Picking a digi cam ... advice?

Hi all,

Well, after 2 months, we finally get the POS Canon A40 exchanged. Of course, we won't be getting the same horsecrap.

I'd like to keep it at a reasonable price (not more than 700cdn$), 4 or 5 MP, 3-4x and more optical zoom, and most of all, I want sharp pictures. I can deal with grainy, un-saturated pics thank to some post-editing ... but if the pic is fuzzy, there isn't much I can do.

I used a Canon G5 for a week or so. Too big. Sucked big time for moving objects, but awesome for still pictures (unless in the dark). Way too many features, and redundant because of PhotoShop and other photo edition programs. I'm not sure I would buy it. I love the tiltable screen, hate the zoom control.
Here's an example of a non-edited pic, shot in full auto ... pretty good, if you ask me. There's little to be gained with post-editing.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid131/p2be1e9d7526f66864752241672731330/f7ad96a2.jpg.orig.jpg
(Here's the rest of the album ... other pics. The last ones are PShop enhanced. http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4286099561 )

Anyways ... I just noticed a Sony DSC-W1, with 2.5" screen. It looks awesome ... but have read mixed reviews. Lots of people saying it puts out blurry pictures. Any users here? Am I gonna be anywhere near the quality above? I have seen samples from a V1 ... is it exactly the same as the W1 save for the screen? If this is my only option, I can take it and get a decent Memory Stick ...

Basically, I want G5 quality and sharpness, but with 3 buttons ... shutter, zoom, and mode! lol I really don't want 3463 functions that I never remember off my head. And if the camera could fit in a pocket, that would be perfect. CF card would be a plus since I already have a 256Mb ... and I'm partial to AA batteries ... but this is negotiable

Any suggestions? I'll consider anything ...

Thanks in advance.

 

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23225&highlight=digital

www.dpreview.com

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23225&highlight=digital+camera

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19589&highlight=digital+camera

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19402&highlight=digital+camera

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17573&highlight=digital+camera

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14768&highlight=digital+camera

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13084&highlight=digital+camera

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1519&highlight=digital+camera

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7644&highlight=digital+camera

 

Have spent hours on dpreview.com already ...

Didn't realize I was beating on a dead horse...was kinda looking for more specific info though ...

 

A 4+ or more megapixel cam is not worth it if it has a crappy lens. Just like old school SLR cameras, the lens is just about 85-90% of a camera's worthiness. See above links for further discussion.

 

A Sony DSC-F717 is an excellent camera, as well as a Canon Digital Rebel SLR.

 

http://www.imaging-resource.com/

Try this site.....I think it's one of the best on the web.

I just bought the Canon Digital Rebel SLR the other day......it was between that and the Nikon 8700........both at $1300 CAD were pricey......but it's 6.3 megs which is perfect for my application (The Nikon was 8 megs)......it has removable lenses (the Nikon did not) and a big enough body that you can handle it without fear of dropping it, or inadvertantly pressing one of the many buttons on some of the smaller "toy like" cameras out there. The Nikon left me with that impression.

Once you get over 5 megs resolution anyways, it doesn't matter anymore if your sole application is internet use or personal photography......professionals blowing up prints larger than 8x10 may need 8 megs or more.....but for anything else......I couldn't tell the difference from prints that the camera shop had done just for people with questions like mine. It's the old law of the diminishing dollar return..........

Besides......computer monitor resolution is maxed out at something like 3,000 x 3,000 anyways......which is what the resolution of the two cameras are at. So...why pay for more if you are going to use it solely for internet work or large non-commercial prints. I looked at the $500-700 range of 5 meg cameras....and at the end of the day just felt that they weren't long term keepers....versus the flexibility and photo quality of the more expensive SLR types.

One more thing......you probably wouldn't buy a computer made by "Maytag".....so why buy a camera made by "Sony or Casio" ? Buy a camera from a "camera" company that has decades of camera and lens development and design behind them.

 

www.dpreview.com great reviews there.

 

Thank for the new links ... trying them out right now.
An SLR is out of the euqation. Too big, too sophisticated for my use. There will be some steady shots, but most will be in the outdoors (motocross), in terrible conditions (dust, humidity)

Kds ... why would I buy a camera by Sony? Because I feel they have an awesome image compression procedure (or however it is called) and that the quality of the compression is the best, along with Canon. Nikon, for example is crappy (referring to the CoolPix 5700 or something like that), grainy pictures and me really do not match. Olympus, on the other hand is rather nice (the c5050 -not sure on the exact model- seems fine). I'm kinda partial to Olympus, actually.

 

Zorro....

The SLR is the only way to go for serious action shots from what everyone says. But I understand how budget constraints work too.......I "wanted" a Nikon D-100........but hopefully the Canon will do.

I was just speaking generally when it came to the brand name thing......I feel it's a valid statement however......and as everyone has told me that the lenses are what make these cameras work, I'll stick with the brand names that I know have the experience and the reputation.

Are you still mulling over the car business idea we talked about before ?

 

Kds,

SLRs are professional quality ... I'm not! LOL I was already overwhelmed with functions with the G5 ... and yes, cost is an issue. Until they make seriously reliable cameras (had the pos A40 in for repairs 3 times in a year and half!), I will stick to almost reasonable digi cams for point and shoot, and steal my dad (actually grandfather) Olympus film SLR when I know there will be beautiful shots to be made, and can carry the foot long zoom!! lol

I hear ya on the lens thing though. Sony does use Carl Zeiss lenses on some of their cameras ... I'm aiming at a large lens anyways (while staying compact for the whole camera ... kinda controversial)

About the car business idea, I of course still have it running through my mind, but this isn't something I'd do part time, so I'll have to go through College first (only 2 years left ...), and I have changed a couple things after our conversation (thanx again for all the input). For example, I'm pretty positive it won't be in Quebec (leaning towards the southern US), and starting from scratch an exclusively high end dealership sounds nearly like suicide, so it would turn out more like a generic manufacturer dealer with a specialised high end custom car shop. So yeah, it's still in my mind, but still far from ready ... if it will ever be