Canon S60, Sony DSC-W1, or ....?

[E2sen]

Hi,
I'm looking to get my first digital camera, have been reading reviews for weeks. I think I've got it narrowed down, but need help making a final choice. I'm looking for a 4- to-5 megapixel camera, under $400, compact size, excellent image quality, minimum 1.8" LCD screen, zoom 3X, and AF-assist.

I do a lot of outdoor photography because of my hobbies -- mountain-biking, skiing, hiking, etc. -- so I need a camera that can take some bumping around in my pocket or backpack. But I also take lots of indoor and flash pictures, mostly family stuff. I’ve mostly been a point-and-shoot photographer so I want a good choice of preset modes, but I’d also like to leave room for growth via manual controls.

I think I’ve got it down to either the Sony DSC-W1 or the Canon S60. I was leaning towards the Sony DSC-W1 because of the AA batteries, but after reading Phil R's comments about batteries, I'm thinking that's not such a big deal after all.

Canon S60: +Canon’s long-time lense reputation, +good LCD illumination, +good software bundle, -kind of big for a compact, -clamshell door reputed to cause problems?
Sony DSC-W1: +2.5” LCD screen, +more compact than the Canon S60, -LCD hard to see in low light, -lousy software bundle.

Arrgh, please help, I’m suffering from analysis-paralysis! Which of these two cameras would you choose? Is there another model or competitor that you’d choose over both of them, given my needs?

Many thanks,
- Eileen

[E2sen]

Hellooooo out there ... anyone? Now I'm also looking at the Canon SD300. The plot thickens!

[David Metsky]

Hellooooo out there ... anyone? Now I'm also looking at the Canon SD300. The plot thickens!
I bought the SD300 for use skiing, hiking, and around town. I have a larger Oly C-720 which I've been carrying hiking for a few years but I wanted something smaller for ski season this year, and as such speed of shots and video mode were important for me. I liked the SD300 and I'll find out this weekend if it was the right choice. So far it seems like it was.

[Talens]

The greatest thing about the Canon S 60 is the 28mm wide angle it has (recalculated to 35mm), plus it has the li-ion battery which is better overal.
Oh....and it can take pictures in RAW format.
These things would definitely make it a worthy purchase, but the Sony camera is very good also.
A much bigger LCD screen, which just makes for much more comfortable photoshooting.
The lens quality is at least as good as the Canon lens (Carl Zeiss...not just any lens brand).
And it's a smaller and weighs less then the Canon.

I'd go for the Sony, because it's just more comfortable to use.
But if you value wide angle & RAW format pictures very high, then you should go for the Canon!

(both camera's are top notch quality....that's for sure though!)

[E2sen]

Thank you David and Talens!

David -- I'd greatly appreciate hearing your conclusions from this weekend. Did the lack of a "landscape" shooting mode matter to you?
What about the limited manual controls?

- Eileen

[PhilR.]

"but after reading Phil R's comments"

Well, THAT kind of behaviour will get you nothing but trouble.....


Seriously though, let me run another suggestion by you. I was just reading another forum where someone suggested the Sony V1. It is 5mp, 4x zoom, housed in a metal body, has full manual controls, and has an external hotshoe so that you can add a more powerful flash if you desire. A quick check found that Sears.com has it for $299, and the person who suggested it stated you could get it for around $280. The only thing that you might not like is that it has a 1.5" lcd, and you wanted 1.8. Personally, I would give up a bit of lcd space in return for a bit more zoom, and a hotshoe (since you take "lots of indoor flash pictures"). Remember that you are looking at small cameras, and small cameras means small flash....

Another suggestion is the Nikon 5400, which is also 5mp, 4x zoom that starts at 28mm (in 35mm terms) and would therefore be good for indoor shooting in tight quarters, and has an external hotshoe. I think it has a metal body, but I'm not sure. It too has a 1.5" lcd, but it is a swivel type. I read that it could also be had for around $280.

I'm not saying that these would be a better choice than your previous selections, but it might be worth your time to check them out.

PhilR.

[E2sen]

I did have my heart set on a 1.8" or greater LCD screen (considering my 40-something eyes), but your point about being able to add more flash oomph is well-taken. And the 4X zoom is tempting too ... I am going to revisit the cameras that you suggested. Thank you for giving so much of your time and expertise to this forum!

[David Metsky]

David -- I'd greatly appreciate hearing your conclusions from this weekend. Did the lack of a "landscape" shooting mode matter to you?
What about the limited manual controls?

I'll be posting some of the roughly 200 shots I took this weekend, hopefully some will be online tonight. I actually missed my 8x zoom from my Olympus, the wide angle mode is just fine, no problems at all with landscapes. I really don't mind the limited manual controls when I'm out hiking or skiing, not enough time to spend adjusting things anyways. Nearly all the time the camera made all the right choices. I set the ISO and occasionally used one of the preset modes, but mostly I shot in standard Manual mode.

-dave-