pianoplayer88key
08-15-2006, 08:02 AM
My S1 IS is having the CCD problem, and it looks like if I'm going to get it fixed I'd have to pay for it.... So... I think it's time to start looking for another camera (although I may want to get 2...)
Budget
* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible.
a total of less than a dSLR body for both cameras (but I may be flexible, and btw it will probably be a while (I'm hoping not more than a few months - targeting no later than early December) before I buy, cause I need to save up some $ first, which is something I don't really have right now)
Size
* What size camera are you looking for? Or does size not matter at all to you?
Since I'm willing to go with two cameras, I would like one to be pocketable, but the other one can be a big one (but it had BETTER come with some form of combination/variation of excellent high ISO sensitivity (3200 or faster), high resolution (enough for razor-sharp 250-300dpi 8x10 prints, or 4x cropping for 4x6 prints, and/or an ultralong superfast lens)
Features
* How many megapixels will suffice for you?
I'd like at least 6; 8 or 10 or more would be nice. Because of the amount of cropping I like to do, 3 just really isn't cutting it anymore anyway[B] (a 4x6 print is ok at 1600x1200, but pretty bad at 1024x768. Not sure how it is at 1400x1050, and I remember some 1280x960 prints off my dad's camera he used to have a few years ago were somewhat poor) - I sometimes am not very accurate when shooting a subject - centering him in the frame (sometimes I don't want him to know I'm taking a shot, so I'll put him at the edge of the frame.)
* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify)
[B]For the small camera, up to 5x would be fine. I'd like the equivalent of 24-30mm wide angle, up to about 120-160mm telephoto.
For the larger camera, it doesn't need to go quite as wide as the small one (36mm would be acceptable), but it needs to go in really far. 432mm is the absolute minimum, but 500mm to 800mm or even 1000mm or farther (even if I have to use a teleconverter) would be nice.
* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
10+.
For both cameras, I would like good high ISO performance - minimum ISO 1600. Also, I would like a fast lens (F/2.0 or faster at focal lengths wider than 50mm would be nice, for example). (btw, yes I want high ISO and a fast lens on the pocketable camera - although I'm flexible. That's part of the reason I didn't put a big requirement on the telephoto end of the zoom lens)
Do you care for manual controls?
Of course. I use aperture and shutter and full manual mode all the time, and there are even things I've wanted to be able to do with my S1 IS that I've been unable to do because of not having enough manual controls (although I can't remember specific applications off the top of my head right now)
General Usage
* What will you generally use the camera for?
everything I used the S1 for and then some.
the small camera (which I'll call camera A henceforth) will be my take-with-me-all-the-time, snapshot-and-crop, lowlight indoor some action, camera
the large camera (heretofore to be referred to as camera B) will be my camera that I use for special occasions (although I'll probably always take it wherever I go - just keep it in my backpack or in the car in case I need it), or when I need to do something camera A isn't capable of.
* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
I'm not sure. I'd like the ability to get up to 18x24" sharp prints, but I'm much more likely to be doing very heavy cropping (3-5x or more) to get 4x6 prints.[B]
Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
[B]yes, both.
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
yes.
Miscellaneous
Are there particular brands you like or hate?
I like Fuji's high ISO sensors, I'm used to Canon's menu system, other than that I'm not sure.
Are there particular models you already have in mind?
the Fuji F30 for the small one, but I'd like a faster lens.
(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
IS, rotating LCD for both of them (this, along with the price, may put the nail in the coffin for a dSLR on the big one.); wide angle for the small one, rugged build for both of them (if I drop it from normal operating/carrying height I dont' want it to take too much damage)
---
If I come up with any more info on what I want, I'll either edit this thread or post a reply. BTW, most of the above things are flexible. I'm almost considering it an emergency (but I plan to try to limp along with my ailing S1 as long as I can) to replace the S1, but I want to make sure I get something as good as I can get at a reasonable price.
Considering some of the above requirements, for the large camera, should I consider a dSLR? (although I will still require a rotating live-view LCD, not-too-expensive (and that includes the fast ultra-telephoto lenses - I don't want to pay thousands of $$$ for equipment - hundreds would be OK though))
Budget
* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible.
a total of less than a dSLR body for both cameras (but I may be flexible, and btw it will probably be a while (I'm hoping not more than a few months - targeting no later than early December) before I buy, cause I need to save up some $ first, which is something I don't really have right now)
Size
* What size camera are you looking for? Or does size not matter at all to you?
Since I'm willing to go with two cameras, I would like one to be pocketable, but the other one can be a big one (but it had BETTER come with some form of combination/variation of excellent high ISO sensitivity (3200 or faster), high resolution (enough for razor-sharp 250-300dpi 8x10 prints, or 4x cropping for 4x6 prints, and/or an ultralong superfast lens)
Features
* How many megapixels will suffice for you?
I'd like at least 6; 8 or 10 or more would be nice. Because of the amount of cropping I like to do, 3 just really isn't cutting it anymore anyway[B] (a 4x6 print is ok at 1600x1200, but pretty bad at 1024x768. Not sure how it is at 1400x1050, and I remember some 1280x960 prints off my dad's camera he used to have a few years ago were somewhat poor) - I sometimes am not very accurate when shooting a subject - centering him in the frame (sometimes I don't want him to know I'm taking a shot, so I'll put him at the edge of the frame.)
* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify)
[B]For the small camera, up to 5x would be fine. I'd like the equivalent of 24-30mm wide angle, up to about 120-160mm telephoto.
For the larger camera, it doesn't need to go quite as wide as the small one (36mm would be acceptable), but it needs to go in really far. 432mm is the absolute minimum, but 500mm to 800mm or even 1000mm or farther (even if I have to use a teleconverter) would be nice.
* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
10+.
For both cameras, I would like good high ISO performance - minimum ISO 1600. Also, I would like a fast lens (F/2.0 or faster at focal lengths wider than 50mm would be nice, for example). (btw, yes I want high ISO and a fast lens on the pocketable camera - although I'm flexible. That's part of the reason I didn't put a big requirement on the telephoto end of the zoom lens)
Do you care for manual controls?
Of course. I use aperture and shutter and full manual mode all the time, and there are even things I've wanted to be able to do with my S1 IS that I've been unable to do because of not having enough manual controls (although I can't remember specific applications off the top of my head right now)
General Usage
* What will you generally use the camera for?
everything I used the S1 for and then some.
the small camera (which I'll call camera A henceforth) will be my take-with-me-all-the-time, snapshot-and-crop, lowlight indoor some action, camera
the large camera (heretofore to be referred to as camera B) will be my camera that I use for special occasions (although I'll probably always take it wherever I go - just keep it in my backpack or in the car in case I need it), or when I need to do something camera A isn't capable of.
* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
I'm not sure. I'd like the ability to get up to 18x24" sharp prints, but I'm much more likely to be doing very heavy cropping (3-5x or more) to get 4x6 prints.[B]
Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
[B]yes, both.
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
yes.
Miscellaneous
Are there particular brands you like or hate?
I like Fuji's high ISO sensors, I'm used to Canon's menu system, other than that I'm not sure.
Are there particular models you already have in mind?
the Fuji F30 for the small one, but I'd like a faster lens.
(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
IS, rotating LCD for both of them (this, along with the price, may put the nail in the coffin for a dSLR on the big one.); wide angle for the small one, rugged build for both of them (if I drop it from normal operating/carrying height I dont' want it to take too much damage)
---
If I come up with any more info on what I want, I'll either edit this thread or post a reply. BTW, most of the above things are flexible. I'm almost considering it an emergency (but I plan to try to limp along with my ailing S1 as long as I can) to replace the S1, but I want to make sure I get something as good as I can get at a reasonable price.
Considering some of the above requirements, for the large camera, should I consider a dSLR? (although I will still require a rotating live-view LCD, not-too-expensive (and that includes the fast ultra-telephoto lenses - I don't want to pay thousands of $$$ for equipment - hundreds would be OK though))