Sharing TX1 informatioin

[Setter Dog]

I will really consider the TZ5 when it gets up and running. I handled the TZ3 and found it easy to work with one hand, and important feature for me when I'm quail hunting in the fall. My Canon A710 works fine for this purpose but once the TX1 hooks me with HD video, I'll probably be hooked for life. Prices of these P&S digital cameras are becoming reasonable and I don't feel extravagant having an extra one or two around. My children enjoy the hand me downs.

My hope is that Canon comes out with a TZ5 like camera with HD that zooms during video. I'd really like for them to go Panasonic one better and include an optical viewfinder.

 

[rickthestick]

That's the lowest price I've seen on a new one. Maybe I need a backup.

 

[Keith Schmidt]

That looks like a great deal - even better than what I ended up with, which was this one from Cameta - camera, 4GB sdhc, and a bunch of other stuff for $350 shipped:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130198183879&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=003

I should have it later this week - always wanted to give this camera a try, but the $500 price kept me away.

I'll post some pics and first impressions once it arrives.
--
Keith
http://www.pbase.com/themitty/
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/themitty

 

[Photofreak7]

That looks like a great deal - even better than what I ended up with,
which was this one from Cameta - camera, 4GB sdhc, and a bunch of
other stuff for $350 shipped:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130198183879&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=003

I should have it later this week - always wanted to give this camera
a try, but the $500 price kept me away.

I'll post some pics and first impressions once it arrives.

I look forward to seeing what you can do with it! I am still tempted to 'pry' open my wallet (again) but I will think on it for another day or two... Matt

--
Keith
http://www.pbase.com/themitty/
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/themitty

 

[Keith Schmidt]

I'll post some pics and first impressions once it arrives.

I look forward to seeing what you can do with it! I am still tempted
to 'pry' open my wallet (again) but I will think on it for another
day or two... Matt

Showing a bit of restraint for a change?
--
Keith
http://www.pbase.com/themitty/
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/themitty

 

[Photofreak7]

I'll post some pics and first impressions once it arrives.

I look forward to seeing what you can do with it! I am still tempted
to 'pry' open my wallet (again) but I will think on it for another
day or two... Matt

Showing a bit of restraint for a change?

Ouch! No I'm actually hoping for an S6IS announcement shortly. But if it doesn't have HD video then I may then get the TX1 (of course the TX2 could be announced as well - LOL)

--
Keith
http://www.pbase.com/themitty/
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/themitty

 

[GD1]

I purchased the TX1 from Newegg. For the price, it is a great well rounded camera. Takes outstanding HD videos and excellent daylight still photos. Have not tried many night pics yet. Built like a rock, like the tilt view finder (wish it was a little bigger). Purchased the Adata 16 gig card and seems to work well. We used the TX1 on vacation last week and pics and video came out excellent. Also used a Panny TZ3 and Fuji F31 for night pics.

Only issue I have had was that I also noticed on one sunny HD video, that pink streaks came up in one part of the video.

 

[Setter Dog]

I think this camera would have been more popular without all the negative professional reviews. That, and the slightly higher price kept a lot of people, like me, on the sidelines for a long time. All of this probably added up to Canon feeling they really didn't have a winner, when they actually did.

Personally, I hope Canon stays with the hybrid idea and improves on the TX1 with maybe a larger LCD or even an OVF.

This is a special camera in every way I know to judge cameras. In the interest of spreading the word, I just posted a positive user review with Amazon.

If we spread the word, maybe Canon will stay interested.

 

[DigGuy]

A couple of things. i found another way to hold this little guy that works quite well. of course you have to be a rightie. put your thumb on top of the camera and use it to press the shutter button. the index and middle fingers are below the lens, and ring finger and pinkieare used to support the camera underneath. with a little practice it works pretty well, at least as an option. i'd like to know what photo printers other tx1 owners are using, and the upside and downside. i just bought the canon pixma mini320 from j&r, being blown out with shipping for $115. some places are still selling it for as much as $179. it hasnt arrived yet, but user reviews are good and the price is unbeatable. "professional" reviewers have said the cost of printing 4 by 6s is too high, but that was when the printer first came out. the paper and cartridges are down in price and surely will continue to drop. my 2 cents.

 

[Setter Dog]

Well, I tried the little rascal for real today the the results overall were pleasing. Suspicions were confirmed about some things though.

Image quality was excellent, especially surprised at how crisp the stills were. The HD video was just fine. It was a little tough for me to get used to the small LCD but I seemed to be getting the hang of it toward the end of the game.

Continuous shooting was amazing. I don't recall what the speed is supposed to be but it blazed. Helped me get some good shots.

One hand operation is very natural on stills, hardly possible on video, however,....especially if zooming.

Battery life is as advertised,....short. Always have a spare.

 

[Setter Dog]

The above test was at my grandsons Little League ball game and it was challenging to keep the little kids centered up as they ran bases etc. The long zoom and continuous were wonderful for still shots.

Overall, this is a fine little camera. Nice part is getting good stills and HD video from something you just take in and out of your shirt pocket.

It's a keeper.

 

[Setter Dog]

Bumping this thread up to comment that I found I actually preferred to shoot in the 4:3 format, mainly because you get the full LCD view while shooting. You can also downgrade the mp to M2 and get 1.5X extra zoom, but only in 4:3.

Both 4:3 and 16:9 are beautiful videos. If you have an HD TV you will probably prefer the 16:9. I'll probably contine to use the HD but if I forget and shoot in 4:3, it's really not a loss.

 

[Setter Dog]

I'm chasing my own tail on this thread, it seems, but thought I should continue to post as I make discoveries, good and bad.

I was gaining confidence in the TX1, and thought I would give it a try at my hunting club on my bird dogs as they fetched, pointed etc. Well, to be honest, I was very disappointed in my results. I was simply not able to quickly aquire my subject in the tiny LCD and have given up on using the TX1 in the field. I have also concluded that there is no point in trying to make an LCD only camera work for this purpose. I've now tried the Sanyo CG65 and the TX1 with poor results.

The TX1 will continue to be my "go to" choice for general use for both video and stills and should also be a good choice for my trips to Yellowstone Park. In the field with my dogs I will continue to use my A710. It is not HD, does not zoom during video but it does have a viewfinder.

I resolved some time ago to not buy any camera that didn't fit into my shirt pocket. I've now resolved that my next camera will not only have to fit in the shirt pocket, it will also have a viewfinder.

 

[Keith Schmidt]

I'm chasing my own tail on this thread, it seems, but thought I
should continue to post as I make discoveries, good and bad.

I was gaining confidence in the TX1, and thought I would give it a
try at my hunting club on my bird dogs as they fetched, pointed etc.
Well, to be honest, I was very disappointed in my results. I was
simply not able to quickly aquire my subject in the tiny LCD and have
given up on using the TX1 in the field. I have also concluded that
there is no point in trying to make an LCD only camera work for this
purpose. I've now tried the Sanyo CG65 and the TX1 with poor results.

The TX1 will continue to be my "go to" choice for general use for
both video and stills and should also be a good choice for my trips
to Yellowstone Park. In the field with my dogs I will continue to
use my A710. It is not HD, does not zoom during video but it does
have a viewfinder.

I resolved some time ago to not buy any camera that didn't fit into
my shirt pocket. I've now resolved that my next camera will not only
have to fit in the shirt pocket, it will also have a viewfinder.

You might want to try the SD870 before you give up on LCD only cameras - I don't know what coating Canon has put on this LCD, but it's the only one I've used to date that I haven't had any issues with seeing, even in very harsh sunlight. The fact that it's a huge 3" is also quite nice.

--
Keith
http://www.pbase.com/themitty/
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/themitty

 

[Kevin Cole]

There is a major advantage in using a case where you pull the XT1 out the side, lengthwise, rather than out the top. The knurled wheel on the side does not catch on the case and the settings remain as you want them. Conventional cases are usually too tight a fit. I have tried all sorts of cases, even toddler's socks, and I find a camera sized wallet with a flap the best.

All these metal cased Canons have been remarkably durable and can often withstand a drop, but I feel very vulerable unless I have my hand looped through the supplied wrist strap.

I use manual mode with the ISO set to 80 only and often find XT1, daylight photos, indistinguishable from my SLR especially if I am not using a lens that cost me at least as much as I paid for my XT1.

 

[Setter Dog]

There is a major advantage in using a case where you pull the XT1 out
the side, lengthwise, rather than out the top. The knurled wheel on
the side does not catch on the case and the settings remain as you
want them. Conventional cases are usually too tight a fit. I have
tried all sorts of cases, even toddler's socks, and I find a camera
sized wallet with a flap the best.

All these metal cased Canons have been remarkably durable and can
often withstand a drop, but I feel very vulerable unless I have my
hand looped through the supplied wrist strap.

I use manual mode with the ISO set to 80 only and often find XT1,
daylight photos, indistinguishable from my SLR especially if I am not
using a lens that cost me at least as much as I paid for my XT1.

My case was one that was laying around the house and it's perfect. I have no idea what came in this rightsized little leather pouch. I also have a tiny case that came with my Extreme 111 SDHC cards and use it for two spare SD cards and two spare batteries. It's attached to the strap of the camera case and not possible to accidentally separate.

For security, I use a lanyard around my neck and just keep the camera in my shirt pocket.

About accidentally changing settings,.....one nice thing about the design of the TX1 is that it's not easy to accidentally change settings. On my A710, I occasionally change movie modes accidentally with the heel of my hand. Although difficult to handle in some ways, there are parts of the TX1 design that is very well thought out.

Good tip about ISO 80, Kevin. So far I've had good results with auto iso but I think I'll try the manual 80.

 

[Cyril Catt]

Setter Dog, I am wondering whether it is the size of the TX1’s LCD or the degree of magnification that makes it difficult to quickly acquire your subject. I have found that the traditional 8 x 30 or 7 x 50 binoculars are easier to use, hand-held, than the more recent 10 x 21 styles, or those of even higher magnification, simply because they have a less restricted angle of view and do not magnify every tiny hand tremor so much. So I have to use a tripod or some other form of rest for higher magnification binoculars.

If the magnification is the main cause of your problem, and if it happens primarily on field trips, I guess you want to be mobile, so cannot use a tripod. But as the TX1 is such a lightweight device, I wondered whether it might be attached in some way to the visor of an industrial ‘hard hat’, so you could easily move about, yet point the camera more steadily at your subject, like military night vision scopes?

--
Cyril

 

[Cyril Catt]

I use two cases. One is simply a $1 plastic soap dish that exactly fits the TX1, which can bounce about in a shoulder bag without risking scratches or dust contamination on the TX1.

The other is a CaseLogic TBC2 case I can wear on my belt, with a separate compartment for spare memory cards and batteries.
Both cases also fit the same-sized Kodak Z885 I often take as a back-up
--
Cyril

 

[Setter Dog]

Cyril,

You make a good point about magnification but I don't think that's my problem. I think it's a case of the subject just being smaller in a smaller LCD. I'm not limiting myself to the cameras I now have and may try the Pany TZ5 with the 3" screen and wide lens. I'll only "try" that with return privileges since I really think I'll never be happy without a viewfinder. For one thing, my subject (a bird dog) is often moving at a pretty good clip and that compounds my problem.

Even though the LCD limitation is a minor irritant, I recognize that for most people it simply doesn't mean anything. I continue to really like the TX1 for most uses and wouldn't be without it.

Still, I'm hoping Canon can put HD and 10X zoom into one of their viewfinder models.

 

[Cyril Catt]

Setter Dog, I see your point, and agree that it would probably be easier with a viewfinder, to follow a small object in a wide field, then zoom in on it. But I think the camera would have to be specifically designed for single-handed operation if you are to keep the subject in view at 10 x magnification.

Keeping the subject in view at high magnification would also be more difficult with a camera as light as the TX1. A more massive camera (or a light one mounted on a kilo mass of some sort) might be less susceptible to shake - but would obviously be more difficult to hold single-handed for a sustained period.

Alternatively, a camera might be mounted on the top of a hiking stick of suitable height to bring the viewfinder to eye level when required, and used as a monopod.

I have a lightweight collapsible monopod long enough to steady a camera comfortably whilst standing. It's made from 7 sections of aluminium tube taken from 3 cheap collapsible walking sticks. Looks ugly, but works for me.
--
Cyril