Finding a difference

[belikej]

I have to say I have really enjoyed going through some of the pictures on this forum. There are some extremely talented artists on this board. Anyway I come seeking advice:

I am in the market for a quality compact camera and for several reasons have limited myself to Canon products. I am a beginner and leaning strongly toward the G11, but in finding my way to this camera I also looked over the s90, a2000is, and sx200is......

and it occurred to me while comparing advertised specifications on these models that there is no easily discernable difference on paper.

I understand the s90 is a smaller version of the G11 but without macro mode, ext. flash mount or iso wheel. I know the sx200 has a 12x zoom lense and that the a2000 is only a fourth of the cost of the other cameras.

I've read countless reviews of each. But aside from this I cannot tell why I might choose one over the other. How can I tell which one takes the best pictures? I get the feeling I'm supposed to intuit this information without being told; on account I cant find this info anywhere. Do they all take the same quality photos and if the a2000 is so much smaller and cheaper than the g11 for instance, why should anyone choose the g11 over the others if they all have the same level of photo quality?

I cant figure out what the "pecking order", if you will, is for these cameras and why. Or are they all equal?

Can anyone give advice?

 

[Iron Flatline]

The G11 and S90 allow you to shoot in RAW mode, that's a big deal. VERY SIMPLY: Raw is (sort of) the data as the sensor receives it. Most cameras will then take that data, discard anything not needed, REALLY compress it, and put it out as a JPG file. Those are great for emailing and posting on forums, but they're not going to give a you a chance to do a lot of developing later. RAW is the modern-day equivalent of a negative.

The S90 is great, it has a lovely small form-factor. But I love the G-series, I have three G9s. Make sure to pick up one of the underwater housings for pool and beach fun. If you're a diver you can even get a weight to make it negatively buoyant.

 

[belikej]

Well thank you for the reply Iron Flatline. Your information is very much appreciated. I was hoping to get a few more responses but I guess I cant really expect much help seeing as nobody here knows me and I havent contributed much to the site myself. Which makes your help all the nicer.

Anyway I looked at the G11 in person and confirmed that it will fit in my front pocket so that it makes it even more appealing. Cheers :thumbup: