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How do you decide which PowerShot is best?
- Thread starter LaurieZ
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Hank3152
Forum Pro
Like Lee Jay remarked.......what suits your needs .........is how you need to decide and not select a model based on what someone else's needs are. What's best for me is probably not going to be best for you, since there is no camera that is best for everybody.
Make a list of priorities, i.e., cost, size, ergonomics, build, features, performance, etc.
Look at the pro reviews, personal reviews, and samples to see if a particular model meets your criteria.
My wife loves the portability of an ultra compact like any of the SD series which takes great snapshots for her social gatherings with friends, family and kids. She chose the SD1000.
I prefer a larger body like the A and G series compacts with larger sensors and better lenses that produce outstanding results suitable for large prints. Personally I chose the A610 and more recently the A650IS for it's performance and features like the swivel LCD, 6x lens and image stabilization.
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Regards,
Hank
Make a list of priorities, i.e., cost, size, ergonomics, build, features, performance, etc.
Look at the pro reviews, personal reviews, and samples to see if a particular model meets your criteria.
My wife loves the portability of an ultra compact like any of the SD series which takes great snapshots for her social gatherings with friends, family and kids. She chose the SD1000.
I prefer a larger body like the A and G series compacts with larger sensors and better lenses that produce outstanding results suitable for large prints. Personally I chose the A610 and more recently the A650IS for it's performance and features like the swivel LCD, 6x lens and image stabilization.
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Regards,
Hank
Hank - Maybe I'll take a look at the one your wife has, since I'm looking for something compact. I looked at the Canon website and it looked like there were at least 15 different models, so I wasn't sure where to even start with the reviews. I was trying to find a list they maybe gave me the top five and I figured I could go from there.
Hank3152
Forum Pro
Below is a link for a comparison of the latest 6 Canon SD series cameras. Look over the specs and see what's more important, i.e., two offer an optical viewfinder, two others offer a 3" LCD, two others offer a wide 28mm zoom lens (28-112 4x). The SD990 has the largest sensor.
Check out their dimensions as a couple have been slimmed down even more than usual, then go and compare them at a local retailer if possible.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_sd880is%2Ccanon_sd990is%2Ccanon_sd780is%2Ccanon_sd960is%2Ccanon_sd970is%2Ccanon_sd1200is&show=all
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Regards,
Hank
Jerseypine
Forum Enthusiast
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I purchased the 590 IS because it has some features i like that some of the more expensive cameras don't have. It is a real bargain and takes very nice pictures. The only thing it lacks for me is long distance ability. (35-140MM). I decided to get the SX10 IS (28-560MM). Both cameras take very good pictures and i am very pleased with them. Canon makes so many fine Powershot models so you have to decide what features suit your needs. Milt
I purchased the 590 IS because it has some features i like that some of the more expensive cameras don't have. It is a real bargain and takes very nice pictures. The only thing it lacks for me is long distance ability. (35-140MM). I decided to get the SX10 IS (28-560MM). Both cameras take very good pictures and i am very pleased with them. Canon makes so many fine Powershot models so you have to decide what features suit your needs. Milt
Hank3152
Forum Pro
The G10 is the flagship of the Canon compacts........robust build, large sensor, quality lens, outstanding IQ, and packed with features........but twice the size and weight of the SD models.
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Regards,
Hank
JDL7538
Well-known member
Besides superior IQ over the others on your list, the G10 shoots in both RAW and Jpeg. Its lens is also rangier: 28mm to 140mm, which is great for shooting both group pictures and high quality candids of people some distance off. A professional photographer friend claims that on a shoot all he would need are two G10s set differently.
John
PineyPhotographer
Leading Member
Pretty much how I choose my Canon Powershot. Maybe most folks dont use the manual modes but I do. Like using a slower shutter speed to blur the movement of running water. Or aperture for depth of field, especially important in a forest where you want the camera to keep everything in focus, vs blurring the background.
Proprietary batteries are a ripoff. Rechargable NiMH batteries go for well under $10 for a set of 4, and they usually have great battery life. The results are best in cameras that take 4 AA batteries, such as the A610 and the SX10, but even the life with 2 batteries is pretty good, esp with the hybrids.
They are sold almost everywhere, so if you forget to take an extra battery you can always pick one up somehwhere. Proprietary batteries are harder to find and cost much more, usually $30-$40 for an extra battery, sometimes more!
So if you want something compact, you'll need the A series, only problem is all the new models dont allow manual control beyond ISO and color effect (A1100,2100).
You could go for an SX110, which is probably the last decent midsize Canon makes right now. Or if a bulky camera doesn't bother you, you can go for the SX10, which has 20x zoom and a nice articulated screen.
You could also try and look for older models, such as the A590IS, but they aren't easy to find, and sellers are gouging these up for over list pice.
Proprietary batteries are a ripoff. Rechargable NiMH batteries go for well under $10 for a set of 4, and they usually have great battery life. The results are best in cameras that take 4 AA batteries, such as the A610 and the SX10, but even the life with 2 batteries is pretty good, esp with the hybrids.
They are sold almost everywhere, so if you forget to take an extra battery you can always pick one up somehwhere. Proprietary batteries are harder to find and cost much more, usually $30-$40 for an extra battery, sometimes more!
So if you want something compact, you'll need the A series, only problem is all the new models dont allow manual control beyond ISO and color effect (A1100,2100).
You could go for an SX110, which is probably the last decent midsize Canon makes right now. Or if a bulky camera doesn't bother you, you can go for the SX10, which has 20x zoom and a nice articulated screen.
You could also try and look for older models, such as the A590IS, but they aren't easy to find, and sellers are gouging these up for over list pice.
I went to Best Buy so that I could see some of them in person and see how big the G10 is. I have to say that I had to laugh at the thought of the G10 being a big camera. The last camera I bought was the Nikon D50 and I bought it over the internet so I had no idea just how small the compact cameras had gotten. I'm still not sure which one I'm leaning towards, but they also had the SX110, which looked interesting. I haven't done any research on it yet.
Laurie
Laurie
HorseRidingHero
Leading Member
Best Buy does not have a good selection of Powershots. Go to a retailer like Ritz or another camera store that carries a wider inventory. Then you can see all or most of the Powershot cameras for yourself.
K
Kirk Tuck
Guest
hands down the SX-10 is the best of the breed. I love that camera.
Kirk Tuck
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Austin based portrait photographer and author of the bestselling book, Minimalist
Lighting: Professional Techniques for Studio Photography
Kirk Tuck
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Austin based portrait photographer and author of the bestselling book, Minimalist
Lighting: Professional Techniques for Studio Photography
cary smith
Senior Member
For me it MUST have a viewfinder. I will not take a photo holding the camera out at arms length trying to see an LCD screen.
cary
cary
K
Kirk Tuck
Guest
I agree and I will add that I didn't like the idea of EVF's before I got an SX10 but now I'm addicted because I get an exact preview of exactly what the shot will look like.
Kirk Tuck
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Austin based portrait photographer and author of the bestselling book series, Minimalist
Lighting.
Kirk Tuck
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Austin based portrait photographer and author of the bestselling book series, Minimalist
Lighting.
Is the SX10 around the size of the G10? I really don't need something small enough to fit in my pocket, just my purse. I was leaning towards the G10, until some of you mentioned the SX10 and now I'm wondering which one is the better camera. Is it the zoom range that drew you to the SX10?
Laurie
Laurie
Hank3152
Forum Pro
These cameras are very different, 20x and small sensor vs 5x. The SX10 is a decent long reach camera but from samples I've seen I doubt if the IQ is as good as the G10. You can compare the other differences and read the owner's reviews here.......
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_sx10is%2Ccanon_g10&show=all
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Regards,
Hank
Jerrich
Senior Member
If you think you will ever want special features, Motion Detect, raw with dng format, interval, remote, etc. look for a model that has been ported to chdk. The Holy Grail of Canon P&S models is probably the a650, but you may have to browse Australia to find a new one, if possible.
JR
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Nikon F
Argus C44R (gorgeous)
Fuji S100fs
Canon A20, A80, A710, A650
JR
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Nikon F
Argus C44R (gorgeous)
Fuji S100fs
Canon A20, A80, A710, A650
blackstallion
Well-known member
Actually, even though the SX10 has a smaller sensor than the G10, the pixel density is what's more important to look at which has them both VERY close....the SX10 is 34MP/cm2 and the G10 is 35MP/cm2. I would find it hard to believe you are getting less IQ from the SX10 because of sensor size.
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