wrote in message
ups.com...
I am still slowly considering for my next digital cameras. It was
still either the high end point and shot camera, or a low end DSLR
(which they are basically on the same price range). As some readers
in
these newsgroup suggested, I went to the photo shop and try the
cameras in my hand. The following are my impressions. I welcome the
comments from others.
- Low end DSLR have a "cheap" plastic feeling. I know that this
should
not be a factor for photo qualities. However, I feel uncomfortable
with the cheap plastic cameras. My old SLR cameras are all heavy and
made of metal... including the lens' casing.
- For P&S, I am still not comfortable for the fact that Nikon camera
was not made in Japan (as compared to Canon G7 and Panasonic FZ50).
Again, some readers already suggested that where the camera is
manufactured should not effect the camera's quality). I am also sure
that a lot of the components of the cameras were not made in Japan.
- FZ50 is much bulky than G7. I am still not 100% sure whether this
will affect my choice. I like to have the camera fit into my pocket.
The Ultra compact does not have extra features as the high end P&S.
- I tried couple of shots in the shop with the G7. If I am not
mistaken, the quality in FZ50 seems sharper than the G7.
- I do like the feel of the G7 - solid. Except for the protective
shutter. If I handled roughly into my pocket, the shutter may be
dislodged. I wish they have a sliding steel cover (like in smaller/
compact Sony or Olympus models). I recall that the Canon A series
that
I used for work had the cover shutter damaged during rugged uses and
it does not close properly now - although the camera is still
functioning.
- I checked at DPReview for side by side comparison between G7 and
P5000. They seem to have similar features across. However, someone
in
the newsgroup indicated that G7 has more manual features than P5000.
P5000 is smaller and lighter... but I can feel that G7 seems to be
built better and stronger. Picture quality that I tried in the shop
was not that great, but it could be the lighting too.
At the end of the day, I am still thinking either G7 or FZ50... and
now tend to weight more on the G7 for its compactness.... unless
Panasonic made one which comparable in features and price as G7. I
am
a little turn-off my plastic quality of low end DSLR. If I am going
to
that route (perhaps next time), I may think about higher end DSLR
instead.



Depends what you are looking at in the 'low-end' DSLR. There are many
good buys in that area at the moment. The Canon EOS350 is good and
comparable with a P&S. The EOS400 will be cheap soon as it will be
superseded by the EOS410. The Nikon D50 is really quite cheap and
almost as good as the D40 (avoid the D40X - lens compatibility
issues.)

I got the D70s - have been a Nikon user for years and still have an
F501 and an F75 so my choice was somewhat made for me. OK it is now 18
months old and two generations behind current models (D80/D200) but it
still takes damn good pictures and beats almost any compact.
I also got a Canon Ixus60 - which is very cheap at the moment - and
find that I use it more than the Nikon! Again the race for pixels
should be avoided: unless you know you will need to crop severely,
5Mp or 6Mp is more than enough - above that you start to run into
noise problems. The other current front runner in the compact area is
the Fuji F30 which gets good comments about low noise levels and
3200ASA! The lens and your post-taking software are more important
than the race for pixels. What is the point in having a 7Mp or 8Mp or
more camera when the lens cannot match it (which certainly the Canon
can?)

As for facilities, I have long since learnt that most of my picture
failures are when I override the camera - for exposure it usually
knows best, and where it doesn't (like silhouettes) it is easy to
achieve with a little movement of the focus/metering position. Much
more important is the shutter lag - which you can ignore with DSLRs.
Canon, Casio, and Fuji compacts are among the quickest, Nikon and
Olympus the slowest IME.

In the final analysis, it is the idiot behind the viewfinder that
makes the picture, not the camera.


--
Woody

harrogate3 at ntlworld dot com