Hey guys, I am in the market for a new digital camera. I currently use the Canon SD1400 and while I like that it’s really compact, the image stabilization just isn’t so good. I want another compact digital camera – still not ready to go SLR yet just because I like something more portable – and here are some that I’m looking at. Does anyone have thoughts on any of these, or can recommend other ones? I noticed that the S95 has gotten a lot of positive reviews but it has been out for almost a year. Is there an upgrade to that coming out anytime soon? Canon S95 – http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-S95-Stabilized-3-0-Inch/dp/B003ZSHNGS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310480613&sr=8-1 Canon G12 (seems to be a better camera than S95 but might be too chunky to carry in pocket) – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041RSPRS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER Nikon CoolPix P300 – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M8SVGG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=AE78PB5T4N73S
I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these choices. But regarding S95 refreshes: apparently, S95 updates were announced on 8/19/2009 and 8/19/2010. So, it appears that it does run on a 1-year refresh cycle. You might want to wait until August and see what happens. http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1147285
I look to Steve’s Digicams for all my digital camera reviews. http://www.steves-digicams.com/ I abandoned compacts a couple of years ago in favor of a Canon 40D SLR or just my phone.
ohai, thanks for the observation about the 95 updates. I might hold out till August to see what happens. higgmond, thanks for the link to Steve’s Digicams. I may not end up needing a compact camera if I can get a phone with a decent camera on it. I currently have a Blackberry Bold and the camera is awful.
higg has a great point…high end smartphones are being released with 8MP cameras …apart from Image stabilizing i cant see the need to carry a cell phone and a compact…if u want professional pics then u should go dslr …the canon rebel line is pretty good.
Actually, I agree that if you’re thinking about getting both a new phone and a new compact camera, a phone with a good camera is a decent alternative. The added benefit is that you will always have the camera with you. As for DSLRs… that’s a pretty big decision and in my opinion, warrants a lot of thought. If you’re going that route, you should be prepared to spend a considerable amount of effort learning about photography. People with DSLRs but no real photography skills are basically douchebags. I would not use any Blackberry camera as a benchmark. Those things suck balls.
^That’s me. I have canon T2i and still struggling to capture classy shots. Numi, u can wait till sept and buy iphone 5 or 4s whatever they r gonna call it. It is coming with a good camera. Or if u change ur mind to buy dslr, let me tell u that u have to buy a couple of good lens separately and a big backpack to carry all of them.
smuggycfa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ^That’s me. I have canon T2i and still struggling > to capture classy shots. > > Numi, u can wait till sept and buy iphone 5 or 4s > whatever they r gonna call it. It is coming with a > good camera. Or if u change ur mind to buy dslr, > let me tell u that u have to buy a couple of good > lens separately and a big backpack to carry all of > them. hard to capture classy shots when ur nude bent over winking
smuggycfa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Or if u change ur mind to buy dslr, > let me tell u that u have to buy a couple of good > lens separately and a big backpack to carry all of > them. The lenses can get pretty expensive, but you can usually get good deals on used lenses at a decent camera shop, eBay, or even Craigslist. You generally know which lenses you’re going to need when you leave the house. It’s not like you’ll need your 800mm supertelephoto at your college roommate’s wedding or your 50mm macro on an African safari. You can also rent the really sick lenses.
I bought a Panasonic Lumix TZ10 - was top of the list for positive reviews on Amazon. Great camera.
Guys, thanks for the advice on camera selection. I think I will wait before purchasing a DSLR – a point and shoot digital will be good till I have the time to really read up about photography. My main purpose for the camera is because I like to take high-quality photos when I travel, but also put a lot of a premium on portability. It sounds like a top-line compact digital camera is what I need at this time.
> I look to Steve’s Digicams for all my digital camera reviews. +1 > high end smartphones are being released with 8MP cameras not all pixels are created the same. the basic physics here dictates that photo quality increases with sensor size. no phone camera will compete with a dedicated camera. (and don’t get me started on flash, etc.) > but might be too chunky to carry in pocket The “best” camera is the one you have with you. It all depends on your shooting style. There’s a whole lot to be said for a slim, pocketable camera. If you’re not producing 11x13 enlargements than any $100 camera these days (pick one that’s a generation or two old, you won’t notice the differences and will save 2/3 of the price) will have more than enough resolution for you. I’m a fan of the Powershot A480, A490 series: decent sensor, $75 (or less) new, and they take AA batteries so you don’t need to worry about running dry when you’re away from the charger.
I’m an avid wildlife photographer in my spare time. A couple things to keep in mind when purchasing your first SLR: Many of the more affordable SLRs have the same image sensor as the higher end camera’s but rely more on a software menu system as opposed to dedicated buttons on the camera body to adjust exposure etc. If you don’t mind working through a menu system which is slightly more time consuming, the less expensive body will leave more cash leftover for glass - and you’ll need it. Don’t let a review site pick your camera for you. Go into a proper camera store and play with the possible cameras in your price range. At this point in time, the difference in quality between Canon and Nikon bodies is negligible at the entry SLR level so pick whichever one has a menu system that is most intuitive to you. Walk through the types of exposure, white balance, autofocus etc adjustments you will be making on a regular basis and see what makes the most sense to you. Invest in good glass. This will cost loads of cash but be well worth it. I’d use the camera for a couple months with the kit lens and figure out how you think you’ll be using it most of the time before buying more lenses. Buying a 300mm lense right out of the gate because you think you want to take pics of birds only to realize that you really like shooting macro is an expensive mistake. This might sounds silly, but I’ve seen lots of guys do this. Buy a good book (magic lantern, for dummies etc) to help learn all about your new camera. This will help avoid massive frustration when you start using it.
I bought a Canon PowerShot SX130-IS Black 12.1MP Digital Camera w/ 12x Optical Zoom, 3.0" LCD Display and took it to a European trip. We loved the way the pics came out and the huge zoom is awesome. I was in the same bought…didnt want to go SLR as carrying that around would have been quite the exercise. Especially at night when you are just walking to dinner. But that’s just me.