I'm looking to get a new camera to take out on the bike. I plan to try and get ahead and then take some snaps of my mates as they come past. My thoughts are that I need something fast to switch on with a quick autofocus system.

My current sony T77 is quick to switch on but struggles to focus, generally if I prefocus then I can catch the image but the pictures seem very flat. I'm not sure what the term is but they don't seem very colourful, I've tried all the different modes and settings but they don't seem to make much difference.

I'm wondering if a step up to a better compact is worthwhile (cannon g11 say) or am I wasting my time with compacts, if that's the case then I won't bother as I'm not carrying a DSLR round.

Any help / experience would be appreciated.

I'm happy with my Olympus Mu 790SW (probably a higher number now).

Waterproof and shockproof so it's easy to carry in an accessible position.

I have much better cameras, but as they say, the camera you carry is better than the one left in at home.

Dare I suggest yet again… Panasonic GF1? 😀

I've been really impressed with my Panasonic TZ7 after asking for recommendations on here a while back. It's easy to operate with gloves on and has given me some nice shots – see here for some samples (including one that got in this month's What Mountain Bike!). I don't bother taking the DSLR riding any more now.

grum – Member
Dare I suggest yet again… Panasonic GF1?

Great camera.

I have been tempted by one of these or the Pen, but neither are waterproof and would end up being left at home.

I have a lowepro case with a waterproof cover for taking mine biking – but I am mostly a fair weather cyclist these days 🙂

ive got the olympus 1090mu
tough as old boots and im pretty clumsy/ careless with kit, mines 2+ years at the bottom of my camelbak
can be abit funky to focus but has multiple shot function so youll get one in the end
some pics from nant gwrtheryn uplift day taken with mine……..



oh yeah can do this too…..

Thanks for the advice, we have a mu 8000 at work that I tried a while back and found it similar to the sony I've been using. Definetely tempted by the GF1, I've also been looking at the sony NEX-3 / 5

never mind waterproof, the dry summer has wreked my canon 120is, it's full of dust and the dust fouls the lens, causing a lens error, tried to clean it out last night and it seems slightly better but not had it out on the bike since the clean, i'm not hopeful though

The mu is dustproof as well 😉

the dry summer has wreked my canon 120is

Really? I use the same camera for guiding, so it gets used every day on the trails. No problems, but I do keep it in a reasonably sealed case.

Canon G11 £ 347.00p Brand New from e-bay uk internet shop called Digi-Good 😉

I've got a G11 but normally make do with the iphone camera on rides. A friend has got this Panasonic FT2 and it's perfect for taking out, waterproof and shockproof.