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the best optics/glass?

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JoannH

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Ok, this is my first post. I've been researching to find a camera. I'm searching for an advanced point and shoot. I've been looking at ultra-zooms. I have it narrowed down to the Panasonic fz18, Canon S5, Sony H50, and the new Nikon P80. My main reason for looking for a camera is my upcoming trip out west...lots of scenery and hopefully wild animals!

There are so many considerations, and I've managed to get myself really confused. I looked at the samples and emailed a friend who is really an amazing photographer. He suggested that I primarily look at the glass because it's really about the optics. All the other preferences can be dialed in--color hue, luminosity, saturation, etc. So what's the best glass/optics?

thanks,
Joann
 
JoannH said:
Ok, this is my first post. I've been researching to find a camera.
I'm searching for an advanced point and shoot. I've been looking at
ultra-zooms. I have it narrowed down to the Panasonic fz18, Canon
S5, Sony H50, and the new Nikon P80. My main reason for looking for
a camera is my upcoming trip out west...lots of scenery and hopefully
wild animals!

There are so many considerations, and I've managed to get myself
really confused. I looked at the samples and emailed a friend who is
really an amazing photographer. He suggested that I primarily look
at the glass because it's really about the optics. All the other
preferences can be dialed in--color hue, luminosity, saturation, etc.
So what's the best glass/optics?
Click to expand...
It's really weird that he'd tell you that. All the cameras you listed are superzooms, which makes them not as good, optically, as they could be. Good optics are usually more important in DSLRs and it's more about sensor size in P&S's.

From what you listed, I would probably get either the Canon or Sony. The Nikon doesn't have the movable screen, which is REALLY useful. I have no experience with Sony, but Canons are usually a breeze to learn, effortless in and out of camera. This Sony though looks like it's more userfriendly on the outside though, since it has better button arrangements. I'd look at cameralabs to see if they have video reviews on them.
 
Yeah, his comment about glass/optics is true with regard to dslrs but as far as P&S, the sensor and software are more relevant. Panasonics are supposed to have the best lenses (Leica) but many people prefer the images from other cameras due to how the Panasonic handles noise and noise reduction. If you want to follow his advice and go with the glass then Panasonic would be a good choice. (They do have some really good P&Ss.)
 
MaryGierth said:
Yeah, his comment about glass/optics is true with regard to dslrs but
as far as P&S, the sensor and software are more relevant. Panasonics
are supposed to have the best lenses (Leica) but many people prefer
the images from other cameras due to how the Panasonic handles noise
and noise reduction. If you want to follow his advice and go with
the glass then Panasonic would be a good choice. (They do have some
really good P&Ss.)
Click to expand...
The Panasonic would not always be the best choice based on what you're saying. Panasonic licensed the names Leica uses, but those lenses are not made by Leica in Germany. Moreover, they aren't the typical Leica design which costs well over $1000 for the cheapest lens. On top of that Leica lenses use the same designs that many others use. Their claim to fame is mostly do to their superb German build quality as well as to optics to a lesser degree, IMO. I would think that the better Nikons, Canons and others have lenses of equal or maybe better quality as far as optics are concerned. The lenses in point and shoots may not be made or even designed by the company who's label is on it.
 
I would look at each of the cameras images that people have used.

The Panny is not good in low light but can take some very good shots, is very lightweight, and FUN to use.

The FZ18 is my 1st digital camera & got it after reading the review 3 months ago after reading the review. I have turned down the noise to -1 with good results. Does macro quite nicely. The times I had poor results I had upped the contrast & sharpness & downed the NR to -2.
Major complaint is poor in low light results in noise.

I think image stabilization is great. I have taken shots sitting atop a horse of a ground squirrel.

http://www.pbase.com/cits_4_pets/just_in_new_pix has a fairly diversity of good and lousy shots I have taken with Panny.

I got mine at Costco and am keeping it. I found the review at this site was the better way of learning how to use it as opposed to the manual.

My bird shots are better with it than my Nikon with a Tamron & Tokina telephotos. Shots are acutally much more crisp.

--
Happy Pets Go with the Flo
Walnut Creek, CA
 
Guidenet said:
The Panasonic would not always be the best choice based on what
you're saying. Panasonic licensed the names Leica uses, but those
lenses are not made by Leica in Germany. Moreover, they aren't the
typical Leica design which costs well over $1000 for the cheapest
lens. On top of that Leica lenses use the same designs that many
others use. Their claim to fame is mostly do to their superb German
build quality as well as to optics to a lesser degree, IMO. I would
think that the better Nikons, Canons and others have lenses of equal
or maybe better quality as far as optics are concerned. The lenses in
point and shoots may not be made or even designed by the company
who's label is on it.
Click to expand...
So your saying its a Leica in name only. I didn't know that.
 
Thanks for the input. How do you turn down the noise...is that an expression or an actual setting? I hope I can figure out all the lingo and settings!
cits said:
I would look at each of the cameras images that people have used.
The Panny is not good in low light but can take some very good shots,
is very lightweight, and FUN to use.

The FZ18 is my 1st digital camera & got it after reading the review 3
months ago after reading the review. I have turned down the noise to
-1 with good results. Does macro quite nicely. The times I had poor
results I had upped the contrast & sharpness & downed the NR to -2.
Major complaint is poor in low light results in noise.

I think image stabilization is great. I have taken shots sitting atop
a horse of a ground squirrel.
http://www.pbase.com/cits_4_pets/just_in_new_pix has a fairly
diversity of good and lousy shots I have taken with Panny.
I got mine at Costco and am keeping it. I found the review at this
site was the better way of learning how to use it as opposed to the
manual.
My bird shots are better with it than my Nikon with a Tamron & Tokina
telephotos. Shots are acutally much more crisp.

--
Happy Pets Go with the Flo
Walnut Creek, CA
Click to expand...
 
JoannH said:
Thanks for the input. How do you turn down the noise...is that an
expression or an actual setting? I hope I can figure out all the
lingo and settings!
Click to expand...
You can't exactly turn down noise, but you can reduce the amount of it you get by using a lower ISO setting. The lower the ISO you use, the cleaner your image will be, but you'll also have slower exposures. You can also do noise removal on your computer after the fact. I found that Noise Ninja and Noiseware were the two best noise removal programs currently going.
 
I have to strongly disagree. Lecia, Zeiss, others have a big reputation to uphold. They will not manufacture garbage and allow their name to be placed on the product. Now, is there inter-branding among manufactures? You bet. But for each company who puts their name on a lens, you can be assured it meets their quality standards in engineering and manufacturing. Certainly a 2.8 lens built for a SLR will not be as sharp as a lens for a superzoom, but the FZ18 by Panasonic is as close as it gets today - and I am not the only one saying that. The ultimate proof will be in the owners eyes. My 2 cents.

*********

So, this is what Christmas has become? That we have to ask for stamps by demonination?
 
AF2 said:
I have to strongly disagree. Lecia, Zeiss, others have a big
reputation to uphold. They will not manufacture garbage and allow
their name to be placed on the product. Now, is there inter-branding
among manufactures? You bet. But for each company who puts their name
on a lens, you can be assured it meets their quality standards in
engineering and manufacturing. Certainly a 2.8 lens built for a SLR
Click to expand...
How can you be assured? If it's not made by Leica nor maybe designed by Leica, how do you know that they can assure us that these lenses meet any standard. I assume they do. I also assume the build quality is good, but just because they license the name doesn't assure it.

Some of this is marketing hype obviously. Some is aura that these old German optics companies still hold today. The old wonderful Summicron F2 is a wonderful lens, but not better than modern equivalents today, other than build quality. I'm not sure where the Panasonic is made, but likely China or somewhere where the Leica craftmanship may not be so well observed.

My point was that just because Panasonic licenses the name, does not automatically make it better either optically or build quality than Nikon, Canon, Olympus, etc.
 
JoannH said:
Ok, this is my first post. I've been researching to find a camera.
I'm searching for an advanced point and shoot. I've been looking at
ultra-zooms. I have it narrowed down to the Panasonic fz18, Canon
S5, Sony H50, and the new Nikon P80. My main reason for looking for
a camera is my upcoming trip out west...lots of scenery and hopefully
wild animals!

There are so many considerations, and I've managed to get myself
really confused. I looked at the samples and emailed a friend who is
really an amazing photographer. He suggested that I primarily look
at the glass because it's really about the optics. All the other
preferences can be dialed in--color hue, luminosity, saturation, etc.
So what's the best glass/optics?
Click to expand...
No kidding. The best glass is made in Germany/Austria.

I don't know why, but even at the simply outrageous prices charged, Japanese made lenses are simply not up to these European standards.

If you want "top" -the best- glass, make sure it has been made by Zeiss or Leitz, or some other Germanic-sounding firm.

That's really all you need to know.

All the rest are simply different grades of second best! :-)
 
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