Aegis
05-29-2007, 07:50 AM
This decision is driving me insane.
I cannot decide which to purchase, the Sony cyber-shot DSC w80 or the Canon powershot SD1000. I've read the reviews and compared the specs a thousand times, but I cannot seem to make up my mind.
The allure of the Cybershot is great. The things that continue to sway me toward its side are the higher burst mode, battery life, and most significantly the optical image stabilization. However the required special memory sticks (instead of standard and cheaper SD memory) and tales of un-reliability detract from it.
I have a feeling that the powershot would be more reliable. It's from Canon and uses the cheaper SD memory, and I've heard positive remarks about image quality and the camera in general. But the lower burst mode (only 1.7 vs the cybershot's 2.7) and especially the lack of Optical Image Stabilization keep pushing me away.
I've teetered back and forth a thousand times and cannot seem to go one way or the other. This is my first digital camera, and I could really use some advice from the more advanced, experienced users out there.
I guess one of my main questions are whether or not OIS is a great help, (because that's the real crux of my indecision) and do people find the difference in burst mode significant enough to draw the line?. But other points of compare/contrast between the camera are important to.
Which camera should I buy?
---------------------------------------------
Budget
* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible.
Up to $250
Size
* What size camera are you looking for? Or does size not matter at all to you?
Slim/compact is a plus, open to slightly larger though.
Features
How many megapixels will suffice for you?
6+
* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify)
Standard is fine
* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
Very. 9
Do you care for manual controls?
Not really, as I'm not looking for professional shots. Though as with any optional feature, it's a plus.
General Usage
* What will you generally use the camera for?
General shots of friends, family, and my life in general.
* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
Unlikely.
Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
50/50 (indoor/outdoor) I'd predict. So yes.
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
Doubtful, but as a general use camera it could happen.
Miscellaneous
Are there particular brands you like or hate?
No, though I've heard good things about Canon and bad things about Sony.
Are there particular models you already have in mind?
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W80 vs. Canon Powershot SD1000
(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
Image Stabilization would be a big plus, though I'm still trying to determine how important it actually is.
I cannot decide which to purchase, the Sony cyber-shot DSC w80 or the Canon powershot SD1000. I've read the reviews and compared the specs a thousand times, but I cannot seem to make up my mind.
The allure of the Cybershot is great. The things that continue to sway me toward its side are the higher burst mode, battery life, and most significantly the optical image stabilization. However the required special memory sticks (instead of standard and cheaper SD memory) and tales of un-reliability detract from it.
I have a feeling that the powershot would be more reliable. It's from Canon and uses the cheaper SD memory, and I've heard positive remarks about image quality and the camera in general. But the lower burst mode (only 1.7 vs the cybershot's 2.7) and especially the lack of Optical Image Stabilization keep pushing me away.
I've teetered back and forth a thousand times and cannot seem to go one way or the other. This is my first digital camera, and I could really use some advice from the more advanced, experienced users out there.
I guess one of my main questions are whether or not OIS is a great help, (because that's the real crux of my indecision) and do people find the difference in burst mode significant enough to draw the line?. But other points of compare/contrast between the camera are important to.
Which camera should I buy?
---------------------------------------------
Budget
* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible.
Up to $250
Size
* What size camera are you looking for? Or does size not matter at all to you?
Slim/compact is a plus, open to slightly larger though.
Features
How many megapixels will suffice for you?
6+
* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify)
Standard is fine
* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
Very. 9
Do you care for manual controls?
Not really, as I'm not looking for professional shots. Though as with any optional feature, it's a plus.
General Usage
* What will you generally use the camera for?
General shots of friends, family, and my life in general.
* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
Unlikely.
Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
50/50 (indoor/outdoor) I'd predict. So yes.
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
Doubtful, but as a general use camera it could happen.
Miscellaneous
Are there particular brands you like or hate?
No, though I've heard good things about Canon and bad things about Sony.
Are there particular models you already have in mind?
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W80 vs. Canon Powershot SD1000
(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
Image Stabilization would be a big plus, though I'm still trying to determine how important it actually is.