Sony vs. Canon
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page| Thread | Last Poster | Posts | Last Post | |
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| Archive through March 03, 2006 | Berny | 100 |
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Mezsmin Unregistered guest | Dear Berny & Chris , Me again. Is it necessary to use filter to protect lens? If it is necessary , pls kindly suggest me a budget filter for 17-85mm lens. How can I protect not to vaporise infront of lens when the camera move from cold place to hot place ( eg. from air-conditioned car to outside hot place , it make the lens blurr and I can see droplets of vaporisation infront of lens eventhough I keep the lens cap on ). If I use lens filter, will this issue be solved? Thanks a lot for all your wise advices. |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 6698 Registered: Dec-03 | No need for a filter. But this is protection that is left to personal choice. However, if you do drop your lens in a way that will crack the filter...your lens will be damaged as well. Condensation is not easy to avoid. Keep your camera in a plastic ziplock bag and give it a few minutes outside after coming out of an air conditioned room before taking it out of the bag. Feel if it is almost the same temperature as outside before removing it from the bag. |
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New member Username: MezsminPost Number: 1 Registered: Mar-06 | Dearest Berny & Christ, I would like to take 70-300mm IS USM lens. When I read internet forum, I find out that within 220-300mm range, in portrait orientation, the lens has some issue ( blurr image ). Is this issue common to all 70-300mm lens or only to a few unfortunate fellow's lens? Is it advisable to get 70-300mm IS USM lens? Other alternative within same budget ( canon lens ). Thanks a lot for all your replies. I really feel encourage with all your kind replies. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 294 Registered: Sep-04 | I'm not personally familiar with the lens, but the reviews I quickly checked on it looked positive, though there was mention of the issue you are asking about. For alternatives, the best I know of is the 70-200 f4.0L. It does have a shorter reach & no IS, but is one of the most highly regarded lenses in Canon's lineup. I do have personal experience with it and IMHO the reputation is well earned. If I could get away with an F4 non-IS lens, I would get that myself (the F2.8 IS version is 3x as expensive and on my to-get list). Another option I see in the general price range is the 100-300 F4.5-5.6 USM. It's half the price & I can only find user reviews on fredmiranda & they are lukewarm, but for that pricepoint I'd expect it. Beyond that, I see nothing in the Canon lineup. There looks to be Sigma alternatives, but we know their quality is spotty so I don't blame you for wantingto stick with Canon. |
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New member Username: MezsminPost Number: 2 Registered: Mar-06 | Dearest Chris, Thank you very much for your kind reply. What about 70-300mm DO IS USM lens? but it is more expensive. I am confuse now.... I want a zoom lens.... |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 295 Registered: Sep-04 | It looks pretty promising. Here is a fairly in-depth review: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/Canon-70-300mm.shtml It sounds like a pretty good lens overall; from what I read it sounds like it's the replacement for the 75-300 & outperforms that lens, but doesn't quite match the spectacular results of the 70-200 lenses; though those are bascially the gold standard in the telephoto zoom range for Canon. Personally, if I didn't need the speed of the 70-200 f2.8, I would be sorely tempted by this lens. At the price, the 70-200/f4 and 70-200/f2.8 are really worth looking into if you don't need that long end. And for about $280, you can get the 1.4x extender to take the 70-200 out to 280. I guess the main question is do you need that 200-300mm range? If so, then this looks like a good lens. If 200mm will be good enough in general, you cannot do better than one of the three 70-200mm lenses. And, with a 70-200/f4 + 1.4x extender, you're looking at about $870 for a range of 70-280mm at a constant f4 vs $1150 for 70-300mm at f4.5-5.6; the IS will basically make up for the loss of the stop or so. So to me it's about $280 for the last 20mm range & being one piece. To put some perspective on where I'm coming from, I currently own just the crummy kit lens and the 50mm f1.8 Mk I. I have used the 70-200 f4L, 70-200 f2.8L IS, 24-70 f2.8L, 28-70 f3.5-4.5, 10-22 f3.5-4.5, 17-40 f4L, and 85 f1.2L. I am saving to get first the 24-70, then 70-200 IS; after that maybe the 17-40. In the future I might play with getting some more primes (swapping the 50/1.8 for the 50/1.4 & adding an 85/1.8). |
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New member Username: BostonPost Number: 8 Registered: Mar-05 | What's the best camera on the market? |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 7161 Registered: Dec-03 | None. |
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New member Username: ManojeilNew Delhi, Delhi India Post Number: 1 Registered: Apr-06 | I am looking for a camera for amature Point & shoot photography. Canon has models A610 and A530 in 5MP P&S cameras. Looking at the specifications both appear to be similar but there is a substantial price difference between the two(~ 25%). One major difference which I can make out is that A530 has 1.8" LCD screen vs. 2" LCD with swivel for A610. I am not too sure whether A530 also has swivel screen or not, but the specification does not say so. The other difference is that A530 uses only 2 AA size batteries instead of 4 AA size batteries in A610 making it a bit less bulkier than A610. How important are these diffrence? How do these Canon models compare with Sony DSC W5 which has price similar to A610 of Canon? |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 7402 Registered: Dec-03 | Manoj, I suggest that you read the whole thread and you might be able to glean more information about your question. |
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New member Username: ManojeilNew Delhi, Delhi India Post Number: 2 Registered: Apr-06 | Berry, Thanks for the reply. I had already read the whole thread, but I could not find any discussion on Canon A530 model and Sony W5. I will be grateful if you could help me on that. Thanks for your time. |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 7405 Registered: Dec-03 | Sony is getting better but still a few improvements behind Canon. They just don't have the experience yet. Canon still has a better lens even with the Sony touting Carl Zeiss lenses. It has less chromatic aberrations than the Sony. A better zoom lens without having to go with digital zoom (which is useless anyway). The macro feature focuses much better without less hunting and the multi point autofocus is spot on. The white balance is also more advanced on the Canon. But, from what you have written you are focused (no pun intended)more on physical attributes. A swiveling screen is not important. Even the size of the screen is irrelevant...it only serves to drain the battery a lot faster and then you have no power and no camera to capture photos. I don't ever use the LCD screen to compose my shots anyway, but that is just me. If you are picking between the Canon models, you will be happy with either one, just chose the one that appeals to you as the shooting capabilities will be the same. I will pass on the Sony. |
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New member Username: ManojeilNew Delhi, Delhi India Post Number: 3 Registered: Apr-06 | Thanks a lot Berry, Another difference which I could make out between canon A610 and A530 is regarding the size of CCD sensor. A610 has 1/1.8 whereas A530 has 1/2.5. Your advise on that please. |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 7406 Registered: Dec-03 | The bigger sensor will be better. Much like bigger film size. |
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New member Username: LittlerocketPost Number: 1 Registered: Apr-06 | I'm sort of a dinosaur, being forced out of hiding by the recent demise of my beloved Mavica FD-71. What I need now is a lower-priced camera that will allow me to take good animal shots, so after reading reviews and Consumer Reports I got a Canon A530 today. The photo quality seems to be wonderful--I've already gotten great shots of a black cat, for instance, which were impossible with the Mavica. But the Canon takes forever to just take the shot once I press the button, and by then the animals have moved. This wasn't a problem with the Mavica, so I didn't expect it. I've tried all the relevant settings and I'm still losing lots of shots. Lots of empty scenes and nose close-ups. Very frustrating. Two questions: one, is there anything I can do to change this slow speed, and two, should I return this Canon and try Sony again, or some other camera, to solve this problem? Thanks for your thoughts. |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 7601 Registered: Dec-03 | What shooting mode are you using? |
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New member Username: LittlerocketPost Number: 2 Registered: Apr-06 | I've been using the auto mode, the portrait mode, and the sport mode (that I thought was supposed to be good for things in motion). No significant difference in terms of shutter delay that I noticed. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 309 Registered: Sep-04 | IMHO the real solution to dealing with P&S shutter delay is to spring for a DSLR. I have yet to see a P&S camera with quick enough response time to deal with quickly-moving subjects--like animals, children, or dancers. |
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New member Username: LittlerocketPost Number: 3 Registered: Apr-06 | Ouch. Well, thanks for the info, because I sure don't know much about recent digital cameras. Guess I was assuming that everything about the new crop would be superior to my old two-pound floppy-using Mavica, from the pixels to the speed. The picures from that camera were no comparison to this Canon, but the response time of the shutter was much superior. Rats. Know any place I could get the old Mavica repaired? |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 7613 Registered: Dec-03 | Check out your local yellow pages to search for shops that may be able to repair your Mavica. You can send it to Sony but they will probably laugh and then charge you a lot of money for equipment they no longer repair themselves. I don't think it is worth the repair cost. At least not for a camera that has less than a 1 megapixel resolution. The good thing is, now you have a baseline for what you want in your next digital camera. That is one of the key features when looking for your next digital camera purchase. Search the specs for shutter lag. Your Mavica has a shutter lag of about .12 secs. Some of the faster cameras in the point and shoot category that I have used are the Casio Exilim series. Check out the EX-Z110, EX-Z57, EX-S500. Great lenses as well and very intuitive controls. Chromatic aberrations are tolerable but worlds better than your older Mavica. Although the Sony Cybershots are acceptable in terms of speed, however, I cannot stand the chromatic aberration in most of the pictures it takes. Great disposable little digital cameras, though  The Canon series are great but the shutter lag is still present. The better ones are in the SD series. Forget the Nikon point and shoots, great lens, very slow response. They are too concentrated on the Digital SLRs and it seems like the point and shoots are an after thought.. |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 7614 Registered: Dec-03 | Yes, i know I have been harping on the megapixel war, but a .31 megapixel resolution compared to a 3 or even a 5 IS noticeable. Watch out for the Sony cameras, as they have an artificially brightened picture, makes you think that the quality is really great. And moving from the Mavica to the Cybershot will look really impressive. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 310 Registered: Sep-04 | That's why I usually preface my megapixel-war soapbox comments with the caveat about current models. Any *current model* camera it doesn't matter--they've all caught up enough that for new stuff it doesn't matter. I'm finding the same dynamic in just about every product now--there is always one simple, not very truly important (any more), stat that everyone fixates on. With digital cameras it's megapixels, computers is GHz, HT receivers is overblown wattage or how many ways to distort the sound, cars is HP among others. Now my wife is shopping for a new sewing machine & I'm seeing it there too (how many friggin' stitch patterns do you really need anyway?). So the moral is do your research & determine for yourself what aspects are truly important, then make the decision based on that. |
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New member Username: Dslr_geekPost Number: 1 Registered: Apr-06 | First I'd like to say that I am a professional photographer and have twenty years experience in this field. Canon cameras are simply the best cameras. From the ultra-compact Ixus (SD in America) to dSLR cameras they are simply the best. If you want an ultra-compact camera you buy for example Ixus izoom. Very small and beautiful camera. Also the Ixus 750 is great if you want high quality 7 MP camera. Better yet get the dRebel dSLR camera if you want a real camera. Sony! forget it. No point in buying Sony, Kodak, Olympus. They force you to buy expensive memory stick or xd cards and the picture quality is nowhere near the Canon. Canon also offers excellent lenses for dSLR cameras. And if you buy the other brands you can't get these high quality lenses. I also recommend the Canon Powershot S3 IS for those who want ultra-zoom and good movie mode. 12*optical zoom and great image quality. But doesn't have the same flexibility as dRebel. Fixed lense, aaarrgh |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 7664 Registered: Dec-03 | Hold the press...we have reached the search for the best camera. The great Halldor has proclaimed Canon to be simply the best. His 20 years in the field is simply the measuring stick by which everyone else must heed, surely you must all see that. Being a professional gives him absolute authority in all things camera! Simply laughable! |
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Bronze Member Username: JethroLansing, Mi Post Number: 82 Registered: Jan-06 | hehe ;; i have canon powershot a620, good camera. uses 4 heavy AA batteries and is heavy but i like the fact if i'm doing something that requires a recharge ;; ooohhh i can just pop in some more batteries. image quality is great for what it is. not as good as my old canon AT-1 which is a real camera with all the bells and whistles that the 70's offered hehe, but is does the job and is convenient. search for best cameras, ehhh, i'll agree w/ berny's sinicism in the matter that there is no best camera. only the best camera for the consumer at a certain price point. by that i mean, your going to have to opt for certain "features";; shutter speed, picture quality, compatibility, software compromises, zoom, etc.. w/ whatever u buy. to just say canon is the best is incorrect. i would stay away from sony and kodak for my price range which was 400 bucks at purchase time, but that is just trial and error. when it comes down to trial and error,,,, and my money is involved, i do just that. i trial the whole lot of cameras and read reviews and spend my hard earned money comfortably. i almost didn't buy my canon because i didn't like the build of it. completely made of low grade plastic, swivel lcd that i could give a rats *** about, etc.. But, when it came down to it, i found that for 400 bucks it was the best that i could do for my intended purposes in that price range at the time... i take pictures of my newborn daughter pretty much is all. i paired it with a canon pixma ip6600d printer and quality canon paper and couldn't be happier. THE POINT: do your homework.. find out what u want to spend, trial and error plenty of different cameras in your price range. this is easy and fun. do this and be happy with your purchase. DO NOT LISTEN TO ANYONE'S ADVICE EXCEPT TO POINT YOU INTO A DIRECTION FOR AUDITION. THERE IS NO BEST CAMERA OR BEST CAMERA COMPANY. if there was, there wouldn't be choices....... |
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New member Username: UrsrajanPost Number: 1 Registered: May-06 | hi! over a period of time i've been reviewing canon (middle end)digital cameras, can you tell me how canon A530 supercedes over nikon coolpix or sony of equivalent resolution. |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 7982 Registered: Dec-03 | Canon - excellent reputation as a camera maker. Wonderful lenses, great response time. Very little chromatic aberrations, great color without artificial saturation. Nikon - same as above, with exception of response time. Very slow and confusing controls. Sony - Nice little cameras and seem to be made for mass consumer market. Simple controls lots of features. Over saturation of colors, acceptable response time. Horrible chromatic aberrations and distortion, but good enough for consumer use. Lousy customer service and longevity of cameras not established. Pixels-not an issue! |
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New member Username: UrsrajanPost Number: 2 Registered: May-06 | thnx a lot Berny for you prompt response.....I'll go 4 Canon A-530 |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 7991 Registered: Dec-03 | You are welcome. |
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New member Username: IluvpinkPost Number: 1 Registered: Jun-06 | Hi! I am debating between a Canon SD630 and a Sony T30. Can someone tell me which they think is better? I am also looking at the Sony T9, but I think it's mostly because it looks soooo sleek. Please help! |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 347 Registered: Sep-04 | If you've read this thread, you should already know what Berny and I will say (three guesses, hint: it doesn't have an "S" in it ;) ). Something to think about: does a pretty case help the camera take better pictures? |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 8304 Registered: Dec-03 | LOL! Unfortunately however, it does help to sell cameras. |
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New member Username: VerysneakyPost Number: 1 Registered: Aug-06 | I am trying to decide between the Sony DSC H5, and the Canon S3 IS. Any suggestions??? |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 10565 Registered: Dec-03 | Read the previous posts and you will have come to a conclusion |
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New member Username: VerysneakyPost Number: 2 Registered: Aug-06 | I understand you like Canon better, but I was looking for info related to these two cameras. If you are biased to Canon, I will look else where for some non judgemental advice. Thanks anyway. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 10569 Registered: Dec-03 | Have fun on your search. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 381 Registered: Sep-04 | No, we are biased against inferior cameras. It sounds like you have already made your decision & don't want to hear a conflicting opinion. Like Berny said, have fun & remember where all the Sony problem threads are--we'll be looking for you there. |
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New member Username: Bsvk6London, Essex UK Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-06 | I understand from previous discussions that Canon Lenses are better and probably sony in electronics. I have zeroed in on Canon IXUS 750 and Sony W100 which are available almost at same cost. IXUS is 7 Megapixel and W100 is 8 MP. I can't make out which is better overall VALUE for MONEY as both Lense (Canon with better lense) and Electronics/resolution (sony withh 8 MP) are important here. Please suggest. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 382 Registered: Sep-04 | OK, first of all forget the MP specs, they are so close as to be equal. They both make their own sensors, IMHO Canon's a far superior--and Canon isn't the one seeing potentially massive recalls on failed sensors. Canon makes their own optics and are the 800-lb gorilla in the field right now, that's for a reason. I really don't think Sony's electronics are all that great any more, they have been coasting along on brand name recognition for a while now. Anyway, looking at specs, these two are so close it's one of those down-to-personal-preference comparisons. Resolution, lens parameters, etc. are a close match. It looks like the Canon has the edge with lens (f2.8-4.9 vs it looks like f2.8-10(!) for the Sony). I am not a fan of the Sony memory stick, which the W100 uses. If it were my money, I would go with the Canon just because I trust their reliability more. Here's a site with reviews on both models, so probably a good side-by-side http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/SD550/SD55A.HTM http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/W100/W100A.HTM |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 10573 Registered: Dec-03 | Sony's electronics are not that great. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 383 Registered: Sep-04 | A very quick test came to mind, and you don't even have to leave this site. How many "broken Sony" or "Sony problems" threads are there here? Now, how many "broken Canon" threads are there? That should help the decision. Here's a thread that should give pause with Sony electronics: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=40913 |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 10639 Registered: Dec-03 | I think "Very Sneaky" really wants validation on Sony cameras as he probably already made a purchase "Non judgemental advice"...will advice favoring Sony be non-judgemental??? |
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New member Username: NoutPost Number: 9 Registered: Mar-06 | A very interesting read. Especially the negative comments about Sony's reliability. I guess this must be something concerning US customers only, I don't hear/read that much complaints in Europe. (ofcourse there are some who are dissatisfied about Sony products, but an equal amount of complaints about Canon) The reliabilty issues aside, if the camera would just work, it would be difficult for me to pick a winner. I read a lot of testreports about Sony's dsc W70, dsc W100 and Canon's SD 600 (Ixus 60), SD630 (Ixus 65) and SD700 (Ixus 750) What's interesting is that American reviews in general are more favourable towards Canon whereas European, especially German magazines, are more favourable towards Sony. Every magazine/site has their own way of testing the camera's performance, most importantly the quality of the image. But since the technical quality of an image (colour, sharpness etc.) can be measured in an objective way (not like audio equipment for instance) it is all that more surprising that the results by different magazines can differ a lot. For instance the Fuji Finepix F30 is praised by some, a testwinner, where others find it mediocre at best compared to rivals. The optics of the Canon and Sony camera's are both pretty good, the ergonomics too. Even the looks match, both series, Sony's "W" and Canon's Ixus are very classy and very well built. Both types have an optical viewfinder, Sony's a bit better than Canon's. Canon is able to adjust the white balance manually, Sony cannot. With Sony you can set the flash strenght manually, Canon cannot. Sony's scd W100 is the only camera of which I mentioned, in the price class of $300, where you have a (limited) manual exposure control. The battery life of both brands is interesting. With the Sony you can take up to more than 3 times the amount of pictures the Canon takes, but recharging the battery of the Sony will take 3 times the time it takes for the Canon to recharge. So which one is better? I have seen pictures taken by both Sony scd W100, W70 and Canon sd700. I couldn't tell which was better, but I'm not a professional. Canon's pictures seemed a bit "warmer" and softer. I reckon to play with both types, Sony and Canon and decide for yourself, the testresults of the magazines aren't that relevant for me to make a choice, it only tells me all cameras perform well. But considering the negative experiences I encounter on this forum with Sony products I'd go for Canon, if you live in the US that is, otherwise Sony is an equal alternative. |
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New member Username: UrsrajanPost Number: 3 Registered: May-06 | hey! ppl...m temme the best value digicam in market with price range between Rs.10000(200USD) to Rs.15000(250USD) in canon. thnx a lot... |
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New member Username: SanjapsyPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-06 | Please help me dont know what to buy. Sony Dsc -W50 or Canon A530. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 11330 Registered: Dec-03 | Read the above discussion |
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New member Username: SpaldingPost Number: 1 Registered: Dec-06 | Berny or Chris or anyone... After The holidays i am looking to buy a digital camera i have my own opinions on what is the best. I would like it to stay $300 rang. The less the better for a college student. I need it to be compact, and somewhat durable. I would like the lense cover to be good. mega pixel, i guess i don't know. Is 7.2 MP really much much better than 5.0 MP or are they pretty close. I also would like to beable to hold a lot of pictures (i am going on a 2 week trip to germany, chance of a life time, going to take abundance of photos). The screen... well i would like it to be in the 2.4' range or around that if possible. Good night vision if possible, and "action". Battery life! going to need good batteries. what do you suggest?? HELP I pretty sure Canon is REALLY good. i think sony is, Casio i am startting to hear is good. Olympus in the past i heard was good. KODAK i HATE!!!! the rest i don't know. HELP ANYONE!!! Thanks, Spalding |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 11730 Registered: Dec-03 | If you have perused this thread you will notice the lean towards Canon. I would recommend the Canon SD700 for the requirements you have stated. Anything else might make you unhappy...cheaper, yes, but you may not like it. BUt if budget is a big consideration, try out the older line of the SD series. I recommend the 700 because of the Image Stabilization feature which will help with low light. Do not go into the megapixel debacle, it is fruitless and is not a selling point unless the sales rep just want more money/commission. The batteries last fairly long but as with any digital camera, it will serve you well to have a spare. A bigger screen will only serve to use up battery power so it is not a plus. Try to avoid using it if at all possible during your trip. You will need the power. If you want it to hold plenty of pictures, you will need a memory card with plenty of storage. Or plenty of memory cards with medium storage space. I would recommend mulitple memory cards as opposed to 1 huge card. It only takes 1 ruined picture to mess up everything that is stored in the card. There is also the Casio exilim series. Another great little camera and very small with a very big screen. Takes great pictures too and very intuitive to use. One drawback is the lack of image stabilization. but still a great camera, you just need a steady hand for low light shots. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 401 Registered: Sep-04 | What Berny said. I would look at Canon & Casio Exilim first. Don't worry about megapixels--everything on the market has plenty for 99.9% of everyone's use. There are more important factors like response time, noise handling, lens quality, etc. My wife was recently given an Exilim EX-S57 and I have been pleasantly surprised by it. Within the prime conditions for a P&S it takes great pictures. The flash is surprisingly decent for snaps. One thing that really took me by surprise is the battery life; we just got back from a week in Jamaica & it never needed a recharge or the second battery I had along. =8O The 1GB SD card was plenty for the week and was cheap; I don't see a point in going any bigger with that camera. |
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New member Username: SpaldingPost Number: 2 Registered: Dec-06 | Berny and Chris Thanks, I talked to a friend that works at a camera place and he suggested: Nikon S9, Sony W100, or Peutax T10 or T20. Any problems or comments on those? He said he didn't like canon that they don't have a good digital line. But he is the first one i have heard that from. I also hear of a program where you can take a bunch of picture in one click. I think that is what you called a snappy shots. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 11745 Registered: Dec-03 | Nikon S9 is nice but not as fast to respond as the Canon. I don't like the Sony line because of chromatic aberrations and I am very critical of that. The Pentax is very slow to respond as well, I am not too fond of the delayed shutter response. I don't know where your friend gets the idea that Canon does nto have a good digital line, but being into photography for more than 30 years and digital photography since they came out with the silly 1.2 megapixels, I have to disagree. But with the advent and advances of digital photography you should be happy with most digital cameras. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 403 Registered: Sep-04 | Sounds like your friend has a personal issue with Canon. Ask him why he thinks if Canon is so bad that they are the 800lb gorilla that ALL the other manufacturers are chasing. I'm betting he gets better commission off the competition. Of the three you mention, from my own bias, I'd go with Nikon or Pentax in that order & not even consider Sony. |
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New member Username: SpaldingPost Number: 3 Registered: Dec-06 | Thank you again, both of you, I have pretty much come to my decision of either a Nikon or Canon. Which one i will have to decided closer to the purchase! Thank you again. Spalding |
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New member Username: E205046Dallas`, Tx Usa Post Number: 1 Registered: Dec-06 | I want to buy my first digital camera around $200. I have narrowed down my search to the Canon A540 (big) or the Sony W50 (compact). I am interested in good flash, night pics, and quality daylight pictures. I have actually seen the Sony W50 and handled it for 10 minutes and it wasnt bad. As I keep reading reviews I become more confused as to which one to purchase. Which one should I buy: the Sony W50 or Canon A540?   |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 12088 Registered: Dec-03 | Read this first http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/Sonycamera.php http://www.imaging-resource.com/badccds.html http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/news-item.pl?mdl=DSCP92&news_id=118 |
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New member Username: E205046Dallas`, Tx Usa Post Number: 2 Registered: Dec-06 | Thanks. I guess the Canon A540 will be my safest bet. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 12104 Registered: Dec-03 |  |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 407 Registered: Sep-04 | ^^ What he said. Just don't expect too much out of any compact P&S for flash or night photography. That's some of the most demanding there is & shows the limitations of the gear very quickly. As much as I'm impressed with my wife's Exilim, I see it fall apart rather quickly in low-light, flash or no. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 12113 Registered: Dec-03 | Well hello, Chris! I hope you had a great holiday! |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 408 Registered: Sep-04 | It was an exceptional one. Not much photo gear under the tree, but many other good things. I'll probably not be paying too much attention here for the next month as I got a house & will be moving (and it's big enough to set one room aside as a studio :D ). |
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New member Username: MoonbeamUK Post Number: 1 Registered: Jan-07 | Hi There, I've just lost my camera (sob sob), and from your remarks above I guess canon is better then sony? But was about the Carl sumthing lens sony use? What is it about canon that makes it better OR is there a better camera out there? The one in mind is the Canon IXUS900 Ti V's Sony DSC W100. I'd like excellant picture quality inside and out, as well as additional options e.g. Good Video coverage + battery life. Any Ideas.. I'm sooo lost! |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 12438 Registered: Dec-03 | Carl Zeiss is a great lens maker, but...the specs are made for the Sony and a good Carl Zeiss lens is not cheap. It still has horrible chromatic aberrations. Get the Canon and you'll be happier...better support as well. |
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New member Username: MezsminPost Number: 3 Registered: Mar-06 | Dear Mr Berny & Mr Chris, Me again. I would like to buy a P & S camera. I can't decide between Canon Digital IXUS 900 Ti and Casio EX - Z1000. Pls kindly suggest me which one to buy or any other P & S camera you would like to advice. I am very much happy with my EOS 20D as you adviced. Thanks in advance for all your kind and wise advice. Sincerely, Mezsmin |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 12564 Registered: Dec-03 | Between those two choices I would prefer the Canon. Slightly better lens and less chromatic aberration than the Casio. |
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New member Username: MezsminPost Number: 4 Registered: Mar-06 | Thank you very much Berny. What about Canon G7 ? But more expensive  |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 12573 Registered: Dec-03 | What's the point? You already have a 20D, if you want the convenience of a pocket size point point and shoot get one. You already have a big camera. |
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New member Username: MezsminPost Number: 5 Registered: Mar-06 | Dearest Berny, Last night I havn't checked this thread and today I hurriedly bought G7 I havnt read your latest post. I get the package of 541 USD for G7 camera + 2G SD card ( PenDrive ) + a tripod. After buying the camera I happily shooting the photo, didnt check the lens properly, noticed later that the lens has a circular dot INSIDE the front piece of lens, not from outside. I called the shop and need to go and change new unit tomorrow. But the camera is very good one, esp I really like IS, as my wife can't shoot without IS, her hand is not so stable yet. Thank you very much for all your kind advices. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 12576 Registered: Dec-03 | As long as you are happy with the camera and if your wife loves it...keep it and enjoy That IS feature is great thing isn't it? |
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New member Username: Lqh_888Post Number: 1 Registered: Feb-07 | Hi, just joined the group and I find this forum cool. there's a lot of interesting threads and they're very informative. So i wrote this to seek advice from the gurus (Berny and Chris as they are the active ones sharing great advices...). I'm planning to buy a digital camera and these past few days i've been searching the web for the great digi cam that would suit my budget & needs. And my list boils down to 3 choices: CANON SD800 IS, SONY W100, CASIO EX-V7. Reading this thread, and other forums from other sites as well, urged me to go for CANON. But I'm still confused as the other 2 cameras would also be a great choice. Casio uses canon's lenses and from one of the discussions above, Berny chose casio over canon. Also for Sony W100, Chris mentioned from the previous discussion, that it's spec is so close with CANON SD750 (which I think is almost similar with SD800) and he considered it as one of those down-to-personal-preference comparisons. So personally if you are given these 3 choices: CANON SD800 IS, SONY W100, CASIO EX-V7. Which one will you pick? Your answer will really be a great influence to my decision. Thanks! |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 419 Registered: Sep-04 | Well, looking more in-depth at reviews (no personal experience with any of these--so take all the following with a bag of salt) I've come up with the following. Of those three, I'd drop the Sony from contention right away. First, my personal bias against Sonys also, the other two flat outperform it--better lenses, better response times, better ISO range, more control (manual modes available), non-Sony-proprietary memory. The only thing the Sony has going for it I can see is 8MP vs 7MP (truly a meaningless difference) and it's a 4x crop sensor vs the other two at 6x, so a larger sensor & larger pixels which ought to help noise. However, looking at the samples on Steve's Digicams I prefer the Canon's color rendition. Now that we're down to the Canon vs Casio, based solely on specs and a couple of reviews (seems the EX-V7 is fairly new), it's a tough choice. Overall I'm leaning to the Canon. I prefer a faster aperture (f2.8 max vs f3.4) for P&S and Canon has very good IS technology, AFAIK the stabilization is a new thing with Casios. Another big reason is Canon's reputation for handling noise--which I am very familiar with on my 20D. My wife has a Exilim EX-Z57 and it gets really noisy really fast--even with flash. I'm probably spoiled with the awesome 20D though, so my expectations are high. So, I think your urge is a good one, though the Casio is worth looking at. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 12821 Registered: Dec-03 | Chris summed this up and I really can't add anything new. The Canon SD800 wins my vote over the Casio on this one. Canon has a better handle on the noise levels and the IS feature is really a great feature. Although Casio has the anti-shake technology, the Canon still edges it out. |
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New member Username: Lqh_888Post Number: 2 Registered: Feb-07 | Hi gurus, Thanks a lot for your personal insights. Really appreciate it. So now I'm 100% sure for CANON SD800. Actually it's really my first choice. But I just want to make sure that I have the blessing from the professionals before grabbing it . And I already got it from you. Hats off to you guys!!! Looking forward receiving great ideas from both of you in the days ahead. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 12848 Registered: Dec-03 | Have fun with your new camera. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 420 Registered: Sep-04 | Yep, have fun & remember the only opinion that REALLY counts is yours. |
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New member Username: MuarrifLondon, Essex United Kingdom Post Number: 3 Registered: Feb-07 | What do you guys think of CANON Digital IXUS 900 Ti (PowerShot SD900 in USA)? I am a SONY fan but reading all of the above it would seem that people here prefer CANON. My recent purchase of SONY T9 was disappointing so now I am looking to change it although I'll loose a lot of mony but I am after quality of pictures. (Mega Pixle is not important). Would you say another SONY (better one) or change to CANON IXUS 900 Ti? http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_Camera/IXUS/Digit al_IXUS_900_Ti/index.asp I need to buy in the next couple of days so please help |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 12888 Registered: Dec-03 | I will not recommend a Sony over a Canon camera. The reasons pointed above still applies. |
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New member Username: JomuellerPost Number: 1 Registered: Feb-07 | hi, i have decided to buy a canon ixus camera and have looked at the 60, 750 and 850 is models (i really want one with an optical viewfinder). my budget is really more at the level of the 60, but obviously the 750 and 850 are newer and have more features. i dont want to spend an extra £100 unless it is really really worth it... is it? thanks! |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 424 Registered: Sep-04 | Only you can decide that. Looking at specs, they are pretty close. The main differences I see is the 60 is 6MP while the other two are 7MP--too small a difference to matter; there are some minor differences in shutter speed, lens characteristics, etc. It looks like the 850 has the newer DIGIC III chip, which is probably a large part of the expense there. |
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New member Username: MuarrifLondon, Essex United Kingdom Post Number: 4 Registered: Feb-07 | I just purchased the IXUS 900Ti after getting advise and reading the above reviews. I am now in the process of comparing pictures from my SONY T9 and the IXUS. I find that the colours are still better on SONY but picture quality and clarity is better on Canon. Canon seems to fade the colours a little or perhaps its the white balance setting on the auto mode. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 426 Registered: Sep-04 | Is it just that the Sony is more saturated? A lot of P&S cameras will boost saturation to grab your attention. I'll bet the Canon is closer to the true colors of the scene. You can always go into your editor of choice and increase your saturation if you want (and once that's done, you'll end up with the super saturated color PLUS better image quality ). This is not to say boosting saturation is always a bad thing, I've edited a few shots to super-saturate the color from the actual scene to get my final, better image. This is what the famed Velvia film is known for (haven't put any through my film camera yet, but I will). Do you have any examples to post? |
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New member Username: CancallmebPost Number: 1 Registered: Mar-07 | My question is which one should I go with DSC W35 or DSC W55 or the Canon SD600 elph. I have read both the pros and cons but I still cant decide. Please help me out if have used any of the cameras. Cnet rates the SD a little bit better. I am more into the clarity of the pictures both in light and low light. Thank you in advance. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 13198 Registered: Dec-03 | " I am more into the clarity of the pictures both in light and low light" I have yet to see anyone not wanting this. You are asking too much if you want any of these cameras to perform admirably in low light. These are point and shoot cameras. If you want something that is more capable you may want to take a look at DSLRs. The Canon SD700 is capable at low light. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 428 Registered: Sep-04 | P&S cameras and low-light photography just don't get along. That is one of the things you step up to a DSLR setup for. Of those three, I'd definitely go with the Canon. It's a camera company, not general electronics and they are known for handling low-light better than the competition (why I went with a Canon DSLR). |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 13222 Registered: Dec-03 | Not really a hard choice |
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New member Username: HellopremPost Number: 1 Registered: Mar-07 | hi i am planning to buy a digital camera and unable to decide on sony or canon.I am not biased towards any of the camera but i am just looking at the value for money.CANON PowerShot A550 or SONY Cyber-shot DSC-H2.The price difference between the two is only around £70.which one is the best choise.DSC-h2 has a optical zoom of 12x vs canon power shot 4x.Is the £70 worth for the extra 8x optical zoom i get.Bcos the same optical zoom with canon would cost me a difference of £170 when compared to sony DSC H2.Could you please help me in this regard? |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 13345 Registered: Dec-03 | The reason it is more expensive for Canon with a longer zoom is the quality of the lens. If zoom power is more important to you, the choice is clear. But if you want a better camera with a less lens distortion then get the Canon. |
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New member Username: HellopremPost Number: 2 Registered: Mar-07 | hi berny,thanks for the reply. can you suggest me which one is worth the best,considering i am not giving much importance to the quality of the lens as i feel ok with the quality of sony. Is it the canon A550 or sony dsc-h2.Bcos i am paying £120 for canon(4x) and £180 for sony with 12x optical zoom.All i want to know is that the £60 i am paying extra for the optical zoom, is worth the money. How often do we require a 12x optical zoom while taking photographs. Thanks in advance. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 13358 Registered: Dec-03 | go here http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/compacts/a550.htm Keep in mind that his writing is not considered gospel. And personally, I am not a big fan of Sony cameras...too much distortion and chromatic aberration for my taste. A 12X optical zoom is not one that I typically use. And the quality of the Canon is something that I value over the bells and whistles of the Sony. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 429 Registered: Sep-04 | "Keep in mind that his writing is not considered gospel."  Now THAT'S an understatement. Tsk, tsk, telling people to go read that blowhard's page. I don't think there's a more biased, less-respected guy in the photo universe on the web. With that said, he gave a good review of that camera. A source I much prefer to use is here: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/a550.html In any case, I totally agree with Berny between these two: Canon over Sony any day. |
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New member Username: HellopremPost Number: 3 Registered: Mar-07 | hi guys,thanks for your suggestion and eventually you guys made me buy the canon camera instead of sony.I dont know whether u guys are working for canon or not but u guys deserve to be paid by canon.I was a pro sony guy until i visited this forum and now with regards to camera i have become a canon guy.Anyway thanks for your help and its appreiciated. |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 135 Registered: Mar-06 | Hello, I am a novice when it comes to photography and after reading some, was convinced about choosing a Canon (A540) over Sony (W55). However, I compared pictures at a review site (dcresource). In particular, the pictures of a bottle of peppers taken at different ISO settings (links below). It would help to open these pages in two windows simultaneously to help compare. Comparing pictures at ISO200 reveals sightly less noise with the Sony. At ISO800, however, the difference is significant, with the Sony being much lower in terms of noise. I must admit though, that the lighting appears different in each case. I would greatly appreciate feedback on these two cameras, or any other suitable option. I take it, neither has image stabilization? With a budget of about $200, I probably cannot afford cameras with IS. Thank you for your help. http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/sony/dsc_w55-review/index.shtml http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_a540-review/ |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 431 Registered: Sep-04 | I would look for better comparisons than that. Comparing a Canon taking a very dark night shot vs a Sony taking a lit studio shot doesn't tell you anything. Even the two "nightshot" images don't tell me enough to make a judgment--different scenes and the EXIF is stripped so I have no idea what the camera settings are. If you can find a site that uses the same setup to test the cameras that will be more meaningful. You kind of have to wonder how meaningful the rest of the review is if they can't even bother to have a standard setup for test & example shots. Pretty sloppy methodology if you ask me. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 13395 Registered: Dec-03 | "I dont know whether u guys are working for canon or not but u guys deserve to be paid by canon" LOL...believe it or not, I am a Nikon user. Although I am not such a big fan of Nikon point and shoots, I use Nikon gear for everything else. |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 138 Registered: Mar-06 | Thanks Chris, most reviews do not find fault with Canon's picture quality. The only concerns seem to be a slow flash recycle time and low battery life. I ordered an A540. |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 140 Registered: Mar-06 | The online vendor canceled my order, reason being 'Customer does not want product'! I ordered the Sony W55, being tempted by the speed at which it takes pictures with flash enabled. I'm not happy with the low light indoor pictures. Will try some outdoor pictures later. It is incredibly fast though. Guess I'll have to get a camera with a larger lens for indoor pictures. Anyway, I have a Canon A550 arriving tomorrow that I ordered for a friend. Will post on how it performs. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkPost Number: 434 Registered: Sep-04 | Do your research on the online guys. Most of them are scammers. Check the reviews on resellerratings.com and then stick with the reputable guys (B&H, Adorama, Samys, Calumet, Sigma4less, Beach Camera, etc). No P&S is going to do very well in low light, that's why you step up to the DSLRs and their lightbucket lenses. It's not the "larger" lens, but the "faster" lens. Remember that the smaller the f-stop number (aperture) the faster the lens. IIRC Canon's P&S cameras usually start with a very quick f2.8; the downside is EVERY P&S I've seen specs on has a variable aperture that goes up to typically 4.5 or 5.6, sometimes worse at the telephoto end, which is too slow for low light. So, look carefully at the lens specs. That Canon looks pretty good--f2.6 at the wide end and f5.5 at telephoto. Max ISO is 800--which is probably all the farther you will want to push a P&S. That Sony's lens is awful! They did you a favor IMHO. I don't know where they break wide from telephoto, but the specs are f2.8-7.1 on the wide end, and f5.2-13 (!) on the telephoto end. YUCK! That's the kind of numbers the cheesy Opteka 650-1300/f8-16 lens has (hint: nobody seriously considers using this thing it's so bad). |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 144 Registered: Mar-06 | Chris, thank you for the explanation of lens speeds. The online retailer was Dell and even the poor ratings did not prepare me for the manner in which they canceled. I ended up getting a Canon A550 from another retailer. I spent quite some time taking pictures with the Sony W55 and Canon A550. Could never manage to get the colors right indoors with the Sony. So, I'm keeping the Canon. The Sony is extremely user friendly. Easy to pocket, starts instantly and takes pictures in rapid succession even with flash on. The sharpness of pictures is very good. Battery life is fantastic. The fit and finish on the Sony is very good too. Unfortunately, with indoor pictures, different settings resulted in a mild yellow tint or very bright white. On the other hand, the Canon consistently produced natural colors no matter what I did. The pictures seem more real and less processed. Sharpness was lower by a whisker. So, Canon it is! |
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New member Username: Irene209Post Number: 1 Registered: Mar-07 | canon sd750 or sony t100....whats better? im so torn!! |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 13589 Registered: Dec-03 | Canon SD750...read the above posts. |
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New member Username: CassilisPost Number: 1 Registered: Apr-07 | Hi I cant decide between a Canon G7 and Sony T100. The extra size of the G7 does not necessarily worry me, but the reviews complaining of noise do, and the Sony has ISO3200 setting. Which one would you go for if size wasnt an issue? (But I dont want to step up to DSLR) |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 13672 Registered: Dec-03 | Canon...Sony will have noise issues at 3200 as well. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkCA USA Post Number: 459 Registered: Sep-04 | ALL P&S cameras will have noise issues. Canon is known for doing a better-than-average job of dealing with it. So, in answer to the question: Canon without a second thought. |
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New member Username: CassilisPost Number: 2 Registered: Apr-07 | Great thank you very much, Matt |
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New member Username: CancallmebPost Number: 2 Registered: Mar-07 | Need advice: Deciding to buy a Canon Powershot: SD600 vs. SD1000. I know the SD600 is last year's model but my questions is, is it worth the $100 difference in price to buy the SD1000? From what I read, it seems like the features of both caeras are about the same. If you have experience using the cameras, your opinion is greatly valued. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 13679 Registered: Dec-03 | Get the SD 700 with Image Stabilization. A much better deal than the 600 or 1000. The IS feature is a better feature than the 2 of those cameras combined. |
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New member Username: CancallmebPost Number: 3 Registered: Mar-07 | Berny, Thanks for the tip, I ended up purchasing the Sd700. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 13693 Registered: Dec-03 | You are welcome...enjoy your new toy |
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New member Username: CoolcamNSW Australia Post Number: 1 Registered: Apr-07 | I have not used the canon but recently bought the t100. It is simple to use and provides great results even in very low light. I can take picture in complete darkness and the results are unbelievable! Before the sony I bought and returned a Nikon S6. It was a good camera but not the same image quality in low light as the sony. Of course the sony cost more ($610 v $430AUS). Battery life is good on the t100 ~340shots even with a bigger lcd 3". Unfortunately you have to take the battery out to charge it in the supplied charger. I think you can buy an optional direct charging unit, but I have already spent to much money on it. There is not optical viewfinder on the sony. There is on the canon but it is too small to use routinely. The t100 has only just been released so there are not that many user reviews on the net yet. There was a comparison of images between ixus 850 and t100, and image quality was visibly superior esp in low light at higher iso. Another useful review on the canon: see http://www.digicamreview.com/canon_digital_ixus_70_sd1000_review.htm I was going to by the canon originally but direct photo comparisons between the two were generally in favour of sony. By the way canon use sony sensors anyway but are one generation older. At the end of the day it depends on which brand you trust. Image quality is brilliant in both and will be happy with either. After I bought mine, I focused more on the photos rather than the camera! |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkCA USA Post Number: 463 Registered: Sep-04 | "By the way canon use sony sensors anyway but are one generation older." Um, I suspect you are thinking of Nikon--they use Sony sensors. AFAIK Canon only uses their own. I know this is true for DSLRs for sure; I would be surprised if it were otherwise for P&S. Glad you're happy with your new toy. |
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New member Username: CoolcamNSW Australia Post Number: 3 Registered: Apr-07 | My mistake Sony supply sensors to Nikon not Canon Thx Chris |
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New member Username: CoolcamNSW Australia Post Number: 4 Registered: Apr-07 | Here is a link to a site which compares photos taken by t100 and ixus 850 at different iso settings(translated) http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=de%7Cen&u=http://www.dkamera.de /testbericht/sony/cybershot-dsc-t100/aufnahmetests/test-szenario I think the t100 has clearer images with less noise at higher iso and automatic mode...but i'm biased I guess. |
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New member Username: CoolcamNSW Australia Post Number: 5 Registered: Apr-07 | More research on sensors and sony from anandtech.com ... "Sony is one of the world's largest manufacturers of digital sensors..... In fact you will see Sony sensors in almost every brand of "serious" camera except Canon and Olympus. Sony makes sensors for Nikon, Pentax and Minolta. Canon is another huge sensor manufacturer and makes their own sensors for their cameras, while Kodak and Panasonic both ...make four-thirds sensors used by Olympus in their various models." ..."Sony bought the Konica-Minolta camera business and announced they would continue development of the 20-year old Minolta auto-focus lens system to work with their own new Digital SLR cameras.......By purchasing the Konica Minolta camera business and assuming warranty responsibilities, Sony instantly became a major player with a full lens line. When you consider that only Sony and Canon make their own sensors for their digital SLR cameras you can clearly see what Sony can leverage in the DSLR market, and why they were willing to buy an existing lens line. Sony didn't break the rules, they just bought instant credibility in a market that is difficult to crack."... http://www.anandtech.com/digitalcameras/showdoc.aspx?i=2838 |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkCA USA Post Number: 464 Registered: Sep-04 | I figured that was the case on sensors. Interesting test shots. The Sony ones do look a bit sharper on the reduced-size samples, and I'm really surprised how badly the Canon falls apart at 1600. Not like them. However, IMHO Canon's WB is far better across the board. If you look at the full-size Auto ISO, I think Canon has a slight edge. It does look like Sony has an advantage for low light on this comparison. BTW, we're all biased--whatever model we each choose & spend money on is automatically the best one. |
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New member Username: CoolcamNSW Australia Post Number: 6 Registered: Apr-07 | On my t100 the WB in "full auto" mode is correct about 70% of the time. The only time "full auto" gets it right 99.9% of the time is if face detection is used too. There is another more useful mode "program auto" which lets you quickly adjust WB depending on the type of lighting and works really well. In this mode everything else can be left in auto mode or adjusted if you feel the need. I am still experimenting...which is half the fun! There are a lot of manual settings and I am a newcomer to digital photography. |
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New member Username: MariajasminePost Number: 1 Registered: May-07 | Hi Berny and Chris! I was wondering if you could help me make a decision on what camera I should buy. I read some of your comments on other people's questions and so I already decided that I wanted a canon. I narrowed it down to two: the canon sd 900 or the sd 750. Which one is the better one? I like how the sd 750 has a bigger screen, but it has less megapixels than the sd 900. But does it really make a big difference between 7.0 megapixels or 10.0 megapixels? Also I had a digital camera where it was really hard to understand what flash to use and other settings such a indoor light and sunlight, etc. Are canons hard to program like that? Can you just take the picture without messing around with the setting and still get nice pictures? All advice is much appreciated. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 14046 Registered: Dec-03 | Get the newer 750. The Image Stabilization will do more for your pictures than the higher megapixel. You won't see the difference between the different pixel rates between the two. Canons are not hard to program but it always pays to read the manual to tell what the pictographs mean. And of course, you can take pictures by just setting the dial to full auto and still get great results. But you still need to learn how to operate the camera and take full control to tailor the results according to what you like. |
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New member Username: MariajasminePost Number: 2 Registered: May-07 | Thank you Berny! I'll remember all the helpful advice you have given me. |
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Silver Member Username: ClaudermilkCA USA Post Number: 466 Registered: Sep-04 | Just got back from vacation, so I'm just seeing this. Basically what Berny said. ;) The better you know the camera and the better you understand the basic concepts of photography, the better your pictures will be. So, read the manual (I've read mine cover to cover more than once), and look at some basic photography books; one that is frequently recommended is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. |
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New member Username: BrookyThunder Bay, Ontario Canada Post Number: 10 Registered: Jan-05 | I've owned 3 Canons and two Sonys. My Canons sit on a shelf at home. The only reason that I've owned more Canons that Sonys is because one of them lasted only a week. It had to be replaced. The chromatic aberration problems of the Sonys is way overblown in this thread. It's a minor problem that is easily fixed. Any p&s camera with more than 5 or 6 mp's experiences it. Including Canon. Sony has done me well and is my personal choice. I respect those of you that favor Canon. But after reading this thread, I feel that Sony has been unfairly criticized here. So I thought that I'd share my opinion. Thanks. |
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New member Username: RockinterPost Number: 1 Registered: Jul-07 | Wow this is long thread. I have just joined the forum. I am looking to buy a digital camera, I recently bought sony dsc-w80. However i am sending it back; reason being the pictures don't have sharp edges around the people but rather soft and blurry. Also peoples eyes come black in some of the pictures. Some pictures were great but the varability of 50% is not good enough. My previous camera Samsung Digimax 230 had good pictures 9/10 and they were always sharp. I am now looking for a camera which has the following features: 1) is compact (so i can put it in my pocket) 2) Shutter lag time is quick as possible 3) Takes sharp images 4) Has stabilisation (don't know how much this matters as i did not have this before). I was looking at the ixus 70 (sd1000) however it does not have image stabiliser and also the canon do not have battery status indicator. It is just that i might pick up the camera after couple of days and it might go dead after a while but if i knew the battrey was half full i would charge it up. I have read the above thread, i am sort of leaning towards canon still, but which is better ixus 70 or the canon 950is. Or do sony still have chance? |
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New member Username: Rohan_iiitcPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-07 | i am beginner in Cams. Can u please suggest me which is better Canon A550 or Sony W35. Price is not a constraint.I Just need a good picture quality and better movie clips. Just me the best me. Please mail me the feedback at rohan_iiitc@yahoo.co.in , plz mail me asap as i m going to buy the cam in nxt 2 days. Thanks |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 173 Registered: Mar-06 | Rohan, not sure if you've already made your purchase, but here are my observations: Overall picture quality is very good with either camera. Image sharpness seems about the same. The Sony is very quick between shots, especially with flash enabled. Colors seem slightly brighter than normal. Battery life is excellent. It is very well finished. The Canon is slow with flash turned on. Colors are natural. Battery life is OK with 2500 mAh rechargeables. These observations are based on several indoor shots in average light, with and without flash. In terms of picture quality, the only differentiating factor seems to be color. The Canon produces natural 'laid-back' colors while the Sony produces 'bright' impressive colors. I must point out though, that the difference may be noticeable only with a side by side comparison. |
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New member Username: BralauAmes, Iowa US Post Number: 1 Registered: Nov-07 | Please! Someone help me!!!! I wanna buy my first Digital Camera and I want it to be easy, with sharp and colorful image, small size and shutter lag. I'm in doubt between Sony Cyber-Shot DSC W55, Canon SD1000, Nikon L12 or Casio Exilium EX Z1000. Which one do you think has the best price value? |
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Platinum Member Username: WingmanaliveA pic is worth 1000 posts!! Post Number: 10871 Registered: Jun-06 | My Nikon works wonders for me. I love it. Just my 2 pennies. |
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Bronze Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 47 Registered: Oct-07 | So many sub-threads here. Yes, use a UV/Haze or Skylight filter. Good lens protection, especially outdoors. Little kids move fast and can finger a lens too quickly to stop 'em. so, too can fido with a nice, wet nose. My pro-level Canon has a choice of not only several color spaces.....SRGB / AdobeRGB but 'Saturated'.....like amateur color film or old Velvia slide film or Neutral, like pro level color film, Kodak NC160 or the equivelent Fuji. Pro level DSLRs usually don't apply as much in-camera sharpening as do entry/amateur cameras. My camera has 5 levels of internal sharpening, of which #5 is way too 'sharp' and can look weird. I shoot on 2 or 3, with more sharpening applied as needed in post. Canon sensors use CMOS technology while nearly everyone else uses CCD. The differency becomes more apparent at higher ISO's where the Canon DigicII processor demonstrates very good characteristics. I am not current on what Nikon is up to in this regard, but my 1DmkII produces startlingly clean images at ISO1600 in good light and very good results in dimmer light. I use the Canon 50mm f1.8 in these conditions. (ultra cheapo with great results). |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 174 Registered: Mar-06 | Laura, if your priorities are speed and a 'colorful' image, I'd recommend Sony W55 over the Nikon. I've seen pictures taken with Nikon compacts and they are superb, but the cameras were all slow. http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/nikon-coolpix-l12/4505-6501_7-32319122.h tml?tag=prod.txt.1 I have no experience with the SD1000. Casio cameras have not been reviewed favorably. The Sony, I know is blistering fast and produces 'colorful' images. You might also want to consider cameras with image stabilization. |
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New member Username: BralauAmes, Iowa US Post Number: 2 Registered: Nov-07 | Thank you Srinivas! So, considering 'image stabilization' too what would you recommend? |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 175 Registered: Mar-06 | The Sony W80 will probably give you results like the W55, except, it has image stabilization and costs about $200. http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Cybershot-DSCW80-Digital-Optical/dp/B000M4KXF6 Canon has the SD850 IS that is fast but costs ~$270. Canon A570 IS is inexpensive (~160) but has a painfully prolonged flash recharge time. If you're taking pictures outside or indoors with good light, all these cameras are excellent. I don't know what camera performs well indoors with low light. These are just a few suggestions to keep it simple. There are other makes out there (Panasonic, Fujifilm) and still more models from Canon and Sony. |
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New member Username: BralauAmes, Iowa US Post Number: 4 Registered: Nov-07 | Thank you! So, you still think Cyber-Shot DSC W80 has a better price value compared to Canon SD1000? I know Canon has better lens than Sony, I've also heard that Sony has more advertisement than quality. However, Sony is faster than Canon... |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 176 Registered: Mar-06 | In terms of picture quality and speed, I predict little difference between the two. I would choose the W80 because it offers image stabilization. If you're wary of making a choice, purchase from a seller with a good return policy. The differences you mention in lenses seems a lot more relevant in high zoom and SLR cameras. Most of the compact cameras I've seen are equally good or bad depending on the lighting conditions. Sony quality has dropped in some areas. An example being 'home theater audio systems'. However, the Sony camera I operated seemed well built. I also know of others that have been happy with their Sony cameras for a couple of years. Good luck with your purchase and let us know how it goes. |
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New member Username: BralauAmes, Iowa US Post Number: 5 Registered: Nov-07 | OK, I'll buy the W80 then...Thank you very much for your help! I'll let you know my opinion after some shoots! |
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New member Username: MaslSingapore Post Number: 1 Registered: Nov-07 | Can anyone tell me wats the difference between the IXUS and POWERSHOT range besides the external features and batt. Thanks!} |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 182 Registered: Mar-06 | Do you have specific models in mind? If not, try: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_Digital_IXUS |
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New member Username: EswarPost Number: 1 Registered: Nov-07 | Hi All, Thanks for all u r advices, by going through this thread, i got enough information to purchase a camera. but one more small clarification, Just tell me - in AA and Li-on batteries. Which one is better. and i want to know the Pros&Cons of best one. |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 183 Registered: Mar-06 | Li-ion batteries last for ~300 shots. AA alkaline batteries have very limited capacity to power digital cameras. AA rechargeable batteries don't last quite as long as Li-ions, but should still manage 100 to 200 pictures. The advantage with choosing a camera that runs AAs is that if you run out of charge, temporary batteries can be purchased nearly anywhere. Li-ions will require their charger and a power socket. Ultimately, I wouldn't let the battery issue influence my purchase. If the camera uses AAs, I'd get a charger and some 2500 mAh batteries. With Li-ions, I'd just make sure I have a full charge at the start of the day. If you're very concerned, get a spare battery... |
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New member Username: EswarPost Number: 2 Registered: Nov-07 | Thank you Srinivas. Hi Guys, Requesting for all of u r suggestions, Just have a look on my requirements, 1. Looking for more than 6x optical zoom (around 10x). 2. Mega pixels, for me just 2MP-4MP is more than enough, bcoz it doesn't make any difference as I am not going to print poster sized pictures. 3. Image Stabilization is must 4. Budget -- from 400 SGD to 600 SGD 5. important factors like response time, noise handling, lens quality, etc (I don't know much about these factors, but as per u r reviews, I thought of having them as well) 6. Memory card -- CompactFlash (Preferable - XD Memory cards), Camera should support 2GB or more 7. Actually I prefer, Li-on battery, but AA is also Ok, (if i am getting all above features, I will manage this) Selected cameras as per my investigation: 1. Canon PowerShot SX100 IS (Black) 2. Canon Powershot S3 IS Digital 3. Canon IXUS 70 4. Canon A550 By seeing this thread, I am sure I will get response... so thanks in advance… spare u r couple of minutes time for me. |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 185 Registered: Mar-06 | Canon A550 does not come with IS. A570 does. The IXUS 70 is probably called something else in the US market. The SX100 IS is a new model, isn't it? It seems to me the S3 IS meets all your requirements. However, most Canon point-and-shoot cameras use SD cards that are quite economical. 2GB should not be a problem. If you're buying an SDHC (high capacity) card, make sure the camera is compatible. |
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New member Username: EswarPost Number: 3 Registered: Nov-07 | hi, Thank you srinivas, Thanks for sparing u r time for me... Today also i did some more Reasearch on these models, finally decided two models, S5 IS and SX100... S5 is slightly above my budget, but if i look at features, both are alomost same (Gurus shld tell whether my opinion is correct or not)...so i am looking more towards Sx100 .... Expecting more user review comments on these... if any body know more about these or if some body purchased already, please share u r reviews... Regards Eswar.. |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 187 Registered: Mar-06 | I have no experience with the SX100, but judging by this review, it seems like a good buy: http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sx100-is/4505-6501_7-324 71277.html One thing to keep in mind is flash recharge time (~4 seconds). If that is not an issue for you, the SX100 should be good. |
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New member Username: CassilisPost Number: 3 Registered: Apr-07 | I just had a skim of this thread and thought I could add an 'objective' view. I am not a blogger or poster but in the increasingly digital era have started scanning what look like reliable opinion/review threads before doing things like making expensive purchases, booking hotels etc more to look for any hidden defects that may negate my instint. I used this site to decide between a Canon G7 and the Sony T100 (I think). I used to have a Sony W100 (again I think) for nearly two years and had no issues with it, took great pictures and I had many blown up to A4 and A3 size and mounted in my flat which most visitors comment on very positively. However after 18-24 months the battery/power driver gave up and no matter what batteries I put in it it would only last a couple of shots. No real problem I thought - lasted long enough and I was ready for something more grunty anyway. After looking around (including reading this thread) I got the G7 and have never looked back. Obvioulsy it is a different generation and beast than the Sony I owned, but I have to say that I cannot say a negative thing about it (whether that extends to all Canons I dont know but it is hard to find a bad word about Canon cameras). Even my girlfriend who is a graphic designer and has many work cameras at her disposal cannot keep her hands off it and asked to use my camera to shoot her portfolio. So I guess what I'm saying is, these guys (Berny and Chris) gave me good advice and from my research their advice is in line with most well-informed camera professionals. I actually (if anything) have a historical leaning towards Sony products being a minidisc baby and vaio fan (and posessor of sony memory sticks before buying the canon) but I have to say at least as far as cameras (and the G7) are concerned, Canon outperformed my expectations and I trust the regulars who contribute to this thread. |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 195 Registered: Mar-06 | Matthew, while I appreciate your inputs, they cannot be classified as 'objective'. |
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New member Username: SdyLondonLondon Post Number: 1 Registered: Jan-08 | help me people!!!! i can't decide between sony t200 and canon ixus 75. they are both great. Im studying architecture and so i need a descent camera to take images of buildings, my models etc and also social occasions too. i'd appreciate your help. thankyou. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 14424 Registered: Dec-03 | Read all the above and decide for yourself. |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 201 Registered: Mar-06 | sdy, Canon is the 'default' choice for camera purchases, unless you have a specific requirement. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 14528 Registered: Dec-03 | You'd think that people would get from reading the above discussion...oh wait...nevermind |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 202 Registered: Mar-06 | lol! I'll keep at it for a while longer... |
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New member Username: AureaPost Number: 1 Registered: Mar-08 | hi guys, please spare me all the jargon.. im not into professional photography. just want to know which pictures look better-the ones taken by a canon ixus 75 or a sony T20? Need your most objective answer please. Anybody please email me at b4_sunrise00@yahoo.com. Thanks a lot. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 15450 Registered: Dec-03 | You don't want any jargon? How about this...do your own research and make the comparisons for yourself and make the determination by using your own eyes. What looks good to you may not be the same for everybody else. What looks good to you? How do YOU determine a picture looks better than the other? Just get a camera you think you like and stick with it. |
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New member Username: FlyingleafPost Number: 4 Registered: Mar-08 | This is a long long debate. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 15475 Registered: Dec-03 | You think? |
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Silver Member Username: PukkaPost Number: 189 Registered: Aug-06 | berny or chris anybody: im trying to decide on either sd 750 or sd 850 is, above berny stated that sd 700 is a great choice cause of the image stabilization i think this model is unavailable in most shops, i was sold on the 850 IS, but somewhere else i read that the lens is different than most sd line and that close object were not pictured so clear with it, i am looking at the SD 750 too but i think it doesnt have the Image Stabilization feature and no viewfinder which i can live without it. could you give me your opinions or recomend me a third option please ? |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 15625 Registered: Dec-03 | Get the 850 IS...it is a great camera. I haven't seen any with lens problems. Don't worry too much about it. |
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Silver Member Username: PukkaPost Number: 190 Registered: Aug-06 | thnxs berny, i was second guessing cause of that detail. i am going to travel in a couple of months and i currently own a kodak easyshare Z730 takes standard good pics but its a brick to carry on beach vacation, and want to upgrade. ive never owned a canon but ive read and my boss has one that takes great pictures. thnxs again |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 15630 Registered: Dec-03 | No worries. People get too hung up on reviews. It is a good way to find out general views about the camera, but it is still up to the end user to determine its suitability. |
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Silver Member Username: Scorpio1PA USA Post Number: 116 Registered: Nov-07 | Pukka, I use a Nikon DSLR mostly, but when I want to take something to put in my pocket I choose the Canon 850. As Berny said, it is a great camera and very easy to use without reading manual IMO. |
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New member Username: BhuvanaGainesville, FL India - USA Post Number: 1 Registered: Jun-08 | Hi Berny, Chris, and Srinivas I am looking to buy a digital camera for my bro, who is an amateur photographer. The interest is to just take pictures and get a decent quality pictures at the max of 8*5 size. I was debating myself with Sony and Canon and decided to go for Canon. I would like to spend around 300 USD. Should I go for A series / SD series? Whats the diff between these two. I have Canon A650IS in mind? Do u have any suggestions Can you give me some suggestions really quick as I need to ship this camera real quick. Thanks in advance |