Should i buy S5500 or S7000 now?

[Simresd]

Hi,

i have been using my old Fuji S304z. However its lack of ISO selection doesnt allow me to do shots in slightly shady environment at all. Somehow the AF will fail. But i like the color of Fuji and the camera zoom very much.

Can someone advise if i should get the S5500 or S7000 or something else? I do mostly travel shooting. My budget is at most about $1200, but no need to spend all lah.

I like to also acquire a wide converter with the new camera. The last time i enquire, the Fuji WC was very expensive. Think about $100. I wonder if anyone has recommendation too.

Thanks.

[tankahn]

With $1200 and some more you can go into DSLR. Nikon D50 is coming out and hopefully retail at this price range so you have all the flexibility you need.

For myself, I got a simple P&S Sony W1. Max ISO 400. 5 megapixels. 2AAs batteries with a free 256mb memory stick pro thrown in for $550. Very fast startups and Sony also famous for great out of the box pictures.

Originally Posted by Simresd Hi, i have been using my old Fuji S304z. However its lack of ISO selection doesnt allow me to do shots in slightly shady environment at all. Somehow the AF will fail. But i like the color of Fuji and the camera zoom very much. Can someone advise if i should get the S5500 or S7000 or something else? I do mostly travel shooting. My budget is at most about $1200, but no need to spend all lah. I like to also acquire a wide converter with the new camera. The last time i enquire, the Fuji WC was very expensive. Think about $100. I wonder if anyone has recommendation too. Thanks.

[yowch]

Second hand D70 at about $1100, and second hand 18-70 AF-S lens at about $250, total $1350. That's $150 (10%) more than your budget, but you get QUALITY.

Unfortunately, further upgrades from then on will be very costly.

[Simresd]

Originally Posted by yowch Second hand D70 at about $1100, and second hand 18-70 AF-S lens at about $250, total $1350. That's $150 (10%) more than your budget, but you get QUALITY. Unfortunately, further upgrades from then on will be very costly.

Yup. Cost is one thing. Portability is another. I yet to find a convincing travel lens (which is my main need) to match the prosumer.

The other possibility is FX20. I cant think of too much other long zoom range cameras in the price bracket now. Spare me the Canon please. With the 2 Fuji camera out for some time already, i dont know how they compare with the others...

[imaginary_number]

U could also consider 2nd hand eqpt like a 300D ($900) and a Sigma 18-125 lens ($400). 125/18 = 7x zoom, giving u a flexible range of about 18-200mm, which is great for travel. AF speed and image quality would be much better than most prosumer/P&S cams.

[Simresd]

I am very tempted by DSLR.

But one issue is i do not like the PS work that comes with it, nor i am a good technical photographer. I fear that i will need some time to work with the camera which i dont. I am flying off soon after my exams.

DSLR always give me the feel that PS is compulsory to match the outputs(sharpening, color adjusting) from prosumer. I dont know if this is true cos i dont own one.

[yowch]

If you don't edit your P&S or prosumer cam images, you certainly don't need to edit the DSLR images. Output from DSLR is most likely much better in terms of noise, sharpness* and colour.

DSLR with scene modes (D70 or 300D) should be pretty straight forward.

But I agree that for travel and wide zoom coverage, prosumer cams are better. The limit is normally the wide angle which is much more costly to produce.

* regarding sharpness, there is a slight disadvantage on DLSR which has larger sensors than P&S/prosumer cams, as the depth-of-field becomes narrower, rendering a narrower band of in-focus image. Therfore, focusing becomes VERY important with DSLR. While F4.0 or F5.6 is provides deep depth-of-field on P&S/prosumer, you need F8.0 or F11.0 on DSLR for acceptable dof in 'generally overall sharp' pictures.

[Simresd]

Originally Posted by yowch If you don't edit your P&S or prosumer cam images, you certainly don't need to edit the DSLR images. Output from DSLR is most likely much better in terms of noise, sharpness* and colour. DSLR with scene modes (D70 or 300D) should be pretty straight forward. But I agree that for travel and wide zoom coverage, prosumer cams are better. The limit is normally the wide angle which is much more costly to produce. * regarding sharpness, there is a slight disadvantage on DLSR which has larger sensors than P&S/prosumer cams, as the depth-of-field becomes narrower, rendering a narrower band of in-focus image. Therfore, focusing becomes VERY important with DSLR. While F4.0 or F5.6 is provides deep depth-of-field on P&S/prosumer, you need F8.0 or F11.0 on DSLR for acceptable dof in 'generally overall sharp' pictures.

Hi yowch,

it really good that i get some insight on the comparison of DSLR vs prosumer in terms of real handling. The specifications can really quite misleading i should say.

When you use F8-11, dont you get problem with slow aperture speed? I hardly use F8 on my prosumer. By your experience, if you use F8 and above, what will be the approx shutter speed? I know this is personal but i just like to know the approx no in different environment.

[grantyale]

Depends on lighting. During the Sunday late afternoon shooting at Raffles Marina (Tuas), I stayed at ISO100, F8-11 in aperture priority mode and there was more than enough speed for handholding. Also note that DSLRs' ISO 400 are generally very clean and ISO 1600 is still pretty usable(Let's say, except those with Kodak 4/3 chips).

[yowch]

I normally shoot at F5.6 and F8, shutter around 1/30 to 1/250, ISO400.

Yes, at F8 or F11, shutter speed becomes a problem, which is why I say that P&S/prosumer is generally good for home users, being perceived as sharp as F11 at F5.6 and maintaining 2 stops of shutter speed better to prevent motion blurs.

The problem with P&S/prosumer that I faced is shutter lag, sensor noise and hard artificial sharpening.

If your favourite lab does a good job processing your P&S photos, they'll do equally well (more likely better) processing DSLR photos.

P&S/prosumer is good for convenience, price and simplicity.

[kane]

Originally Posted by yowch If you don't edit your P&S or prosumer cam images, you certainly don't need to edit the DSLR images. Output from DSLR is most likely much better in terms of noise, sharpness* and colour. DSLR with scene modes (D70 or 300D) should be pretty straight forward. But I agree that for travel and wide zoom coverage, prosumer cams are better. The limit is normally the wide angle which is much more costly to produce. * regarding sharpness, there is a slight disadvantage on DLSR which has larger sensors than P&S/prosumer cams, as the depth-of-field becomes narrower, rendering a narrower band of in-focus image. Therfore, focusing becomes VERY important with DSLR. While F4.0 or F5.6 is provides deep depth-of-field on P&S/prosumer, you need F8.0 or F11.0 on DSLR for acceptable dof in 'generally overall sharp' pictures.

is this why I can't seem to get a shallow depth of field with my point and shoot?

[yowch]

Originally Posted by kane is this why I can't seem to get a shallow depth of field with my point and shoot?

Zoom to the furthest (200mm equivalent?) and use the widest aperture (f2.8?) and focus properly, you should get shallow dof. My S602 (same lens as the S7000 and S20pro) can get pretty good shallow DOF from f2.8 to f4.0 and zoomed into about 150mm to 200mm.

[LazerLordz]

Similar to the S5000.I can zoom approx halfway and the DOF becomes more pronounced.

[Simresd]

Originally Posted by yowch I normally shoot at F5.6 and F8, shutter around 1/30 to 1/250, ISO400. Yes, at F8 or F11, shutter speed becomes a problem, which is why I say that P&S/prosumer is generally good for home users, being perceived as sharp as F11 at F5.6 and maintaining 2 stops of shutter speed better to prevent motion blurs. The problem with P&S/prosumer that I faced is shutter lag, sensor noise and hard artificial sharpening. If your favourite lab does a good job processing your P&S photos, they'll do equally well (more likely better) processing DSLR photos. P&S/prosumer is good for convenience, price and simplicity.

Am i right to say that at F3.3, the largest F stop on D70 kit, the DOF will be quite shallow, to the extend it will be significantly present in most photos? Quite generally speaking.

[snowbrigade]

Buy lens = $$$. I just got my D70 kit a month ago. Learning more of out it than my P&S sony DSC100.

[yymun]

I used S7000 b4! wonderful camera, handly and yet powerful camera! can zoom and marco shoot too. only thing i miss is that can't change it len, but can add on(eg:Tcon 7) .

cheers
yymun