Ask Engadget: What's the best small camera for getting into venues?
By Darren Murph 
posted October 16th 2008 10:00PM
posted October 16th 2008 10:00PM
Any avid concert goer will confess -- security can be a royal pain in the arse when trying to sneak your point-and-shoot in for a few Facebook-bound memories. 'Tis a shame a few morons who can't deactivate their flash has to ruin it for everyone else, but rather than ramble on, we'll let Latrell take it from here: "I'm tired of security confiscating my point-and-shoot at concerts. I'm just looking to snap a few good shots without the flash, but it seems they always find my camera on the way in. What's the slimmest, most discrete camera out there that can still muster decent images. I'm not looking to buy a new cellphone with a robust camera, either. Help a man a need, please."
We can say from personal experience that we feel this guy's pain, and after you've done your part to make a viable suggestion, you can send in a question of your own to ask at engadget dawt com.
I recommend almost any of the Canon SD camera series (the 900s are a little big though). Assuming you go with a female or are a female, what I usually do is put the camera in an empty cigarette box and put it in my friend's purse. Works like a charm every single time.
Or just go to a concert with artists that are there for the fans and not because the record company made them! Rob Dickinson & The Church had no problem with fans taking photos at their show. I took in my Digital SLR and 28-200 lens. www.flickr.com/photos/bibojim
But for point & Shoot I'd say go with a Canon Powershot G9 (or older G Series)
First option that will not likely get confiscated: Nokia N95/N96. They won't confiscate your cell phone, would they?
Sometimes being blatant about it lets you get away with it better I've gotten a Leica M4 or M6 often, just having it around my shoulder, under my arm. The "I'm supposed to be here and I know what I'm doing" appearance lets you get away with a lot. As far as point an shoots go, you might be better grabbing an old 35mm p&s and loading it with 800 or 1600 press film, you'll get less grain/noise compaired to most p&s digitals.
Depending on the kind of concert on of Olympus's SW series might be in order, very rugged, can be dropped, stepped on, and have a beer spilled on them and keep shooting.
The Fuji F50fd is probably best for low-light/high-ISO, and it's nice and small.
If you want something really small that takes decent photos go with Canon SD850. Haven't tried the SD990 yet, but it comes in black which is a little more discrete, though at 14MP, it's probably noisier (again I haven't tried it yet, photoplus is next week.)
Biggest trick whatever your using, is make sure it has a spot meter, maunal exposure, or you can force underexposure because most stages have large black areas in the background that trick averaging meters into wanting to over-expose the scene forcing you to use higher ISO or longer shutter speeds.
@consumer_x Best audio recorder: Marantz, finding the right mics is another story. Olympus also has one or two higher-end portable audio recorders.
PANASONIC LUMIX TZ Series
I personally own the TZ1, just back from Oasis at Wembley, personally it's the best camera for the job if you know how to use it
Multi-Burst
Shutter Speed 1/8
Exposure -2
And with the 10X Zoom you could be in the bleeder seats and still get a nice close up memento of the concert.
In low light the highest ISO won't work magic but if you have a steady hand you can slow the shutter speed and increase exposure to take a no-flash picture of you/friends with the stage in the background....
OR you could wait for one of the many stage/concert lights to shine over your face and when coordinated with a multi-burst shot you could get a "naturally-lit" photo of the event
The Panasonic Lumix TZ1 video function is also great as it can zoom in and out while taking videos....i'm disappointed that the newer TZ models have taken out this very useful feature
Iphone is better than all of them.
Nuf Said
Wow, a cell phone with a camera? I NEVER would've thought to sneak that one past security.
ok there is a type of micro spy cam that comes from a company called Mercury. I got it at future shop. It is the size of two large Bic Lighters, has a 3Mp lens full video and 4 times zoom. Honestly I have made over a 1000 good concert pics with this micro baby. The thing runs on 2 aaa batteries which is good for FOUR DAYS of Pics and video. 4 days.
I did an intensive search for this, wasn't easy to find as they go by many different names but here is a page with a pic of it:
http://webplus.microxs.co.uk/acatalog/Silicon_Group_Digital_Cameras_Webcams_56.html
picture link: http://webplus.microxs.co.uk/acatalog/pr_de_slimcam2_b.jpg
Mercury Digital Slimcam 2 with Flash 3MP
- 2.1 Mega-pixel CMOS sensor,supports up to 3 Mega-pixel resolution by Interpolation
- 1.5" TFT LCD for preview and/or replay photos anytime
- Internal 16MB Flash memory to store and protect the video works
- 4X Digital Zoom, 5-mode White Balance, 2-mode Exposure Control
- Support Advanced Art Image Effects: Normal, Black & White, Classic, & Solarize
- A 3-in-1 Solution: Digital Still Camera, Digital Camcorder, & PC Camera
Only drawback is the small 16mb memory for pics, but You can take alot of pictures with it. I hope this helps out some and it is in the sub $100 price range.
also if they confiscate it, it's not like you're losing a 3-400 $$ cam. great for upskirts too. LOL J/K
As others have mentioned, the Sony T-Series cameras have always been a good balance between reasonable image quality and features combined with a slim profile. The DSCT77 is supposed to be the world's slimmest camera with an optical stabilizer, plus it's 10MP, with 4x optical zoom, and a 3" LCD.
Going back in time a couple years, you can also try to find a DSCT7 on the cheap. No stabilizer, but it's still 5MP and the thing is amazingly thin, even by today's standards.
I have an Olympus 1030sw, very small and almost indestructible. You can easily slide it between your butt cheeks and not have to worry about it accidentally falling out and breaking or getting water damage from sweaty crack juice. Only problem is it is all metal, so it can be picked up be the hardcore security with metal detectors. the flash can be turned off, it can be set to silent mode (like you could even hear it at a concert), the zoom is decent, and it does low light with no flash pretty well. Plus, it comes with an adapter to use MicroSD instead of XD, so you can pop an a generic 8gb microsd from microcenter for $35 in there and hold 1,500 10meg pictures, or several hours of video. I carry mine on me at all times, just because I can, so I'm always prepared when something happens.
Canon G10 it's a lil on the bigger side of camera but like other ppl said, if you hang it off your beltloop into the crotch area of your supper baggy pants... you should be fine. The Canon Powershot SX110IS is also a good choice. Staying small, Canon Powershot SD series cameras are great, just find your price and zoom. Less megapixels generally means less noise so really, a high zoom low megapixel camera would work best for low lighting at a concert. You only need 8 megapixels to print a good high resolution 11x17 or just 2 megapixels for a 4x6.
The Canon Powershot G10 is one of the best point and shoots you can buy for that size. Otherwise any small nikon, sony, or Canon will work. Casio, olympus and Kodak for the most part aren't as good as Nikon or Sony and especially Canon. But it doesn't matter if you don't know how to use a camera properly.
Or you could just fake a press badge and bring along a Canon EOS 50D with a EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM or a 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM. (I would suggest 5D Mark II but the reach of a 50D would probably be better...) I mean of course, that would set you back a couple thousand dollars, but whatever right?
www.guydownthestret4.deviantart.com
Its not always what camera you have, but the way you get it in...
I got a full DSLR with a flashgun into a "strictly no cameras" gig...i didnt bother with a ticket and went in through the fire escape at the back. I lasted 15min taking photos of the Chemical Brothers before anyone noticed, then i just played ignorant. I came away with the photos though.
Another tip would be get a bag with lots of zips and pockets. Most security will give up after a few seconds of looking (sweet innocent faces help here)
Use a phone camera? Some of them are very good now. any sony phone camera is better than the last point and shoot i got about 4years ago.
I put a small camera under my foot in my shoe once (and limped in) that worked believe it or not!
Hope this helps
Here's an idea, take any large camera and put a fake 'apple' logo on it, then say in a shrill voice to security you are an apple fanboy and would never allow your apple products to part your hands, while having a deranged look on your face.
Might work :)
Assuming you can get one in, the Fuji point-and-shoots are quite decent. Check for the most recent in the F series or Z series. High iso (that works!) and relatively small form factor.
My canon elph powershot sd600 that I have had for a long while will fit into a pack of smokes with some finessing.
I take my nokia N95, 5mp camera - more than does the job :)
Not sure why everyone is low-voting the Nokia phones. The N82 has a 5MP camera and takes excellent pictures, perfect for a concert.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/nokian82usergroup/
Sony DSC-T500 all the way with it's 720p HD MPEG4 recording. Amazing quality too:
http://vimeo.com/1879151
http://vimeo.com/1934599
Lots of slim Sony cams that'll do the trick. For added sneakery, play with the display screen like its a swank new touchscreen phone. Security wouldn't know. Beats shoving ELECTRONICS down your trousers.
The Pentax Optio S series was awesome. They fit in an Altoids tin, so you can sneak them in as mints!
I would look t the Casio EX-S10. i bought mine at Costco (under $200.00) and it is the thinnest camera I have seen (1/2" thick). It is about the size of a credit card and has a large screen on the back. It shoots great 10MP shots. It also goes up to 1600 ISO, so if you don't mind some graining, you can shoot in very low light.
There are lots of camera small enough to sneak into any venue as long as they're not doing pat-downs or metal detection. But there's only one small point-and-shoot so far that has enough speed (combination of high ISO capability and a fast lens) to take decent photos once inside and under low light. That's the Fuji F30/31. They haven't been made in two years, and still they sell on eBay for their asking price, and often more. Size or zoom capabilities mean nothing unless you can capture enough light under difficult concert conditions to get a decent image, and the F30/31 is still the king of low-light. Flash is absolutely not an option for live shooting, as its disruptive to nearby concert-goers and disrespectful to the band. I've tried all sorts of point-and-shoots for this purpose, and nothing has ever come close. Of course, my Nikon D3 with a 70-200 f2.8 VR blows them all away, but rarely can I get that monster into a venue.
i had an exilim and you can stick it under your perineum area (which is behind your balls) and i dont think anyone will pat you there
Kodak EasyShares are cheap enough, photo quality is decent and they shoot 720p video.
Most small point and shoot cameras will fit nicely in a sock on your ankle or in your underpants with the wrist strap secured to your belt loop. I've snuck a Canon SD-1000 in to tons of places and I've never seen anyone lift up pant legs to check ankles or grab your crotch. I did however see bouncers coming out into crowds to confiscate cameras at the last show I went to.
Probably not the smallest, but the Fujifilm 7MP z10fd I picked up last Black Friday is easy to fit in a pocket, and so far seems to have held up well.
Just make sure you have set it to "manual" and turned the flash off, otherwise if it's set to auto when you turn it on the flash will come on (even if you turned the flash off the last time you turned the camera on).
Yeah there's a number of cameras that annoyingly resist people putting the flash off, thinking it knows best and turning it on again, that sort of thing is so annoying.
Of all the slim cameras mentioned so far, do pretty much all of them take good video at concerts, as well? I currently have a Canon SD450 (yeah a little old), and it's great for getting into concerts and takes halfway decent photos, but shooting video on it is horrendous. The video (picture) quality isn't horrible, but the audio is what really hurts. Any sort of bass from the music at all, and all I get is something that sounds like the inside of a souped up muscle car engine (obviously missing the point of recording a song performance). Granted, I'm often nearer to the stage than farther away, but I know there are cameras out there that are much better suited for this than mine...
I'm in the market for a new camera for concerts and want to be sure to get something slim(the point of this thread), good photo quality, and good to very good video/audio quality.
Any suggestions?
Because if you'd read the article properly, you'd have noticed the he doesn't want a cameraphone!
Once I've snuck past a Nikon D60 with a pair of 55-200mm zoom and a (then borrowed) "faster" 1:1.4 prime lens'es to a "no camera" concert by being totally open, obvious (and some well-mannered easygoing banter on top). It was a chance I took - having the gadgetry already on my person for another job and nowhere to leave them before the event - and it paid off. Successful social engineering it was as they say.
Point is: I don't recommend taking a camera to concert, go as yourself, enjoy the moment. The moment you peek into a visor (or a live-view) to frame a shot is also the moment when you get disconnected from "the moment", if you know what I mean. Youtube/"x"video sites are full of concert videos, internet is full of pro and candid shots, why would anybody need another shaky video with noise instead of soundtrack just beats me. If I wanted to watch a bootleg video of a concert I'd consult google for a feed from the comfort of my well-padded chair at home. When I do go to an event, I go there to experience it firsthand. Enough said.
To stay in topic: If you really really *have* to take a snap, use your phone's crummy "megapixel shooter" toy. It's what it's there for: for taking quick and dirty snaps anytime anywhere, and it passes through "respect ma securitaa!" checks without any fast-talking required. Recommended toy: Sony/LG/Samsung/Nokia phones. Even iphone an will give you a picture like s**t on mud without much effort.
Or just get a good airbrushed poster of your guitar-slinging hero if hero worship is your thing. They cost less than a ticket let alone all the beer.
P.S: Actually I've seen a few Sony and Nokia snaps that were good enough (at least the artist/band was clearly recognizable despite the rock-concert photo-hostile conditions).
I've never had any problems getting my cameras into concerts/events.
I'd recommend the Casio Exilim range, they're small cameras with great features. I have the EX-Z1200 and its a hell of a camera for the size and price. http://www.exilim.co.uk/exilimzoom/exz1200/
I also have two bridge cams, HP Photosmart 850 and 945 (4MP and 5MP respectively). Pretty basic features wise, but they have a total of 56x zoom.
If I'm worried about getting in with my cams I take along a press pass or two, have a dozen or so, some of them authentic.
I love the tiny size of casio's, but when I see shot made with them I don't like the 'texture' of them, casio's have a certain kind of processing in them that I'm not a fan of.
But of course for such situations as this it might not matter much.
k800i, it's no more expensive than any other camera, and it's really nice.
Don't bother. Why do you want a crappy picture/video??? Just to show off that you can steal images - or try to pick up chicks? Hey baby, want to see my MIA video?
You really want venues to install TSA-like check points?
Just don't do it.
This is great question.
As an artist there are reasons for not wanting cameras while you perform, many of them are legal, some have to do with the show itself.
Take your cell phone and make the cell phone folks make better chips, (that’s not happening right now).
The flash and copyright are big issues, but no one wants to argue this issue. Enjoy the art, music and photos, but be respectful of the artist and the laws. (I know… honest, I know..)
For real, copyright is an issue, so if you use your photos for your own use that’s fine, but when you post them online, or share them or someone makes a profit, that’s when the problems arise.
I've been able to bring in a Canon SD580, but it's easier to bring my Nokia N95, which has a 5Mp camera and a zoom.
the Canon PowerShot A-1000, great camera and it is the exact size of a pack of cigarettes. That way you can actually use an empty pack of cigarettes as a case. I think it is 8 megapixel. Great camera.