J
Jeremy
Guest
I've used the pro90 for over 2 years. If you're reading this, you are most likely looking at a used pro90, and comparing it to the newer 4 or 5 megapixel camera's. I haven't upgraded to one of those yet (Oct 2002), for the following reasons:
1. Lens, Overall - The lens makes the camera. Considering the price and size of the the equivalent lens for an SLR (35-350L, $2000), it is more like buying a good lens with a bonus camera attached. The long zoom and large aperture make this one of the best portrait digicams, since it allows the photographer to attain a sufficiently shallow DOF. There is some chromatic aberration on cloudy days, but nothing that can't be removed in photoshop, and certainly nothing that would 'wreck' a photo.
1.5 Image Stabilizer - All my lenses are image stabilized, and I cannot over-emphasize how valuable a tool this is. 50% of my shots are taken at shutter speeds that would silly with a non-IS lens. Existing-light photos as slow as 1/4sec are possible with a little practice. Any digicam with a long zoom and no IS is pretty much wasting the extra zoom, since the shutter speed will end up being too slow, or the sensor ISO will have to be cranked to 200 or 400, adding significant noise to the inmage.
2. Lens, Threads - Having a non-extending, fixed lens with a 58mm thread is a real advantage over cameras that require a tube that fits around an extending lens. Being able to swap a UV filter for a polarizer in a few seconds has made some average shots really stand out, and adds to the SLR-ness of the camera. Vignetting should be expected with a standard thickness filters at wide angle and large apertures, so your standard UV protection filter should be a 'slim' type.
3. Flip and twist display - I wish I had this on all my cameras. Canon started this idea with the pro70 and Nikon is using it now. it works better that the coolpix split body or the Sony spilt lens types because of the extra degree of freedaom. My favourite shots would have been impossible without being able to frame them using this display - waist level, or above the crowd.
5. Sensor - If you can, always use the ISO 50 'film speed'. The picture noise is almost eliminated, and the photos are very smooth - more so than other cameras. 100 is usually not worth using since it is extra noise without much extra speed. 200 has significant noise, but it is a 'film grain' quality. 400 is usually too noisy. 2.6 megapixels might as well be 3.1, and 8x10's are not a problem. The next noticable step up in image quality is really around 6mp.
6. Hotshoe - I use the same 420ex flash on my canon SLR and the pro90. The 90 does not use the low-light assist lamp of the 420 (nor do the G1 or G2, but otherwise this is an excellent combination that will make you feel alot better about indoor pictures, especially with a wall or ceiling bounce. The 90 provides control over the relative flash output, and uses Canon's elegant pre-flash metering scheme.
7. Speed - This camera has a slow to shot times, but the start-up and write times are in line with all digicams. The zoom ring has an intentional lag built in, and the manual focus takes 5 seconds from one end to the other. Autofocus is surprisingly quick when the shutter is half-pressed. Overall, it doesn't feel much different that any digicam.
8. Intagibles - This thing is small, comfortable, very 'good looking', and can excel in the majority of situations a photographer finds themselves in. I've had a photo published in magazine and noone complained about the image quality. Most people who see pictures out of a 90 note that they have a very photgraphic quality to them, something they can't get with a 35-105 lens on a standard digicam. I figure it's the long zoom coupled with the wide apertures and the clean ISO50 mode that can be used frequently because of the IS.
8. Battery - Canon was thoughtful enough to use the same type of battery on all it's high end digitals, so if you decide to upgrade later, you don't lose the $75 you put into batteries. It lasts for about 80-90 shots, and two are more than enough for a weekend of shhoting away from electricity.
Overall, the feature set of this camera 'synergizes' and makes it a real gem that has still not been really challenged, even 2 years after its realese.
1. Lens, Overall - The lens makes the camera. Considering the price and size of the the equivalent lens for an SLR (35-350L, $2000), it is more like buying a good lens with a bonus camera attached. The long zoom and large aperture make this one of the best portrait digicams, since it allows the photographer to attain a sufficiently shallow DOF. There is some chromatic aberration on cloudy days, but nothing that can't be removed in photoshop, and certainly nothing that would 'wreck' a photo.
1.5 Image Stabilizer - All my lenses are image stabilized, and I cannot over-emphasize how valuable a tool this is. 50% of my shots are taken at shutter speeds that would silly with a non-IS lens. Existing-light photos as slow as 1/4sec are possible with a little practice. Any digicam with a long zoom and no IS is pretty much wasting the extra zoom, since the shutter speed will end up being too slow, or the sensor ISO will have to be cranked to 200 or 400, adding significant noise to the inmage.
2. Lens, Threads - Having a non-extending, fixed lens with a 58mm thread is a real advantage over cameras that require a tube that fits around an extending lens. Being able to swap a UV filter for a polarizer in a few seconds has made some average shots really stand out, and adds to the SLR-ness of the camera. Vignetting should be expected with a standard thickness filters at wide angle and large apertures, so your standard UV protection filter should be a 'slim' type.
3. Flip and twist display - I wish I had this on all my cameras. Canon started this idea with the pro70 and Nikon is using it now. it works better that the coolpix split body or the Sony spilt lens types because of the extra degree of freedaom. My favourite shots would have been impossible without being able to frame them using this display - waist level, or above the crowd.
5. Sensor - If you can, always use the ISO 50 'film speed'. The picture noise is almost eliminated, and the photos are very smooth - more so than other cameras. 100 is usually not worth using since it is extra noise without much extra speed. 200 has significant noise, but it is a 'film grain' quality. 400 is usually too noisy. 2.6 megapixels might as well be 3.1, and 8x10's are not a problem. The next noticable step up in image quality is really around 6mp.
6. Hotshoe - I use the same 420ex flash on my canon SLR and the pro90. The 90 does not use the low-light assist lamp of the 420 (nor do the G1 or G2, but otherwise this is an excellent combination that will make you feel alot better about indoor pictures, especially with a wall or ceiling bounce. The 90 provides control over the relative flash output, and uses Canon's elegant pre-flash metering scheme.
7. Speed - This camera has a slow to shot times, but the start-up and write times are in line with all digicams. The zoom ring has an intentional lag built in, and the manual focus takes 5 seconds from one end to the other. Autofocus is surprisingly quick when the shutter is half-pressed. Overall, it doesn't feel much different that any digicam.
8. Intagibles - This thing is small, comfortable, very 'good looking', and can excel in the majority of situations a photographer finds themselves in. I've had a photo published in magazine and noone complained about the image quality. Most people who see pictures out of a 90 note that they have a very photgraphic quality to them, something they can't get with a 35-105 lens on a standard digicam. I figure it's the long zoom coupled with the wide apertures and the clean ISO50 mode that can be used frequently because of the IS.
8. Battery - Canon was thoughtful enough to use the same type of battery on all it's high end digitals, so if you decide to upgrade later, you don't lose the $75 you put into batteries. It lasts for about 80-90 shots, and two are more than enough for a weekend of shhoting away from electricity.
Overall, the feature set of this camera 'synergizes' and makes it a real gem that has still not been really challenged, even 2 years after its realese.