Best Non-DSLR For Taking Kids Sport Photos

[OriolesHockey24]

Hi Everyone,

I am in the market to buy a new digital but don't want an SLR. I am taking a lot of photos of my boys playing soccer and hockey.

Can somone suggest a good non-DSLR for me.

Thanks,

[pas49ras]

Hi Everyone,

I am in the market to buy a new digital but don't want an SLR. I am taking a lot of photos of my boys playing soccer and hockey.

Can somone suggest a good non-DSLR for me.

Thanks,

Can you fill out the questionare in this thread...
http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5111
There are many good non-dslr cameras out there,to help you with the question which one is best for you we need more info.

[OriolesHockey24]

Budget

* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible. It all depends on what kind of camera but willing to spend up to $450

Size

* What size camera are you looking for? Or does size not matter at all to you?
Does not matter
Features

How many megapixels will suffice for you?

* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify) Ultrazoom

* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)10

Do you care for manual controls?yes

General Usage

* What will you generally use the camera for?family photos, sports photos,(ice hockey, soccer, lacrosse)

* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?no

Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?yes

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?yes

Miscellaneous

Are there particular brands you like or hate?up for anything but I lilke the colors of olympus the best, next is Canon

Are there particular models you already have in mind?CanonS5IS, CanonSX1000IS, Fuji S6000fd

(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)Most important is IS

[SpecialK]

Compacts are not the best candidates for sports photography, particularly indoors. First, there is a bit of shutter lag, so you will need to anticipate the shot, and use some techniques such as pre-focusing, to increase the chance of capturing the moment. Second, in low light, such as indoors, image quality goes down as the ISO (sensitivity) goes up.

Of your listed choices, I think the Fuji gives better low light performance. I've always had Canon P&S's, though. Although the S3 is nice outdoors, it is pretty poor in low light. The S5 is a bit worse due to more megapixels. The SX1000 sounds OK and has a lot of good reviews, but I have no experience with it.

[blackshutter23]

Don't overlook the superzoom models from Kodak. The Z712is has 7 megapixels, the Z812is has 8 MP. Both have optical image stabilization and very quick 'click to capture' capability. They're also about $100 less than the comparable Canon models. You'll want to download the most recent firmware updates, but that's relatively easy. Good luck.

[pas49ras]

Kids,sports,hockey....all call for a fast camera and the Fuji seems to fit best..if you can find a S6000fd. Don't worry about the lack of IS in the Fuji, you need the best in class,high ISO for fast shutter speeds need to get clear sport photos. A SLR would really work best in your case as it would take you to the next level in camera performance..I have so many blurry pictures when my son was playing hockey that I wished I would have jumped sooner.

[OriolesHockey24]

Well the S6000fd is out as I can't find it any where. Any other suggestions? I am no way ready to go to an SLR.

[pas49ras]

Based on the fact that the Fuji 6000fd seems to have been retired, the Canon S5IS is regarded the best all around ultra zoom for general picture taking. I would also take a look at the new Fuji 8000fd..while it lost the high ISO advantage of the 6000fd, its still a good performer. Unfortunately, all ultra zooms suffer from noise above 400 iso and are not great choices for indoor sports action.