Music Doctor - A Camera Question

Hey John! Hope all is well with you!

Got a digital camera question for you...what do you think about the Canon PowerShot S3 IS and/or the new Canon PowerShot S5 IS? I really like the 12x optical zoom it offers...much better than the 4x on the Canon that I have now. Any info/advice is appreciated!

Thanks!

Booch

Greetings Booch & Thanks for posting. Although I'm not John please allow me to give a unbiased analysis. After doing some quick research on the cameras I would (if money was no object) purchase the Canon PS S5 w/ Image Stabilization.

Here's the reasons, The S3 has 6.0 Mega Pixels, the S5 has 8.0 Mega Pixels. Consequently the maximum picture size is higher because of this, between 2816 x 2112 & 3264 x 2448, I'd take the higher number which the S5 has. The S5 has more ISO sensitivies so you can achieve different film looks. The S5 also has a Histogram which can be useful for spot checking photos and how well they exposed in a scientific realm.

Travis have you taken pics with either?

as Im curious as to if there is any difference in the shot to shot comparison

No However I have worked with the 12 Megapixel Fuji's. I have learned photography from my grandparents, also have worked as an experience videographer for many years with Canon cameras, as well as Sony's. Check my research on the previous it's accurate. :)

Edit seeing your reply: the S5 is going to have a better picture due to resolution. As for getting the pictures look, they are going to be pretty similar, a perfect analogy is like EQ'ing or RTA'ing your audio system, photographers use light meters, and white balance to get their pictures looking right. Finally photo processing plants (i've been to one) actually have color calibrated printers, LCD monitors. Each photo is color corrected by an employee at the plant.

I'll get a second and third opinion if anybody wishes.

Booch...

The Canon S3 is an older model and may be hard to find, the S5 is the newest... if your not in a hurry, hang on another couple months.... new models will be coming out around October or early November...

If your looking at 4 X 6 prints you won't be able to tell the difference between the two cameras... If your making enlargements or doing a lot of cropping and editing... that is where you will see what the S5 can do that the S3 may not.

If you like the Canon 12X optical zoom, you may want to take a look at the Olympus SP-550UZ... at 7.1 MP it has an 18X optical zoom around the same price as the S5.

What everyone else said! :sqbiggrin:

They covered it all . . . except for one feature.

The S5 IS has a TTL hotshoe so you can mount an external flash.

http://a.img-dpreview.com/reviews/CanonS5is/Images/CanonS5_3q-001.jpg


Also, sometime in the next month or so the Panasonic FZ18 with 18X zoom will be coming out . . .

This one might be worth checking out . . . that Leica lens is the best lens of the bunch!!

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0707/Panasonic/fz18specs.jpg


If you want to shoot low light shots at gigs, you may want to check out the Fuji S6000fd . . .

http://a.img-dpreview.com/reviews/FujifilmS6000fd/Images/allroundview-001.jpg

When it comes to low light shots with the superzoom cameras . . . the Fuji's are the best!

All three of these cameras are in the same price range . . . the Canon being the most expensive one!

Thanks all...and John!

I was looking to pick one of these up real soon...the Panasonic won't be out until October..ulp! Anyway, I do like that the Canon comes with the swivel screen. I can get one for about $325...seems like a pretty good deal! :sqconfused:

Booch

The S5-IS is a brand new camera and selling for $499 in all the stores, so $325 sounds like an online scam price.

Be careful . . .

The S3 IS is selling for around $300 . . .

The S5-IS is a brand new camera and selling for $499 in all the stores, so $325 sounds like an online scam price.

Be careful . . .

The S3 IS is selling for around $300 . . .

Great advice.

A guy I work with recently bought a Nikon D40X from some online retailer out of New Jersey. They were significantly cheaper than anyone else. When it came time to order, they sent him a refurbished unit, sent cheaper lenses than the ones he ordered and charged him for a battery (the camera comes with one from the factory).

After fighting with them and getting nowhere, he called the Attorney General in NJ. Turns out they're known to do this type of thing. He finally got his money back and bought one from Ritz.

Thanks John! Yeah...I saw this...

http://www.prestigecamera.com/product~id~cnpss5is.htm

...and this...

http://www.bestpricecameras.com/prodetails.aspx?prodid=902139

...and it got my attention! Now the question is...do I wait until October for the Panasonic!

Booch

Oops! Just did a ratings search on bestpricecameras.com.....can you say fraud?

OK...it's looking like I'm either waiting or opening up an amazon.com credit card to get a Canon for $369!

Thanks all!

Booch

Notice at Bestpricecameras.com that the memory cards cost double what you can buy them for at a local camera store, plus how they don't tell you what comes with the camera?

That is because, if you insist on that price, that is all you'll get . . . the camera.

And it might take 3-6 months . . .

None of the other stuff that comes in the box will come with it and they'll try to sell you that stuff at above retail prices, which will end up costing more than just buying it locally from a store.

Plus . . . did you notice the free 'MP4' player they are giving away with the camera? :sqlaugh:

:sqerr:

Same with Prestige . . . I was looking at some of the DSLR's they had listed . . .

Their prices were unbelievable low prices . . .

And, on the Nikon D200, they had several different prices for body only (maybe they were used, but it didn't say so), and some of the lenses they have packaged with the bodies are lenses Nikon discontinued a long time ago!

I guess we could call that 'deceiptive marketing'!

John,

Can you give me an idea as to what each 1x in zoom power equates to in feet? Meaning...an extra 6x in zoom (18x vs. 12x) gets me how many feet closer to a subject? Also, does this increased zoom power affect the "stability/shake" of the camera or does the stabilization control of the camera offset this?

Thank you!

Booch

Another question for you John...and I really appreciate your help with this...does the Panasonic come with a "photo stitch" setting like the Canon? I really like using that on the Canon I have now...you should see the panoramic photo I took at the Masters last year!...and I want to have that feature on any new camera I purchase.

Thanks again!

Boch

...can't edit my previous post!...

John...I wanted to add that I did check the specs on the Panasonic and didn't see anything about a stitch-type setting.

Thanks!

Booch aka Boch

What a Boch Job that was and a weak save attempt.Damn Booch ya dont post for 6 months and then BAMMMMMM!!! Come back when you cant stay as long Geeeeeeze!!!!

Who sez I ain't stayin' for a while?

Booch

Hey who says ya cant?

No . . . the Pany's don't have the stitch mode.

Only Canon's, and I think Casio, have that feature.

Decisions, decisions....

Booch

P.S. - I bought the Canon...I freakin' love it!

Booch

Travis mentioned Fuji in here earlier...
I just bought a point and shoot Fuji Finepix s700 for $150 shipped off ebay.
Plus I got 2 - 512 MB Cards.
New, they around $250.00.
Large body, nice big aperture.
But not SLR.
Its the step below some of their big guns.
I really like the picture quality from Fuji, so I decided to pick one up for my wife.

Newegg Reviews (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830122110)
My Dad has a smaller Fuji and I'm just stunned at the quality compared to my Olympus.....

The Fuji S700/S5700 is a very nice camera . . .
Don't hesitate to ask questions . . . .

Here's a pic I took with my Canon...the full moon on 12/22. I was at full digital zoom with a 1.5x teleconverter lens...