Which Consumer Digicam has Best Noise Performance?

Hi Gang,

I'm considering upgrading my consumer digicam so that I'll have something small and light to shoot on trips.

Of the 4 and 5 megapixel cams, which one has the best noise performance? Affordable UW housing is a plus but I'd go with a more expensive housing for a camera w/ less noisy images.

Cheers

James

Perhaps Canon G3 at ISO 50?

I used to have a camera that size, but I found that I could just "strip down" my DSLR to make a fairly small package. It was so much better that I never carried around the mid-sized camera.

But I do have a very small camera that I carry around in my pocket, when you can't use a big one. (Pentax Optio S)

I don't know about noise performance, but it would be a big plus for the camera to share compact flash with your S2. If you used AA batteries already, then the 5050 is a great choice since you would get away with no new media or batteries. Since you use the DS-125's, you may not use rechargable AA's at all.

On my upcoming trip I desire the ability to use CF, a panoramic tripod head, and cold weather batteries. The Nikon 5000 seems best for that application. The point is that you may want to consider a variety of potential uses.

I personally like to leave my SLR in the housing at all times, so any topside photography is always done with another camera. Maybe you should just get another S2!

Well keep in mind that I already have a Coolpix 990 which is about the same size as the G3 and the 5050 - so an upgrade from 3 megapixels to 5 is sorta an incremental gain.

I'm thinking a supersmall 3 or 4 megapixel like the digital elph or one of the smaller 5 megapixel cameras. CF would be great and CFII would be awesome.

But what about the noise performance?

Cheers

James