Best point and shoot camera

I bought a Nikon 7900 2 months ago... I still a newbie so i thought i pick up a point and shoot camera to start first... the thing I want to ask is how to shoot low-light photo using point and shoot Nikon 7900. I know there is a night scenery mode but if i wan to use manual control... what should i tweak??.. flash using no flash or the low sync flash??.. ISO settings using 200 or 400??.. thanks a lot...

That camera has lots of scene modes that might work:
Dusk/Dawn, Sunset, Night Landscape, Fireworks show

Try using each of them.

As far as manual control....there is not a lot available.

Setting the ISO to 200/400 is one option.
You may get some noise in the photo, but try it and see.
You can always remove noise with software.

Remember, when shooting low light the camera will choose a slow shutter speed. This means you should set the camera on a solid surface to prevent camera shake.

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Thanks for information.. I would want to know more.. why in low light the camera must be slow shutter speed??.. what the purpose??.. and i thought increasing the iso means the shutter speed has increase.. is it true??... thanks a lot...

For a perfectly exposed photo - the camera needs a specific amount of light.

Light can be controlled by shutter speed..
...the slower the shutter speed - more light

Light can be controlled by aperture (f-stop) settings..
...these are generally from f2.8 to f16
...the lower the number - more light

Light can be controlled by ISO settings..
...the higher the ISO number - more light

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On a sunny day:

There is plenty of light and the camera uses the controls to reduce the amount of light that reaches the camera's sensor.

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In low light:

the camera will select the brightest aperture..
... f2.8

the camera will select a higher ISO setting..
... ISO 400

the camera will select a shutter speed that will permit the correct amount of light..
...if 1/60th of a second does not let in enough light, the camera selects a slower speed. if lighting conditions are poor, the shutter speed may have to slow down to 1/2 second or slower.

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The point-and-shoot cameras "scene modes" determine in what order the exposure adjustments take place.

With a camera that has "manual controls", the photographer determines which exposure adjustments to use.

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Here is a link to a short course in "exposure":

http://www.pbase.com/otfchallenge/the_basics

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Sorry for being so annoying.. However i want to thank you for the website.. i learned something new again today.. but i don't understand something about the website.. It says that aperture and shutter speed work like a teeter-totter.. so if we want to shoot low light, shouldn't we used the lowest aperture f stops and the shutter slowest speed??.. the website seems to suggest that if we use lower shutter speed, the camera will auto to higher F stops.. so I'm a bit confused here..

Shutter speed and aperture are directly related.
If you move one end of that teeter-totter, the other end move too.

1.
If you change nothing else and you raise the shutter speed, the camera will select a brighter f-stop.
This is necessary to maintain a perfect exposure.

However, there is a limit.
The brightest possible f-stop is dependent upon your camera. f2.8 is the most common among digital cameras.
A few (more expensive) cameras can go to f2.0

2.
If you change nothing else and lower the shutter speed, the camera will select a less bright f-stop.

3.
If you change nothing else and brighten the f-stop, the camera will make the shutter speed faster.

4.
If you change nothing else and select a less bright f-stop, the camera will make the shutter speed slower.

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Assume that you have a camera with manual controls:

So what happens when you select a faster shutter speed and you have already reached the limit of brightness for the aperture (f2.?

The camera will raise the ISO setting higher.

So what happens if the ISO setting is already at 400 and 400 is the limit for your camera?

The camera will notify you in some manner that your settings are wrong and if you take a picture it will be under-exposed.

You can go ahead and take the photo and hope that it will not be too dark.

If it is too dark.......your only choice is to lower the shutter speed.

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Those are the limitations of photography.
They apply to film and digital cameras.

If you absolutely need to use a faster shutter speed in low light.....your only option is to get a different camera.

This is why many people buy DSLR (Digital Single Lens Refex) cameras.

You can get brighter lenses (f1.2).
Most DSLRs have an ISO setting of 1600 (some have 3200).
DSLR cameras use larger sensors which produce less noise....this permits higher ISO settings.

The negative points of a DSLR camera:

They are larger and heavier cameras.

They cost more and you have to buy lenses separately.

Lenses have a large range in price:
$70 to over $16,000.

Here is a link to 8 stage shots taken in a dark club, using only the stage lighting:

(If you have a dial-up internet connection, this may take some time to load.)

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1005&message=12611401

No flash was used.

The photographer was using a Canon Rebel DSLR ($800) with a Canon 50mm f1.8 lens ($70).

All of the shots were taken at ISO 800 and f1.8

The shutter speeds ranged from 1/60th of a second to 1/125th of a second.

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