ISO noise: A80 vs. S50 (searched forum)

[bsd]

Hello,

I am sure this question is asked all the time, but I have searched the forum and have not found an answer.

Feature-wise, the cameras seems about equal to me. Each one has a few real cool functions that I wish the other had. (movable LCD, RAW mode, AA power, good manual control, etc.)

Yet, in all the A80 vs. S50 discussion, has the issue of general image quality and "ISO vs. Noise" come up?

Where can I find side-by-side comparison and analysis of image quality for the A80 and S50? I have seen many nice sample pictures posted by individuals that own either of the two models, but image quality is hard to gauge outside of a controlled test.

Steve's Digicams often has a nice series of "ISO tests" but, oddly enough, he seems to have skipped them for both of these cameras.

Can anybody with hands-on experience with both cameras shed some light on the issue?

Thanks,

David

 

[bsd]

Anybody?

Hello,

I am sure this question is asked all the time, but I have searched
the forum and have not found an answer.

Feature-wise, the cameras seems about equal to me. Each one has a
few real cool functions that I wish the other had. (movable LCD,
RAW mode, AA power, good manual control, etc.)

Yet, in all the A80 vs. S50 discussion, has the issue of general
image quality and "ISO vs. Noise" come up?

Where can I find side-by-side comparison and analysis of image
quality for the A80 and S50? I have seen many nice sample
pictures posted by individuals that own either of the two models,
but image quality is hard to gauge outside of a controlled test.

Steve's Digicams often has a nice series of "ISO tests" but, oddly
enough, he seems to have skipped them for both of these cameras.

Can anybody with hands-on experience with both cameras shed some
light on the issue?

Thanks,

David

 

[AcuraCL]

Perhaps you can email Phil and ask if he plans to test the A80.

As far as the ISO test:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canons50/page12.asp

Hello,

I am sure this question is asked all the time, but I have searched
the forum and have not found an answer.

Feature-wise, the cameras seems about equal to me. Each one has a
few real cool functions that I wish the other had. (movable LCD,
RAW mode, AA power, good manual control, etc.)

Yet, in all the A80 vs. S50 discussion, has the issue of general
image quality and "ISO vs. Noise" come up?

Where can I find side-by-side comparison and analysis of image
quality for the A80 and S50? I have seen many nice sample
pictures posted by individuals that own either of the two models,
but image quality is hard to gauge outside of a controlled test.

Steve's Digicams often has a nice series of "ISO tests" but, oddly
enough, he seems to have skipped them for both of these cameras.

Can anybody with hands-on experience with both cameras shed some
light on the issue?

Thanks,

David

 

[bsd]

Hi,

It's possable to e-mail Phill? How?

Thanks for S50 iso test. Looks kind of noisy...

I wonder how the A80 will compare.

-- David

As far as the ISO test:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canons50/page12.asp

Hello,

I am sure this question is asked all the time, but I have searched
the forum and have not found an answer.

Feature-wise, the cameras seems about equal to me. Each one has a
few real cool functions that I wish the other had. (movable LCD,
RAW mode, AA power, good manual control, etc.)

Yet, in all the A80 vs. S50 discussion, has the issue of general
image quality and "ISO vs. Noise" come up?

Where can I find side-by-side comparison and analysis of image
quality for the A80 and S50? I have seen many nice sample
pictures posted by individuals that own either of the two models,
but image quality is hard to gauge outside of a controlled test.

Steve's Digicams often has a nice series of "ISO tests" but, oddly
enough, he seems to have skipped them for both of these cameras.

Can anybody with hands-on experience with both cameras shed some
light on the issue?

Thanks,

David

 

[AcuraCL]

Yes, it is possible.

But I just checked the "Feedback" link on the right, and it says he won't answer questions about upcoming reviews.



I already have a S45 that I'm pretty happy with, but I'd love to see tests of the A80 too.

It's possable to e-mail Phill? How?

Thanks for S50 iso test. Looks kind of noisy...

I wonder how the A80 will compare.

-- David

As far as the ISO test:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canons50/page12.asp

Hello,

I am sure this question is asked all the time, but I have searched
the forum and have not found an answer.

Feature-wise, the cameras seems about equal to me. Each one has a
few real cool functions that I wish the other had. (movable LCD,
RAW mode, AA power, good manual control, etc.)

Yet, in all the A80 vs. S50 discussion, has the issue of general
image quality and "ISO vs. Noise" come up?

Where can I find side-by-side comparison and analysis of image
quality for the A80 and S50? I have seen many nice sample
pictures posted by individuals that own either of the two models,
but image quality is hard to gauge outside of a controlled test.

Steve's Digicams often has a nice series of "ISO tests" but, oddly
enough, he seems to have skipped them for both of these cameras.

Can anybody with hands-on experience with both cameras shed some
light on the issue?

Thanks,

David

 

[S Chastain]

Hi,

It's possable to e-mail Phill? How?

Thanks for S50 iso test. Looks kind of noisy...

I wonder how the A80 will compare.

-- David

DCresource's review has a comparision of noise at each ISO setting.
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_a80-review/index.shtml
--
Sue
About Graphics Software
http://graphicssoft.about.com/

 

[Forbes]

I looked at DCRP A80 Review again now that I have a lot of A80 shots under my belt. What is illustrated there corresponds with what I am seeing but honestly, it doesn't seem like a problem. In other words, I don't know how A80 noise ranks with others but to my untrained eye it seems like it is within reason. I have taken some test shots in really poor conditions and they appear to me to be quite useable, in that the noise more resembles film grain than TV snow in the outback (something I have seen in severe illustrations of the problem). Don F.

Hello,

I am sure this question is asked all the time, but I have searched
the forum and have not found an answer.

Feature-wise, the cameras seems about equal to me. Each one has a
few real cool functions that I wish the other had. (movable LCD,
RAW mode, AA power, good manual control, etc.)

Yet, in all the A80 vs. S50 discussion, has the issue of general
image quality and "ISO vs. Noise" come up?

Where can I find side-by-side comparison and analysis of image
quality for the A80 and S50? I have seen many nice sample
pictures posted by individuals that own either of the two models,
but image quality is hard to gauge outside of a controlled test.

Steve's Digicams often has a nice series of "ISO tests" but, oddly
enough, he seems to have skipped them for both of these cameras.

Can anybody with hands-on experience with both cameras shed some
light on the issue?

Thanks,

David

--
Don F.

 

[abc9]

Where can I find side-by-side comparison and analysis of image
quality for the A80 and S50? I have seen many nice sample
pictures posted by individuals that own either of the two models,
but image quality is hard to gauge outside of a controlled test.

Some people have commented about outsanding low noise from the A80 at ISO400. There is a post here (I think by Isabel), where she has several shots taken at this level and they are indeed fantastic.

 

[saypizza]

I think you'll find the A80 has lower noise than the S50, for the very same reason the G3 has lower noise than the G5. All four of these cameras use the same size sensor. The G3 and A80 are 4MP, the S50 and G5 are 5MP. The 5MP will be higher resolution but also higher noise, that's the trade-off I believe.

Where can I find side-by-side comparison and analysis of image
quality for the A80 and S50? I have seen many nice sample
pictures posted by individuals that own either of the two models,
but image quality is hard to gauge outside of a controlled test.

Some people have commented about outsanding low noise from the A80
at ISO400. There is a post here (I think by Isabel), where she has
several shots taken at this level and they are indeed fantastic.

 

[wlachan]

It is unlikely that many people will have both S50 & A80, more likely have either one. Your best hope is to wait for the dpreview if it will ever be reviewed here (the progress seems a little slow lately). Here are some A80 shots which include some ISO50/400 comparsion shots. You might see if the noise level is acceptable to you.
http://www.pbase.com/wlachan/canon_a80

Anybody?

 

[Marco Nero]

Hi David,

Technically, any camera exceeding 4 megapixels will invariably exhibit more noise in lowlight shots. The thresh-hold appears to be the 4 MP mark. Whilst your 5PM sensor allows one to capture more detail per image scale %, the sensor itself is prone to noise at certain levels. For this reason, the G5 will exhibit a slight difference, not easily measured though, compared to the A80.

Now the A80, producing a clean image... has slightly more aspherical distortion at the wide angle than the G-series cameras. I have used the A80 and a G5 side by side to photograph city buildings and found that the buildings were visibly more curved towards the sides of the images in the A80 shots and those taken by the G-5 had nearly no distortion at all. I'm sure the larger G5 lens was the reason behind this as there would be less optical compression in the larger lens. The results from the G5 were exceptional and the shots from the A80 were slightly "distorted" when it came to vertical lines in the subject matter. I found the very same differences with the s400 Vs G3 on the same shoot.

Hope this helps.

--
Marco Nero.
http://www.pbase.com/nero_design

 

[bsd]

Thanks to all for the info.



I guess I'll have to wait for Phil's review of the A80.

Hopefully he will compare the A80 to the S50 since they are the same price. (much less than the G5)

Hello,

I am sure this question is asked all the time, but I have searched
the forum and have not found an answer.

Feature-wise, the cameras seems about equal to me. Each one has a
few real cool functions that I wish the other had. (movable LCD,
RAW mode, AA power, good manual control, etc.)

Yet, in all the A80 vs. S50 discussion, has the issue of general
image quality and "ISO vs. Noise" come up?

Where can I find side-by-side comparison and analysis of image
quality for the A80 and S50? I have seen many nice sample
pictures posted by individuals that own either of the two models,
but image quality is hard to gauge outside of a controlled test.

Steve's Digicams often has a nice series of "ISO tests" but, oddly
enough, he seems to have skipped them for both of these cameras.

Can anybody with hands-on experience with both cameras shed some
light on the issue?

Thanks,

David