S2 IS vs H1 vs FZ30

[kooli293]

Hi all,

been reading some review and found that this forums are very helpful but also makin me more confuse to decide:confused: . I hope y'all can help me and givin me some advice to make decision. I'm looking for a new camera. i consider myself as a beginner in photography world but I'm enthusiastic and willing to learn more. this would be my first digicam. Someday i'm planning to go for DSLR, but now i want to learn basic things first, and i think that ultra zoom cameras would be the rite choice (am I right?)
I write also down which cameras i'm thinkin to buy.

I hope my writing is clear enough, but if there's some info i can give more than please let me know.

I find this kind of forums very positive. and thanx


Kooli293


Budget

* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible.
- bout 500$

Size

* What size camera are you looking for? Or does size not matter at all to you?
- bigger than these 3 cameras is okay, but not bigger than s9000

Features

How many megapixels will suffice for you?
- minimum is 5MP

* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify)
- Ultrazoom

* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
- Important = 8

Do you care for manual controls?
- I really care since i want to learn and experience more

General Usage

* What will you generally use the camera for?
- for everything : Macro, landscape, fast moving objects (allround)

* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
- size of a4 paper will be ok

Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
- yes
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
- yes

Miscellaneous

Are there particular brands you like or hate?
- i like canon, sony and panasonic.

Are there particular models you already have in mind?
- Sony H1, Canon s2IS, Panasonic FZ30

(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)

- Image stabilization

[TampaJim]

I had the same dilemma when purchasing - I chose the Canon S2. Better software bundle, better colors, clearer photos to me, AA batteries, tilt & swivel LCD, smaller/lighter, great support, better "all-around" solution IMO. I would recommend that you consider comparing the Panasonic FZ-20 instead of the FZ-30, I found it to be a better value than its big brother - also I found considerably less chatter about the sensor noise.

Also, please check out the website for LensMate, an accessory manufacturer/dealer for Canon S2 products. www.lensmate.com. It is part of why I went with the camera, versus others - I felt the "community" support was stronger as well.

Once you decide - enjoy the camera!

[JTL]

I had the same dilemma when purchasing - I chose the Canon S2. Better software bundle, better colors, clearer photos to me, AA batteries, tilt & swivel LCD, smaller/lighter, great support, better "all-around" solution IMO. I would recommend that you consider comparing the Panasonic FZ-20 instead of the FZ-30, I found it to be a better value than its big brother - also I found considerably less chatter about the sensor noise.

Also, please check out the website for LensMate, an accessory manufacturer/dealer for Canon S2 products. www.lensmate.com (http://www.lensmate.com). It is part of why I went with the camera, versus others - I felt the "community" support was stronger as well.

Once you decide - enjoy the camera!Wow...such well-articualted points that I felt like going out and buying another one after reading you post...:)

One more feature to add for the S2 over the others...optical zoom during movies...

[JCD]

Wow...such well-articualted points that I felt like going out and buying another one after reading you post...:)

One more feature to add for the S2 over the others...optical zoom during movies...

When I'm not wrong, you can zoom with the FZ-30 too during video recording. :)

Greetings

JCD

[JTL]

When I'm not wrong, you can zoom with the FZ-30 too during video recording. :)

Greetings

JCDRight you are! Sorry, I missed that one! One of the real advantages of that great manual focus ring on the FZ30...all other camera companies should take note...

[coldrain]

Maybe they should not... it is nice to have SMALL UZ cameras next to the FZ30 and S9000/9500. The ones with zoom ring on the lens are bigger than an entry DSLR!!!

Every camera has its compromises...

[jotaz]

I can give you some account of the Canon S2IS as I am an owner of such a unit. I've played around with the S2 for about 3 months and I don't like it. I am selling it now on ebay (Australia). I've just bought the Olympus C5500 which very similar to the Olympus SP500 UZ. The canon is over rated, the IS is just ok, it is hard to focus. A lot of people (15 owners out 18) I know don't like the S2 at all. Mostly intuitive opinions. These are people have just bought their S2 and we all attended a workshop on the S2 for about 4 hours. At the end we were all playing with our cameras and we all said "We don't like our cameras". I think its hard to use, the hype is better than the camera. But I love my Olympus C5500. I like the FZ30 but there is a lot of noise in all Panasonics. Check the SP500 UZ.

[TampaJim]

... the workshop, held by Olympus digital camera representatives, was a big success ...

[JTL]

Maybe they should not... it is nice to have SMALL UZ cameras next to the FZ30 and S9000/9500. The ones with zoom ring on the lens are bigger than an entry DSLR!!!

Every camera has its compromises...Seriously, I'd never trade my S2 for the FZ30...not even if you paid me...but...using the ring is far superior to using the buttons...the buttons are a hassle and are just dopey. But like you said, it's a compromise...that I (and others) seem willing to live with...;)

I just want the marketers out of the way so that someday we can all have the digican we really want...

[JTL]

The canon is over rated, the IS is just ok...

Check the SP500 UZ.I'm confused...you think that the IS on the Canon S2 is just "O.K.", yet, you reccommend a camera that doesn't have IS at all?!! Sure, that makes a lot of sense...:rolleyes:

[tim11]

Seriously, I'd never trade my S2 for the FZ30...not even if you paid me...but...using the ring is far superior to using the buttons...the buttons are a hassle and are just dopey. But like you said, it's a compromise...that I (and others) seem willing to live with...;)

I just want the marketers out of the way so that someday we can all have the digican we really want...
Coldrain wants small UZ with button. JTL wants rings and hate the buttons. I prefer rings too though it will make the camera bigger.......
So.... what do you mean 'we can all have the digicam [we] really want'? :D