If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
Powershot SX10
"Ted G." wrote in message ... On Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:02:45 GMT, "Dudley Hanks" wrote: "BobB" wrote in message . .. On Sun, 14 Dec 2008 08:06:23 GMT, "Dudley Hanks" wrote: Has anyone seen any pics from the new Canon Powershot SX10 IS? I'm just wondering how that lens is performing, what the noise level is like, how good the video is, etc... Is it worth $420? Thanks, Dudley Here's a good example http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Ca..._results.shtml The SX10 clearly beats the 450D DSLR in most every way. Higher resolution, less chromatic aberration, more features, more convenience, quiet operation, etc., etc., etc. In order to get comparable (still-frame only) performance out of the DSLR you'd have to spend in excess of $6,500 for at least two new lenses that would come in at over 9 lbs. Not counting the 6-12 lb. tripod required to make the longer zoom range lens useable on the DSLR. I've already done all the math and the SX10 makes any DSLR look like a money-hungry black-hole mass that provides little to nothing extra in return. Actually, I've read most of the reviews and test reports, and I've been fairly impressed by what I've read. While I don't agree with everything you've stated above, I have to admit that the SX10 rates pretty good -- which is one reason why this is a difficult decision for me. That is why I'm hoping to hear from somebody who actually owns one and can give me the low-down on how it performs in his / her real life situation. My main concern is low-light. I have no doubt I'd be pretty happy with the pics from daylight shots, but I do a lot of work in low-light, and I am more than a bit curious how the SX10 does there. Take Care, Dudley I've been an available-light photographer all my life. I have yet to find a situation in which I can't use a small-sensor camera to achieve the same results as when using a larger-sensor camera. Proper exposure in low-light at low ISOs has no more noise on a sensor than those taken in daylight at low ISOs. This is a given for any digital camera. I can easily get noise-free 65 second exposures on a 1/2.5" sensor. If the sensor receives enough light during the exposure than it's the same as if taken in daylight at the same ISOs. The cumulative number of photons on that sensor are no different if collected for 2 hours or 1/2,000th of a second. This is something that the DSLR-Trolls always seem to never understand nor know. Some ISO800 images are also very useful from that size of sensor if you require higher shutter speeds in low-light. A P&S camera with an EVF that auto-increases sensor gain in the viewfinder in low-light will also allow you to focus in levels so low where it would make an optical viewfinder in a DSLR totally useless. This is another reason that I gave up on optical-viewfinder cameras in lieu of the more useful EVF cameras for low-light performance. It all depends on your own photography skills (and use of noise-removal editing tools if using higher ISOs) for low-light situations. This too is a given for any digital camera and is relative to the situation at the time. A larger sensor only gives you about a 2-stop ISO advantage. That's hardly any kind of selling point for an experienced photographer. For a point and shoot novice? Yes, they need all the help they can get. Now, if you're just a novice point and shoot photographer and require 2 stops faster shutter speeds from 2 stops higher ISOs in low-light because you lack the skills and abilities to do things like pan with your subject or know how to hold a camera steady then, by all means, dish out the $6,500 needed to try to make up for what you lack as a photographer. Just remember, it will come with its own set of even greater drawbacks. Like not being allowed into many public events, nor even shopping malls, due to the clattering noise that your dslr makes; crud on your sensor ruining all your photos until you find out later when you get home and you can't go back and re-shoot those photos; lost shots from changing lenses; and a hundred other drawbacks to using today's dslrs. As I've pointed out elsewhere, I am quite happy with my Powershot A720 IS P&S camera. I use it for things most people would shake their heads in wonder at. But, after more carefully contemplating why I want a new camera, it is becoming clear that the SX10 would simply give me a better version of what I already have; it won't address the deficiencies of the P&S line. As a P&S user, I like to extoll the virtues of these cameras as much as anyone, possibly more so. But, I try to look at things honestly and practically. Having done that, I don't see how purchasing another, albeit better, P&S camera will help me to take pics with less DOF, or help me get back to the state-of-mind I used to enter into when shooting with my former 35mm cameras. Regarding the shallower DOF, say what you will about the P&S camera, I haven't found one yet that will achieve anything close to what can be obtained with a good prime lens. If I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me. Regarding the more ethereal area of "state-of-mind" and how that can contribute to more creative pics, I can't elaborate much on that. All I can say is that the tactile sensation of something can truly act as a psychological "anchor" that can be used to help one establish a certain mental / physiological condition which can demonstrably effect one's capabilities (see "Unlimited Power," by Anthony Robins, possibly chapter 13 or 14). Having used cameras with a certain shape and feel for more than 30 years, having shot many rock concerts in many large venues, I tend to work in a fairly systematic fashion. The shape and feel of P&S cameras is such that, while possibly more useful for some things than a DSLR, I cannot find my stride with them in the more esoteric areas of the craft. This isn't the fault of the camera; it's simply the way I work. Now, if I want to take a picture in a shopping mall, I always have my trusty A720 in my pocket or fanny pack. Etc... Sorry, this calls for a bit of a side bar: The other day I wanted to buy myself a pair of gloves. Here in Edmonton, the temp dropped dramatically, and the wind picked up, so it was time to pull out the winter clothes. Not being able to find my gloves from last year, I hopped a bus and went down to the mall. But, when I got there, I discovered I had forgotten my wallet at home, so I couldn't get my gloves. More than a bit ****ed off, I trudged back to the bus terminal at the mall. However, with all of the blowing snow and my frozen hands trying to handle my aluminum cane (God, I miss my guide), it took me about 20 minutes to get to the bus stop. Then, I had to wait another 10 minutes or so for the bus to arrive. Needless to say, by the time the bus got there, I was frozen and not in the best of humour. Thus, when the bus driver asked me to show my card, I was both embarrassed and rather ****ed off. As a blind person, the Canadian National Institute issues me an identification card which is accepted in lue of a bus pass. Theoretically, I should have it on me whenever I ride the buses. But, in practice, 99.999% of the bus drivers don't ask to see it, most even discourage blind people from digging through their wallets / pockets looking for it because it slows things down. Accordingly, one gets rather used to just walking onto a bus and asking "Which seat is open?" I apologized to the bus driver for not having my card with me and explained my situation, pointing out that I had my white cane with me which can only be obtained from the CNIB, and which in fact is illegal for anyone other than a blind person to possess and / or use in Canada. This didn't phase the driver at all; he still wanted to see my card in order for me to board the bus. Next, I pointed out that it is actually quite hazardous for a blind person to try to navigate in a busy city in conditions such as was the case at the moment, that the sidewalks were obscured by drifts which caused people to wander into traffic or off their routes and into open areas such as parks and parking lots. And, I ended up by explaining that it normally took me an hour to walk from the mall to my home; in this weather it would more than likely take 3 or 4 hours (without gloves), assuming I could find my way at all. Still, he was unphased. At this point, I lost it and told him rather angrily that I wanted him to get a supervisor down, pronto, and I asked him for his name and badge number. At this, he quickly changed his mind and said he would graciously let me ride the bus, "this time," but that I better not forget my card in the future. I told him that was nice of him, but that I still wanted to speak with a supervisor. He refused to call one down, presumably because he knew that transit policy in Edmonton is to err on the side of caution with blind passengers in general, and everyone in bad weather. I have even witnessed bus drivers pulling over in between stops to pick up children, seniors and disabled people in cold weather. When told that they can't afford the fare, the drivers simply say, "Don't worry about it. You'll freeze out there today. It was clear to me that this guy knew the policy and was merely amusing himself by harrasing a blind guy. So, I got my revenge. While I was verbally venting my displeasure at his attitude, I slipped my hand into my pocket and pulled out my ever-present A720. Not having to look at the camera to set it, i flipped the mode dial with my thumb until I felt the larger atenuation while rotating the dial counter-clockwise. Next, I rotated it back three clicks, clockwise. This put it in Tv mode, which I always leave set at 1/200 seconds with the flash enabled. With the camera in the right mode, I made sure that the switch along the top right side of the camera back was set to shooting mode instead of viewing mode, and I pressed the power button and waited for the lens to pop out. The bus driver was too busy defending his decision not to summon a supervisor, so he didn't notice what I was doing, that is, until the flash went off right in front of his face. Wow, was he ****ed off. But, I told him that first thing in the morning, I would be calling the complaint line and he could explain himself to a supervisor at that point, and I finished with "I hope you gave me your correct badge number, because I have a picture to establish your identity, as well as the route number and time of day. I punctuated this statement by pressing the button on my talking watch which immediately responded with, "It is 9:05 pm." With that, he turned around and sat quietly in his seat, and I found one for myself. The moral of this long diversion, is that I will always own and have on my person a P&S camera because of what it CAN do. But, I also want a DSLR because of what the P&S CAN'T do. Take Care, Dudley |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
Powershot SX10
Dudley Hanks wrote:
Has anyone seen any pics from the new Canon Powershot SX10 IS? I'm just wondering how that lens is performing, what the noise level is like, how good the video is, etc... Is it worth $420? Wide angle sounds *much* more useful than super telephoto for your limited sight situation... though maybe I'm missing something in your approach and vision of photography. I'm looking at the Panasonic LX-3 for that price with 24mm f/2 wide and a mere 60mm eq. on the long end. I want to use it for street shooting where you get that feeling of being immersed in the scene with lots of foreground. -- Paul Furman www.edgehill.net www.baynatives.com all google groups messages filtered due to spam |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
Powershot SX10
"Paul Furman" wrote in message ... Dudley Hanks wrote: Has anyone seen any pics from the new Canon Powershot SX10 IS? I'm just wondering how that lens is performing, what the noise level is like, how good the video is, etc... Is it worth $420? Wide angle sounds *much* more useful than super telephoto for your limited sight situation... though maybe I'm missing something in your approach and vision of photography. I'm looking at the Panasonic LX-3 for that price with 24mm f/2 wide and a mere 60mm eq. on the long end. I want to use it for street shooting where you get that feeling of being immersed in the scene with lots of foreground. -- Paul Furman The first thing that went through my mind when I thought about the 20X zoom was, "Wow, I could really get a good shot of something in the distance to show others when I want more info..." But, the more I thought about it, the more I came to realize I'd never be able to aim it accurately at full zoom. You're right, Paul, the 28mm end would be much more useful. But, that first 100mm would have a pretty good aperture... Take Care, Dudley |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
Powershot SX10
Xxxxx wrote:
I have both the SX10 IS and the XSi. The SX10 is noisier, but it lets me capture shots that the XSi can't quite match, due to the added zoom and the image stabilizer. I use a Tamon 28-300 most of the time on the XSi (the 75-300 that came with the camera is still in the box, gathering dust), and its zoom can't compare with that of the SX10. The 18-55 gets used much less often. (The XSi + 75-300 + 18-55 was $750 at Costco. The SX10 IS was $349 via Amazon.) $349 is a fair price for the SX10is. The original poster asked if it was worth $420, which it isn't. BTW, the SX10IS is now $330 at Amazon. That's a pretty good deal. Costco now has the XSi with two IS lenses (not on Costco.com, in the stores), and IIRC it was $900. |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
Powershot SX10
Yes. The sound quality is excellent, IMO, and actually achieves a decent
stereo/surround effect. When I shot video of an eagle, some kids were yelling behind me. When I played it back at my office desk (I have good stereo speakers), it actually sounded like the yelling was coming from behind me. So, the acoustical capture was pretty effective. -- nadie "Dudley Hanks" wrote in message news:Pxb1l.775$O53.26@edtnps82... Thanks, I appreciate your comments. Have you taken any video with the SX10? If so, how would you rate the sound quality? Take Care, Dudley "Xxxxx" wrote in message ... I have both the SX10 IS and the XSi. The SX10 is noisier, but it lets me capture shots that the XSi can't quite match, due to the added zoom and the image stabilizer. I use a Tamon 28-300 most of the time on the XSi (the 75-300 that came with the camera is still in the box, gathering dust), and its zoom can't compare with that of the SX10. The 18-55 gets used much less often. (The XSi + 75-300 + 18-55 was $750 at Costco. The SX10 IS was $349 via Amazon.) Weight and size are definitely factors. When I'm out on an 8 mile hike, the SX10 IS is decidely more portable and more flexible. When I need quality, speed, or a wider angel however, I'll yank out the XSi (with the 18-55 attached). For the SX10 IS, I was replacing my S1 IS. My only disappointment was that the SX10 IS does not have an intervelometer feature. -- nadie "Dudley Hanks" wrote in message news:cc41l.753$O53.4@edtnps82... But, that 28mm - 560mm lens is kinda tempting... I'm really torn between the SX10 and a XSi or XS DSLR. Dell's got a nice package with the XS and two lenses (the 18 - 55mm and the 75 - 300mm). |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
Powershot SX10
The image stabilizer actually makes it possible at 20x... a bit more
difficult when you crank it out to 80x. This picture was shot at 20x on the S10 IS: http://tinyurl.com/6kwdkk -- nadie "Dudley Hanks" wrote in message news:lLd1l.791$O53.634@edtnps82... The first thing that went through my mind when I thought about the 20X zoom was, "Wow, I could really get a good shot of something in the distance to show others when I want more info..." But, the more I thought about it, the more I came to realize I'd never be able to aim it accurately at full zoom. You're right, Paul, the 28mm end would be much more useful. But, that first 100mm would have a pretty good aperture... |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
Powershot SX10
"SMS" wrote in message ... Xxxxx wrote: I have both the SX10 IS and the XSi. The SX10 is noisier, but it lets me capture shots that the XSi can't quite match, due to the added zoom and the image stabilizer. I use a Tamon 28-300 most of the time on the XSi (the 75-300 that came with the camera is still in the box, gathering dust), and its zoom can't compare with that of the SX10. The 18-55 gets used much less often. (The XSi + 75-300 + 18-55 was $750 at Costco. The SX10 IS was $349 via Amazon.) $349 is a fair price for the SX10is. The original poster asked if it was worth $420, which it isn't. BTW, the SX10IS is now $330 at Amazon. I should note that the price is $420 (Cdn) at a local camera shop which includes it's own warranty coverage on top of Canon's. This warranty gives free cleaning and service checks for the life of the camera. To put this in context, Best Buy is selling the SX10 locally for about $440 (Cdn) without the extra warranty. Also, I tend to shop locally. I'd rather pay a bit extra and get the more personalized service. Take Care, Dudley |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
Powershot SX10
I have had my SX10 for almost 2 months now. It is actually better than
I expected. The focus is extremely precise, even in low light when it uses the built in focus lamp for the flash. The exposures are also very precise. The antishake has worked remarkably well. Macro shots still give me fits. They always come out great, but I haven't yet figured out when to use the macro on and off. I do know that with macro on, it likes the wider angles of zoom. With the macro off, it focuses fairly close even in telephoto. I am going to set up a test to see what the best settings are for macro photography. Several of my friends with DSLR's are looking at my SX10. Most don't change their lenses very often, especially in the field because they can't afford to take a chance of getting dust on their sensor. It is their dream to have a digital camera where they have the full range of zoom without changing lenses and with super antishake performance. I already have that. -- Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA - http://rhodyman.net |
#29
|
|||
|
|||
Powershot SX10
Stephen Henning wrote:
[] Several of my friends with DSLR's are looking at my SX10. Most don't change their lenses very often, especially in the field because they can't afford to take a chance of getting dust on their sensor. It is their dream to have a digital camera where they have the full range of zoom without changing lenses and with super antishake performance. I already have that. Your friends also have the option of either an own-brand or 3rd party 18-200mm image-stabilised lens such as: Nikon 18-200: http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/...p6_vr_afs_n15/ Canon 18-200: http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/...p5-5p6_is_c16/ Tamron 18-270: http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/...p5-6p3_vc_n15/ Cheers, David |
#30
|
|||
|
|||
Powershot SX10
On Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:40:00 -0500, Stephen Henning wrote:
I have had my SX10 for almost 2 months now. It is actually better than I expected. The focus is extremely precise, even in low light when it uses the built in focus lamp for the flash. The exposures are also very precise. The antishake has worked remarkably well. Macro shots still give me fits. They always come out great, but I haven't yet figured out when to use the macro on and off. I do know that with macro on, it likes the wider angles of zoom. With the macro off, it focuses fairly close even in telephoto. I am going to set up a test to see what the best settings are for macro photography. Several of my friends with DSLR's are looking at my SX10. Most don't change their lenses very often, especially in the field because they can't afford to take a chance of getting dust on their sensor. It is their dream to have a digital camera where they have the full range of zoom without changing lenses and with super antishake performance. I already have that. Having its predecessor the Canon S5 IS I do understand what you are saying and I am sure it is a fine camera BUT: When you desire to use higher ISO and/or less then optimal light and/or crop quite a bit and print 11x14 and up and still require high resolution, high dynamic range and razor sharpness you still need to put up with the disadvantages of a DSLR. Even the lowly Digital Rebel (lowly when compared to the 5D mark ii) can do these things. In this regard the SX series has to take a back seat. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Canon G10, SX10 IS and SX1 IS | *[_2_] | Digital Photography | 1 | October 23rd 08 04:47 PM |
Canon G10, SX10 IS and SX1 IS | ASAAR | Digital Photography | 0 | October 23rd 08 11:00 AM |
Canon SX10 IS shipping yet? | Xxxxx | Digital Photography | 35 | October 20th 08 09:35 PM |
Free to a good home ... Canon Powershot S1 IS or Powershot G6 camera case | [email protected] | General Equipment For Sale | 0 | October 24th 06 09:11 PM |
Free to a good home ... Canon Powershot S1 IS or Powershot G6 camera case | [email protected] | Digital Photo Equipment For Sale | 0 | October 24th 06 09:11 PM |