whataboutslides
Active member
I searched and searched for a camera, trying to figure out what I needed and what I didnt. I think it is important for whomever may be reading this to know what I wanted and what I did not need.
I needed a camera that could produce large images for conversion to slides. I rarely print anything.
I use my camera for this purpose in a studio setting to document my sculptures, and have control of the light and sometimes need to take 5 or 10 second shots for depth of feild. I really wanted an uncompressed format, and RAW format is working better than I expected for my Photoshop needs, but I would have accepted TIFF. I needed a camera with all the settings of my film SLR, which this has. My SLR is a Canon A-1, it does have auto focus which I dont use on the S70 for studio work.
I also wanted to be able to take my camera out and about for snapshots of interesting things that inspire my work, again, not for printing.
I needed a smaller camera that I could carry in a pocket. I have a video camera that can take pictures but it is far too bulky, and can only capture 1MP images and has no flash.
I had only used a loaned Olympus 5MP 5050? 4040? I cant remember the number. In comparison to that, I think the pictures are comperable in my studio setting situations, but the larger format was much easier to handle. I wouldnt want to try to get that Olympus (or any other medium sized camera in my pocket though.
After using the camera:
Images are really very good, meaning I can use them for slides, without feeling like I should have bought some $8,000 dollar 16MP camera. I am sure a DSLR could make better pictures. Studio work makes getting good shots relatively easy compared to freehand shots of moving people, etc. I would like for a way to force the manual focus to start at the bottom, because it is pretty slow to move it from infinity to 4cm.
Holding the camera is OK, but it is small, for my hands, but considering this, I think the buttons are very well placed. I had tried the S45, my mother had, and the S70 layout is much, much better. That rediculous multifunction button on the pre-S60(?) version was, well rediculous, for me, that is.(wanna keep this objective)
I mentioned this a little above, but I find the macro funtion to be irritating. I can get it to work, but focusing in macro just about requires me to us manual focus. It takes very detailed shots, but I avoid using the flash because it illuminates dust particles on things a bit too much. Not the camera's fault if I am taking pictres of dusty objects. Using studio lighting I can avoid this.
Overall, I can't complain considering how little I paid for the camera, compared to the DSLR's. I feel like the camera does what I expected it to do, and I like a few things that I really didnt think would be needed, like saving a JPG with a RAW copy if I like the picture, and some of the exposure locking capabilities. I also like the ability to record sound on to a still image. I can use it like a tape recorder if I suddenly need to remember something. (completely unrelated to photography, I know)
I really wish they had put an external flash plug on the camera, in case I decided to buy one. (not a hot shoe)
I think it is rediculous not sell the camera without an AC adapter.
The remote control would have been a nice touch, but the 2 or 10 sec delay takes care of that well enough.
I would really like it if the LCD was not fixed, and that I could flip it over to protect it.
Problems:
Sometimes the battery cover opens when I take it out of my pants pocket. I think they could have made that a little more secure.
The front cover is a good idea, but this one seems flimsy and doesn't really look like it was designed to fit very well. Looks like an after thought by the designers. When I open it I frequenlty touch the lens (not on purpose). It is hard to get it to move, because it is slick, and when I do get it to move it lurches out of the way so fast my fingers just end up on the lens.
The function wheel (name?) on top feels like it was designed for a toy. I am afraid I am going to rip it off, as I am fairly rough with pretty much everything that I shouldn't be. I would rather have it covered except by the function that is active, kind of like the exposure wheel on my film SLR.
Silly cosmetic issues: Silver shutter button, wish it was black. (notice I said this part was silly) The carrying cable thing is also bright chrome. Time to get out the sharpie?
I needed a camera that could produce large images for conversion to slides. I rarely print anything.
I use my camera for this purpose in a studio setting to document my sculptures, and have control of the light and sometimes need to take 5 or 10 second shots for depth of feild. I really wanted an uncompressed format, and RAW format is working better than I expected for my Photoshop needs, but I would have accepted TIFF. I needed a camera with all the settings of my film SLR, which this has. My SLR is a Canon A-1, it does have auto focus which I dont use on the S70 for studio work.
I also wanted to be able to take my camera out and about for snapshots of interesting things that inspire my work, again, not for printing.
I needed a smaller camera that I could carry in a pocket. I have a video camera that can take pictures but it is far too bulky, and can only capture 1MP images and has no flash.
I had only used a loaned Olympus 5MP 5050? 4040? I cant remember the number. In comparison to that, I think the pictures are comperable in my studio setting situations, but the larger format was much easier to handle. I wouldnt want to try to get that Olympus (or any other medium sized camera in my pocket though.
After using the camera:
Images are really very good, meaning I can use them for slides, without feeling like I should have bought some $8,000 dollar 16MP camera. I am sure a DSLR could make better pictures. Studio work makes getting good shots relatively easy compared to freehand shots of moving people, etc. I would like for a way to force the manual focus to start at the bottom, because it is pretty slow to move it from infinity to 4cm.
Holding the camera is OK, but it is small, for my hands, but considering this, I think the buttons are very well placed. I had tried the S45, my mother had, and the S70 layout is much, much better. That rediculous multifunction button on the pre-S60(?) version was, well rediculous, for me, that is.(wanna keep this objective)
I mentioned this a little above, but I find the macro funtion to be irritating. I can get it to work, but focusing in macro just about requires me to us manual focus. It takes very detailed shots, but I avoid using the flash because it illuminates dust particles on things a bit too much. Not the camera's fault if I am taking pictres of dusty objects. Using studio lighting I can avoid this.
Overall, I can't complain considering how little I paid for the camera, compared to the DSLR's. I feel like the camera does what I expected it to do, and I like a few things that I really didnt think would be needed, like saving a JPG with a RAW copy if I like the picture, and some of the exposure locking capabilities. I also like the ability to record sound on to a still image. I can use it like a tape recorder if I suddenly need to remember something. (completely unrelated to photography, I know)
I really wish they had put an external flash plug on the camera, in case I decided to buy one. (not a hot shoe)
I think it is rediculous not sell the camera without an AC adapter.
The remote control would have been a nice touch, but the 2 or 10 sec delay takes care of that well enough.
I would really like it if the LCD was not fixed, and that I could flip it over to protect it.
Problems:
Sometimes the battery cover opens when I take it out of my pants pocket. I think they could have made that a little more secure.
The front cover is a good idea, but this one seems flimsy and doesn't really look like it was designed to fit very well. Looks like an after thought by the designers. When I open it I frequenlty touch the lens (not on purpose). It is hard to get it to move, because it is slick, and when I do get it to move it lurches out of the way so fast my fingers just end up on the lens.
The function wheel (name?) on top feels like it was designed for a toy. I am afraid I am going to rip it off, as I am fairly rough with pretty much everything that I shouldn't be. I would rather have it covered except by the function that is active, kind of like the exposure wheel on my film SLR.
Silly cosmetic issues: Silver shutter button, wish it was black. (notice I said this part was silly) The carrying cable thing is also bright chrome. Time to get out the sharpie?