Which Camera should I buy?

[daraoh]

Budget

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

250 - 500 dollars, not an issue really!

Size

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

compact. not bigger than G9 or G10 anyway

Features

How many megapixels will suffice for you? 8 mp

* What optical zoom will you need? (None, Standard = 3x-4x, Ultrazoom = 10x-12x, Other - Specify) above 5 (would consider Fx-500's extra optical zoom of 8.9)

* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10) not very, won't be blowing up huge posters

Do you care for manual controls? i'd like them, as a toy moer so that i'll use them i'd say

General Usage

* What will you generally use the camera for? all sorts - mostlt sights, but also while socialising

* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not? the odd 8X10,one or two 10x12, but mostly 4x6

Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos? all conditions,not sport though

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos? no

Miscellaneous

Are there particular brands you like or hate? no

Are there particular models you already have in mind? fx-500, tz5,g10,fz28

(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD) would like wide angle

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[speaklightly]

darahoh-

Of the cameras that you have listed as being interest in right now, while they are all good cameras, they do share one limitation, and that is flash range. You mention taking lots of indoor photos. If those indoor photos are to be taken with flash using the camera's built-in flash unit, your effective flash range will be limited to between 10 and 12 feet.

None of the cameras listed will produce very good photos when used without flash in an indoor environment. If you desire added flash range when taking those indoor photos you can add an accessory slave flash unit.

For example, the attached photo was taken with one of your selected cameras, the Panasonic TZ-5, from a distance of 25 feet by using an added slave flash.

Sarah Joyce

[speaklightly]

darahoh-

Here is a photo of the TZ-5 set-up with the slave flash that allowed me to increase the flash range of the TZ-5 to get the photo that I posted which was taken at 25 feet.

Sarah Joyce

[daraoh]

Hi,

thanks for the info regarding flash.

To be honest, I wouldn't bother buying a separate falsh unit.

Apart from that limitation, what would you recommend out of the ones listed?

I'm mostly down to the Tz5 or fx500 - since 8.9 zoom with 3MP is available, i don't think the TZ5 is worth it, since it has no manula control, which I'd like to think i'll get interested in.

[speaklightly]

daraoh-

Perhaps there is some confusion here. The TZ-5 had 10X optical zoom (28 to 280mm in 35mm terms) and it is a 9 mp camera, with HD video clips, now selling for less than $(US) 200.00, that has received great professional reviews. In fact, there is an excellent review of the TZ-5 right on this website.

Of the two cameras, the TZ-5 and the FX-500, the TZ-5 would be my personal choice for its very small form factor and its excellent IQ. As long as you stay less than 10 to 12 feet when using the TZ-5's built-in flash unit you should have no problems.

The TZ-5 is a great all around camera and it is especially adapted to travel photography. Here is an excellent no flash/existing light photo taken at ISO 800 with the TZ-5 that demonstrates the TZ-5's flexibility.

Sarah Joyce

[KCook]

If that is now your price bracket, and manual controls are a high priority, then give the new Canon SX110 IS a serious look. Also has 10X optical zoom. And much nicer manual controls than most other compacts.

Kelly Cook

[lucilleclara]

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[daraoh]

hi,

yes thanks for replies.

No confusion over Tz5 regarding zoom. I was saying that altough i'd like the 10x zoom of the tz5, it doesn't have manual controls, and slightly bigger than fx-500. whereas te fx-500 has an "extra optical zoom" of 8.9x when set at 3MP, so i could use thie 3MP case for the odd telephoto shot.

Kcook, thanks, I had looked at the canon sx110, but it has only 36 mm as widest angle, and AA batteries. The fx-500 has 25mm,which is a good bit wider for outdooe scenery.

I'm still not swayed away from the fx-500! Any other challenges?

[KCook]

Just the new Nikon S710 and Panasonic LX3. Some photogs would not classify the LX3 as an ultracompact. I have not spent any time with either the S710 or the LX3. The smallest camera that impresses me with its manual controls is the Canon G10. Which is by no means an ultracompact. The manual controls found on most ultracompacts are really much too fiddly for my taste. Just as soon let them do their Auto thing.

Kelly