Very disappointed: Kodak Z612 and Canon S3 IS

[Chestnut]

I am thankful for Walmart. Only place I could find without a re-stock fee. I have been testing these two decorated cameras and am totally disappointed with both of them.

My experience is with a $150 Kodak CX7530 (5.0 Megapixels - - 3 X Optical Zoom) and want to upgrade (zoom and overall).

Maybe I am asking too much, but these cameras did not allow me to capture any additional quality shots that I can’t already get with my cx7530.

I had a stage setting opportunity. I could use 2 out of 43 pictures from the Z612. The rest were too dark (stage was well lit) or blurry (not from me shaking but the subject was moving slightly). I was only about 30 feet from the stage and tried every setting I thought may help.

Next problem I have is indoor well lit without flash. Pictures are light enough, but dithered and grainy. The Z612 seems to outperform the S3 in this setting.

All 3 cameras take fantastic outdoor photos of stationary objects.

Am I doing something wrong? Am I looking at the wrong cameras? My budget is $400 max. Thanks for any help.

[surfstar]

Indoor shots need higher ISO, most non-dSLR cameras suck at that and you end up getting noise (grainy). Fuji seems to be the best at tackling this problem. Check out reviews on the S6000fd.

[Chestnut]

I did check out the Fuji S6000fd but ruled it out because of no image stabalization.

Do you have the same issues with your Canon and Panasonic? Which do you get better results with?

[sjseto]

IS won't help you with moving subjects. You need high ISO capability for that, and right now Fuji cameras are the best in that department. It's too bad that Fuji hasn't implemented IS as well, at least in their ultra-zoom cameras. It would give them a serious leg up on the competition.

For any other non-DSLR camera in indoor situations with moving subjects, you're going to have to live with either more grain in high ISO shots (which can be reduced in post-processing), or under-exposed shots, or shots that have subject blur.

For the cameras that you've been testing, all you can really do is use the maximum allowable aperture (to force the fastest shutter speed) and spot-metering. And the highest ISO that you can tolerate, grain-wise.

Stephanie

[bascom]

Check the Kodak Z712 and Sony H7. They have IS and high ISO.

[techdraw]

Hi.

Your story sounds just like mine. I tried the Canon IS S3, Kodak P712 and Z612, as well as the Panasonic FZ7 and FZ20. All of these cameras did not meet my expectations. I had been using a Kodak CX7430 which takes flawless pictures, but has a pretty unusable zoom. Fortunately (same as you), I bought all of them at Wal-mart or Staples (which also doesn't have a restocking fee) and was able to return them. The exception was the FZ20. I borrowed it from a relative. It performed pretty well, but not as well as the Fuji.

I was just about ready to throw in the towel when I came across this forum. After telling my story, I took the advice of several here and tried the Fuji S6000FD and am totally satisfied. I take pix of my son in Tae Kwon Do indoors in less than perfect light. I don't use the flash becuase I don't want to distract them. I have taked hundreds of pictures so far and have had only a few blurry pictures due to not holding the camera still enough. More times than not, it was due to me not being ready for a shot and bringing the camera into position and hitting the shutter button too early. I even took a few pix at a parade recently while I was walking and they turned out clear and crisp.

I had originally ruled out the Fuji becuase of no IS and the fact that it uses xD cards instead of SD cards, but have found that the IS isn't missed and the xD card is a small price to pay for quality photos.

Hope this helps.

techdraw.

[Chestnut]

Thanks everyone for you're help. Techdraw, you do describe exactly what I am looking for. I put a Fuji S6000FD on order today. I will give it a try. It sounds just awesome. Maybe the IS is not such a big deal anyway?

Any further input is greatly appreciated.

I will be sure to post which I end up keeping.

[tim11]

----
I put a Fuji S6000FD on order today. I will give it a try. It sounds just awesome. Maybe the IS is not such a big deal anyway?
-----
How big a deal IS is, depends on how stable your hands are. The good news is, with proper technique, you can improve on that stability.
I personally questioned the logic of offering ultra zoom without IS but I have proven to myself that S6000fd can be used even on full zoom without IS. The size and weight of the camera acts as natural stabiliser :D.
It's the best (non-dSLR) for lower light. Check out a thread in Fuji forum. I posted some full zoom (hand held) pic there as a testimony that IS or not, S6000 is a camera you should consider seriously.

[surfstar]

Please let us know how it goes for you.

[Chestnut]

So I was playing with the S3 quite a bit while I waited for the s6000 to show up. I learned that the flash does a great job on this camera without over exposing (like my Kodaks seem to do). The outdoor shots are fantastic. The menus are very user friendly. It is very easy to find the setting you need. It is in a nice little package. The EXIF data is ass backward.

The Fuji came and wow, it is like holding a .38. Nice grip, spaced out buttons, huge screen. I feel like a pro swinging this thing around. I did not miss the IS and I could get more detail at higher ISO. But...not that much more. The auto mode shots on the Fuji are bad unless they are outside. The “chrome” color is useless. Every indoor shot I took w/o flash sank to ISO 1600 and grain. I could not get a single decent indoor shot unless in manual mode with ISO forced at 400 or less. And when I did that, the shots were great. I can live with that...but my wife cannot. She is a point and shoot through and through.

She thinks the Fuji is too big and bulky (which I like), but I have to agree. She has used the S3 on a couple outings now too-and loved it. Our consensus was this: if the picture quality from the S6000 is much better than the S3 than we will go with it (I wanted the S6000).

I have to admit (for the shooting we do) the S3 is delivering very good pictures with little effort. I even think with a little more practice, I will be able to improve my low light shots.

The S3 is sucking me in...anyone surprised by that? Am I giving these cameras a fair test?

[tim11]

You are back to square one.
S3 IS is a great camera in good light. No one will argue with that. And for that it has many competitors. But your original post mentioned lowlight? :confused:
Practice all you like you won't get any better result than the camera capability - S3 only gives you usealbe image to ISO400. In my house I can't use lower ISO than 800.
There is a mode in S6000fd (M mode on the dial I believe) that let set auto ISO but restricts ISO to 400 and another for 1600.
It's true, images from ISO1600 are grainy and suitable for small prints but... how many non DSLR that you can use indoors without flash. Only S6000fd.
Anyway.. it's your call. I just have to point out the fact.