You "can" use the lenses but they don't necessarily translate the exact picture to the digital "image plane". I'll find the site I quoted above. It explains it.

Look here
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=...gth+multiplier

Thanks, I knew about those optical issues - but I was wondering <u>why</u> some manufacturers build cameras that will mechanically accept their film camera lenses and some don't.

Do the former build their cameras with the sensor located such that the sensor sees the entire image at the shorter focal length?

Are the latter just being greedy?

Robespierre: You'll want to look this up to confirm, but my DH believes that sometime in the mid-80s, Canon and Nikon started making new autofocus lens mounts that wouldn't accept their old manual lenses. Pentax has stayed with bodies that will accept their old lenses, more or less, and I can't speak for Konica/Minolta or Olympus. As for why some manufacturers do one thing and some another, I wouldn't want to speculate because I don't want to start an argument.

When you put a full-frame lens on a body with a cropped-frame sensor, the lens is still usable, but the focal length increases. Here's an explanation of why that is:
www.lonestardigital.com/multipler.htm

Olympus will provide all manner of &quot;technical&quot; reasons why I can't use my $5,000 worth of Zuiko lenses on their digital SLRs. The real reason seems to be that they don't want me to.

I ordered my Stylus Zoom 120 (with a 28 mm lense) from the Olympus website last June. It cost $50 and takes great pictures. Yes it takes film, but investing in a dozen rolls wasn't a hardship. I haven't noticed any problems with xrays. We took film cameras to DC and had them xrayed every time we went to the Smithsonian, etc. and noticed no fogging.

P.S. I saw you wanted to take photos in low light in places like the Sistine Chapel. Try this trick. Set your camera on timer with the flash off. Lay it face up in a chair. Wait for the timer and you will have a clear photo of the roof.

Love my Optio 4Si
It is so small that it fits into my pocket, fanny pack, purse, backpack, etc..and the battery recharger is small too and easy to take along. It has tons of features and takes great pics.
Love It!!!

I bought a Nikon Coolpix L1 several months ago. Like others have said, I'm not sure that you can find a camera that meets all your criteria, but the L1 gets a lot of them.

It has 6.2 megapixels, 5x optical zoom (39-190 mm 35mm equivalent), is compact enough to carry anywhere, and fits within your price range. Check out the review:

http://tinyurl.com/pgxtg