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View Full Version : Ok Experts, Which Camera do I Buy?


clueslesscameraguy
08-14-2008, 03:25 PM
Budget

* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible. $450 tops.

Size

* What size camera are you looking for? Or does size not matter at all to you? just not a supercompact, otherwise doesn't matter

Features

How many megapixels will suffice for you? 6 - 8MP will suffice, but more ok if must

* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify) Need: standard; nice to have: ultrazoon

* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10) at least 7

Do you care for manual controls? Yes. Should have both auto and manual

General Usage

* What will you generally use the camera for? general indoor/outdoor around the house family pics, pics of show dog in competition and practicing outdoors or indoors (note: not dog action shots or sports shots). I need fairly fast picture-to-picture response time - take one shot, then need to be ready quickly for the next before I lose the dog pose or moment.

* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not? not necessarily

Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos? fair amount of indoor and indoor arena (dogshows)

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos? not really

Miscellaneous

Are there particular brands you like or hate? Like Canon, Nikon. I might like others, just don't know that much about them all.

Are there particular models you already have in mind? Canon S5 IS, G9, A650IS

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

I've started looking at cameras. Have used a friend's Canon S5 IS. Have played with Canon G9, Sony H10 and others in BestBuy. Hard to tell by just playing around with them. I want something I can grow into. I can't afford DSLR (maybe one day). My current cheapo Kodak P&S EasyShare just has too much delay in between pictures - the recovery time is way too slow and pictures are only average. Thanks :)

AndyfromVA
08-14-2008, 03:29 PM
In my opinion the Sony H50 and H10 have the best picture quality of the ultrazooms. The H50 is larger with an electronic viewfinder and a longer zoom, but both cameras take very sharp, colorful pictures.

KCook
08-14-2008, 04:17 PM
Plus, the Sony H50 is also somewhat faster (shot-to-shot) than the Canons.

Kelly Cook

clueslesscameraguy
08-14-2008, 04:37 PM
so you think for picture quality and speed, I might be happier with the Sony H50 than Canon S5IS or G9? I've gotten general advise that "Canons are the best point-and-shoots out there"... but I'm too inexperienced to know anyway. thanks

JTL
08-14-2008, 05:52 PM
While the H50 may be better than the S5 in some respects (although, I'm not so sure about that), I wouldn't even take a picture of a G9 with the the Sony H50...the G9 is in an entirely different league...

KCook
08-14-2008, 10:07 PM
So ... I just checked some reviews. The Sony H50 holds its own against the Canon S5 fairly well. But both ultrazooms have corner softness and fringing issues against the more modest zoom of the Canon A650 and G9. To bad the shot-to-shot speed for the A650 is nothing special and the G9 lacks a tilting LCD. But at least you do have nice choices!

Kelly

JTL
08-14-2008, 10:29 PM
So ... I just checked some reviews. The Sony H50 holds its own against the Canon S5 fairly well. But both ultrazooms have corner softness and fringing issues against the more modest zoom of the Canon A650 and G9. To bad the shot-to-shot speed for the A650 is nothing special and the G9 lacks a tilting LCD. But at least you do have nice choices!

KellyCanon sure did mess up the G-line, didn't they? After the G6, the compromises started...such a shame...

The G9 is a really good camera...but certainly not as good as it could have (or should have) been...

KCook
08-15-2008, 12:19 AM
My thinking is that the coming Panny LX3 is going to blow it out of the water ....

Turn
08-15-2008, 03:26 AM
My thinking is that the coming Panny LX3 is going to blow it out of the water ....

I so agree, the LX3 on paper looks like the revolutionary thing that everyone has been waiting for

clueslesscameraguy
08-15-2008, 10:32 AM
thanks everyone for the comments. I'm leaning towards the Canon S5. Is there any value to waiting for the new product rollouts late September (Photonika show?)? When Panasonic officially rolls out the LX3, you think Canon will move on some prices downward?

clueslesscameraguy
08-15-2008, 10:53 AM
another question: what do all think of the Canon A650IS? seems to be a great value... isn't it a stripped down G9? thanks

KCook
08-15-2008, 11:59 AM
The specs are similar, but in operation there are a whole lot of differences. Nice thing about the A650 (besides lower price) is the twist LCD. That makes it easier to shoot pets from a floor height viewpoint. Their viewpoint! My Canon S3 had this, cool feature.

Kelly