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View Full Version : Help Me Decide !!! Need It Sooner


zambo
05-05-2005, 04:02 PM
Ideally looking for family use, taking pictures of kids, mainly indoor or low light situation. Looking for nice point and shoot with bigger zoom. Camera should take excellent pictures without changing too much settings. Nice and powerful flash and red eye reduction.

Budget

* What budget have you allocated for buying this camera? Please be as specific as possible.
Around $450, may be little more if gets me a dream camera.

Size

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

No bulky ones. If it fits in pocket then excellent otherwise should be able to carry easily.

Features

How many megapixels will suffice for you?

4 or 5, I don't see ever needing anything larger than an 8 X 10

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

I've been leaning towards Ultrazoom, 10-12, but 6-8 would probably suffice

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

This is the most important, given a 10 probably doesn't exist, I'd say 9

Do you care for manual controls?

Not more than using different modes like potrait, night, fast etc.. Changing ISO speed would be good.

General Usage

* What will you generally use the camera for?
I have two small kids I'd like to capture memories of them from time to time. Mostly indoors, low light condition. capturing kids playing in action in park etc.
Night time pictures.

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

Not more than 8 X 10, and that only rarely... mostly 4 X 6

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

Yes, this is important

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?

Kids playing, water park, disneyland etc.

Miscellaneous

Are there particular brands you like or hate?

No

Are there particular models you already have in mind?

No

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

I think Image stabilization, and AF assist would be nice. Good and power in built flash. Rotating LCD looks like a nice feature but isn't a necessity if camera has all the other "requirements".

trikster2
05-06-2005, 09:06 AM
I'm almost in the same boat as you. New daughter and taking a lot of picts mostly inside.

The only thing you don't seem to be looking for is movie mode. I'm taking a ton of small little movies, movies I would never have captured if I had to drop my digicam, get the video recorder then wait until I get around to xfering to the computer.

If a picture is worth a 1000 words, a movie is worth 10,000 pictures

While relatives like my pictures it is always the craptacular 320x200 15fps videos that get the most comments.

So far I can't find the perfect camera. I'm leaning towards the Casio Z750 because of the past movie mode (always recording, when you hit the shutter the movie starts 8 or 5 seconds BEFORE you push the shutter) and it records in MPEG4, but still waiting for reviews, I notice Jeff has it listed for May, so maybe real soon now......

But the "low light" is the gotcha and most P&Ss will not work very well in low light. There is a fuji that claims ISO 1600 but reviews are very mixed. Seems like Fuji may be overrating the ISO.

I really hate most flash pictures and am always pushing my Cannon S50 to the limits to get natural light shots. Just took 20 pictures of my daugther in her swing, and I think 2 came out decent. Had to move my head/camera with the motion of the swing to get it though (would never have worked without live preview) and the one with the perfect smile of course came out blurred....

Perhaps one of the IS Panasonics, but IS is not the total solution unless your kids like to set still. So far the only "solution" to low light seems to be a DSLR. But then I give up the movie mode and live preview (one step forward forward, two steps back).....

My sister got a DSLR and every time she sees one of my little movies its always like "oh I shouln't have got the rebel". They have a video camera and unfortunately most of the videos stay on the video tapes....

Given your ultra zoom requirement (which I'm sure I will have in a few years when she starts running around) your only choice (in that price range) would be the Cannon IS or IS 2 (coming out in june so maybe not an option) or one of the Panasonics.

aparmley
05-06-2005, 09:51 AM
I'd check into the Canon S2 IS (http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=144&modelid=11368)
I'd most likely would have gone with this camera if it was out when I purchased my A95. I don't think it has hit the stores yet...maybe real soon. It sounds like a winner to me.

zambo
05-06-2005, 06:51 PM
Thanks for responding. Since Canon S2 I2 is not out yet, how about Panasonic FZ5. How is the image quality of this one, how is the low light situation handled.

I am also leaning towards Canon A95. How is this in comparsion to FZ5.

JTL
05-06-2005, 11:19 PM
Thanks for responding. Since Canon S2 I2 is not out yet, how about Panasonic FZ5. How is the image quality of this one, how is the low light situation handled.

I am also leaning towards Canon A95. How is this in comparsion to FZ5.You can't rationally compare the A95 and the FZ5 as they serve two completely different purposes (like an SUV versus a sport sedan). But, both are fine cameras.

zambo
05-08-2005, 05:59 AM
I was only comparing image quality in low light situation. Which camera is better in giving excellent quality pictures every time by click of fe buttons.

jbcm
05-08-2005, 10:00 AM
This is another good place to look at both the cameras. I know the A-95 is a very good choice.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/fz5.html

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/a95.html