainer was like 3 rows away (instead of the 45 rows back that we were). On top of that, the person was going through her photos using a touch screen-slide finger right to go forward, etc.

Like an idiot, I never leaned forward to ask what she was using (saw the same thing at a recent Jackson Browne concert).

I haven't looked at a camera in over two years-any idea what I was seeing, any recommendations for something similar? TIA.

[KCook]

Let's see . . . touch screen could be Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, or Sony. In the beginning the touch screen cameras were flush lens "social" camera designs. But more recently this feature is showing up on conventional cameras with extending lens. A number of these have the zoom reach you describe, but none have a strong rep for low light.

Kelly Cook

[robbo]

My first thought as I read the OP was that it was an i-Phone, but i-Phones don't look like Canon SD1000's. How about one of Samsung's touch screen cameras? Something like the Samsung TL34HD?

[mrag]

Thanks...I will have to look into the cameras suggested (or go to more concerts). Only from seeing tv commercials, I could guess it might have been an i phone. It was small-don't know if lens extended. The person was flipping through photos fairly quickly just sliding her finger left and right. What really impressed me though was the 'telephoto' images. It seemed it had at least a 3" view screen and the subject (Jackson Browne) brightly filled the screen and we were sitting in the balcony and it was relatively dark! Come to think of it, I believe most of the back was view screen-no other operating buttons.

I've no idea how the actual finished photos may have looked, but it was easier and clearer seeing Jackson on the camera than it would have been with binoculars. I'd almost buy the camera just to get a better view of the concert ;-)

Thanks to both of you again and I will kick myself another time for simply not asking the person in front-just what type camera are you using!

[mtclimber]

I also think it was an I-Phone.

Have a great day.

Sarah Joyce