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Comparative Results - Canon S2 vs Pan FZ5



 
 
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  #41  
Old July 12th 05, 07:37 AM
measekite
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Paul Allen wrote:

David J Taylor wrote:

Having looked again at the comparison at:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

the macro capability of the FZ5 appears to be much superior to the
S2 IS.



Careful. The Canon has a "super macro" mode that lets it focus on dirt
on the front of the lens. The Panasonic's Leica optics produce less CA
at wider apertures, but the Canon sure does have a neat package of
features. And it uses simple AA batteries. If Canon would just package
better glass with the rest of those features, I'd have no decision.
:-)

Do you think that an FZ6 with a swiveling LCD will be here by
Christmas?



I have no idea, but Panasonic will need to do something like that to
compete better with the Canon.



It sure is nice for us to have all this fierce competition, no?

Paul Allen



But the Canon has the glass and features that it has and the Panasonic
has the Leica lens and the features it has. So each is lacking in
something.

The question is which are you choosing and why?
  #42  
Old July 12th 05, 07:42 AM
David J Taylor
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Paul Allen" "paul dot l dot allen at comcast dot net wrote:
David J Taylor wrote:

Having looked again at the comparison at:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

the macro capability of the FZ5 appears to be much superior to the
S2 IS.


Careful. The Canon has a "super macro" mode that lets it focus on
dirt on the front of the lens. The Panasonic's Leica optics produce
less CA at wider apertures, but the Canon sure does have a neat
package of features. And it uses simple AA batteries. If Canon
would just package better glass with the rest of those features, I'd
have no decision. :-)

Do you think that an FZ6 with a swiveling LCD will be here by
Christmas?


I have no idea, but Panasonic will need to do something like that to
compete better with the Canon.


It sure is nice for us to have all this fierce competition, no?

Paul Allen


Yes, I heard about the Canon's focus on the front lens element but I felt
that was, like many of the other Canon features, a gimmick. It's that
sort of thing which puts me off the brand, and tends to obscure the poorer
image quality. However, I did say "If that is the case", leaving people
to make their own judgement.

Actually, the FZ5 has a macro capability at its 432mm zoom which gives the
macro a working distance of around three feet, and this is indeed very
handy. I don't know if the Canon offers this.

Personally, I consider the AA batteries of the Canon a drawback, having
moved over to single package Li-ion batteries with my newer cameras. I
wouldn't want to go back to multiple AA cells rolling about all over the
place!

I'm sure that by this time next year we'll have an even better choice!

Cheers,
David


  #43  
Old July 13th 05, 07:15 AM
Paul Allen
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measekite wrote:

But the Canon has the glass and features that it has and the Panasonic
has the Leica lens and the features it has. So each is lacking in
something.

The question is which are you choosing and why?


Between the S2 and the FZ5, I could probably flip a coin and be slightly
dissatisfied with either. What I really want is the Panasonic FZ20 for
its 2" screen and sweet manual focus. But that would mean a new case
on top of a couple expensive spare batteries, a new memory card,
filters, and what not. It's pushing the outer limits of what I've got
budgeted. :-)

Paul Allen
  #44  
Old July 13th 05, 07:55 AM
Paul Allen
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David J Taylor wrote:
Paul Allen" "paul dot l dot allen at comcast dot net wrote:

David J Taylor wrote:


Having looked again at the comparison at:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

the macro capability of the FZ5 appears to be much superior to the
S2 IS.


Careful. The Canon has a "super macro" mode that lets it focus on
dirt on the front of the lens. The Panasonic's Leica optics produce
less CA at wider apertures, but the Canon sure does have a neat
package of features. And it uses simple AA batteries. If Canon
would just package better glass with the rest of those features, I'd
have no decision. :-)


Do you think that an FZ6 with a swiveling LCD will be here by
Christmas?


I have no idea, but Panasonic will need to do something like that to
compete better with the Canon.


It sure is nice for us to have all this fierce competition, no?

Paul Allen



Yes, I heard about the Canon's focus on the front lens element but I felt
that was, like many of the other Canon features, a gimmick. It's that
sort of thing which puts me off the brand, and tends to obscure the poorer
image quality. However, I did say "If that is the case", leaving people
to make their own judgement.


I'm not sure I'd call the funky macro a gimmick, but it is odd that the
camera has two macro modes. I tend to agree about the brand. When I
bought my first real camera back in 1976, the choice came down to a
Canon AE1 or an Olympus OM-2n. I recall there was a lot of hype in
the air about the AE1, and the Olympus was a little more expensive. But
when I held the two of them in my hands, the mostly plastic AE1 felt
cheap and the all-metal OM2n felt like it would last. I still have the
OM2n and I see they're going for about $150 on EBay. Who knew?

Actually, the FZ5 has a macro capability at its 432mm zoom which gives the
macro a working distance of around three feet, and this is indeed very
handy. I don't know if the Canon offers this.


The FZ20 has a minimum focus distance of 6.5' at extreme telephoto, and
this doesn't change in macro mode. At extreme wide-angle, the minimum
focus distance is 1', and .16' in macro mode. A poster here determined
through experimentation that 3x of the zoom is available in macro mode.

I don't have the FZ5 manual handy. If its macro mode operates even at
the long end of the zoom, that could counterbalance the nice manual
focus on the FZ20. Dang! Just when you think things are stable, new
data turns up! :-)

Personally, I consider the AA batteries of the Canon a drawback, having
moved over to single package Li-ion batteries with my newer cameras. I
wouldn't want to go back to multiple AA cells rolling about all over the
place!


I've never had a problem with AA's rolling about, but I have been
without juice in Podunk, Idaho, and had to buy a 12-pack of alkaline
AA cells at Wallmart. If the Li-ion cells were as inexpensive and
common as AA cells, I'd go for a single rectangular cell instead of
four cylindrical ones. But they're not. And that leaves me seriously
considering buying a camera with a battery that will cost too much
and most likely leave me high and dry some day. Fiddle!

I'm sure that by this time next year we'll have an even better choice!


Yup, better firmware, better features, newer technology, at about the
same price-point as today. But, will it be an easier choice?

Paul Allen
  #45  
Old July 13th 05, 08:33 AM
David J Taylor
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Paul Allen" "paul dot l dot allen at comcast dot net wrote:
[]
The FZ20 has a minimum focus distance of 6.5' at extreme telephoto,
and this doesn't change in macro mode. At extreme wide-angle, the
minimum focus distance is 1', and .16' in macro mode. A poster here
determined through experimentation that 3x of the zoom is available
in macro mode.
I don't have the FZ5 manual handy. If its macro mode operates even at
the long end of the zoom, that could counterbalance the nice manual
focus on the FZ20. Dang! Just when you think things are stable, new
data turns up! :-)


Yes, this is a new feature in the FZ5 (my wife's FZ20 doesn't have this),
and having macro with a much longer working distance can be very handy!
Effectively you have either short-zoom macro (which may go up to 3:1 zoom
perhaps), and the long zoom macro which provides a horizontal field width
of about 3.5 inches at a working distance of about 36 inches.

I've never had a problem with AA's rolling about, but I have been
without juice in Podunk, Idaho, and had to buy a 12-pack of alkaline
AA cells at Wallmart.

[]

I'd recommend getting at least one spare battery for being out a whole day
in the field, perhaps a second spare to be really sure. The Panasonic
batteries are widely available though at reasonable prices. I do wish the
manufacturers would standardise on battery shape, though - one size fits
many cameras - so that you /could/ get them in corner stores! One up for
the AA cells today.

Cheers,
David


  #46  
Old July 13th 05, 12:10 PM
JohanE
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"Paul Allen" "paul dot l dot allen at comcast dot net" wrote in message
...
David J Taylor wrote:
I'm sure that by this time next year we'll have an even better choice!


Yup, better firmware, better features, newer technology, at about the
same price-point as today. But, will it be an easier choice?

Paul Allen


Sure, and the year after, and the year after that.....
That way, you 'll never choose a camera.

JohanE


  #47  
Old July 14th 05, 05:18 AM
Paul Allen
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JohanE wrote:
"Paul Allen" "paul dot l dot allen at comcast dot net" wrote in message
...

David J Taylor wrote:

I'm sure that by this time next year we'll have an even better choice!


Yup, better firmware, better features, newer technology, at about the
same price-point as today. But, will it be an easier choice?

Paul Allen



Sure, and the year after, and the year after that.....
That way, you 'll never choose a camera.

JohanE


Yeah, and think of all the money I'll save! :-)

Paul
  #48  
Old July 14th 05, 08:11 AM
David J Taylor
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imbsysop wrote:
[]
what about this new Sony offspring ?

[]
opinions ?


Cons:

- doesn't use standard storage (CF or SD)
- quite a lot heavier than Panasonic FZ5
- more expensive than FZ5?
- uses AA cells
- image stablisation not as effective?
- auto-focus not as good?
- lens quaility not as good?

Pros:

- uses AA cells (depends on your point of view!)
- good ergonomics

As this is Sony's first attempt at an image stabilised camera, I might be
more inclined today to stick with the firms like Canon or Panasonic who
are now into their second or subsequent attempts.

Cheers,
David


  #49  
Old July 18th 05, 12:15 PM
per
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"Paul Allen" "paul dot l dot allen at comcast dot net" wrote in
...
David J Taylor wrote:

Having looked again at the comparison at:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

the macro capability of the FZ5 appears to be much superior to the S2
IS.


Careful. The Canon has a "super macro" mode that lets it focus on dirt
on the front of the lens.


The Canon instruction manual does not provide fully correct info on how to
get into the "super macro mode".
You need to press the macro button twice and the second time hold it
extendedly for at least a second.
/per


 




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