petrina_yyuen Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Like i said in my other post (which was getting a bit messy so im posting a new one)Im new to the world of photography. I want a point and shoot that has good or high quality images. And allows me freedom to tinker with the settings. But i want it to be fast and responsive, i dont want to be holding the camera waiting to take the next shot, or waiting for it to turn on. I will be taking landscapes, scenery , and people in general. My price range is about $400 or (singapore $700) Im also wondering, what is the difference between DSLR-Like ( such as the s5 is, p80 ) compared to advanced p&s ( such as A720 is, A650 is) Would i need a dslr-like camera or not, would it be worth it for me to pay abit more for a dslr-like camera. Please keep in mind i can afford a dslr, but at the moment i would rather experiment , seeing that im a newbie. Currently the only camera i have access to is my "family" one, which is the a520. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lad_lueck Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 At that price level, you'd be better of buying a used, or bottom-end DSLR. Even the very best P&S suffer from shutter delay, AF slowness, and noisy low-light performance. You also do not get the very thin DOF that can be used artistically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrina_yyuen Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 but im totally new to photography, and to me a dslr is a commitment, and i also want a camera i can bring around . i dont mind bringing a big p&s but just not an actual dslr, i am female so i can carry the p&s in my purse, but i dont think a dslr would fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phule Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 No current point and shoot, even the very nice ones, are as responsive as a (D)SLR. However, that's not to say you can't learn how to use your point and shoot to maximize its functionality. There are plenty of very strong photographers using nothing but point and shoots to produce wonderful images. If you're looking for something to fit in a purse, will a DSLR-like camera (also known as a "bridge camera") really fit that bill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrina_yyuen Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 yes, my purse is quite big.. lol . And i am willing to carry a bridge camera around. I am tempted to get a dslr, but i do need a p&s ! Even if i were to get a dslr, i would still get a p&s. So i decided to get a p&s first to learn the basics, and then move on to getting a dslr much later, when i know what i want. So back to the topic of p&s and bridge cameras, i know that more pixels is not necessarily the best. So im looking for a quality camera that will produce decent images, i will not be making big prints or anything. Please suggest something suitable for me. It does not have to be ultra responsive or anything, but i dont want it to be sluggish either. I still dont know if a bridge camera or a p&s would be best for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kendall helmstetter gelner Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 If you aren't going to be making large prints, any P&S camera will do about as well as any other. Some offer more degree of manual control, but if the end result you get is pretty much the same there's hardly a point to it - being able to vary the aperture on a camera with a tiny sensor hardly ever yields less depth of field anyway even at f/2.8, and being able to change ISO easily is of little practical use when changing it beyond the baseline increases noise drastically. Basically finding something with good control over EV adjustment (telling the camera to change exposure either in a negative or positive way from what the meter tells it to do) is about the most useful control you can have and will have the most impact on images over just allowing the camera to do all the work. <p> I would recommend the Sigma DP-1 to you but it's (a) twice as expensive as what you were looking for, and (b) while you can take initial shots very rapidly in manual mode (using manual focus or prefocused) there is a delay from shot to shot that may be too much for you. <p> On the other hand no other compact is going to give you images even close to it so if you really care about image quality and are willing to forgo some speed in repeated shots... it's the camera you'll still be happy to shoot with even after you get a DSLR. <p> Good luck, whatever you choose. <p> <a href=" izes/o/</a> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3272/2689510608_9d85eb1bfc.jpg" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lola_gunch Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Petrina I am new to photography as well. The canon A720IS has a automatic mode as well as a "Manual" mode that you can learn on at your own pace to see whether photography is something you want to get more involved with. I think you are doing the right thing by getting a good P&S first so you can explore photography, it might not be your cup of tea so to speak, later if you want to advance into photography you will have a better understanding of things and the ability to make wise choices. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrina_yyuen Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 currently on my family's ancient a520 I am already using manual. I do know that i have an interest in it. Actually now im having second thoughts, and thinking that i may just get a dslr... i didnt think this would be a hard decision, but apparently it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durr3 Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Petrina, I bought my wife an Olympus E420 and she loves it. You can get the 25mm pancake lens and it will easily fit into your purse. The best of both worlds. Check it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_tuthill Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 After a Grand Canyon rafting trip last September, I compared images from a friend's Canon G7 versus another friend's Rebel (300D) with 18-55 kit lens. G7 images were better in almost all cases. The replacement G9 is even better, and has manual mode and RAW. Price is slightly above $400, but a DSLR with a good lens would cost way more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert lee Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 "The replacement G9 is even better, and has manual mode and RAW." At the suggestion of a fellow P.N user, I gave CHDK (http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page) a try. This is a firmware patch for Canon P&S cameras that unlocks a bunch of very useful capabilities - RAW and live exposure histogram amongst them. The patch is stored on the SD card and is loaded on each power-up. There are no permanent changes, so no worries about voiding warranties or turning into your camera into a door stop. I have CHDK loaded on my A720IS and I find this an extremely satisfying combination. The A720IS is about $200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_tuthill Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 It bears repeating because it is not often repeated: the A650 has the same lens and sensor as the G9. However no hot-shoe and without RAW mode (but CHDK supports the A650, I believe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrina_yyuen Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 ok, after more consideration, and now that i know of this CHDK. I think i will get either the A720is or the A650is , both seem quite decent. I will have to personally try them out. Thanks everyone for you help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lola_gunch Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Robert Lee, I'm not positive but I think the A720IS has the same sensor as the G9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert lee Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 No. The A650 and G9 has the same optics package. The sensor is 12MP and 1/1.7", while the A720 is 8MP and 1/2.5". The noise level is probably comparable, but that extra 4MP does make a difference. I believe the A650/G9 glass is optically faster as well. No doubt the A650 is a functionally nicer camera than the A720. The A650 is more expensive though. It's bulkier too because of the four AA cells rather than the two for the A720. In any case, this is just all nit picking. Both of these cameras are amongst the best value P&S available today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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