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Your opinions on these cameras?

C

covertsurfer

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 18, 2007
580
7
I need a point and shoot camera and so far these are the ones I have narrowed it down to from online reviews.

If you have other suggestions please add it to the list.

I have also done a side by side comparision here to try and work out which is better.

Just like to get your opinions and recommendations.

Thanks

Cameras:

Canon S95
Lumix TZ20
Lumix TZ10
Samsung WB2000
Sony HX5
 
It'd be a lot more helpful to explain what you're actually looking for instead of just listing cameras. The models you listed also vary wildly in price; the Sony retails for around $250 USD but one of those Lumix's goes for over $500. I don't know why anyone would pay $500 for a point-and-shoot-sized sensor.
 
In the UK they range from £175-£250 so that is my price range.

I'm not a pro at all however I am keen to get 1920x1080 video just so on the rare occasions I use video I can put onto the TV in all its glory. Its a nice to have rather than anything.

I have read some reviews of the Lumix's saying that the sensors aren't that great so I thought I see what the people on the forum have to offer.

I'm mainly looking for a good point and shoot, manual operations a nice to have in case I want to try something. Camera will mainly be used for taking pictures of the babies/toddlers and days out etc.
 
I like both the Canon S95 and the Panasonics. No complaints for me for image quality with them. The Leica lenses in the Panasonics are a real nice touch as well. Canon S95 just has great features and an awesome form factor with a lot of flexibility for those used to DSLRs but want something smaller.

I tend to avoid Sony just because I find that images coming from them are too crisp. Its hard to explain, but in real life, edges aren't always defined perfectly but somehow they come out ultra sharp and sometimes non-lifelike with the Sony cameras IMO.
 
Cameras:

Canon S95
Lumix TZ20
Lumix TZ10
Samsung WB2000
Sony HX5[/QUOTE]


Those are all pretty different, it all depends on the features you want. If I HAD to choose one from the list it would be the S95. It is nice and small and will probably take the best pictures. Next would be the TZ10, mostly because I dont like touch screens on camera I have played with. I would have to play with the TZ20 though.
Another one to look at, is the one I finally decided on. The Panasonic LX5.
 
If 1920x1080 video is your main criterion, the S95 and TZ10 are out. Resolution aside, the S95 is probably the worst choice for video, as it cannot autofocus or zoom while recording (unless you hack it, apparently). It would, however, be my first choice as a stills camera among the ones you listed, as it approaches SLR-level manual control and has the best lens by far.

I'd go with either the Sony or the Panasonic TZ20, in that order. The Panasonic has a slightly better zoom range (16x v 10x on the Sony), but the backside-illuminated sensor on the Sony and some of its scene modes (namely Handheld Twilight, which is extremely useful) make shooting in lower light more doable.
 
The S95 is really good, has the best image quality in it's class. It's quite small, but if you want to have a hotshoe and more buttons, you could get the G12 or the LX5 (both are really good!).
 
I would save my money a little while longer and get a Panasonic GH2. 1080hd and a dslr sized sensor.. in a camera that won't leave you wishing you had something better, for many years, or until you want to go 'pro'. You can gradually build onto your compact system instead of trying a newer model point and shoot every couple years and continuing to be disappointed with results.

I learned this the hard way, climbing up the point and shoot ladder before realizing that ultimately I needed a dslr to be satisfied with image quality. And they say the GH2 is one of the best video shooting still cameras, period.:)

You're obviously willing to spend time doing research before impulsively buying the latest greatest toy.. I suggest you look into the micro 4/3 line. Sony also has a micro offering..
 
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srf4real said:
I would save my money a little while longer and get a Panasonic GH2. 1080hd and a dslr sized sensor.. in a camera that won't leave you wishing you had something better, for many years, or until you want to go 'pro'.

I learned this the hard way, climbing up the point and shoot ladder before realizing that ultimately I needed a dslr to be satisfied with image quality. And they say the GH2 is one of the best video shooting still cameras, period.:)
Click to expand...

its also $1000 most likely more so in the OP's country. And it isn't really competitors to the ones the OP listed.
 
srf4real said:
I would save my money a little while longer and get a Panasonic GH2. 1080hd and a dslr sized sensor.. in a camera that won't leave you wishing you had something better, for many years, or until you want to go 'pro'.

I learned this the hard way, climbing up the point and shoot ladder before realizing that ultimately I needed a dslr to be satisfied with image quality. And they say the GH2 is one of the best video shooting still cameras, period.:)
Click to expand...


While the GH2 is nice it is a completely different category. Maybe the OP wants something for quick shots that fits in his pocket. In that case a S95 would be an excellent choice. And something like an S95 or an LX5 is not a typical point and shoot toy. They will give you excellent photos. Especially if you shoot in raw and process your own photos. Albeit not something a large sensor dslr can produce, especially in low light. But they can fit in a pocket... So like everything in life its a trade...
 
Thanks for the replies.

Looking at the S95 its actually more expensive than I thought which is a shame and therefore not an option. I've read some more reviews about the Lumix TZ20 which I think looks good on paper but some say the picture quality is bad so looks like that might be out as well.
 
covertsurfer said:
Thanks for the replies.

Looking at the S95 its actually more expensive than I thought which is a shame and therefore not an option. I've read some more reviews about the Lumix TZ20 which I think looks good on paper but some say the picture quality is bad so looks like that might be out as well.
Click to expand...

Now this is where shopping can get tricky, without knowing more its hard to help. What do you want to use this camera for? Is this going to be your primary camera? I dont know the prices where you live. But I can buy an LX5 or S95 for $399 about $100 more then a TZ10. To me that would be a no brainer, even if it took me 2-3 extra weeks to save the money to do it.
 
It will be my primary camera to take photos on days out and take pics of the kids.

Looking at UK prices they seem to be the same in difference ie/S95 is £100 more than the TZ10

The only thing with the S95/LX5 is their focal length isn't that great
 
covertsurfer said:
It will be my primary camera to take photos on days out and take pics of the kids.

Looking at UK prices they seem to be the same in difference ie/S95 is £100 more than the TZ10

The only thing with the S95/LX5 is their focal length isn't that great
Click to expand...

Your absolutely right about the focal length. But how many pics of the kids are you going to take at 300+mm? My last camera was a tz5 and while the extra zoom was fun sometimes the majority of my shots, and the best ones are taken at the widest anyways. Just remember what you give up in zoom capabilities you make up for in brightness, the amount of light that gets past the lens to get to the sensor. The only way to get everything is to step up to a camera with interchangeable lenses. And then you give up portability, and way out of budget.
You just need to determine which features are most important and go from there. For me another big feature of the LX5 was the ability to add filters and the wide angle lens by using an adaptor ring. And I guess it is worth mentioning then that I have seen people add telephoto lenses to the LX5 for more zoom if in the future you wish to do that.
 
Another contender... thanks

Those specs look good. It has good zoom, 1080 HD video. The only slight niggle is the continuos drive is poor but this rarely works well anyway. I tried using that with a Canon 450d and the results will still poor.

Have you taken any images in low-light? How are they?
 
covertsurfer said:
Another contender... thanks

Those specs look good. It has good zoom, 1080 HD video. The only slight niggle is the continuos drive is poor but this rarely works well anyway. I tried using that with a Canon 450d and the results will still poor.

Have you taken any images in low-light? How are they?
Click to expand...

Well it has a backlit CMOS sensor which is specifically designed to take better photos in low light (what Canon call "HS"). I find that the camera does take reasonably good photos in low light but they tend to be grainy. I think that's always going to be the case for a point and shoot camera, you'd need an SLR to find anything different. So I guess my answer is.... low-light photos are good for a point and shoot camera.
 
covertsurfer said:
I think we have a winner
Click to expand...

Good, you found one you like.
The Canon Powershot SX220 seems to have some good reviews

A little more info:
Like mentioned the back lit sensor will help with low light, but physical size and pixel density are also very important. The Canon Powershot SX220 uses a 1/2.3" sensor. Where as the S95 uses a 1/1.7" sensor combined with a lens that lets in about 3 times more light it will take better pics in low light.
For comparison the LX5 uses a 1/1.63" sensor with 10 mega pixels.
Just having more mega pixels crammed onto a smaller sensor will not necessarily provide better pictures. It is mostly just a marketing thing. With super high pixel density the pixels can "blend" together resulting in a picture not as good as a camera with a lower mega pixel rating.
 
Thanks, I did read some stuff about that issue.

One review pointed out that if you wanted to print poster type prints the image may not be that great. How bad do you think it would be?

I'm just thinking if I ever decide to get a poster/canvas print of some pictures of the kids how bad the image quality would be
 
covertsurfer said:
Thanks, I did read some stuff about that issue.

One review pointed out that if you wanted to print poster type prints the image may not be that great. How bad do you think it would be?

I'm just thinking if I ever decide to get a poster/canvas print of some pictures of the kids how bad the image quality would be
Click to expand...

I think it will be hard for any point and shoot to get poster size prints. How big do you want?

at 4:3 the SX220 will make a photo of 4000 x 3000 pixels. At 300 pixels per inch the best looking print would probably be a 10"X13" Thats a good size but there is more to determine the quality of your print then that. It also depends on where the print is placed. Generally the larger the print the farther away people will be when viewing it, so you wont notice imperfections.
 
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Print size limitations will largely depend on the ISO of the shot. At the low end (around 80/100), you might be able to get away with a 20x30 inch print, though 16x20 or 13x19 would be a safer bet. By ISO 800, you'll be down to around 8x10. (This is for compacts. DSLRs are a different story.) Again, viewing distance can compensate somewhat for lack of fine detail in larger prints.
 
Will say that with the comparison chart link you gave I would rank them as I have tried some of them out:

#1 - S95: Seems to be the hands down fav in the shop that I work at. Not as much of a zoom range as the others you have in the list.

#2 - HX5: Based off my use of a friends TX5, this my fav for anyone wanting a good general use P&S camera. The backlit CMOS sensor works, and the sweep pano mode is fun. Been using a friends TX5 off and on and really like it as a pocket camera.

#3 - ZS7: Very good performer, the reason it is third is that it does not handle low light as well for family pics as the Sony cameras do IMO.

In the end you have to decide on size vs zoom. In a perfect world I would buy the S95 for the size. For zoom it would be the HX5 or the ZS7. In the end I chose the XZ-1 as my compact. A bit out of your price range. But I have the Olympus m43's gear that I can share with the XZ-1. And zoom reach is not what I need.

Add to that I may be gifted my friends TX5 when they upgrade to the new TX10 IIRC. :D
 
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