S6500fd or S9600?

[leeweelee80]

hi all,

i am think of buying a s6500fd or a s9600 any idea which is better? can anyone help? like the S9600 hot shoe but scare the noise is much more higher than s6500fd... need some feedback and comments

[Pynch]

If you like hot-shoe and noise is the only concern, go for the S9600. Hardly any noise up to ISO400. Compared to the S3, its like night and day.

If upgrade from S3, S6500fd gives lower noise, raw mode and face detection, but loses tilt LCD and image stabilisation.

With S9600, you gain 3MP, hot-shoe, sync socket, CF card + xD card slots, lower noise, better EVF, raw mode (with 18MP output file!) and Hyper Utility software.

S9600 cost only $200 more, which is the price of the Hyper Utility software alone.

[leeweelee80]

Originally Posted by Pynch If you like hot-shoe and noise is the only concern, go for the S9600. Hardly any noise up to ISO400. Compared to the S3, its like night and day. If upgrade from S3, S6500fd gives lower noise, raw mode and face detection, but loses tilt LCD and image stabilisation. With S9600, you gain 3MP, hot-shoe, sync socket, CF card + xD card slots, lower noise, better EVF, raw mode (with 18MP output file!) and Hyper Utility software. S9600 cost only $200 more, which is the price of the Hyper Utility software alone.

Thank you. when comparing S9600 and S6500fd does the noise level have alot of different? do you know and do anyone know? anyone out there got a sample for me to see?

another thing is that i am not going to sell off my s3 as it can take amazing day shot and marco. so is it still advisable to buy a S9600 or S6500fd? Sorry ahead for the trouble.

[princej]

Originally Posted by Pynch If you like hot-shoe and noise is the only concern, go for the S9600. Hardly any noise up to ISO400. Compared to the S3, its like night and day. If upgrade from S3, S6500fd gives lower noise, raw mode and face detection, but loses tilt LCD and image stabilisation. With S9600, you gain 3MP, hot-shoe, sync socket, CF card + xD card slots, lower noise, better EVF, raw mode (with 18MP output file!) and Hyper Utility software. S9600 cost only $200 more, which is the price of the Hyper Utility software alone.

Hi Pynch,

Thank u for your elaboration on this subject. Now my mind almost made up, S9600 it might be.

But hanging on just a tad longer...

cheers

[sabian]

okie...thread has served its purpose

[Pynch]

Originally Posted by leeweelee80 Thank you. when comparing S9600 and S6500fd does the noise level have alot of different? do you know and do anyone know? anyone out there got a sample for me to see? another thing is that i am not going to sell off my s3 as it can take amazing day shot and marco. so is it still advisable to buy a S9600 or S6500fd? Sorry ahead for the trouble.

You can see a review with sample (also known as S9100) here http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/d...+finepix+s9100. There is also a link there to the S6500 review.

No point keeping the S3 as all take good day shots and macro, unless you want a spare.

[Clockunder]

Get the S6500fd if you're very sure that you're never ever going to use external flash and that you're desperate to shoot often at ISO 800 and ISO 1600 (mainly because you're not into flash photography). This camera is very suitable for beginners who are just starting to learn about photography but not expected to explore into flash photography anytime soon.

Otherwise, get the S9600 because of the factors mentioned by Pynch above.

I'll be replacing my prosumer camera soon and I'm also considering both the S6500fd and S9600. If the S9600 has only 6MP and thus has similar noise performance as the S6500fd, then the S9600 would be the clear choice for me. But then, sadly, it is not the case. May be I should wait longer for a better offering from Fujifilm.

There are quite a number of photo samples from both cameras at dpreview fujifilm forum : http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1012

[leeweelee80]

Originally Posted by Pynch You can see a review with sample (also known as S9100) here http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/d...+finepix+s9100. There is also a link there to the S6500 review. No point keeping the S3 as all take good day shots and macro, unless you want a spare.

Thank you i will consider the S9600.

[sabian]

Originally Posted by Clockunder May be I should wait longer for a better offering from Fujifilm.[/url]

i am also waiting...

actually i am ok with 6500's sensor, just that i was using IS3 previously, i am too used to the swivel LCD etc.

[leeweelee80]

Originally Posted by sabian i am also waiting... actually i am ok with 6500's sensor, just that i was using IS3 previously, i am too used to the swivel LCD etc.

Then why dont you keep ur S3 as well.

Haiz i just bought my S3 for about 2mths and now... still struggling if i should fork out the money for another camera. I got 2 adapter, 1 wide, 1 marco and one tele converter already. wanted to change bcoz wide angle will cast a shadow after flash when i taken night protrait and S3 night capability not comparable to Fuji. Once again, any one think i should forget my S3 and hit for the S9600?????

[Tetrode]

Originally Posted by leeweelee80 Then why dont you keep ur S3 as well. Haiz i just bought my S3 for about 2mths and now... still struggling if i should fork out the money for another camera. I got 2 adapter, 1 wide, 1 marco and one tele converter already. wanted to change bcoz wide angle will cast a shadow after flash when i taken night protrait and S3 night capability not comparable to Fuji. Once again, any one think i should forget my S3 and hit for the S9600?????

Just keep the S3 and wait till the replacement of the 9600 comes out sometime next year. The lifecycle of these cameras are about one year or so. It is not like your S3 is that bad - just bear with it for a year and a bit.

I have no qualms about getting the 6500FD for my needs - which is as a travel camera. I rather use the excellent noise characteristics to shoot pics in available light. You'll find that the majority of pics that require fill flash can be compensated using a reflector.

I find the cost of the 9600 too close to that of the cheaper dSLRs like the Pentaxes Ist Ds, K100 and Olympus 500 to be worth it. I would rather get those instead and have the use of an OVF.

[Pynch]

Originally Posted by leeweelee80 Then why dont you keep ur S3 as well. Haiz i just bought my S3 for about 2mths and now... still struggling if i should fork out the money for another camera. I got 2 adapter, 1 wide, 1 marco and one tele converter already. wanted to change bcoz wide angle will cast a shadow after flash when i taken night protrait and S3 night capability not comparable to Fuji. Once again, any one think i should forget my S3 and hit for the S9600?????

Before spending so much money on the S9600, do the following:

- download free noise reduction softwares and try them out on the S3 night pictures.
- consider slave flash for the S3.

These are discussed in the Canon forum.

[leeweelee80]

Originally Posted by Tetrode Just keep the S3 and wait till the replacement of the 9600 comes out sometime next year. The lifecycle of these cameras are about one year or so. It is not like your S3 is that bad - just bear with it for a year and a bit. I have no qualms about getting the 6500FD for my needs - which is as a travel camera. I rather use the excellent noise characteristics to shoot pics in available light. You'll find that the majority of pics that require fill flash can be compensated using a reflector. I find the cost of the 9600 too close to that of the cheaper dSLRs like the Pentaxes Ist Ds, K100 and Olympus 500 to be worth it. I would rather get those instead and have the use of an OVF.

Hey you are some how right. for that price a Dslr may be good but i once u start u cant stop. ie continous buying of lenses a prosumer will avoid that as u cannot change the lens. I also love OVF it is sweet to look into one.

[Tetrode]

Originally Posted by leeweelee80 Hey you are some how right. for that price a Dslr may be good but i once u start u cant stop. ie continous buying of lenses a prosumer will avoid that as u cannot change the lens. I also love OVF it is sweet to look into one.

With the Nikon D40 out soon, you may have even less reason to get the 9600.

[peapilot]

New review out on cnet might be of help when taking into consideration the other factors of the s6500fd

http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/digital...268163p,00.htm

[leeweelee80]

Originally Posted by Tetrode With the Nikon D40 out soon, you may have even less reason to get the 9600.

Hmm. then how much would the D40 roughly cost? this sound interesting.

[leeweelee80]

Any one with picts of S9600 night protraits or S6500fd night protrait?

[Clockunder]

Originally Posted by sabian i am also waiting... actually i am ok with 6500's sensor, just that i was using IS3 previously, i am too used to the swivel LCD etc.

I'm also ok with the S6500fd's sensor because less pixels resulted in less noise at high ISO. Extremely good up to ISO 400. ISO 800 is very usable while ISO 1600 is ok. ISO 3200 to be used only if it is the only way to capture something reasonable. S6500fd's high ISO performance is better than the S9600 and this is the main reason I'm looking seriously at the S6500fd.

I shoot using the EVF most of the time unless I'm trying to capture a perspective from a very low, high or peculiar angle in which the swivel LCD on my Nikon 5700 is extremely useful. If the camera doesn't have a swivel LCD, then I would have to prone on the floor looking wayward (sometimes not possible due to the situation) or bring a ladder which is very cumbersome. From the pictures of the S9600, it seems that the LCD is only tilting and not as flexible as those swivel LCD on some Canon and Nikon cameras. So shooting with the S9600 tilting LCD will not be as flexible as my existing Nikon 5700 which I can tilt my camera to add dynamism to the composition in addition to a high or low angle. For example, a car at the motor show would seem static if it's shot without any tilt and look like a snap shot if just shoot from eye level. So I shot either putting the camera near the floor level or hold it high above my head with outstretched hands and also tilt the camera so that the car appears going up a slope up or down to add some dynamism to the picture. Without the swivel LCD, it would be difficult. The tilting LCD on the S9600 is still not good enough for me.

Low angle and tilt :


High angle and tilt :



Another negative thing to note about the S6500fd is that there is no picture review on the camera when shoot in RAW format, meaning can only review on computer much later.

So to me, both the S6500fd and S9600 are not good enough because :

S6500fd : no swivel LCD; no picture review when RAW picture mode

S9600fd : tilting LCD not as flexible as the swivel LCD on Canon and Nikon; high ISO performance not as good as S6500fd

[Clockunder]

Originally Posted by Tetrode Just keep the S3 and wait till the replacement of the 9600 comes out sometime next year. The lifecycle of these cameras are about one year or so. It is not like your S3 is that bad - just bear with it for a year and a bit. I have no qualms about getting the 6500FD for my needs - which is as a travel camera. I rather use the excellent noise characteristics to shoot pics in available light. You'll find that the majority of pics that require fill flash can be compensated using a reflector. I find the cost of the 9600 too close to that of the cheaper dSLRs like the Pentaxes Ist Ds, K100 and Olympus 500 to be worth it. I would rather get those instead and have the use of an OVF.

The weight of carrying a DSLR + lenses and the costs of lenses also need to be considered.

It's cumbersome to carry a DSLR and lenses around, especially if it's a long zoom.

Good lenses costs more than the body.

[Tetrode]

Originally Posted by leeweelee80 Hmm. then how much would the D40 roughly cost? this sound interesting.

It would probably be less than the D50. So take the price of the D50 and take 15-20% off that to get an idea of the cost of the D40.

Cameras like the 9600 i.e. prosumers are a dying breed. Come to think of it, there may not even be a replacement of the 9600.