G3 vs 10D

Jay Gerzog · Mar 5, 2003

I am in the market for my first digital camera. I want to make this a long - term investment to a large degree. I am having trouble deciding if I should pay more $ for the DSLR 10D or simply get the G3 for now and wait for further improvements and price drops over the next few years. Any thoughts about which you would choose and why? Thanks.

gary ng · Mar 5, 2003

I would say A70/S45/S30 vs 10D is more like it. If I want to wait, I won't pay the price of the G right now but a cheaper model which is also much more pocketable. Otherwise, go straight to the 10D which can satisfy many people's needs for years to come. There is a rumored sub-1000 DSLR coming soon, don't know if it is truth though.

I used this strategy and bought the S30 last year(the cheapest full feature P&S then), waiting for a more affordable DSLR.

Jay Gerzog said:
I am in the market for my first digital camera. I want to make
this a long - term investment to a large degree. I am having
trouble deciding if I should pay more $ for the DSLR 10D or simply
get the G3 for now and wait for further improvements and price
drops over the next few years. Any thoughts about which you would
choose and why? Thanks.

HWStone · Mar 5, 2003

I'm playing the waiting game too - I just won't pay that sort of money for a DSLR when it's obvious that they'll be cheaper and better fairly shortly. I just bought a G2 rather than a G3 because of the savings that can be had, and I'm very pleased with the purchase. It is a great camera that outputs wonderful photos, if you can do without 4x zoom and DIGIC you should give it a try.

H

gary ng said:
I used this strategy and bought the S30 last year(the cheapest full
feature P&S then), waiting for a more affordable DSLR.

Jay Gerzog said:

I am in the market for my first digital camera. I want to make
this a long - term investment to a large degree. I am having
trouble deciding if I should pay more $ for the DSLR 10D or simply
get the G3 for now and wait for further improvements and price
drops over the next few years. Any thoughts about which you would
choose and why? Thanks.

Click to expand...

Dan Ferrin · Mar 5, 2003

If you make money with your photography, or hope to, the 10D should be your choice in my mind. If not, the G3 takes great pictures, allows you to use external flash, and gives you a good amount of manual and creative control. On the other hand, if you shoot anything that moves, the shutter lag on the G3 or any other compact digital camera could be a pain, and if the LCD display on the G3 is anything like that on the G2, it is just about impossible to use in either bright light or very dim light, which would be a problem you wouldn't have to deal with in an SLR. I have a G2 that I've owned for over a year and I really do like it. The price and performance of the 10D is at the point where it is time for me to get a DSLR.

Dan Ferrin
http://www.pbase.com/digital_edge

Jay Gerzog said:
I am in the market for my first digital camera. I want to make
this a long - term investment to a large degree. I am having
trouble deciding if I should pay more $ for the DSLR 10D or simply
get the G3 for now and wait for further improvements and price
drops over the next few years. Any thoughts about which you would
choose and why? Thanks.

--
I must be a photographer - I keep running around in circles of confusion.

Gediminas 8 · Mar 5, 2003

gary ng said:
I would say A70/S45/S30 vs 10D is more like it. If I want to wait,
I won't pay the price of the G right now but a cheaper model which
is also much more pocketable.

I am in the same boat as Jay, having set my sights on the G3 long ago. However, the arrival of the 10D confuses things quite a bit since I'm intent on getting a D-SLR anyway some time in the future. The G3, even at its plummeting price, still seems too much of an investment for a temporary solution.

I like the Sxx series which also seem to be decent, full-featured cameras sporting the additional advantage of compact size (and lower price)... BUT the 420EX flash which I use with my film EOS 30/Elan 7 cannot be used on any Canon P&S but the G3!

Decisions, decisions...

gary ng · Mar 5, 2003

My 550EX also cannot be used with S30, I bought a used vivitar 283 and an optical slave to go with it. I 550EX will be on ebay later, whether I would buy a DSLR or not as I don't like E-TTL.

Gediminas 8 said:
gary ng said:

I would say A70/S45/S30 vs 10D is more like it. If I want to wait,
I won't pay the price of the G right now but a cheaper model which
is also much more pocketable.

Click to expand...

I am in the same boat as Jay, having set my sights on the G3 long
ago. However, the arrival of the 10D confuses things quite a bit
since I'm intent on getting a D-SLR anyway some time in the future.
The G3, even at its plummeting price, still seems too much of an
investment for a temporary solution.

I like the Sxx series which also seem to be decent, full-featured
cameras sporting the additional advantage of compact size (and
lower price)... BUT the 420EX flash which I use with my film EOS
30/Elan 7 cannot be used on any Canon P&S but the G3!

Decisions, decisions...

Rick B52 · Mar 5, 2003

For me the time is not right yet. If you look at the price drop from the d60 to 10d you are talking about a 30% reduction in price in one year. If this trend continues a good dslr should be in the makings next year at a reasonable price. And still the sensors do not match the current lines of lenses out there. In time either the lens will be built to match the sensors or vice versa so that the range the lens is designed to operate at is what you will get when shooting. Not a multiplied factor of that range. And then there is the price of the glass. To get glass for a dslr that is the equivalant speed of the g series glass will cost one thousands of dollars for a decent range of lenses. So unless you are making a living taking pics it just is not reasonable or practical at the moment. Unless of course one has the money to waste.

Dan Ferrin said:
Dan Ferrin
http://www.pbase.com/digital_edge

Jay Gerzog said:

I am in the market for my first digital camera. I want to make
this a long - term investment to a large degree. I am having
trouble deciding if I should pay more $ for the DSLR 10D or simply
get the G3 for now and wait for further improvements and price
drops over the next few years. Any thoughts about which you would
choose and why? Thanks.

Click to expand...

--
I must be a photographer - I keep running around in circles of
confusion.

Mike Hunt · Mar 5, 2003

Jay Gerzog said:
I am in the market for my first digital camera. I want to make
this a long - term investment to a large degree. I am having
trouble deciding if I should pay more $ for the DSLR 10D or simply
get the G3 for now and wait for further improvements and price
drops over the next few years. Any thoughts about which you would
choose and why? Thanks.

The 10D is amazing not only in its featurs and quality but also its low price. You will not get even remotely similar performance from the G3 in areas such as autofocus performance, shutter lag, and the ability to use high ISO speeds without noise.

The G3 is an outstanding camera, and offers great capabilities in a much more portable package. For me, as much as I would love a 10D or any other DSLR, I know that such a camera would not see much use, since its size and weight would deter me from taking it to many places and events. My EOS 650 35mm SLR, which is 15 years old, has taken less than 30 rolls of film in that time. In contrast, I've taken far more pictures than that with my G3 in the last 6 months.

So you really have to ask yourself what you want to use the camera for, and which camera would best serve your needs. If you want to give some details as to what your intended usage is, that would help us give youmore advice.

Mike Hunt · Mar 5, 2003

gary ng said:
I would say A70/S45/S30 vs 10D is more like it. If I want to wait,
I won't pay the price of the G right now but a cheaper model which
is also much more pocketable. Otherwise, go straight to the 10D
which can satisfy many people's needs for years to come. There is a
rumored sub-1000 DSLR coming soon, don't know if it is truth though.

I used this strategy and bought the S30 last year(the cheapest full
feature P&S then), waiting for a more affordable DSLR.

Your advice does not apply to everyone. Not everyone is waiting around for the perfect DSLR. Many people, such as myself, place a higher priority on portability while still demanding the features and flexibility of a camera like the G3.

Mike Hunt · Mar 5, 2003

HWStone said:
I'm playing the waiting game too - I just won't pay that sort of
money for a DSLR when it's obvious that they'll be cheaper and
better fairly shortly.

With the advent of digital photography, you can say goodbye to the old days of an SLR camera model lasting for many years before being replaced or significantly improved.

In the digital world, for the foreseeable future at least, you can expect dramatically better cameras and lower prices to surface every year, or even more frequently. No matter what you buy and when, there will always be something much better and cheaper around the corner.

Mike Hunt · Mar 5, 2003

Gediminas 8 said:
I am in the same boat as Jay, having set my sights on the G3 long
ago. However, the arrival of the 10D confuses things quite a bit
since I'm intent on getting a D-SLR anyway some time in the future.
The G3, even at its plummeting price, still seems too much of an
investment for a temporary solution.

If you have been waiting for an affordable and full-featured DSLR, then I can see how this has been a big waiting game. The 10D is a big jump in the right direction but I can assure you that no matter how soon or how late you decide to buy, there will always be something better and cheaper within a year. The digital photography market is nowhere near maturity.

Gediminas 8 said:
I like the Sxx series which also seem to be decent, full-featured
cameras sporting the additional advantage of compact size (and
lower price)...

Yes and no... They still lack the faster lenses, swiveling LCD, 4x zoom, external flash option, much better battery life, and much better ergonomics of the G-series.

On the other hand, if you ARE aiming for a compact camera, Sony's new V1 adds a marginally faster lens, 4x zoom, holographic autofocus system, NightFrame feature, and flash hot shoe to the package. Of course, you will have to pay a premium in the form of Memory Stick Pro prices that are double that of CF cards.

Mike Hunt · Mar 5, 2003

gary ng said:
My 550EX also cannot be used with S30, I bought a used vivitar 283
and an optical slave to go with it. I 550EX will be on ebay later,
whether I would buy a DSLR or not as I don't like E-TTL.

Why don't you like ETTL and what do you prefer?

James_C5050 · Mar 5, 2003

Well, perhaps he likes experiment with manual flash and thus in total control of the flash, which I like, too.

James

Mike Hunt said:
gary ng said:

My 550EX also cannot be used with S30, I bought a used vivitar 283
and an optical slave to go with it. I 550EX will be on ebay later,
whether I would buy a DSLR or not as I don't like E-TTL.

Click to expand...

Why don't you like ETTL and what do you prefer?

--
Olympus C-5O5O + TCON-14

Mike Hunt · Mar 5, 2003

James_with_C-5050 said:
Well, perhaps he likes experiment with manual flash and thus in
total control of the flash, which I like, too.

Doesn't an E-TTL flash give you the option of manual control?

Dan Ferrin · Mar 5, 2003

I happen to own an EOS 3, and Elan 7, and several lenses, so the investment in glass is not a real factor for me. I like to multiplier factor for the majority of the shooting I do, which is portraiture, table top still life/product, and perhaps an occasional tennis tournament. I probably shot over 50 rolls of film this past year (at about $16 per roll for film and processing, plus the time to scan) in addition to the shooting I do with my G3, and intend to shoot much more in the next year as I transition from doing photography part-time as part of my business, to making it the primary part of my business. The 10d will more than pay for itself in time, film and processing savings.

Dan

Rick Beck said:
Dan Ferrin said:

Dan Ferrin
http://www.pbase.com/digital_edge

Jay Gerzog said:

I am in the market for my first digital camera. I want to make
this a long - term investment to a large degree. I am having
trouble deciding if I should pay more $ for the DSLR 10D or simply
get the G3 for now and wait for further improvements and price
drops over the next few years. Any thoughts about which you would
choose and why? Thanks.

Click to expand...

--
I must be a photographer - I keep running around in circles of
confusion.

Click to expand...

--
I must be a photographer - I keep running around in circles of confusion.

gary ng · Mar 5, 2003

E-TTL is focus point linked. My training in photo taking dated back to the early 80s and get used to the meter and reframe style. As a result, E-TTL in most case would cause me trouble rather than convenience.

Mike Hunt said:
gary ng said:

My 550EX also cannot be used with S30, I bought a used vivitar 283
and an optical slave to go with it. I 550EX will be on ebay later,
whether I would buy a DSLR or not as I don't like E-TTL.

Click to expand...

Why don't you like ETTL and what do you prefer?

Mike Hunt · Mar 5, 2003

ETTL is center wieghted I believe. I don't think it can follow the focus point even if you wanted it to. (And although it doesn't apply to flash, remember that the G3 gives you the option of whentehr or not to have spot metering match the AF frame.)

Regardless, that's what flash exposure lock is for. You can aim the camera at your subject, take an FEL pre-flash, and then recompose the shot with the subject off-center and the original flash exposure setting will be applied.

gary ng said:
Mike Hunt said:

gary ng said:

My 550EX also cannot be used with S30, I bought a used vivitar 283
and an optical slave to go with it. I 550EX will be on ebay later,
whether I would buy a DSLR or not as I don't like E-TTL.

Click to expand...

Why don't you like ETTL and what do you prefer?

Click to expand...

Mike Hunt · Mar 5, 2003

Of course a full-frame CCD would be better in case you ever want to shoot with a wide angle lens. The 24mm is one of my favorites, yet to get the equivalent field of view with a 1.5x multiplier would be prohibitively expensive.

Dan Ferrin said:
Dan

Rick Beck said:

Dan Ferrin said:

Dan Ferrin
http://www.pbase.com/digital_edge

Jay Gerzog said:

I am in the market for my first digital camera. I want to make
this a long - term investment to a large degree. I am having
trouble deciding if I should pay more $ for the DSLR 10D or simply
get the G3 for now and wait for further improvements and price
drops over the next few years. Any thoughts about which you would
choose and why? Thanks.

Click to expand...

--
I must be a photographer - I keep running around in circles of
confusion.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

--
I must be a photographer - I keep running around in circles of
confusion.

gary ng · Mar 5, 2003

I believe it is focus point linked, don't know about G3(there was once a long thread on the SLR forum telling people why the D30 flash system is so mysteries). Anyway, center weight or not, it still measure right before the shutter is released unless FEL is used. I find that cumbersome and not suitable for my style. For most people, when they see the flash, they thought a photo has been taken and would react accordingly, the facial expression lost.

Mike Hunt said:
Regardless, that's what flash exposure lock is for. You can aim the
camera at your subject, take an FEL pre-flash, and then recompose
the shot with the subject off-center and the original flash
exposure setting will be applied.

gary ng said:

Mike Hunt said:

gary ng said:

My 550EX also cannot be used with S30, I bought a used vivitar 283
and an optical slave to go with it. I 550EX will be on ebay later,
whether I would buy a DSLR or not as I don't like E-TTL.

Click to expand...

Why don't you like ETTL and what do you prefer?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Mike Hunt · Mar 5, 2003

gary ng said:
I believe it is focus point linked, don't know about G3(there was
once a long thread on the SLR forum telling people why the D30
flash system is so mysteries). Anyway, center weight or not, it
still measure right before the shutter is released unless FEL is
used. I find that cumbersome and not suitable for my style. For
most people, when they see the flash, they thought a photo has been
taken and would react accordingly, the facial expression lost.

When used automatically, the preflash is only a fraction of a second before the main flash, and most people don't even notive that there were two flashes.

The biggest problem with this is that it sometimes results in people bliking their eyes in the shot.

G3 vs 10D

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