Advice needed : Is Exmor R F3.3 better than Canon F2.7 for indoor?


viola912

New Member
Jul 30, 2012
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Singapore
Hi All,

I'm new to this forum and in general, don't know a lot about cameras.
Currently I have a Canon PowerShot A540 but need to replace it as it is draining battery real fast now.

I need a camera to take indoor photos (kids at home) and I wonder which camera is better for me. I would think that PnS is more suitable and would prefer compact or ultracompact.

I read that the lower the F, the brighter the lens and hence more suitable for low light photos (including indoor?).

I tried to look at the specs of the cameras available but am puzzled about the different types of lenses. Can we just compare the F (for a brighter lens) or do we need to take the type of lens into consideration?

My A540 has F2.6, but the Sony cybershot WX100 has Exmor R lens with F3.3. Seems like Exmor R is good for low light? Then how is it compared to Canon IXUS125HS with F2.7 or Fuji F660EXR with F3.5?

In theory, I'm confused and in practical, can't really test out at the shops because in general, the shops are all so brightly lit.

Can anyone please advise? Or recommend a camera? (at least 5x optical, able to take indoor, movies....)
Thanks!!

PS: As for the power drain of A540, it is due to wear and tear and hence need to change or is there any way to save that? thanks!:)
 

It's not an "Exmor R Lens". Rather, it's an Exmor R SENSOR. This is a different concept than LENS.

and yes, the Sony Exmor R sensors are pretty good for indoor low light. Read the reviews to learn more.
 

TS... why do you think a PnS is better? Actually mirrorless interchangeable lens camera now had very very fast AF and had no problem handling low light situation, plus most of these cameras are not much bigger than a PnS...

Anyway, for f-value (normally tied to Aperture value) the lower the f-value, means the bigger the aperture blades could be opened. This means more light could enter the lens and hit on the surface of the sensor at any given time. However a lens is only part of the equation, another part is the sensor itself and its sensitivity to light... then you would have to look at the processor and af system of the camera. You can have a f1.2 lens and still if your AF system sucks big time, your camera still cannot lock on to your subject.
 

Many ultra p&s have 5x zoom and 16mp nowadays, only few hundred bucks, includes Canon, as I bought it for someone last week. Shoot cinema, movies Canon has the HDR night whatever too, takes 3 shots different exposure and merge, making it pretty bright even without flash. But advisable to use flash in Cinemas though. And just get extra batteries. Other brands, I'm not sure, I'm just a newbie
 

Hi Rashkae,

Thanks for the correction. Yes, the reviews I've read said that Exmor R is good for low light. But how is it as compared to, say canon BSI-CMOS F2.7? Exmor R is also BSI (backside illumination) right? Can I say that Exmor R F3.3 is better than BSI F3.3? (that is, if the F is the same, then the one with Exmor R is definitely better (or not) ) Is there any easy way to tell or differentiate which is better? Thanks! :)
 

TS... why do you think a PnS is better? Actually mirrorless interchangeable lens camera now had very very fast AF and had no problem handling low light situation, plus most of these cameras are not much bigger than a PnS...

Anyway, for f-value (normally tied to Aperture value) the lower the f-value, means the bigger the aperture blades could be opened. This means more light could enter the lens and hit on the surface of the sensor at any given time. However a lens is only part of the equation, another part is the sensor itself and its sensitivity to light... then you would have to look at the processor and af system of the camera. You can have a f1.2 lens and still if your AF system sucks big time, your camera still cannot lock on to your subject.

Why I think PnS better? Actually I don't mean it as better for low light... I mean it as easier for me who knows little about cameras/photography... :)
The thing is, there are so many cameras out there, each with its own pros/cons... it really isn't easy for me to choose...

I did read about the AF etc (I think from this forum?) and now I'm stuck with type of sensor and F (as mentioned earlier, I don't know how to compare them). Then for AF system, goodness, I haven't even gone into that yet! :(

That's why I'm calling for help......
 

Why I think PnS better? Actually I don't mean it as better for low light... I mean it as easier for me who knows little about cameras/photography... :)
The thing is, there are so many cameras out there, each with its own pros/cons... it really isn't easy for me to choose...

I did read about the AF etc (I think from this forum?) and now I'm stuck with type of sensor and F (as mentioned earlier, I don't know how to compare them). Then for AF system, goodness, I haven't even gone into that yet! :(

That's why I'm calling for help......

Maybe, prior to everything, do read abit about ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed.

In summary,

1) ISO - the sensitivity of the sensor to light - the higher the ISO value, the more sensitive the sensor is to light.
2) Aperture - measured in f-value. The smaller the f-value, the bigger the aperture opening... more light to enter through the lens to the sensor
3) Shutter speed - the time needed for the shutter to be opened.
 

Hi Rashkae,

Thanks for the correction. Yes, the reviews I've read said that Exmor R is good for low light. But how is it as compared to, say canon BSI-CMOS F2.7? Exmor R is also BSI (backside illumination) right? Can I say that Exmor R F3.3 is better than BSI F3.3? (that is, if the F is the same, then the one with Exmor R is definitely better (or not) ) Is there any easy way to tell or differentiate which is better? Thanks! :)

Many Canon PnS cameras use Sony sensors. So there's a good chance that they're the same/similar sensor. A lot of it boils down to the processing the camera manufacturers apply.

Pick 2 cameras and READ the reviews. They almost always have low light/high ISO image samples.
 

Actually, if the batteries are draining fast, shouldnt you consider just changing batteries (I am assuming that you are using rechargeable AA batts)?
 

Just get the RX100 for a good pns....
 

Other than light, you also need to take into consideration the subject that you are taking. In your case, if the kids are moving/running, the pns may not be able to focus fast enough. m4/3 or DSLR will definitely do a better job here. However, if you really just want a pns that can do most of the job, then I think Canon S100 is quite good.