What camera?

[HomerSimpson]

Hey people, how are you all?

I'm looking to get a new camera and I have begrudgingly decided to get a digital camera as opposed to an SLR as I don't feel that my camera skills do the SLR any justice at the moment. I'd hate to buy a camera that could do far more than I can manage.

Anyway, I'm currently undecided on which camera to get, so far I've narrowed it down to three..

1)The Canon IXUS 860..reviews read good and everything else is in my favour, it has a high megapixel count (which I know isn't the most important thing) and it has a wide angle lens (this is pretty important to me) BUT it it not very pocket friendly, it looks far chunkier than the Sony T200. Also, I've been told that when you turn the ISO up, it does not come out as grainy as a Sony, also, the macro shots are above average.

2)The Sony W200, this has 12 megapixels and looks great, it is also pretty easy on the pocket (comes within my budget) and is slimline too, it has double steadiness which is also good and it has a high-ish ISO. The test shots I saw of this came out better than the the ones of the IXUS.

3)The Sony T200, this is the one I'm leading towards due to slimness and the fact that it has a large touchscree. It has 8 megapixels but is super slim.

Which would you camera users recommend, do any of you have the cameras mentioned above? If so, have you had any problems with them?

Also, I'm trying to find an SLR camera in the body of a digicam (sizewise), are there any on the market? A friend of mine direceted me towards one but I lost the link.

Sorry for the length of the post, any help would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[Alex_B]

I have begrudgingly decided to get a digital camera as opposed to an SLR

digital and SLR are not contradicting terms, just as p&s ("point&shoot") or compact camera do not contradict film.

Which would you camera users recommend, do any of you have the cameras mentioned above? If so, have you had any problems with them?

I have no experience with any of those you mention. But since you mentioned slim. slim often means there is not really much space for good optics. Ultra-compact these days often does not hurt the electronics much, but it may hurt the optics.

Also, I'm trying to find an SLR camera in the body of a digicam (sizewise),

An SLR, be it a film or digital SLR needs a certain size for it's mechanism (the mirror and prism), so they do not come as small as p&s cameras.

Also with digital SLRs, the sensor will be either a 35mm ("full frame") sensor or something smaller, but not as small as sensors of today's p&s or compact digital cameras. So one more reason why they are not as tiny.

Be aware that digital SLRs range from 300 USD for a used older/smaller model to 7000 USD and more for the current high-end models.

 

[HomerSimpson]

digital and SLR are not contradicting terms, just as p&s ("point&shoot") or compact camera do not contradict film.

Yeah, I know, I'm just a bit sloppy with my terms, I'm differentiating between a point and shoot and SLR's.

I have no experience with any of those you mention. But since you mentioned slim. slim often means there is not really much space for good optics. Ultra-compact these days often does not hurt the electronics much, but it may hurt the optics.

Really? None of the reviews I read mentioned that though now you say it does make sense. Do you have any experience of Sony v Canon, most people I asked said that Canon's were better and they are also slightly thicker than Sony's, maybe that's why?

An SLR, be it a film or digital SLR needs a certain size for it's mechanism (the mirror and prism), so they do not come as small as p&s cameras.

Also with digital SLRs, the sensor will be either a 35mm ("full frame") sensor or something smaller, but not as small as sensors of today's p&s or compact digital cameras. So one more reason why they are not as tiny.

Be aware that digital SLRs range from 300 USD for a used older/smaller model to 7000 USD and more for the current high-end models.

I'm aware that SLR's are pretty costly pieces of kit, this kinda swayed my decision too but I also feel I'm not ready for an SLR yet as I want to improve my camera knowledge a little bit more.

:thumbup:

 

[Alex_B]

well, on the field of compact cameras I have no personal experience at all.

I know some friends who are happy with their Canon, and so is my mum who produces amazing images from time to time. but then there are also people with sony who do the same

and you cannot really simplify things that much. i would read some more reviews on particular models (dpreview or whatever is out there). don't get hooked up on megapixels too much, look more into image quality, and if it has a proper wide angle and such.

 

[HomerSimpson]

well, on the field of compact cameras I have no personal experience at all.

I know some friends who are happy with their Canon, and so is my mum who produces amazing images from time to time. but then there are also people with sony who do the same

and you cannot really simplify things that much. i would read some more reviews on particular models (dpreview or whatever is out there). don't get hooked up on megapixels too much, look more into image quality, and if it has a proper wide angle and such.

I've read quite a few reviews for the specific cameras and it seems that either both cameras are decent or people are afraid to really say what is wrong with them. I have read that the Canon has no battery warning and that the buttons are fiddly but the screen is fairly large.

Before I got into my camera I was a megapixel whore and I had my mind set on getting the most megapixels for my money but now I realise there are far more important things than that.

The only one of the cameras mentioned above that has the wide angle is the Canon but having said that, I took a decentish wide angle pic of my back garden with my current Sony.

Sometimes having too much to choose from isn't a good thing!

 

[Alex_B]

I've read quite a few reviews for the specific cameras and it seems that either both cameras are decent or people are afraid to really say what is wrong with them. I have read that the Canon has no battery warning and that the buttons are fiddly but the screen is fairly large.

no battery warning can be a pain... I have seen that. you basically need to estimate then.

when you read reviews, make sure you compare cameras from the same quality class. and make it recent reviews.

Sometimes having too much to choose from isn't a good thing!

it is a good thing, but it is painful in the phase where you are about to decide



OK, now please someone with experience on the compact sector step in!
I am not really the expert for this

 

[HomerSimpson]

Yeah, they were from the same "group" and there was only one point between then and the Sony one came out on top.

The only problem I have with my current Sony is that the picture sometimes looks a bit fake, i.e. not how my eye sees it and I have to edit it afterwards.

What website would you trust for camera reviews in general?

 

[jstuedle]

Did you look at the Nikon S series? Compact with good IQ.

 

[HomerSimpson]

No I didn't actually.

I perhaps should have done.

I'm quite a noob when it comes to cameras and someone mentioned that Canon's were good, I will check them out and see what they're like.

Thanks

 

[jstuedle]

No I didn't actually.

I perhaps should have done.

I'm quite a noob when it comes to cameras and someone mentioned that Canon's were good, I will check them out and see what they're like.

Thanks

Canon's are good cameras. But I think Nikon, Sony, Pentax and Panasonic as well as a few others all make good cameras. Read up and do a little research (maybe a lot of research). Choose the features and feel you like. Then pick out a few of your top choices and grab a memory card, go to a good shop and snap a few test pix. Take the card home and take a look see. Chances are, you will find a few cameras not on your list that you like as well or better.

 

[HomerSimpson]

I think I will do that but the shops around here that sell cameras are pretty rubbishy, the people don't know what they're talking about.

Another issue, I have a Sony and thus have a Sony memory stick, wouldn't I have to buy a new memory stick to test out different make cameras?

I'm swerving back towards a Canon again.

I will have to try and see sometime during the week.