Time to buy a replacement/companion for my H5- with ???

Help

It had to happen sometime - rather than wait for my H5 to breakdown before replacing her I feel the urge to get her a young playmate while she is still able to cut it in the field. A playmate that will do as much, and maybe more as I hear that technology has moved on.

But with what?

DSLRs - too heavy? too much stuff to lug around?

Compacts - don't really look like cameras!

Superzooms - do Sony make any good ones any more? or should I investigate other brands to get the fantastic flexibility and picture quality that I am getting with my H5?

So what have others done? What went right and maybe what went wrong with the next steps taken?

What camera is needed to match/improve upon some of my faves?









many thanks in advance

Dave

--

fizzix is fun! fotons are fantastic!!
fotoH5images are flamin'amazin'!!!

DDTuk

--HI! Have you looked into the Sony DSC-HX1? It is the newest one they just came out with. It is the one that has the panorama and shoots 10 frames per second. I just got it recently and can tell I am going to love it, once I figure everything out. I bought mine on Amazon and had it within 2 days. I had preordered it from the Sony store back in April but they sold out and could not deliver. It has some really cool features. I think it is worth checking out. I have seen some awesome photos others have taken with it. You can also purchase a telephoto lens for it. I have the lens and love taking photos with them. Check out the customer reviews on Amazon. I think their is about 20 now.

Valerie

I love, love, love my H5 but we were going on a trip and I was afraid it would die!! So I bought a Canon SX10 and a Panasonic LX3 at the same time. Don't ask!!!

The SX10 is okay but the noise makes me nuts! Especially when I look at the image in the LCD screen. It is actually better on the computer.

The LX3 is excellent and a great companion to the H5. It is 24MM to 60MM, so you have the wide angle you don't have with the Sony. It has White Balance issues but there are "work arounds". There isn't an EVF but it hasn't bothered me.....which is shocking ;-))

Have to say, I am still not impartial because I just love my H5. Good luck!!! There are dedicated galleries to both cameras on my PBase account.

Cheers, Denise

PS: I bought the SX10 before the HX1 was announced!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--
http://www.pbase.com/dchip
V1/H5/SX10/LX3

And look at buying something with a larger sensor. The a330 from the Alpha line is coming out soon and it's much lighter than the a300 DSLR and the expectations IQ wise no different than what the a300 produced.

I just bought the HX1 and love it, but where IQ really really counts, I have to rely on my a300. I can't imagine only using the HX1 or the a300. Have to have both!

Olympus also makes light-weight DSLR's that has pancake lenses and the Panasonic has a mirrorless DSLR.

Fuji has a camera called the f100fs that has a large sensor and lets you choose film types. The camera is heavy, but the results and IQ are steller. It retailed for $800 when it first came out. Now, brand new retails for under $500. I almost bought the f100fs rather than the HX1 but I knew I wanted HD Video and Quick and Easy Pano, plus love the colors from the HX1.

But if the H5's IQ is good enough for you, certainly the HX1 would be, too.

DJDuk said:

Help

It had to happen sometime - rather than wait for my H5 to breakdown
before replacing her I feel the urge to get her a young playmate
while she is still able to cut it in the field. A playmate that will
do as much, and maybe more as I hear that technology has moved on.

But with what?

DSLRs - too heavy? too much stuff to lug around?

Compacts - don't really look like cameras!

Superzooms - do Sony make any good ones any more? or should I
investigate other brands to get the fantastic flexibility and picture
quality that I am getting with my H5?

So what have others done? What went right and maybe what went wrong
with the next steps taken?

What camera is needed to match/improve upon some of my faves?









many thanks in advance

Dave

--

fizzix is fun! fotons are fantastic!!
fotoH5images are flamin'amazin'!!!

DDTuk

Click to expand...

thanks Valerie - I will check it out esp. if it is a superzoom (although steve mcdonald posts that he is going to get a telephoto for his Hx1???)

Dave

--

fizzix is fun! fotons are fantastic!!
fotoH5images are flamin'amazin'!!!

DDTuk

thanks Denise

yes noise can understandably make you nuts!! Fabulous LX3 gallery Denise - some great shots, but i do need a superzoom so the HX1 is on my list - but not the SX10 perhaps

Dave

--

fizzix is fun! fotons are fantastic!!
fotoH5images are flamin'amazin'!!!

DDTuk

thanks TL

the a330 is a DSLR? so will need more lenses?

better IQ (what does that stand for?) is that picture quality? - and is that down to a bigger sensor?

is there a superzoom with a large sensor - or am i not being realistic? - or does that describe the Fuji?

still another vote for the HX1 - interesting!!

thanks

Dave

--

fizzix is fun! fotons are fantastic!!
fotoH5images are flamin'amazin'!!!

DDTuk

IQ stands for image quality
look at the photos being posted with the Hx1
--
Bill



http://www.pbase.com/bill_b

--

Thanks for the link. Just spent a while looking at your Banff and galcier shots. We were there a couple of years ago. My wife and I took our 828's. We had an incredible time.

However, we didn't have the long zooms that you had and I truly enjoyed seeing scenery from your eyes!
Thanks for posting.
Dave
Toronto

See if you can find a Canon S5 IS for sale somewhere. It's the best camera I've ever had, except for my 2-Megapixel Olympus C-2100UZ (8 years old). The S5 has about the best SD video you can find, as well, in a photo camera. With the Canon equivalent of Smart Zoom, at the 2-MP level, you can get over 1,900mm, with a Raynox 2.2X telextender. And these extended zoom pictures from it, can look very sharp. I mention this model, because it will give you the closest image quality to a D-SLR, of any fixed-lens camera with which I'm familiar.
--
Steve McDonald
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22121562@N00/
http://www.vimeo.com/user458315/videos



http://video.yahoo.com/people/4019627

Background...Sony 828 and H7...I turned down the R1, but regret that.

A friend had purchased an H5, but it had been discontinued when I went looking.

Have others here bought an H7 or H9?

I had problems with the H7 (not with the camera, but in the way that I used it). The problem was camera shake. I shoot left eyed, because I need to. I had difficulties with camera shake in low light conditions.

My only concern with the 828 was speed of use--time to turn on, and time between pictures. I wish that Sony had updated the 828.

Regards,
Dave

glad you enjoyed the photos. We love the Banff/Lake Louise area. I must say I was very impressed when I visited Toronto a couple of years back. Loved the City.

Cheers, Denise
--
http://www.pbase.com/dchip
V1/H5/SX10/LX3

I just finished going through the photos I took in Mexico. I have to say the SX10 performed very nicely in bright light......which is why I bought it!!! No noise at all.

I still don't think it is a companion for the H5 though ;-))

Cheers, Denise
--
http://www.pbase.com/dchip
V1/H5/SX10/LX3

I really count on dpreview to provide timely detailed reviews. I also spend a lot of time looking at galleries. Even so, my H7 didn't suit me. Somehow it didn't work as well in my hands as I fealt it should. Reflection on my abilty and skill, not the cameras.
The STF has incredible members who do great work. So does the LeicaTF.
I truly appreciate the skill shown by my informed friends here.

Regards,
DaveL