LazyBoy
12-08-2008, 08:09 AM
Budget
< $500, breakable for a good argument
Size
small bridge/ultrazoom, possibly larger bridge/ultrazoom
Features
How many megapixels will suffice for you?
6+ -- not a MP freak
* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
Looking for an IQ upgrade from our SD700IS
Do you care for manual controls?
No. We're auto/scene shooters. Set and forget controls like "Max Auto ISO" are good.
General Usage
* What will you generally use the camera for?
Travel, kid (story below)
* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
Occasional 8x10
Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
Indoor, yes.
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
Does a toddler count?
Miscellaneous
Are there particular brands you like or hate?
We're used to the Canon menus, but that's no big deal.
Are there particular models you already have in mind?
sx110, tz5, sx10, but we're open
(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
Definitely IS, prefer WA.
Background:
We have an SD700IS, with the expected poor performance in low light.
I understand that DSLR is the real way to fix that, but we're auto shooters and prefer something more portable. Also, I'm trying to resist upgrading for any feature other than IQ. So my real questions are:
Will any of the cameras in the compact bridge/ultrazoom class (tz5, etc.) give noticeably better IQ than our SD700IS? In low light?
Will any of the cameras in the larger bridge/ultrazoom class (sx10, etc.) give noticeably better IQ than our SD700IS? In low light? Better than the compact class? (This larger size will be a hard sell -- maybe for the home camera instead of the travel camera.)
I've read about the strengths of the LX3, but it's so hard to go for less zoom.
A very secondary question: How does the video performance of cameras in this class compare to something like a flip?
Also, we can wait 2-3 months if something good is about to come out.
Deep background:
In a few months, we'll take the trip of a lifetime, spending several weeks in a far off land, meeting, bonding with, then bringing home our adopted child. This is why pictures are getting more important for us. :D
Thanks for reading!
LB
< $500, breakable for a good argument
Size
small bridge/ultrazoom, possibly larger bridge/ultrazoom
Features
How many megapixels will suffice for you?
6+ -- not a MP freak
* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10)
Looking for an IQ upgrade from our SD700IS
Do you care for manual controls?
No. We're auto/scene shooters. Set and forget controls like "Max Auto ISO" are good.
General Usage
* What will you generally use the camera for?
Travel, kid (story below)
* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not?
Occasional 8x10
Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?
Indoor, yes.
Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?
Does a toddler count?
Miscellaneous
Are there particular brands you like or hate?
We're used to the Canon menus, but that's no big deal.
Are there particular models you already have in mind?
sx110, tz5, sx10, but we're open
(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)
Definitely IS, prefer WA.
Background:
We have an SD700IS, with the expected poor performance in low light.
I understand that DSLR is the real way to fix that, but we're auto shooters and prefer something more portable. Also, I'm trying to resist upgrading for any feature other than IQ. So my real questions are:
Will any of the cameras in the compact bridge/ultrazoom class (tz5, etc.) give noticeably better IQ than our SD700IS? In low light?
Will any of the cameras in the larger bridge/ultrazoom class (sx10, etc.) give noticeably better IQ than our SD700IS? In low light? Better than the compact class? (This larger size will be a hard sell -- maybe for the home camera instead of the travel camera.)
I've read about the strengths of the LX3, but it's so hard to go for less zoom.
A very secondary question: How does the video performance of cameras in this class compare to something like a flip?
Also, we can wait 2-3 months if something good is about to come out.
Deep background:
In a few months, we'll take the trip of a lifetime, spending several weeks in a far off land, meeting, bonding with, then bringing home our adopted child. This is why pictures are getting more important for us. :D
Thanks for reading!
LB