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Best Cannon for the Price??
- Thread starter ciberguy
- Start date
Bg357243619
Forum Enthusiast
Not knowing what exactly what you're looking for in a camera makes recommendations a little dicey but here goes.
Overall, Swiss Army Digicam is the S1 IS, giving you a 10X zoom, image stabilization, and excellent video capability. It can be purchased online for under $320 incl. shipping.
Some people are put off by the fact that it's only 3mp but it's still a great value. If you feel the need for more megapixels then perhaps the 5mp A95 would be a good choice. It's $275-300 online and has lots of great features but none of the previously mentioned S1 advantages.
If you want a wider angle option for landscapes, you might be able to find an S60 for around $350 but I don't really like it's other limitations. It just depends entirely on your needs.
I hope this was somewhat helpful.
Overall, Swiss Army Digicam is the S1 IS, giving you a 10X zoom, image stabilization, and excellent video capability. It can be purchased online for under $320 incl. shipping.
Some people are put off by the fact that it's only 3mp but it's still a great value. If you feel the need for more megapixels then perhaps the 5mp A95 would be a good choice. It's $275-300 online and has lots of great features but none of the previously mentioned S1 advantages.
If you want a wider angle option for landscapes, you might be able to find an S60 for around $350 but I don't really like it's other limitations. It just depends entirely on your needs.
I hope this was somewhat helpful.
Martin H. Schwartz
Well-known member
If you are really looking for a bargain, check out the A510. It can be purchased for under $200 and has gotten excelent reviews all over the internet. It is 3MP, has a 4X zoom, uses 2 AA batteries, complete manual control as well as scene modes and full auto. It is said to take excellent pictures.
I was just in Amazon.com looking around and noticed that the Nikon Coolpix 5400, normal price is $500, but has a mail in Rebate for $200. Price after rebate is $300. It reads that the camera must be purchased by 03/3/2005 and the rebate must be postmarked by 04/30/2005. The Nikon Coolpix 5400 has a focal length range of 5.8 mm to 24mm, the 4x optical zoom is equivalent to a 28-116mm lens on a 35mm camera. So it looks as though it is a good one for Landscape photography. You might want to check with the folks in the Nikon forum as to the quality of this camera.
Other than the Nikon 5400 as stated above, the only ones I can think of that would be a good overall camera would be the Canon A95 or the new Canon A510/520.
Ron
Other than the Nikon 5400 as stated above, the only ones I can think of that would be a good overall camera would be the Canon A95 or the new Canon A510/520.
Ron
Bg357243619
Forum Enthusiast
The Nikon 5400 w/ rebate is quite a deal right now but as much as I'd like to, I don't recommend it too much.
It looks great on paper and it's a nice looking camera. It is capable of taking excellent images. Unfortunately, I use one at work and I hate it for a number of reasons.
1. It's extremely slow in operation & shot to shot times are painfully slow. At 5mp, after the shot it freezes momentarily as the display blinks to black and then back on. (Think of a poorly running car that almost dies every time you come to a stop. It sputters and you swear it's gonna die but it somehow doesn't.) It's like that, it really inspires confidence.
2. It isn't very ergonomic and it's downright counterintuitive at times. It has a really nice grip but because of it's control layout it's hard to make adjustments without breaking your grip. The "command dial" is a constant annoyance. The camera responds 1-2 steps behind the dial, causing you to overadjust or wait for the camera to catch up. It operates exactly opposite to what you would expect so you're always going the wrong way and by the time the camera registers the adjustment you're way off and then have to go twice as far the other way... I'm getting irritated just describing it! =) It only has a few buttons so most of them are multifunctional, which can be confusing. Most adjustments must be accessed through onscreen menus which further slows things down.
3. It tends to underexpose so you have to stay on top of the exposure control. In macro mode the flash doesn't throttle down enough so it'll overexpose, and not just a little so you'll get really familiar with the exposure control. You have to hold a rather unhandy button down while you're spinning the command dial the wrong direction... =)
4. Except for macro use, the onboard flash is rather weak. We use an external flash for our purposes. It's very top heavy with an external flash but it gets the job done.
5. It seems to zip through batteries, although less now with the external flash.
6. I like to shoot thru the viewfinder leaving the LCD folded in/closed but there isn't an informational display showing current settings so you have to use the LCD to make adjustments or check settings so you might as well use it for framing as well.
7. The LCD is small and seems dim, dull & grainy to me. It does have brightness and other adjustment controls but they only do so much. My personal camera has the same size LCD but it doesn't seem nearly so small. This may be because I don't use it all the time for framing & settings adjustment. Go figure.
8. It has a lousy video mode, if that's of any interest to you.
Other than that, it's a great choice =) I don't want to tear it apart because it does take very nice images. It has great WB adjustability. It's very light weight for it's size. You can't beat the current price.
Many owners over on the Nikon board just love it. I think there are two reasons for this.
1. These are previous Nikon owners so they're familiar with Nikon's operational idiosyncrasies.
2. They don't have any previous experience so they don't know any better, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. =) If I didn't have expectations based on previous experience, I would probably have a very different view of this camera.
I think Ron meant to post that it must be purchased by 3/31/05, as those are the terms of the rebate. You can find the 5400 online for around $450 so it's only $250 after the rebate.
It looks great on paper and it's a nice looking camera. It is capable of taking excellent images. Unfortunately, I use one at work and I hate it for a number of reasons.
1. It's extremely slow in operation & shot to shot times are painfully slow. At 5mp, after the shot it freezes momentarily as the display blinks to black and then back on. (Think of a poorly running car that almost dies every time you come to a stop. It sputters and you swear it's gonna die but it somehow doesn't.) It's like that, it really inspires confidence.
2. It isn't very ergonomic and it's downright counterintuitive at times. It has a really nice grip but because of it's control layout it's hard to make adjustments without breaking your grip. The "command dial" is a constant annoyance. The camera responds 1-2 steps behind the dial, causing you to overadjust or wait for the camera to catch up. It operates exactly opposite to what you would expect so you're always going the wrong way and by the time the camera registers the adjustment you're way off and then have to go twice as far the other way... I'm getting irritated just describing it! =) It only has a few buttons so most of them are multifunctional, which can be confusing. Most adjustments must be accessed through onscreen menus which further slows things down.
3. It tends to underexpose so you have to stay on top of the exposure control. In macro mode the flash doesn't throttle down enough so it'll overexpose, and not just a little so you'll get really familiar with the exposure control. You have to hold a rather unhandy button down while you're spinning the command dial the wrong direction... =)
4. Except for macro use, the onboard flash is rather weak. We use an external flash for our purposes. It's very top heavy with an external flash but it gets the job done.
5. It seems to zip through batteries, although less now with the external flash.
6. I like to shoot thru the viewfinder leaving the LCD folded in/closed but there isn't an informational display showing current settings so you have to use the LCD to make adjustments or check settings so you might as well use it for framing as well.
7. The LCD is small and seems dim, dull & grainy to me. It does have brightness and other adjustment controls but they only do so much. My personal camera has the same size LCD but it doesn't seem nearly so small. This may be because I don't use it all the time for framing & settings adjustment. Go figure.
8. It has a lousy video mode, if that's of any interest to you.
Other than that, it's a great choice =) I don't want to tear it apart because it does take very nice images. It has great WB adjustability. It's very light weight for it's size. You can't beat the current price.
Many owners over on the Nikon board just love it. I think there are two reasons for this.
1. These are previous Nikon owners so they're familiar with Nikon's operational idiosyncrasies.
2. They don't have any previous experience so they don't know any better, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. =) If I didn't have expectations based on previous experience, I would probably have a very different view of this camera.
I think Ron meant to post that it must be purchased by 3/31/05, as those are the terms of the rebate. You can find the 5400 online for around $450 so it's only $250 after the rebate.
Thanks for the follow up....I am taking my son to Hawaii for college graduation, so I will be in all kinds of light conditions / day and night / and taking landscape and portrait and action shots. I have been a Cannon ELAN owner for years and still love my 35 SLR..but now need to get into the digital world...and I first thought of Cannon .
I saw the A95 on the net for under 300....but now I will look at the S1 because of the other features...mega pix isnt evertyhing I'm told.
I saw the A95 on the net for under 300....but now I will look at the S1 because of the other features...mega pix isnt evertyhing I'm told.
Bg357243619
Forum Enthusiast
As a longtime SLR user trying digital for the first time, I can tell you that you'll probably be very disappointed in a couple of things.
1. AF speed or lack thereof. You will have the most trouble with the S1 towards the end of it's zoom and in very low light. I'm sure the A95 will be similiar but because it doesn't have the long zoom it might not as noticeable.
2. Shutter lag. I only mention this because it seems to be such an issue for first time users. I have NEVER had a problem with this because I always prefocus with a half press of the shutter before I take a shot. Apparently, others just snap the shutter all the way right at the point they want the picture and then the camera has to lock focus and take the shot. This can take .7 - .9 seconds depending on the camera and the conditions so it's quite the lag. If you prefocus, the shutter lag is only .078sec. on the S1. The A95 has a shutter lag of only .09sec. after prefocus so they're very close.
You can try these out in the store and try to get some impression of what you'll have to get used to but the stores are so well lit that you probably won't get a totally accurate representation of each camera's ability.
Once you decide which ones you're interested in I would recommend you buy one locally from a retailer that will give you no trouble with a return/refund and try it out at home for a couple of days. You will then know what you're dealing with without having to order one, pay for shipping, and then pay for return shipping if you're disappointed. You can always return the one you bought locally at a premium price and order a bargain off the internet.
You certainly don't want to buy one of these right before you leave on your trip, you'll have fits trying to get your shots that would have been simple with an SLR.
1. AF speed or lack thereof. You will have the most trouble with the S1 towards the end of it's zoom and in very low light. I'm sure the A95 will be similiar but because it doesn't have the long zoom it might not as noticeable.
2. Shutter lag. I only mention this because it seems to be such an issue for first time users. I have NEVER had a problem with this because I always prefocus with a half press of the shutter before I take a shot. Apparently, others just snap the shutter all the way right at the point they want the picture and then the camera has to lock focus and take the shot. This can take .7 - .9 seconds depending on the camera and the conditions so it's quite the lag. If you prefocus, the shutter lag is only .078sec. on the S1. The A95 has a shutter lag of only .09sec. after prefocus so they're very close.
You can try these out in the store and try to get some impression of what you'll have to get used to but the stores are so well lit that you probably won't get a totally accurate representation of each camera's ability.
Once you decide which ones you're interested in I would recommend you buy one locally from a retailer that will give you no trouble with a return/refund and try it out at home for a couple of days. You will then know what you're dealing with without having to order one, pay for shipping, and then pay for return shipping if you're disappointed. You can always return the one you bought locally at a premium price and order a bargain off the internet.
You certainly don't want to buy one of these right before you leave on your trip, you'll have fits trying to get your shots that would have been simple with an SLR.
Once again..you're right on..
I'm not going to be too concerned with the zoom feature; at this end of the price spectrum...I would expect to get high noise and grainy pics with the 10X...even usin g a lower film. ; the stabilization feature does seems to be something I'd like to research a bit more.
I will take my time buying this digicam...I still have my good ole Elan with several lens options in my bag..and several more rolls of film to burn. (and I know what results to expect)
The small size and the point & shoot option is attrative as a back up, however!...Then I could pass it along to the son as a gift...That's a thought...
Then I could invest is a high end Cannon & continue using the EOS lens features....may have to consider this option now...that 20D looks appealing.
I'm not going to be too concerned with the zoom feature; at this end of the price spectrum...I would expect to get high noise and grainy pics with the 10X...even usin g a lower film. ; the stabilization feature does seems to be something I'd like to research a bit more.
I will take my time buying this digicam...I still have my good ole Elan with several lens options in my bag..and several more rolls of film to burn. (and I know what results to expect)
The small size and the point & shoot option is attrative as a back up, however!...Then I could pass it along to the son as a gift...That's a thought...
Then I could invest is a high end Cannon & continue using the EOS lens features....may have to consider this option now...that 20D looks appealing.
Robert Hoffman
Senior Member
Awfully hard to pass up the S410, which can be purchased for less
than $250. Great image qualiy, compact, and very easy to use.
Robert
--
'Don't sneak up on it - surround it'
GarySloman
Well-known member
My S1 is my first digital camera and I am loving it. I dabbled with film many years ago. The S1 takes some getting used to, but once you understand it, it is indeed a Swiss army knife of a device. Regarding noise, the 10X zoom is an optical zoom, so it has no effect (at least that I can see) on the amount of noise. The S1 is noise free at ISO 50 has some noise at 100 and is pretty poor after that. With the IS, you can really shoot at 10X zoom with a slow shutter speed with no noitcable shake.
Follow the previous advise about taking home a camera, before you make a final decision. There are many differences from film, most good, some bad, that you will have to learn about.
Good luck in your choice, and enjly your trip.
Follow the previous advise about taking home a camera, before you make a final decision. There are many differences from film, most good, some bad, that you will have to learn about.
Good luck in your choice, and enjly your trip.
SamK2
Leading Member
Since you mention landscapes, I would have to say the S60. It is the only Canon under $350 that has a wide angle lens. If you had a bit more to spend, I would say the S70.
These cameras give you many advanced features, superb photo quality, and still fit in a shirt pocket.
With an adapter, you can stretch the focal length to the equivalent of an ultra-wide 19mm:
http://ca.geocities.com/knopflersam/CanonS70.htm
These cameras give you many advanced features, superb photo quality, and still fit in a shirt pocket.
With an adapter, you can stretch the focal length to the equivalent of an ultra-wide 19mm:
http://ca.geocities.com/knopflersam/CanonS70.htm
Jonathan Foster
Member
At B&H Photo/Video, they have A95's from $300.00 to $350.00. (I've got one myself and I like it!)
Jonathan
--
Come visit me at Photobucket.com
Go to...
http://photobucket.com/albums/v669/jfoster483862/
and click on Canon A95!
Jonathan
--
Come visit me at Photobucket.com
Go to...
http://photobucket.com/albums/v669/jfoster483862/
and click on Canon A95!
Jonathan Foster
Member
Hint: Look at the left of most Canon Talk pages. There you might find your camera.
Jonathan
--
Come visit me at Photobucket.com
Go to...
http://photobucket.com/albums/v669/jfoster483862/
and click on Canon A95!
Jonathan
--
Come visit me at Photobucket.com
Go to...
http://photobucket.com/albums/v669/jfoster483862/
and click on Canon A95!
MrForgetable
Forum Enthusiast
Where can I find an S60 for under 350 dollars?
Can't go wrong with either an S70, S60 or an A95. they are all very versatile and pocketable. If you want to be Mr.Bond, then the Digital Elphs or IXUS are good too.
Pics taken with A95
http://alwinsphotos.fotopic.net/
--Where can I find an S60 for under 350 dollars?
Pics taken with A95
http://alwinsphotos.fotopic.net/
David Gard
Senior Member
http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.asp?ref=cnet&sku=CNPSS60
Dave Gard
http://www.pbase.com/gard
--Where can I find an S60 for under 350 dollars?
Dave Gard
http://www.pbase.com/gard
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