Which Camera Should I Buy?

[Bobcat]

I have been pondering for some time now and I am at the gates of purchasing a high quality compact. I prefer to shoot without flash at this level to get the better skin tones & feel. It is for mongering documenting & general use. I dont want something too cumbersome & still feel that the iphone 4 or blackberry torch are not quite there.

The S90 is now £299.00 amazon. What should I do. Please help?.    

[rxpharm]

Bobcat, I am guessing that you already read the following threads: Camera Talk, mostly DSLR, Which is better of these 2 Cameras, Canon S90 or G11?.

The best advice I could give you is to go into a camera shop with a memory card, handle the different cameras - including trying various menu functions, shoot some photos, then look at the results back on your home computer.

Any of these cameras will do a good job, especially if you take the time to learn some basic photography skills and familiarize yourself with the various functions they have.

As for shooting without flash - I can tell you low light photos will not appear with natural skin tone if any kind of artificial lighting is present. That is because this lighting is at a different temperature than sunlight and will give a color cast to your photos. Almost all cameras have white balance adjustment so you can attempt to compensate for it, or you can use software to correct afterwards. The automatic white balance may not always work, and manually adjusting white balance is not always easy. Another thing is low light photos require slow shutter speeds which will result into motion blur, if your subject moves at all, or if the camera stabilization system cannot compensate for your own shaking (from excitement or perhaps alcohol). So flash is a good alternative to freeze the subject as long as it is within range.

[Snick]

S95 or G12, the S90 and G11 are both last years model. it is not worth saving a few pennies to get the old (they both lack HD video for one thing).
For me, the S95 wins - I love the size. I wear my S90 on my belt and keep it with me all the time. The S90/S95 is also a little better shooting in the dark, f2.0 vs f2.8 aperture. The g12 has a better zoom.

Lumix  -- I don't know enough to say, I only played with it briefly and did not take any photos, But I think the controls on the S90/S95 are better.

[Jake_Sully]

If you want top image quality and decent zoom capability the ZS7/TZ10 wins hands down.

If you want only very low light pictures that you might shoot in a dark lit bar consider the S90 if you will never be recording video. If you will record video and do faster burst shots, its worth spending more on S95.

If your budget is really limited and you just want a cheap compact while getting great pics, I suggest a former top of the line compact like a SD1300IS since there is no point of you spending a entry level dslr price on a compact cam if you will only be viewing pictures on your monitor or on your TV. Any camera with more than 7mp can make good 2mp resized snaps which is all that's required for HD quality viewing on a monitor/ tv while the SD1300 takes 12.1 mp images while still making very good 11 x 14 prints. Here is its review.

[Bobcat]

Thanks guys. It looks as if I will punt for the S95 then. Do you have any recomendations on printers. Say to get photos like the old days 6 x 4 or greater.

I want something of reasonable quality easy to use and sensible cartridge prices.

[rxpharm]

I would still highly recommend you go into a shop and handle the cameras before you buy. Your idea of what is comfortable and easy to use may be different than mine, snick's or Jake_Sully's. Also think about if you truly need HD video recording. Do you have an HD tv you will be watching the videos on, or will you be watching on a computer monitor? If you won't be playing the videos that often, or are planning to just simply post them on Youtube, the regular VGA video on the Canon S90 may do and you'll save a bit of money, if that camera suits your needs.

As for a printer - very few people print their photos any more most view them on a monitor or digital photo frame. You can always take your memory card or USB flash drive to a photoshop where you can select just want photos you want printed at reasonable prices.

[Jake_Sully]

I have to agree with Rx. There is no perfect camera. There is one that you can compromise on that may fit your needs. I'm not a bar person so my needs vary but I love night photography. Rather than taking advice I would look at it in a store since I don't think amazon in the UK is like amazon in US or canada where you can return items within 30 days, so if you happen to purchase the wrong thing, you're stuck with it. Alternatively you could visit a site which takes pictures of the camera in identical conditions so you can compare the images online for example like imaging resource - the most important thing in the pictures being noise.

Since a camera lasts you years.. take the time to get it right.

[Snick]

If interested in the s9x, I'd still pick the s95 over the s90
Hd video, better image stabilization, hdr mode, thinner, etc...

Unless the s90 is 1/2 the cost of the s95, go for the new version.

Another differce w the lumix is the canon can shoot in raw mode. For me this is important as I shoot underwater (with a case). You'll have to decide if it's a factor for you.

[deepthroat]

I just ordered my first decent camera with the help of some great information from Jake - he called it a "bridge camera" and I think it will be a lot of fun learning how to use something more complex than a simple point'n'shoot like the Canon SD1100 IS I've been saddled with the past 4 years.

The camera I ordered is a Panasonic PADMCFZ40B Lumix DMC-FZ40 Digital Camera

[Jake_Sully]

That's a good cam. You'll freak out at the zoom capability and the video recording at 1 press of a button!

[Torurot]

Cheaper and better to get your 6x4 printed at any place for 10c or less, except for the problem of finding malls etc that will print xxx rated prints. You may have to ask around. Some will some will not.

[Snick]

Agreed unless you are printing out nudes, it cheaper to have a service print them.
To get really good prints you need an expensive printer, and have to worry about doing color correction in photoshop or something. Plus with the cost of consumables, it ends up costing as much per print as having a service do it.