nittasaur
05-24-2006, 06:27 PM
Hey all,
I'm in the market for a new camera--my old one, a Canon Powershot SD450 which I loved (until it E18ed and would cost $190 to fix) has just recently died and although I'll miss it, I feel that it's time to move on. $190 is a ridiculously high repair cost--and I think I could get a new camera with just a few dollars more.
I need a camera I can take anywhere which offers uncompromising image quality, and the F10 and A620 both seem to fit the bill. What makes my decision a little hard for me is the A620's manual controls vs. the F10's ISO/natural light capability. I do love manual controls when there is an opportunity for me to switch the settings, but I found myself shooting pictures where things were moving too quickly for me to be playing with the controls. I'm often in darker/no flash environments, so the usable ISO 1600 is very attractive to me--however, the loss of manual controls and the clunkier interface may be an issue for me. I've also never used xD cards but have heard that they are pretty shoddy.
And--just in case you guys would like to see them (or even recommend something that's not the F10 or the A620), here's the answers to my questionnaire:
Budget
* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible.
With regards to how much money I am willing to spend on this camera--I would love to keep it less than $300, which is why I was looking at these particular models.
Size
* What size camera are you looking for? Or does size not matter at all to you?
I'm looking for an easily pocketable camera--one that I can carry with me without a clunky lanyard. However, I don't want it to be so horribly unsubstantial that I am worried for its safety (my major problem with the SD450 I used to have).
Features
* How many megapixels will suffice for you?
6 or more would be great for the number of megapixels--though I know it's not all about megapixels and will gladly live with 5. I just need to be able to make 8x10 prints a lot.
* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify)
I don't really need all that much optical zoom. The standard 2x or 3x available will suffice.
* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
Image quality and clarity is extremely important to me--I'd give this a 9.
Do you care for manual controls?
Manual controls would be nice--they're always fun to play with when I have the ability to.
General Usage
* What will you generally use the camera for?
I will be taking photos of anything and everything. On trips I go on, I tend to try and capture the essence of what it's really like to be in a place, so I'll often take shots of obscure things, play with macro, take scenic shots, shoot abstract angles, and take plenty of candids.
* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
Errr, I think printing at 8x10 is good enough for me. (By the way, is there visible noise on the F10's prints at ISO 800 with 8x10?)
Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
Yes--I usually take my camera everywhere, which is probably why the old one E18ed. It probably got tired of not sitting around.
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
Only on occasion.
Miscellaneous
Are there particular brands you like or hate?
I don't particularly like Olympus. Sorry!
Are there particular models you already have in mind?
Yeah, the Fuji F10 and the A620 would be what I have in mind.
(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
I think I'll be fine. Weatherproofing would be a nice bonus.
Essentially, I'm trying to figure out which is the better go-anywhere, do-anything compact camera--the F10 or the A620? And if I do get the F10--would the F30 be worth waiting for?
Thanks for all of your help!
I'm in the market for a new camera--my old one, a Canon Powershot SD450 which I loved (until it E18ed and would cost $190 to fix) has just recently died and although I'll miss it, I feel that it's time to move on. $190 is a ridiculously high repair cost--and I think I could get a new camera with just a few dollars more.
I need a camera I can take anywhere which offers uncompromising image quality, and the F10 and A620 both seem to fit the bill. What makes my decision a little hard for me is the A620's manual controls vs. the F10's ISO/natural light capability. I do love manual controls when there is an opportunity for me to switch the settings, but I found myself shooting pictures where things were moving too quickly for me to be playing with the controls. I'm often in darker/no flash environments, so the usable ISO 1600 is very attractive to me--however, the loss of manual controls and the clunkier interface may be an issue for me. I've also never used xD cards but have heard that they are pretty shoddy.
And--just in case you guys would like to see them (or even recommend something that's not the F10 or the A620), here's the answers to my questionnaire:
Budget
* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible.
With regards to how much money I am willing to spend on this camera--I would love to keep it less than $300, which is why I was looking at these particular models.
Size
* What size camera are you looking for? Or does size not matter at all to you?
I'm looking for an easily pocketable camera--one that I can carry with me without a clunky lanyard. However, I don't want it to be so horribly unsubstantial that I am worried for its safety (my major problem with the SD450 I used to have).
Features
* How many megapixels will suffice for you?
6 or more would be great for the number of megapixels--though I know it's not all about megapixels and will gladly live with 5. I just need to be able to make 8x10 prints a lot.
* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify)
I don't really need all that much optical zoom. The standard 2x or 3x available will suffice.
* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
Image quality and clarity is extremely important to me--I'd give this a 9.
Do you care for manual controls?
Manual controls would be nice--they're always fun to play with when I have the ability to.
General Usage
* What will you generally use the camera for?
I will be taking photos of anything and everything. On trips I go on, I tend to try and capture the essence of what it's really like to be in a place, so I'll often take shots of obscure things, play with macro, take scenic shots, shoot abstract angles, and take plenty of candids.
* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
Errr, I think printing at 8x10 is good enough for me. (By the way, is there visible noise on the F10's prints at ISO 800 with 8x10?)
Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
Yes--I usually take my camera everywhere, which is probably why the old one E18ed. It probably got tired of not sitting around.
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
Only on occasion.
Miscellaneous
Are there particular brands you like or hate?
I don't particularly like Olympus. Sorry!
Are there particular models you already have in mind?
Yeah, the Fuji F10 and the A620 would be what I have in mind.
(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
I think I'll be fine. Weatherproofing would be a nice bonus.
Essentially, I'm trying to figure out which is the better go-anywhere, do-anything compact camera--the F10 or the A620? And if I do get the F10--would the F30 be worth waiting for?
Thanks for all of your help!