I'm looking for a small, pocket size camera that I can carry around 
with me to do some digiscoping from time to time.   I'm extremely 
happy with the professional camera set-up I have, but there's only so 
much I can get with respect to distance unless I want to spend $4k+ 
on a lens.  I like photography and I like birding, but I'm not about 
to drop thousands of dollars on a single lens.

But I -am- willing to spend a couple hundred on a nice hand-held 
camera and am looking for some advice.  I'm specifically looking for 
a camera with the following features:

(1) small enough to keep in my pocket;

(2) does video capture (not for digiscoping, but for another project);

(3) optical stabilization;

(4) must have a tripod mount (once again, not for digiscoping, but 
for the video capture projects);

(5) must not be a major battery hog;  I don't want to be constantly 
charging batteries and running out.

(6) must work relatively well in the cold.

I'd also prefer that the camera take SD cards, since that's what I've 
already got for my existing set-up and need something that's at least 
9mp, preferably more.

I don't care if it has high-end professional settings or not-- like I 
said, I've already got a camera with that stuff.   I wouldn't mind 
having one which allows for a bulb setting (if you don't know what I 
mean, don't worry) but if it doesn't, it's no big deal.

Any suggestions?  Feel free to e-mail privately,

--julie
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
[log in to unmask]                    http://juliewaters.com/

	We've heard that a million monkeys at a million
	keyboards could produce the Complete Works of
	Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know
	this is not true.

			--Robert Wilensky