s330 problem with sharpness

[Raist3d]

Plus, as long

as professional reviewers keep singing the praise of Canon consumer
digicams while most loyal Canon users, particularly first time
digicam or single digicam users, go along, why should Canon change
a thing?

BINGO! Maybe we should start an online petition.

• Raist

 

[fuh]

@ w3 :

Hi,
dont you think that you judge the s330 a little too bad?

well, i dont have a s330 just a dimageX but i compared the printouts and the s200/330 ones look pretty sharp for me (why do so many reviews say its very good except some corners in close-up ??)

i agree that the poor auto WB could be a problem but if the presets are easy to use than it's ok.

and i can't think of a better alternativ
(maybe the s30)

 

[w3]

@ w3 :

Hi,
dont you think that you judge the s330 a little too bad?

May be. I ask myself that question from time to time and whenever I post about it. Am I being too harsh on S330? I do admire the hardware engineering and build quality. But the more I admire the hardware the more I feel pitiful for the less than acceptable image quality for a supposedly convenient digicam using the default AUTO settings.

In addition, it may be a reaction in the other direction to many reviewers' endless praise of the S330 which obviously suffers from a "Feature Set Design/Intented Use" mismatch. Perhaps I am trying to balance things out a little bit, and presenting fellow users intending to buy a small simple point and shoot convenient another opinion. I do, however, still use the S330 as an emergency digicam due to its small size that I can leave it in my brief case or carry it everywhere, besides just admiring its stainless steel body.

well, i dont have a s330 just a dimageX but i compared the
printouts and the s200/330 ones look pretty sharp for me (why do so
many reviews say its very good except some corners in close-up ??)

Perhaps those who prefer softer images, mostly reviewers or professionals, think that S200/330 already produce sharp enough images. Softer images, indeed, are better suit for those who enjoy the extra work to do post-camera processing.

The thing that got me was that there is a photo effect choice on S200/330 for less sharpening (but not for more sharpening). Now, that would have been a correct design approach if S200/330, as a convenient digicam, did have the default setting to produce really SHARP images, but allows for the "Pros" to choose less sharpening (they don't mind pressing extra buttons pre-shot). The only problem is, the default setting produces soft images!!! Perhaps Canon, just like the "pros" who like to spend time laying with post-camera processing, think the default images are sharp enough or even too sharp already.

i agree that the poor auto WB could be a problem but if the presets
are easy to use than it's ok.

Easy if you look at S330 as a Prosumer digicam. Difficult if it is considered a Consumer/Point and Shoot/Convenient digicam. And the Pre-sets don't work that well.

From time to time, I wonder if the S330 images' yellow/orange cast is due to Canon capturing the "true" colors under incandescent lights and therefore is actually "better". But then when I see similar yellow/orange cast from images under fluorescent lights, I say not.

Nikon 995' pink cast doesn't bother me as much. And Nikon's WB presets work much better.

and i can't think of a better alternativ
(maybe the s30)

That depends on what you are looking for.

If you are looking for a Consumer/Point and Shoot/Convenient digicam, Kodaks come close. But they don't know how to make them small enough.

As I said, I would wait for the new 3MP Nikon CP3500 and take a look at both (S230 vs CP3500). WB is a digital thing and a nice thing, and we should put more weight on it when picking a digicam.

If you are looking for a Prosumer digicams, then there are plenty of choices.

 

[Timoteo]

I haven't really looked into fuji film at all.

what do you guys think?...anyone have opinions on the best
ultra-compact overall?

I think the S230 will be one of the best in its class (along with
th S200 and S330). My beef with CAnon is that they lowered the
quality in many situations over the previous models and looks like
the S230 behaves like an S200 picture quality wise.

Check the S230 pictures for yourself and if you like them go for
it. I actually like the FujiFine pix 401 too.

• Raist

I bought the s230 with greater expectations for picture sharpness. I'm a total novice but for $400 you'd think that at least the picture would be sharp! Not so. I'm in fact very disappointed. Fortunately I bought my camera at a place where they said they'd let me exchange it for the Fuji 401. We did an A/B comparison of shots in the store and printed them out on 5x7". Guess what? The Fuji f'n smoked the s230 for sharpeness and detail, color was as good or better. You could read the advertisement placards, even the small ones across the store very clearly. The s230 looked blurry. I'm very disappointed because not only do I really like the s230 size, design, numerous features, the cf storage format etc. but I already bought 2/ 256 cf cards and 2 extra canon batteries! Now what am I going to do??? At this point I'd be willing to spend bigger bucks for a ultra compact camera that took great pictures. Incidently, Fuji is phasing out the F401 smart media for the 402 xd, which isn't out yet. See what I mean? Whose got the best ultra compact camera now???