New Camera


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xenoid

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Aug 19, 2006
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Hi all,

Newbie here! Wana seriously take up photography as a life-long hobby, so wana start with a nice, semi-pro and not-so-expensive camera. Deciding between a Sony H2 or a Canon Powershot S3. Read lots of reviews and posts in here, but I think nothing beats user comments from all you pro bros and sis out there! :D

Anyone wana help? ;)
 

Check out the Panasonic Cameras.
LX1 in particular, or the FZ7/FZ5 or FZ30. Canon Powershot S3 pales in comparison to the FZ5/7/30 and the Sony H1.
 

Anyone know the current price for panasonic FZ30?
 

Hi ortega and unseen, thanks for the response...

Any satisfied user of Sony H2 or Canon Powershot S3? Hmm Nikon D80 is way over my budget le :p

I saw reviews comparing the Canon and Sony one with the Pana FZ7. Is it that good?
 

xenoid said:
Hi ortega and unseen, thanks for the response...

Any satisfied user of Sony H2 or Canon Powershot S3? Hmm Nikon D80 is way over my budget le :p

I saw reviews comparing the Canon and Sony one with the Pana FZ7. Is it that good?


Nikon D50 then.... :thumbsup:
 

xenoid said:
Hi ortega and unseen, thanks for the response...

Any satisfied user of Sony H2 or Canon Powershot S3? Hmm Nikon D80 is way over my budget le :p

I saw reviews comparing the Canon and Sony one with the Pana FZ7. Is it that good?

FZ7 should be the best in good lighting condition due to its superb sharp Leica lens, focusing is also the fastest amoung the 3... slight faster only.
for low light shooting, H2 should perform the best out of the 3.
 

xenoid said:
but I think nothing beats user comments from all you pro bros and sis out there! :D

Anyone wana help? ;)

Correction.

=) I think nothing beats man-handling the cameras for half an hour (borrow/rent/beg/steal from friend or shops).

Bringing to the shop your SD/CF+Laptop to view the actual photos quality straight from camera via your laptop not the small LCD screen.

Testing the cameras you have shortlisted (Sony H2 or Canon Powershot S3 or this or that) and dun be be brainwashed by the salesmen or us.
 

Thanks for the advice tsan81. Yeah always have the trouble of testing cams and looking at the small lcd screens as a guide, and go home realise that it looks awful on my lcd monitor.

Hmm it seems like the vote is still on the Nikon D-series... Anymore Canon/Sony users? :p
 

ExplorerZ said:
FZ7 should be the best in good lighting condition due to its superb sharp Leica lens, focusing is also the fastest amoung the 3... slight faster only.
for low light shooting, H2 should perform the best out of the 3.
All these prosumer cameras have a problem with noise at higher sensitivity. The Nikon D50 would be a good starter for someone who doesn't want to spend so much but is likely to continue in this hobby.
 

Invest in 2nd hand DSLR body and spend the rest on lenses....

Body such as D70, d50, 350D etc.....
 

Long ago when blu went out shopping for a P&S, blu invested into a card reader and lug along a laptop. Oh yes, do not go on a public holiday, Saturday or Sunday. The sales staff do not have the time to talk to you. The best time is afternoon on a weekday and towards the end of the month. The sales person may be able to give you some discount just to make the figures.

Make a list of thing you want in your camera. Like, Size, battery type and memory. Also what is your main purpose in getting the camera? ie, what do you intend to shoot most of the time?

Blu's bro got a Sony T30 cause they have one of the cheapest and smallest underwater casing. He was not interested in the color, noise and etc etc... He got a set of underwater lights, a carrier case and the works..all for under RM5k. Don't think there is any other brand that can come close to that!!!!

So go try out them cameras at a shop, buy what you are comfortable with. and go shoot and take advantage of the camera's strong points.
 

lsisaxon said:
All these prosumer cameras have a problem with noise at higher sensitivity. The Nikon D50 would be a good starter for someone who doesn't want to spend so much but is likely to continue in this hobby.
of cos all of them got a problem with noise. but comparing all the 3, H2, S3, FZ7... sony H2 would be the best out of the 3 ;)
 

xenoid said:
Hi ortega and unseen, thanks for the response...

Any satisfied user of Sony H2 or Canon Powershot S3? Hmm Nikon D80 is way over my budget le :p

I saw reviews comparing the Canon and Sony one with the Pana FZ7. Is it that good?


i really suggest u try a dslr. H2 and S3 are superzooms and they are only good for that, zoom on a budget. They are too slow to capture birds. Only good is perhaps to capture that bikin babe sunbathing on the beach.:D

D80 or whatever is too expensive.A second hand D50 + a 18-70 mm lens will cost u about the same at a S3 or H2. Alternatively, get a 300d with the kit lens.

Then u will really learn photography.
 

It really depends on the purpose of the camera. Some people find the dSLRs just too big to handle. Take blu's brother, Anything that's bigger than a pack of Cig is too big. Casio Exilim, Sony T, Oly u725, Canon SD series or similar are ok. Everything else is tooooo big.

He says blu is mad to carry the dSLR and 3 lens on a holiday trip!!!! With the current limit baggage weight allowance for budget travel, he is beginning to make sense :eek:
 

IMHO, I think the Panasonic FZ50 would be a gd choice.

1st of all, it's new, has a new Venus Engine 3, 12x optical zoom with image stabilizer.
Handles like a DSLR, but not as expensive. No need to buy lens. Can cover most normal shooting angles.

Or wait for the coming Comex 2006 to compare all the cams there, and also get @ promo price.
 

Thanks for all the replies. ;)

Isisaxon: Would buying the Nikon D50 now be a bit too outdated? I'm not too sure about the development of camera models, which is why I dun feel really safe to buy an old one. :dunno:

jeffhiew: Hmm as a newbie, I'm still not that knowledgeable to be using different lenses. Thus I'm actually trying to find one which I can experiment and take pics with w/o the use of lenses at 1st. What do you all think?

Blu-By-U: Haha thanks for the advice, but I've already got a Casio Exilim Z50. Great for PnS, but think I'm a bit fussy abt picture quality even for normal PnS in outings. :confused: Which is why I'm going for a prosumer cam now.

Still thinking... anymore opinions? Might be going down Comex this weekend to check out the freebies and compare.

Got a quote from Alan Photo for Canon S3 for $720 (including 512SD, charger) but they dun have the H2 and D80. Funny huh?
 

xenoid said:
Thanks for all the replies. ;)

Isisaxon: Would buying the Nikon D50 now be a bit too outdated? I'm not too sure about the development of camera models, which is why I dun feel really safe to buy an old one. :dunno:

jeffhiew: Hmm as a newbie, I'm still not that knowledgeable to be using different lenses. Thus I'm actually trying to find one which I can experiment and take pics with w/o the use of lenses at 1st. What do you all think?

Blu-By-U: Haha thanks for the advice, but I've already got a Casio Exilim Z50. Great for PnS, but think I'm a bit fussy abt picture quality even for normal PnS in outings. :confused: Which is why I'm going for a prosumer cam now.

Still thinking... anymore opinions? Might be going down Comex this weekend to check out the freebies and compare.

Got a quote from Alan Photo for Canon S3 for $720 (including 512SD, charger) but they dun have the H2 and D80. Funny huh?
No. The batteries are still in production, the lenses are still F-mount, SD cards are still available and IMO, 6Mp is more than sufficient for up to 11R prints.

You can continue chasing after technology and it will not stop for you. Does it mean that you are going to upgrade camera every year?

The release of D80 is to fill a gap between D70s and D200. There may or may not be a D50s or a D60 soon, we won't know, but even if there is that's probably another 6-8 months down the road.

If you need the camera now and you think the price is right, then just buy it. Nikon makes quality products that do not obsolete that easily. Certain models may be discontinued but that does not mean that they are obsolete.
 

You can try asking about the H2 from all Sony shops :)

Comex will probably have cameras on display and on sale, but don't expect reduction of prices, maybe bundling of extra stuff :)
 

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