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 |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Trying to decide: Sony DSCH1, Kon-Minolta A200, or Canon S2 IS
I'm looking for a point and shoot digital camera with a strong optical zoom
that can shoot well in indoor conditions without a flash for portraits, and can also take good action photos of ballroom dancers whirling around the floor (again, no flashes allowed). I also love to toy around with Macro shooting. My experience with digital cameras are the following. A Sony Mavica 400, which takes breathtaking portraits, is excellent in low light, but cannot take action shots worth a damn (even when put on manual control and speeding up the shutter speed). A couple of recent model Kodaks owned by family and friends: I find the portrait quality simple not as good as the Sony's with Zeiss lenses. And I borrowed an Olympus C720 for about a week, read the manual, tried everything, and the thing is positively a nightmare in terms of picture quality: colors wrong, half the time the autofocus doesn't work (even with meticulous prefocusing), just horrendous. My reading at steves-digicams and dpreview as well as some other sites convinced me that I want image stabilization, since I will rarely have a tripod for the action shots. That rules out the Kodak Z7590 and Z740. I thought my choice was going to be between the Sony DSCH1 and the Canon S2 IS. Then a friend recommended I take a look at the Konica Minolta A200. I've read reviews of all of them at the sites I just mentioned, but since they don't do a lot of comparisons, it's hard not to read all the reviews as essentially, "This is a good camera." So I thought I'd go for the Sony DSCH1, since I had a very positive experience of my Sony, and it received good reviews at those two websites. I almost ordered one, when I read some negative reviews at Amazon for defective cameras, and then I read a very good comparison review somewhere between the Sony and the Canon, which argued that the Sony simply cannot do burst mode very well: which I'd like to be able to use when filming ballroom dance. Then I noticed that this Sony does not have the Carl-Zeiss lens I so love on my previous Sony, and on my brother's Sony, so I paused. Then I started looking closely at sample photos uploaded by people on their cameras at Amazon, and I thought the Sony DSCH1 photos were the best: rather breathtaking, compared with the S2 IS and the A200 photos people uploaded -- don't know if I should pay attention to this or not. This confused me more as to what to do. I'm burning out on reading these reviews, which often seem to list features more than try to evaluate. Is there anyone out there who has used two of these cameras, or maybe all three, who might put in a word and say, "Hey, Cordo, I've used these cameras and the A200 is in a league above" or something like that? Thanks for any help. Cordo |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Cordovero wrote:
[] Then I started looking closely at sample photos uploaded by people on their cameras at Amazon, and I thought the Sony DSCH1 photos were the best: rather breathtaking, compared with the S2 IS and the A200 photos people uploaded -- don't know if I should pay attention to this or not. This confused me more as to what to do. Cordo, There is a newsgroup specialising in these higher-end SLR-like cameras at: rec.photo.digital.zlr which you may find to be worth a visit. The Panasonic FZ5/FZ20 have proved to be the best of the current bunch, with the new FZ30 looking interesting. However, bear in mind that image stabilisation will not stop the subject movement. The most sensitive cameras for indoor work are digital SLRs with larger sensors and larger aperture lenses. Ask at: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems David |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Thank you for your advice. I didn't know what ZLR was, but I just posted
there to see what happens. I'll look into the Panasonics. If they have Leica lenses, I will be most interested. C "David J Taylor" wrote in message . uk... Cordovero wrote: [] Then I started looking closely at sample photos uploaded by people on their cameras at Amazon, and I thought the Sony DSCH1 photos were the best: rather breathtaking, compared with the S2 IS and the A200 photos people uploaded -- don't know if I should pay attention to this or not. This confused me more as to what to do. Cordo, There is a newsgroup specialising in these higher-end SLR-like cameras at: rec.photo.digital.zlr which you may find to be worth a visit. The Panasonic FZ5/FZ20 have proved to be the best of the current bunch, with the new FZ30 looking interesting. However, bear in mind that image stabilisation will not stop the subject movement. The most sensitive cameras for indoor work are digital SLRs with larger sensors and larger aperture lenses. Ask at: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems David |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Well, it's between the Canon and the Panasonic Z20 (or possibly the Z5). I
wish I could wait for the Z30 but cannot because the ballroom competition is in a week. I eliminated the Sony because, while I like many things about it very much, I was disappointed with its frame per second continuous shooting specs, and I want to capture bursts of ballroom dancers. I've been looking at a lot of online pics taken with the Canon and Panasonics. It does seem to me that the Canon very subtly blurs things, and I find its autofocus tends to focus on both background and subject, which makes for a reduced depth of field effect. Of course, it could easily be that those posting shots in various places are not using a narrowed autofocus range. Then again, I'm in awe of the Canon's movie taking ability, which is really fun when you have the camera out and your neice is doing something particularly adorable. I also like to take Macro shots: they're so much fun. Seems the Panasonic edges the Canon here based on posted photos. Still can't decide. C "Cordovero" wrote in message k.net... Thank you for your advice. I didn't know what ZLR was, but I just posted there to see what happens. I'll look into the Panasonics. If they have Leica lenses, I will be most interested. C "David J Taylor" wrote in message . uk... Cordovero wrote: [] Then I started looking closely at sample photos uploaded by people on their cameras at Amazon, and I thought the Sony DSCH1 photos were the best: rather breathtaking, compared with the S2 IS and the A200 photos people uploaded -- don't know if I should pay attention to this or not. This confused me more as to what to do. Cordo, There is a newsgroup specialising in these higher-end SLR-like cameras at: rec.photo.digital.zlr which you may find to be worth a visit. The Panasonic FZ5/FZ20 have proved to be the best of the current bunch, with the new FZ30 looking interesting. However, bear in mind that image stabilisation will not stop the subject movement. The most sensitive cameras for indoor work are digital SLRs with larger sensors and larger aperture lenses. Ask at: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems David |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Nikon Coolpix 8800 vs. Konica Minolta A200 | nntp | Digital Photography | 2 | April 6th 05 11:03 AM |
Nikon Coolpix 8800 vs. Konica Minolta A200 | nntp | Digital Photography | 0 | April 6th 05 08:06 AM |
Minolta Dimage 7 firmware upgrade | [email protected] | Digital Photography | 1 | December 18th 04 01:39 AM |
Cannot decide: Canon S60 vs Sony DSC-W1 | Sabineellen | Digital Photography | 14 | October 21st 04 07:52 PM |
Sony Cybershot DSC-W1... Bad Camera...Bad Customer Service by Sony... Read on... | unavailable | 35mm Photo Equipment | 38 | June 29th 04 06:45 AM |