Letters from My Advice Column

I have a photographic advice column in a local community newspaper. I'm
going to post some of the letters I receive, and my responses, to
rec.photo.digital.



Dear Steven:

I'm looking to upgrade from my Canon G6, which I love, to a digital SLR.
But before I spend a lot of money, I wondered if there are any
alternatives that would give me a longer zoom range, better images in
low light, and faster response when I press the shutter release button.

Mike in San Jose

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike, good questions. There are alternatives to a D-SLR that will give
you a longer zoom range, namely the "super-zoom" point and shoot
cameras. The new Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is one example of a super-zoom,
with its 28-560mm lens. But I'm sure that you were aware of these
cameras, so I assume that your concern is whether or not these
super-zoom models solve the issues that you have with your G6 in terms
of low light capability and response time. Unfortunately, they do not.

If you want better low light performance you'll need to upgrade to a
digital SLR. The much larger sensor of the digital SLR means larger
pixels, which improve the low-light performance.

If you want faster response (lower shutter-lag and auto-focus lag),
you'll need to upgrade to a digital SLR. The focusing system of a
digital SLR uses a technology called phase detection, which is much
faster than the contrast detection system used on point and shoot
cameras. This is how the digital SLRs have eliminated the very annoying
lag time between the time the shutter release button is pressed and the
picture is taken.

There's another issue that you didn't mention, and that's the lens
performance. Those wide range zoom lenses are big compromises and don't
perform well across the entire zoom range. For the best quality images
you want to use lenses with a much narrower focal length range. This
means buying two or three lenses for the D-SLR to cover a wide range of
focal lengths. This is where the real expense is when you buy a D-SLR.
You could spend only $500 on the D-SLR body, but another $600-1000 on
two or three good lenses. On the plus side, there are now some very good
bundles of camera bodies and decent quality kit lenses. You can get
started for $800 or so with a Canon XSi and a 18-55 IS lens and a 55-200
IS lens. Nikon has a similar kit with their D60 body. Eventually you may
want to buy a longer telephoto lens and wider wide-angle lens (or maybe
you already have some lenses from an old film SLR).

I generally advise people not to try to substitute a super zoom P&S for
a D-SLR because usually the reasons that they're considering a new
camera are dissatisfaction with they're current P&S and the super zoom
P&S will have the same issues as the compact P&S.

On the other hand, if image quality, low light performance, and response
time are not big concerns, then the super-zooms are an economical way to
have a camera with a very wide zoom range.

Also, if image quality is not a big concern, your G6 can take converter
lenses which can add more telephoto and wide angle range to the existing
lens. These converters can be useful, but don't expect too much in the
quality department!

Steve

On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:19:46 -0800, SMS wrote:

I have a photographic advice column in a local community newspaper.

Translation: Here's what he wrote in "Notepad" on his computer this morning.

I'm going to post some of the letters I receive

Translation: Here's one of the questions he posed to himself as an alter-ego to
keep his few brain cells busy.


SMS, do everyone a favor. Go out and actually buy a camera. You've proved time
and time again that the closest you ever get to a camera is a downloadable user
manual. Why do you insist on making such a complete ass of yourself.

Better yet, go play with that "computer controlled geyser" that you installed in
Yellowstone park. Remember that? I hear it needs repair again.

For the rest of you that don't know what a bull**** troll this SMS actually is,
do a google search for that topic. He makes up stories that outlandish just for
attention. Just like this thread he's starting. He's never even touched a real
camera in his lifetime.

TROLL SPOTTER wrote:
On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:19:46 -0800, SMS wrote:

I have a photographic advice column in a local community newspaper.

Translation: Here's what he wrote in "Notepad" on his computer this morning.

I'm going to post some of the letters I receive

Translation: Here's one of the questions he posed to himself as an alter-ego to
keep his few brain cells busy.


SMS, do everyone a favor. Go out and actually buy a camera. You've proved time
and time again that the closest you ever get to a camera is a downloadable user
manual. Why do you insist on making such a complete ass of yourself.

Better yet, go play with that "computer controlled geyser" that you installed in
Yellowstone park. Remember that? I hear it needs repair again.

For the rest of you that don't know what a bull**** troll this SMS actually is,
do a google search for that topic. He makes up stories that outlandish just for
attention. Just like this thread he's starting. He's never even touched a real
camera in his lifetime.

Easy answer, let SMS supply the name of the publication in question and
post a photocopy of the article.
Dave Cohen

In Dave Cohen
wrote:

Easy answer, let SMS supply the name

Easier answer: Learn to use your news client's killfile or filter.

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN

On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:19:46 -0800, SMS
wrote in :

I have a photographic advice column in a local community newspaper.

Rossmoor Times. Big fish in tiny pond.

I'm
going to post some of the letters I receive, and my responses, to
rec.photo.digital.

The blind leading the blind.

This is too funny.
--
Best regards,
John
[Please Note: Ads belong *only* in rec.photo.marketplace.digital, as per
http://bobatkins.photo.net/info/charter.htm http://rpdfaq.50megs.com/]

On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:12:20 -0600, TROLL SPOTTER
wrote in :

SMS, do everyone a favor. Go out and actually buy a camera. You've proved time
and time again that the closest you ever get to a camera is a downloadable user
manual. Why do you insist on making such a complete ass of yourself.

Excellent advice.
--
Best regards,
John
[Please Note: Ads belong *only* in rec.photo.marketplace.digital, as per
http://bobatkins.photo.net/info/charter.htm http://rpdfaq.50megs.com/]

Dave Cohen wrote:

Easy answer, let SMS supply the name of the publication in question and
post a photocopy of the article.

Type "Cupertino Courant" into Google's search box, then click on "I'm
Feeling Lucky."

It's just a local e-newspaper that one of my friend's puts together and
e-mails to about 15,000 local residents every week. I help him out
occasionally with some content in the technology area.

On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:25:17 -0800, SMS
wrote in :

Dave Cohen wrote:

Easy answer, let SMS supply the name of the publication in question and
post a photocopy of the article.

Type "Cupertino Courant" into Google's search box, then click on "I'm
Feeling Lucky."

It's just a local e-newspaper that one of my friend's puts together and
e-mails to about 15,000 local residents every week.

Email. Funnier yet.

I help him out
occasionally with some content in the technology area.

Deity help him.
--
Best regards,
John
[Please Note: Ads belong (only) in rec.photo.marketplace.digital]

On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:19:46 -0800, SMS, finding yet another field
to play "expert" wrote:

I'm looking to upgrade from my Canon G6, which I love, to a digital SLR.
But before I spend a lot of money, I wondered if there are any
alternatives that would give me a longer zoom range, better images in
low light, and faster response when I press the shutter release button.

Mike in San Jose

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike, good questions. There are alternatives to a D-SLR that will give
you a longer zoom range, namely the "super-zoom" point and shoot
cameras. The new Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is one example of a super-zoom,
with its 28-560mm lens. But I'm sure that you were aware of these
cameras, so I assume that your concern is whether or not these
super-zoom models solve the issues that you have with your G6 in terms
of low light capability and response time. Unfortunately, they do not.

If you want better low light performance you'll need to upgrade to a
digital SLR. The much larger sensor of the digital SLR means larger
pixels, which improve the low-light performance.

No, while a DSLR is a solution for *you*, it's not what Mike asked
for. Funny, isn't it, that soon after you got on this "DSLR Über
Alles" kick, a letter appears that gives you another opportunity to
spread your opinion du jour. Everything that Mike wanted is
available in Fuji's S100fs. Much wider zoom range, much better low
light performance, faster response when the shutter is pressed and
very good to excellent IQ, also besting the G6. If Canon made it you
almost certainly would have recommended it, especially since it uses
Li-Ion batteries, your personal "must have" feature. Eh, SMS?

On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:30:33 -0500, ASAAR wrote in
:

On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:19:46 -0800, SMS, finding yet another field
to play "expert" wrote:

I'm looking to upgrade from my Canon G6, which I love, to a digital SLR.
But before I spend a lot of money, I wondered if there are any
alternatives that would give me a longer zoom range, better images in
low light, and faster response when I press the shutter release button.

Mike in San Jose

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike, good questions. There are alternatives to a D-SLR that will give
you a longer zoom range, namely the "super-zoom" point and shoot
cameras. The new Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is one example of a super-zoom,
with its 28-560mm lens. But I'm sure that you were aware of these
cameras, so I assume that your concern is whether or not these
super-zoom models solve the issues that you have with your G6 in terms
of low light capability and response time. Unfortunately, they do not.

If you want better low light performance you'll need to upgrade to a
digital SLR. The much larger sensor of the digital SLR means larger
pixels, which improve the low-light performance.

No, while a DSLR is a solution for *you*, it's not what Mike asked
for. Funny, isn't it, that soon after you got on this "DSLR Über
Alles" kick, a letter appears that gives you another opportunity to
spread your opinion du jour. Everything that Mike wanted is
available in Fuji's S100fs. Much wider zoom range, much better low
light performance, faster response when the shutter is pressed and
very good to excellent IQ, also besting the G6. If Canon made it you
almost certainly would have recommended it, especially since it uses
Li-Ion batteries, your personal "must have" feature. Eh, SMS?

No, it's just a matter of him trying to morph himself into a
self-proclaimed digital camera expert. He's picked a mission, just as
he did when he tried to pass himself off as a cellular expert. Neither
mission is based on any real experience or expertise, just supposition,
so reasoning with him is a waste of time. I know -- I tried. All I got
for my trouble was to become another mission for him.
--
Best regards,
John
[Please Note: Ads belong (only) in rec.photo.marketplace.digital]