Torn over S2700HD

[SRT201]

First... I have been a VERY happy owner of an S7000 since 2004 and consider it to be one of the better bridges ever made. It's image quality holds up very well even today. It has it's issues but overall a very impressive camera still.

I recently decided that as my S7000 is getting up there in years it was time to look at an upgrade. I really wanted the HS10 to be the next S100 but sadly that does not appear to be the case so I moved on to an Olympus DSLR - which is a wonderful camera that of course comes with all the complexities of a DSLR.

However I still wanted to get a small (smaller than the S7000) but versatile P&S that takes decent video - as the Olympus DSLR does not take video and I don't always want to lug the DSLR around.

SO.... after looking at MANY models I came across the S2700HD at Best Buy and finding it on sale for $200 with a 4G Class 6 card and a nice Fuji case I took it home. The feature list blows away most compacts. It reminded me a lot of a little S7000.

After some time testing it here are my initial impressions. I REALLY like this little camera but several issues might have me returning it.

PRO's

• 18X zoom - quick - and pretty impressive with some edge softness
• Optically stabilized lens - decent, not great but it works
• EVF - most compacts don't even have VF's at all - I really like this feature. I have yet to see an LCD that works well in bright sunlight. This is a feature you just don't see on $200 cameras for the most part.
• 28mm wide end
• 720p video - decent quality - not great - overexposes easily - noisy in the shadows
• Zoom while in video (quite audible) but you can disable it and use digital zoom
• Clipping indication in playback - a rather high-end feature
• 3" LCD - nice and bright
• P,A,S,M - Many compacts do away with manual control these days
• Custom mode for saving settings - much like higher end cameras
• High ISO 3200 and 6400 - only 2M but at least it's there
• Burst 10 6M shots at 4fps - nice!
• Burst 20 3M shots at 10fps - VERY fast but limited use
• Tracking focus mode that seems to track subject fairly well
• Full res playback mode - no blurry thumbnail for playback
• AA Batteries
• Sharp output at default settings
• mini HDMI
• AF Illuminator
• AVI Motion JPEG video format (easier to work with than QT)

Limitations and Problems

• ONLY two aperture values - wide open and stopped down
• Focus trouble on distant objects at end of zoom range
• Somewhat slow autofocus - S7000 is noticeably faster
• Shutter lag regardless of prefocus AND EVEN WORSE... the screen blanks for significant period during shutter lag - hard to remain steady with black image
• Lots of hiss and focus noise during video
• Zoom noise (optical) during video - this was expected
• Odd stuck pixels during stills and video that come and go - not seen in stills but present in recorded video
• Lousy lens cap - falls off easily in order to avoid damaging lens as it extends
• Motion JPEG video sucks up space quickly - 4G equals about 10 min! :-O

The focus issue is the really bad one. Stuff like a dark tree about 300 feet away with sharply defined branches against a bright sky and the S2700HD would NOT lock focus for the last two steps on the telephoto end. I tried everything and it would not lock. As it turned out... it was NOT focused well either so it apparently did not just default to infinity which would have worked out fine. These are conditions where ANY AF system should lock. Focusing on closer subjects works fine all the way through the zoom range.

The other thing that makes me consider taking it back is the movie mode microphone noise. There is a constant very audible background noise punctuated by the focus motor clicking. This is even without any zoom activity going on. This somewhat removes my justification of a camera that takes decent video.

Don't get me wrong I KNOW this is a relatively inexpensive P&S and so my expectations are MUCH lower than DSLR. I don't expect to be impressed at 100% magnification.

I am still debating about taking this one back and getting an exchange to see if that telephoto focus issue is a design flaw or a problem with this unit.

I wonder if the S1800,S2500/2550/2600 cams have that same AF issue?

So there it is for those of you wondering about the S2700HD. It's really a great little chunk of camera and part of me really wants to keep it but I am just not sure at this point. The S2700HD seems to have just about everything but these issues really bring down this otherwise very well designed little camera.

--
Happiness is a want... Contentment is a choice.

 

[SRT201]

Here are some example shots where the AF problem showed up.

The four shots are a progression from wide 28mm to full telephoto 508mm. The first three locked focus without issue. The last shot (top of the pole) would not lock no matter what I tried. The shot itself is in decent focus, but the problem is that I had to just press the shutter without any focus lock from the camera.

Even the weakest of AF systems should lock on a subject like that. It's practically perfect for AF locking.

















--
Happiness is a want... Contentment is a choice.

 

[demarren 123]

Wierd I have the S1600 and it focus verry wel,I admid it is verry slow somtimes but it always lock on.

I also have the pana FZ-35 and focus is alot faster,but otherwise there is not mush diferent,for an camera twise the cost

Here are some samples.

wide 28 mm



almost max zoom



mid zoom.



--
My english is poor.Try to Understand
Nikon D70s,Nikon D5000,Oly 420,LX3,DP-1 D90
http://demarren.smugmug.com/
Claus M

 

[SRT201]

Nice shots!

Thanks for the input. I am thinking about the FZ-35. What do you think of it? Anything you really like/hate about it?

I finally decided I could not live with the terrible audio noise during video on the S2700HD and the blanking LCD/EVF during the long shutter lag drove me crazy.

--
Happiness is a want... Contentment is a choice.

 

[SRT201]

I really regret having to say this because I REALLY wanted to like the S2700HD

but...

when it came down to it there were things I was not willing to live with. I could not live with the terrible audio noise during video on the S2700HD. That made the video function almost useless. MUCH better audio on my old S7000.

Also, the blanking LCD/EVF during the long shutter lag drove me crazy. Even prefocused, you press the shutter fully down to take the picture and the display/EVF goes black for probably 1/2 second leaving you to wonder if you got the shot. The REALLY bad part about this is that the system clearly does NOT immediately take the shot as often I would get shots that had moved slightly from the last visible position in the viewfinder before the shutter was released.

There were other issues like the focus problem but that may have been a unit problem.

Overall a great little camera feature-wise that was let down by lousy execution.

--
Happiness is a want... Contentment is a choice.

 

[demarren 123]

Nice shots!

Thanks for the input. I am thinking about the FZ-35. What do you think of it? Anything you really like/hate about it?

The FZ-35 is alot faster,no blackout when you take pictures or video.
And the focus lock is super fast,when you campare S-1600 S-1800

Image qalitie is alot better to on FZ-35,The lens is brighter to starting at F/2.8 ending F4.4
so you can take zoom pictures in bad wether to;and never go abouve ISO 200

FZ-35 you can take pictures of birds in good light,with S-1600 it is not possible,focus is to slow.

I finally decided I could not live with the terrible audio noise during video on the S2700HD and the blanking LCD/EVF during the long shutter lag drove me crazy.

Video on the FZ-35 is better,and the blanking LCD or viewfinder do not block while recording.
There is also an direct record button.
with is alot faster then turning the wheel to set it on record .

I would see the diference is.
FZ-35
faster operation.

Better video,options stabilization and zooming,the camera zoom slow while recording video.
picture qalitie is top notch.mush clearer clean pictures.
not so mush noise reduction.
no CA vissible,nor softcorners.
Raw + jpg capture.
fast operation,possible to take birds in good light.
Better Image qalitie,Usable to ISO 800

Fuji S-1600
good for general pictures in good light only.
destructive noise reduction about base iso ,Iso 64

Only good in good light and then there is no fast focus mode thad help for taking moving objects.
Exclusieve for static pictures.
at the long zoom,verry proon to shaked pictures,not so good lens stabilization.

Less noise at Iso 64 and up,but noise reduction take its tol,and smear all detail.
no detail for example in three's becouse of noise reduction.
The S-1600 s1800 or the FD serie.
are good camera's for static object,buildings people,every things thad is close.

to the lens,and in good light ducks,and people,buildings,but nothing may move,otherwise the focus lock wil be to late,mis focus or object is gone.
hope this help abit.

--
Happiness is a want... Contentment is a choice.

--
My english is poor.Try to Understand
Nikon D70s,Nikon D5000,Oly 420,LX3,DP-1 D90
http://demarren.smugmug.com/
Claus M

 

[demarren 123]

I really regret having to say this because I REALLY wanted to like the S2700HD

but...

when it came down to it there were things I was not willing to live with. I could not live with the terrible audio noise during video on the S2700HD. That made the video function almost useless. MUCH better audio on my old S7000.

Yes I know,also the zoom motor make load noise when recording.
and background noise is terible.

the FZ-35 do alot better when it come to sound,the mickes are in front on you,building in the flash,you have stereo sound to.
however when zooming you can also hear the zoom from the FZ-35
But it is verry low.

there is also an wind cut filter thad you can enable or dissable in camera settings.

Video is also better,but you need to install the software to be able to play on your computer.

Panasonic use the HD recording like the blue ray dvd system,like other HD movie cams do.
It take less space,.

Also, the blanking LCD/EVF during the long shutter lag drove me crazy. Even prefocused, you press the shutter fully down to take the picture and the display/EVF goes black for probably 1/2 second leaving you to wonder if you got the shot. The REALLY bad part about this is that the system clearly does NOT immediately take the shot as often I would get shots that had moved slightly from the last visible position in the viewfinder before the shutter was released.

Wel it is like A sayed before,the slow lens is the problem.
and the slow focus won,t help.

There were other issues like the focus problem but that may have been a unit problem.

there is nothing whrong with your camera,the camera's are just slow.

Overall a great little camera feature-wise that was let down by lousy execution.

It is possible to take great pictures,but the wether have to be exelent.
no moving pictures.
hope this help you out.

--
Happiness is a want... Contentment is a choice.

--
My english is poor.Try to Understand
Nikon D70s,Nikon D5000,Oly 420,LX3,DP-1 D90
http://demarren.smugmug.com/
Claus M

 

[tsarandoi]

Re: focusing

Switching to F11 does the trick. This is almost a toy camera, but it's fun to shoot sometimes. Panorama shots are perfect. F-Chrome option colors are sweet.