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Canon or Panasonic

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sunishower

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I could really use some help here. I've been at this computer for two WEEKS researching digital camera and I'm really in a bind and would love some help.

I am currently debating between two cameras. The Panasonic FZ18 has an 18X optical zoom and (from what I understand) the best lens. The Canon S515 comes from long line of highly rated cameras. It has zoom in the movie mode (where panasonic does not). The Canan has face detection but I'm not sure if the FZ18 does.

I am a stay at home Mom who is buying the camera to take awesome pictures of my only baby. She swims and I would like to get some good close ups. I will also use the camera for other things... mostly family. I like to have "options" because it is my nature to pick up new "hobbies". I'm sure, after using the camera for awhile, I will tire of the auto mode and start to play around with other things.

So, my main problem.... I really, really, reallly wish that the Panasonic had the zoom in movie mode....how nice it would be to film movies... you know those "oh, I should have brought the recorder" moments. If this were the case, my decision would be clear cut Panaxonic due to the zoom and the lens.

Oh, please help me!
 
The only Panasonics that have zoom in movie mode are the FZ30 and FZ50.

All of the Panasonic cameras take superb still images (just look around the forum here!), but aren't anything special in movie mode. If you really really need zoom while shooting, you'll either want to go Canon or get a FZ50.

Canons are reputed to have other features (different compression, I think? Stereo sound?) that improves movie quality. If you're going to do a lot of movies, you probably want to go Canon.
 
Yesss, the Panasonic FZ18 has face detection - up to 15 (fifteen!) faces are recognized!

If you read the tests of the canon, you will mention, that the noise of the canon starts at 100 - 200 iso - really no noise with panasonic at these iso.

videos? Zoom in to the object you are filming and then take your film.
Do you really need to zoom in and out during filming?

I did some videos at an icehockey game, first zoomed at the team, the started recording.
Great clear scenes, even at my 19' monitor.
The canon has stereo sound- the pany only has mono sound.

Do you want a hifi-center or a cam ? :-)

I also had to decide between canon s5is (I liked it for the flipable screen and the extra flash-shoe) and the pany18.
But after comparing the pictures and the handling, I chose the pan18!

its your own choice!
--
Greetings from Austria!
Arnold, on his way with Panny efzed18 and still loving it!
 
Thank you for the info about the zoom. I never thought of that and I guess I thought you couldn't zoom at all. As you can probably tell, I'm very new with all this. But, if I can zoom before the movie, that helps my decision. First and foremost I want great pictures. Second, I want the most for my money. Hmmm, you make me think the pany is the way to go.
 
Oh No,

Now I'm all confused again because on this link, the canon looks like the better camera overall.
 
why got confused?

At the second detail (step3) you can see, that the picture of panasonic ist still sharper and more detailled than the (right sided) S5

Also have a look at the "video extract" (availlable under step3) -
pany is sharper!
--
Greetings from Austria!
Arnold, on his way with Panny efzed18 and still loving it!
 
sunishower said:
I could really use some help here. I've been at this computer for
two WEEKS researching digital camera and I'm really in a bind and
would love some help.

I am currently debating between two cameras. The Panasonic FZ18 has
an 18X optical zoom and (from what I understand) the best lens. The
Canon S515 comes from long line of highly rated cameras. It has zoom
in the movie mode (where panasonic does not). The Canan has face
detection but I'm not sure if the FZ18 does.

I am a stay at home Mom who is buying the camera to take awesome
pictures of my only baby. She swims and I would like to get some
good close ups. I will also use the camera for other things...
mostly family. I like to have "options" because it is my nature to
pick up new "hobbies". I'm sure, after using the camera for awhile,
I will tire of the auto mode and start to play around with other
things.

So, my main problem.... I really, really, reallly wish that the
Panasonic had the zoom in movie mode....how nice it would be to film
movies... you know those "oh, I should have brought the recorder"
moments. If this were the case, my decision would be clear cut
Panaxonic due to the zoom and the lens.

Oh, please help me!
Click to expand...
As much as I like the Panasonic superzoom. For a family, I think the Canon will suit you much better.

1) the video mode is superior on the S5, not only the zoom, but the sound (high quality stereo) and the ability to take pictures DURING the video. It also has a dedicated button for starting video right away. Last AVI files are much easier to manipulate, especially if you have a PC.
2) The vari-angle LCD is very useful to take candids shots.

3) The hot shoe let you put a good external flash. Indoor this will make your pictures WAYYYY better and avoid the dreaded red eyes.
4) It's much faster for zooming and auto-focus than the Panasonic

5) I saw the screen and it's better than the FZ8 which I have, I don't think the FZ18 improved on that.

Now no camera is not perfect, the EVF on the S5 is inferior, the picture quality may be slightly worse (albeit the noise reduction on the Canon is much better) but you will have to look closely to notice it especially for familly shots. And of course it doesnt have the monster 18X zoom which is especially useful at the wide end. The burst mode is slower and it uses AA battery which I dislike but some people actually prefer them.
 
sunishower said:
Oh No,
Now I'm all confused again because on this link, the canon looks like
the better camera overall.
Click to expand...
It's true than the Panasonic have an edge on picture quality. But to be honest you have to look at 100% to notice it. The S5 and FZ18 are in the same league, the difference is tiny unless you pixel peep (or use a big magnifying loupe). If you want a really big improvement in image quality look at an entry level DSLR like the Pentax K100D or the Nikon D40. The differences between cameras like the S5 and the FZ18 resolve more around the features than the image quality itself IMVHO.
 
ManuH said:
1) the video mode is superior on the S5, not only the zoom, but the
sound (high quality stereo) and the ability to take pictures DURING
the video.
Click to expand...
There is absolutely no quarreling with that fact!
ManuH said:
2) The vari-angle LCD is very useful to take candids shots.
Click to expand...
It is. The FZ18 has a High Angle Mode. You can turn it upside down and use it as a low angle mode (the cameras orientation sensor adjusts the image). It certainly is not as versatile as a Swivel LCD, but it is useful.
ManuH said:
3) The hot shoe let you put a good external flash. Indoor this will
make your pictures WAYYYY better and avoid the dreaded red eyes.
Click to expand...
That's true, especially if you take a lot of inside photos. A decent external flash can be expensive though.
ManuH said:
5) I saw the screen and it's better than the FZ8 which I have, I
don't think the FZ18 improved on that.
Click to expand...
The FZ18 has a very good LCD. And the Electronic Viewfinder is excellent; I suspect one of the best on the market. One of the reasons I held off buying a S3 or S5 was because I didn't see any improvement of the EVF over the S2. I really did not like it on the S2; it seemed too dark.

My blog compares my experiences with both the S2 and the FZ18; and why I chose the FZ18 over a S Series camera. If you care to take a peek, it is here:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/9/fz18-s2.php

As someone pointed out, the S3 or S5 may better serve your needs. Both the Canon and Pany are excellent cameras; I honestly don't think you can go wrong with either.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany FZ18 & TZ3; Canon S2, SD700 & A570; Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
 
gail - Lets answer neutral to your 5 points:

1) stereo beats mono - okay

With Pany you also can create still pictures from a motion picture (page 92 engl. manual)
you can take up to 9 screens out of the video to control a movement (eg. golf)
have a look at the manual:
http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/DMCFZ18.PDF

2) vary angle is okay ... wish I had one

3) external flash shoe...okay

4) faster zooming and autofocus? - you cannot compare the FZ8 to the FZ18 - sorry! times and techniques are changeing :-)

5) screen of fz18 ist better - and bigger - and for extreme sunny days - the EVfinder is much more better than the one of the canon S5IS

The best would be: a child born of canon 5Sis and pan18 -
lets clone it!

your choice!
--
Greetings from Austria!
Arnold, on his way with Panny efzed18 and still loving it!
 
Arnold1960 said:
gail - Lets answer neutral to your 5 points:

1) stereo beats mono - okay
With Pany you also can create still pictures from a motion picture
(page 92 engl. manual)
Click to expand...
Interesting. I haven't gotten there in the manual yet.

So can the S series cameras, though you do it with their ZoomBrowser software (which, imho, is much better than Panasonics!) Here are two stills extracted out of videos of my fast-moving grandson. It doesn't get much better than that when you're talking video from a digital camera:




Arnold1960 said:
4) faster zooming and autofocus? - you cannot compare the FZ8 to the
FZ18 - sorry! times and techniques are changeing :-)
Click to expand...
I skipped that point; never used a FZ8.
Arnold1960 said:
5) screen of fz18 ist better - and bigger - and for extreme sunny
days - the EVfinder is much more better than the one of the canon S5IS
Click to expand...
Don't know for sure, but I've heard a vari-angle 3" LCD would be difficult to manufacture. It does require extra room; so where would all the buttons go?
Arnold1960 said:
The best would be: a child born of canon 5Sis and pan18 -
lets clone it!
Click to expand...
You got it. I also want an ultra compact SD camera with a zoom range of 28mm - 140mm/equiv.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany FZ18 & TZ3; Canon S2, SD700 & A570; Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
 
Arnold1960 said:
gail - Lets answer neutral to your 5 points:

1) stereo beats mono - okay
Click to expand...
Not just the fact it's mono, it's the quality itself of the sound. I realized that when a pocket camera like the Fuji Z3 had much better sound.
Arnold1960 said:
With Pany you also can create still pictures from a motion picture
(page 92 engl. manual)
you can take up to 9 screens out of the video to control a movement
(eg. golf)
have a look at the manual:
http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/DMCFZ18.PDF
Click to expand...
Hum okay but the S3/S5 will take the pictures in full resolution although the video will freeze for a brief moment. Still, it's very useful since you don't loose any good opportunity.
Arnold1960 said:
4) faster zooming and autofocus? - you cannot compare the FZ8 to the
FZ18 - sorry! times and techniques are changeing :-)
Click to expand...
That's true but I highly doubt they changed the zoom speed. For AF the difference is not big anyway, but for the zoom speed I noted that the fast speed on the FZ8 was the same as the slow speed on the S5. I of course cannot confirm if it's still hold true for the FZ18.
Arnold1960 said:
5) screen of fz18 ist better - and bigger - and for extreme sunny
days - the EVfinder is much more better than the one of the canon S5IS
Click to expand...
Agree for the EVF. Canon obviously think their users will not use it! The LCD, for sunny days, I don't know, I had only the chance to see the Canon indoor. It looked subjectively better but they are both good anyway, it's not something that will make a difference.
 
gail said:
ManuH said:
2) The vari-angle LCD is very useful to take candids shots.
Click to expand...
It is. The FZ18 has a High Angle Mode. You can turn it upside down
and use it as a low angle mode (the cameras orientation sensor
adjusts the image). It certainly is not as versatile as a Swivel LCD,
but it is useful.
Click to expand...
Hum Okay. Honestly when I bought the FZ8 I had high hopes for this high angle mode but I never used it because it's not really convenient. Maybe some people found a way to work with it but for it just doesn't work well.
Member said:
Member said:
3) The hot shoe let you put a good external flash. Indoor this will
make your pictures WAYYYY better and avoid the dreaded red eyes.
Click to expand...
That's true, especially if you take a lot of inside photos. A decent
external flash can be expensive though.
Click to expand...
"can be" but not necessarily. That being said a slave flash can do the work too with an FZ18, less convenient but it will work equally well.
Member said:
Member said:
5) I saw the screen and it's better than the FZ8 which I have, I
don't think the FZ18 improved on that.
Click to expand...
The FZ18 has a very good LCD. And the Electronic Viewfinder is
excellent; I suspect one of the best on the market. One of the
reasons I held off buying a S3 or S5 was because I didn't see any
improvement of the EVF over the S2. I really did not like it on the
S2; it seemed too dark.
Click to expand...
I never saw the S2 but I saw the S3. On the S5 the EVF is still not particularly good, but the LCD improved a lot . Compared to the FZ, There is less glare, I think the coating is different but the size and resolution should be the same.
Member said:
My blog compares my experiences with both the S2 and the FZ18; and
why I chose the FZ18 over a S Series camera. If you care to take a
peek, it is here:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/9/fz18-s2.php
Click to expand...
Interesting but beware that you're comparing a last generation with a camera that is 2 generations behind.
Member said:
As someone pointed out, the S3 or S5 may better serve your needs.
Both the Canon and Pany are excellent cameras; I honestly don't think
you can go wrong with either.
Click to expand...
I agree, neither of them are bad choices. Depending on the price, one or the other can be a better deal. When I choose the FZ8 over the S5 this summer it was based mainly on price. The FZ8 had the better value. If the FZ18 had the same price difference, it would be the best value too.

--
Manu



http://flickr.com/photos/10506176@N07/
 
Panasonic's TZ1 can zoom during Video takes.

I'm not sure what your other criteria are, but you might want to look into that.

If huge zoom ranges aren't your priority, the TZ1 with it's 10x zoom might fill the bill, and it's a LOT more pocketable than the FZ18 - which I also have, so this isn't about my preference.

Since the TZ1 is now an "Old" model, the price has dropped a lot, too.

Hope this helps.

:-E
--

 
Erik Ohlson said:
Panasonic's TZ1 can zoom during Video takes.

I'm not sure what your other criteria are, but you might want to look
into that.

If huge zoom ranges aren't your priority, the TZ1 with it's 10x zoom
might fill the bill, and it's a LOT more pocketable than the FZ18 -
which I also have, so this isn't about my preference.

Since the TZ1 is now an "Old" model, the price has dropped a lot, too.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
I've seen some of them sold at less than 200$ on ebay. Quite a bargain actually! The only thing the OP may not like is that there is no viewfinder and no manual controls. The lens is also, as any pocket camera, much slower at the tele end.

--
Manu



http://flickr.com/photos/10506176@N07/
 
gail said:
My blog compares my experiences with both the S2 and the FZ18; and
why I chose the FZ18 over a S Series camera. If you care to take a
peek, it is here:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/9/fz18-s2.php
Click to expand...
OK I read it. You're quite correct, I didn't see any big mistake. You talk about the "Stitch assist mode", is it something to help the creation of panoramas? I think the FZ have Arcsoft Panorama maker bundled with it.

About the noise. I think any camera has some amount of noise. Even a DSLR, if you look very closely, can show noise at ISO 100. It's not so much the noise itself but the way the camera process it to mask it. Canon have the edge on this, but the Panasonic has the edge in other areas of image processing (chromatic aberations/purple fringing). The Venus processor is very powerful too.

--
Manu



http://flickr.com/photos/10506176@N07/
 
ManuH said:
Interesting but beware that you're comparing a last generation with a
camera that is 2 generations behind.
Click to expand...
Yes, I know.

However, I extensively followed user comments, read reviews, looked at hundreds of photos, etc. Other than more megapixels, larger LCD screen and hot shoe, I don't think there were significant new features or changes to image quality from the S2 to the S3 and S5. (The latter has a Digic III processor; many Canon users opined that the Digic II was better; not that Digic III is bad).

From the introduction of the dpreview review of the S5:

"Sure, the S2 IS was a much-needed upgrade (bigger lens, big performance boost), but since then Canon has pretty much left well alone with fairly predictable upgrades to the sensor and screen, and minor feature tweaks."

"And so we arrive at the camera on test here, the PowerShot S5 IS, another incremental upgrade to its predecessor that adds a couple of welcome (and some would say long overdue) features but, for the most part, doesn't mess too much with what made its predecessors some of the most appealing cameras in their class."

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canons5is/
--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany FZ18 & TZ3; Canon S2, SD700 & A570; Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
 
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