Digital Cameras.......Help Needed!

[speakerman39]

Folks, went to my local BB on Monday night to look at some of the new digital cameras. As it turns out, I came home with a Panasonic Lumix ZS8 that was on sale. In fact, I got the bundle which included a 4GB memory card, an extra battery, and a camera bag. Not bad if you ask me. However, I got home and took a closer look. The reviews on BB website were very good. No, they were down right impressive! Looking at other sites, I discovered there has been some issues with the Leicia lens not closing and such. As a result, I decided to take it back today.

Somehow, I came home with another camera that was also on sale. Did not even know BB had a bundle on it too. In fact, the price was EXACTLY the same. But, this time I bought a 2-year insurance plan which eases my fears some. Basically, I decided to go with a Canon Power Shot ELPH 300HS. All the reviews I could find were very favorable. There were a few that mentioned problems with the lens not retracting and such. That is why I decided to get the protection plan that cost me another $40.00. The bundle price was $190.00 plus tax and an additional $40.00 dollars for the insurance. Did I make a good decision? Is the Canon ELPH 300 HS a better camera than the Panasonic Lumix ZS8? Both were exactly the same price bundle wise. Both came with a 4GB memory card, extra battery, and a carrying case/bag.

So, if any of you know anything about these two specific cameras or knows a lot about digital cameras in general please help me. I have a Canon A570IS which is a 7.1 MP that takes great shots. The problem is the darn AA batteries. Thus, the A570 IS is a bit bulky, heavy, and uses up batteries rather quickly. I wanted something smaller, no AA batteries, and not so bulky or heavy. That is how I ended up with the Canon ELPH 300HS. The Panny was also a bit bulky, but better than the Canon A570IS. Please offer me some advice as it would be most appreciated. Thanks for your time.



Cheers,

Phil

PS: I am aware that the Leicia lens is better than the lens in the Canon ELPH 300 HS camera. No real need to explain that to me, unless it is that much better. Please keep that in mind.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

why get regular p&s then you could get a great rugger water proof p&s ??
Sony TX10 is on my very short list 'Compact Waterproof' Camera Group Test (Q3 2011) Review: 7. Sony Cybershot TX10: Digital Photography Review

 

[96cobra10101]

Get a Canon EOS Rebel and call it a day. Last camera you'll ever get.

 

[CaliHwyPatrol]

Get a Canon EOS Rebel and call it a day. Last camera you'll ever get.

He wants something small, so a DSLR isn't the right answer.

The only point and shoot I personally would ever get is the Canon G12. You get most of the DSLR versatility in a P&S size. It has a decent sensor that handles low light well, and has the ability to be completely manual, which allows you to tailor your shots to any way you like. Or, if you feel like being lazy, auto mode will get you those quick snapshots. It is also one of the last remaining P&S that still has a view finder. The articulating screen is also very useful for self portraits, low angle, or whatever your imagination can come up with. The HD video it records is also very quality for those moments when a picture isn't enough.

However if you want something more compact, but still want to retain some of those features, look at the Canon S95. It has the same sensor as the G12, but you don't get the articulating screen and no view finder. It is much smaller though, so good for the person on the go who doesn't want to carry the bulkier camera.

The sensor in these cameras is FAR superior than the cheaper P&S models. If you want versatility and quality then this is realistically the least I would spend on a camera. Otherwise you're just cheating yourself.

 

[darien87]

I haven't used my Canon EOS in a couple of years, but I just can't get myself to spend the HUGE dough required for a digital SLR. We were at Costco the other day and I think the cheapest one I saw was $800!!!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I haven't used my Canon EOS in a couple of years, but I just can't get myself to spend the HUGE dough required for a digital SLR. We were at Costco the other day and I think the cheapest one I saw was $800!!!

I bought my Nikon D40 kit for $400 - and trust me - It takes much better images than any prosumer p&s like S95 , granted it's bigger ...

Sony TX10 is pretty small camera and does fit most pockets. The quality of static images is of-course lower than any DSLR, Micro 4:3rds or even prosumer S95 and likes, but it's better than any mobile phone camera and it's waterproof (up to 16ft). It does great hd video and excellent panoramic shots function.

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/27545057?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;color=3f67ac" width="400" height="226" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p>Sony Cybershot TX10 - Underwater Test from dpreview videos on Vimeo.</p>

 

[speakerman39]

Thanks guys for your replies. I think for the time being, I am going to just take it back to BB for a full refund. My Canon A570IS still takes great pics so why even bother changing right now-right? There just seems to be some problems with the lenses on the new p&s cameras today. That is, many are not being made like they used to be. Probably, because of the way the economy has been for the last few years. Just don't see myself paying over $200 for a p&s camera when there are so many problems with them. Likewise, I can NOT afford a digital slr right now either. As such, I am just going to use my A570 IS for now. Thanks guys for offering me great advice.



Cheers,

Phil

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Nikon D40 6.1 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Kit w/ 18-55mm Lens) (12345557996) | eBay

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/d40-performance.htm

 

[speakerman39]

Nikon D40 6.1 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Kit w/ 18-55mm Lens) (12345557996) | eBay

Nikon D40 Performance

Thanks for the links, but I never buy used. Especially, for that kind of money. I am sure it is a good buy, but I will just use my A570 IS for the time being.



Cheers,

Phil

 

[MidnightSensi2]

He wants something small, so a DSLR isn't the right answer.

The only point and shoot I personally would ever get is the Canon G12. You get most of the DSLR versatility in a P&S size. It has a decent sensor that handles low light well, and has the ability to be completely manual, which allows you to tailor your shots to any way you like. Or, if you feel like being lazy, auto mode will get you those quick snapshots. It is also one of the last remaining P&S that still has a view finder. The articulating screen is also very useful for self portraits, low angle, or whatever your imagination can come up with. The HD video it records is also very quality for those moments when a picture isn't enough.

However if you want something more compact, but still want to retain some of those features, look at the Canon S95. It has the same sensor as the G12, but you don't get the articulating screen and no view finder. It is much smaller though, so good for the person on the go who doesn't want to carry the bulkier camera.

The sensor in these cameras is FAR superior than the cheaper P&S models. If you want versatility and quality then this is realistically the least I would spend on a camera. Otherwise you're just cheating yourself.

I was about to type the exact same reply. Agree completely on your suggestions.

 

[jonnythan]

The 300 HS is a great little budget camera, though it doesn't seem to do anything better than the cheaper 100 HS. Regardless, it's rad. It has a high-sensitivity CMOS sensor that's flat-out the best in the price class.

As for something like the pricey G12, meh. I have a DSLR and a 100 HS. People who buy high-end P&S cameras thinking they're getting something close to a DSLR are kidding themselves. The G12 and the like have pretty much the exact same small sensors as the $150 cameras and optics that are only marginally better. There's no optical viewfinder, no lens interchangeability, no APS-C or larger sensors (which you need for low-noise high-iso shooting) and "manual controls" are kind of a pointless joke. A $400 point and shoot camera doesn't really get you anything more DSLR-like than a budget point and shoot - what it generally does buy you is some better features (like longer video recording, higher FPS still image shooting, etc).

For well-lit situations, you can get almost identical quality from a $150 point and shoot as you can from a $1500 DSLR. The main advantages of a DSLR are manual control, lenses, and that big sensor. Expensive PNS cameras don't get you any of this.

I highly recommend that people stick to compact PNS cameras, generally by Canon, Nikon, and Samsung. Only spend more money for better high-ISO performance and features you really want. High-ISO performance is, IMO, far and away the #1 thing people should look at. When taking pictures indoors, shooting low-noise at ISO 1600 is a godsend.

 

[MidnightSensi2]

Maybe we have a different definition of budget, but for under 400 bucks you can get a g12. I mean, I consider a Leica or something to be a 'high end' or more of a luxury item.

G12 has a viewfinder, a biggie for me, shoots RAW (yeah, for snapshots who cares, but memory is cheap now and if you or the camera screw up the white balance its nice) and also the optics are more than marginally better. Also the flash is farther from the lens, which even that little bit makes a difference, plus offers rear curtain sync for indoors which is also a big help. I mean, for the extra weight I want those sorts of things.

That said, for a point and shoot I just use my iPhone 4s. LOL. Upload to Facebook right there, mess with it in apps, whatever. To me I'm very casual about that kind of shooting.

My point and shoot is a iPhone and my camera is a Canon 5D Mk. II lol.

The 300 HS is a great little budget camera, though it doesn't seem to do anything better than the cheaper 100 HS. Regardless, it's rad. It has a high-sensitivity CMOS sensor that's flat-out the best in the price class.

As for something like the pricey G12, meh. I have a DSLR and a 100 HS. People who buy high-end P&S cameras thinking they're getting something close to a DSLR are kidding themselves. The G12 and the like have pretty much the exact same small sensors as the $150 cameras and optics that are only marginally better. There's no optical viewfinder, no lens interchangeability, no APS-C or larger sensors (which you need for low-noise high-iso shooting) and "manual controls" are kind of a pointless joke. A $400 point and shoot camera doesn't really get you anything more DSLR-like than a budget point and shoot - what it generally does buy you is some better features (like longer video recording, higher FPS still image shooting, etc).

For well-lit situations, you can get almost identical quality from a $150 point and shoot as you can from a $1500 DSLR. The main advantages of a DSLR are manual control, lenses, and that big sensor. Expensive PNS cameras don't get you any of this.

I highly recommend that people stick to compact PNS cameras, generally by Canon, Nikon, and Samsung. Only spend more money for better high-ISO performance and features you really want. High-ISO performance is, IMO, far and away the #1 thing people should look at. When taking pictures indoors, shooting low-noise at ISO 1600 is a godsend.

 

[jonnythan]

The G12 has a viewfinder, but it's not through the lens. The viewfinder has its own optical system, which makes it more or less pointless.

 

[speakerman39]

Thanks for the info guys. But, for the time being I am just going to use my Canon A570IS as it takes great pics! However, I am looking at one other camera as we speak. Might even go buy it very soon. Still doing my research on it. Want to make a well informed decision. So far, I like what I am reading.



Cheers,

Phil