A compact camera for backpacking...

[Steve]

I'm leaving to travel around the world in April, and I'm in the market for a ultra compact camera to take away with me. I'd really appreciate suggestions, from those of you who keep up in the world of Digital Camera's. I want something really, that is easy to use, more than something that spawns me a wealth of options - I'm not one for spending ten minutes setting up a camera for a couple of shots. So with 'point 'n' click' in mind, what would you lot recommend? It'd be nice if it had a video capture, for which I imagine VGA 30FPS capture is the standard, is there any which record into MP4, as opposed to the normal MPEG? Having a quick snoop over at Pixmania brought up the Sony DSC-T50, which looks intriguing, does anyone have any opinion on this? I've both a PSP and a Sony Ericsson W900i wielding 2Gb Duo Pro cards, so I am leaning towards maybe a compact Sony device, should they be worthy of a round the world trip?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. :)

Steve

[former1]

I'm doing something similar this summer (climbing Mount Kenya and wondering the country), I've currently got a Canon Powershot G7 that I'm thinking of taking with me. Fits neatly in the trouser pocket of a pair of hiking trousers, or ever clips onto a belt (with the supplied case).

Although I have a few questions to add to this if you don't mind? Anyone got any tips on how to charge cameras when you're no where near a socket? Also any one got ideas on how to store images (from SD HC) onto another hard drive or something - minus a laptop?

Cheers!

[Xtremist]

to store the photos, u can buy a databank, its a hard drive in a case with memory slots on it u put you card an an it downloads the pictures, some have screens so you can view your photos. Battery life isnt great on them but they can hold up to around 160gb depending what model you buy.

[Steve]

Milk, you feel free mate.

As for me, after reading some reviews and so forth, including a thread here on the DSC-T50, I went ahead about bought it. It sounds quite ideal, for me, in being both pocketable and easy to use. It should arrive tomorrow. :)

[Pink Floyd Veteran]

show us some pictures!

[Steve]

I will do mate. I assume you're a camera junkie, looking at your forum signature and avatar, so if you have any particular requests, i'll do my best to show the hi's and low's of the DSC-T50. :)