A95,S1,H1,S2...Or other

[glenensminger]

Budget

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

$500.00 (flexible)

Size

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

Doesn’t matter.

Features

How many megapixels will suffice for you?

Enough to print quality 8 x 10’s

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

Ultra zoom desired

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

10 (does anyone ever say less?)

Do you care for manual controls?

Yes

General Usage

* What will you generally use the camera for?

Mostly Indoor/Outdoor family shots, although with a camera more capable than the Fuji MX-1200 that I presently own my, I feel my use will be expended. My wife has flowerbeds that have many close-ups just waiting. The birds that fly into my backyard daily pose as they eat and bathe. And how can I forget the humming birds and butterflies. They are just waiting for me to quietly zoom in on them.

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

8 x 10’s

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

Yes

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?

I have a 2 ½ year old, so lots of action…

Miscellaneous

Are there particular brands you like or hate?

No brand loyalty. Item of note… I have been watching the H1 vs. S2 saga on all the message boards. I have been really impressed with the Canon forums on all of the main Photo sites. There seems to be a bigger following vs. Sony and this makes me feel like if I had a question, or just wanted to pick up some tips, it may be easier with a Canon. Maybe it’s just my perception, just thought I’d throw that in.

Are there particular models you already have in mind?

When I first decided I was upgrading I liked the Canon A95, but then the Canon S1 got my attention and thought the zoom would be a good thing to have, then Sony announced the H1 which I liked more pixels, the big LCD, and the unlimited movie mode(cards only get cheaper), then came the S2 and more confusion for me and more Tylenol for my wife while listening to me going back and forth. While waiting for the pro reviews I have glanced at the Panasonics FZ’s, V3, G6, Pro 1… Man, how do you decide? If you feel I can trade off the ultra zoom and be happier with something else I am open to that as well.

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

Image Stabilization, I can really see the difference it makes.

Movie Mode to capture those moments that I don’t have my Video Camera is a plus.

[PhilR.]

After reading most of your post, I thought I would just say get a Panasonic, then I read your very last sentence. The Panasonic FZ series are the cream of the $500 IS crop, but they don't have the best movie mode. Therefore, if taking movies is important to you, then get a Canon. If photography is important to you, then consider the Panasonic FZ15 or 20. Their manual focus ability alone is worth it.

Nothing I've read so far about the H1 has impressed me. Perhaps the upcoming reviews will change my mind.

Something else you should consider is that no camera under $500, and certainly no ultra-zoom, will give you "10"-rated shots. If you want "10's", you will need to purchase a good dslr....

PhilR.

[jamdr]

I think the Sony H1 and Canon S2 just have too much CA to produce what could be considered good quality pictures. There are too many compromises with these $500 cameras--the movie modes may be good, but at what expense? If picture quality is most important to you, you should get the Panasonic FZ5 (more compact) or FZ20 (huge, but the best of the ultra-zoom cameras). However, these cameras do not have very good movie modes. If you want high-quality video, though, no camera is going to give it to you. And like the previous poster said, if you want "10" pictures you will have to get an SLR and spend at least $1000+.

[Warin]

You can have:

Good stills and mediocre video (digital still cams)

or

Good video and mediocre still (digital video cams)

You really can't have both. I've used good three chip video camreas from Panasonic that produce stunning video, but can't keep up with a decent 2mp DSC. However, if you plan on shooting web quality video, a DSC can do that.

I'd take the FZ4/5 over the S2. Sharper images, less CA, and almost as much flexibility in operation. If you can swing it, the FZ20 is brilliant. Constant 2.8 aperature, manual focus with assist, and comfortable ergonomics.

[glenensminger]

First, thank you for your time and replies!

As I said, the video would just be a plus. I have a Sony DSC-TRV 22, that I use to take my videos.

I am presently looking at and printing samples from the H1, S2, and a few of the Fz5 and FZ 20. The FZ series LCD or EVF not gaining up is a concern for me. I hate not being able to see much in low lights with my current Fuji. I looked at the night shots from the H1 (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/sony/dsc_h1-review/nightshot.jpg), FZ5 (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/panasonic/dmc_fz5-review/nightshot.jpg), FZ20 (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/panasonic/dmc_fz20-review/nightshot.jpg)... Looking at the screen, and my prints the FZ5 is orange, the H1 is too dark, and the FZ20 is very good. I wonder if the time of day is different between the H1 and FZ20?

I am printing 4x6's, when does the CA, and PF start to effect printing? Based on the prints of photos from here (http://www.dcresource.com/specials/S2_vs_H1/index.shtml) the Sony's color seems vibrant, and the detail seems sharper. The same is true for the other prints I have made out of their individual galleries. Specifically the airplane, Building w/Flag, Tunnel, and the house with two palms and street sign in front of it. I know, everyone has different tastes, vision, and skill levels but I wonder why don't I see some of the issues that others are seeing with the H1?

Back to printing...
-Glen

[camerafreak707]

Hey I may be able to help you if you decide on the S1 IS. I am selling mine(because I would rather have a small camera). It is in like new condition. Nothing is wrong with it at all. I also will throw in a 256 CF card, 4 rechargeable 2050 mAh batteries and the 30 min. charger, all the software I got with the camera, the USB cable, the lens cap. All for $310 dollars(not including shipping). If you want insured shipping it will cost about $25 for shipping otherwise only 15$.The camera is great, the movie mode awesome, but the size is too big for me. I'm a teen and so having a great movie and 10x zoom is not all that useful. I need a go-anyhwhere. I hope your interested.



Please give me your email address for contacting you unless you prefer forums?? Mine is swimfreak707@hotmail.com