prosumer cam

[marshmallow]

hi all, after thinking about it for a long time, i've finally decided to give up getting a DSLR so i won't burn a hole in my dad's pocket.

am looking to get a prosumer cam. what are some of the things i should look out for in these cams? sensor, lens etc?

i've currently narrowed down to:
1) Canon S5 IS
2) Fujifilm FinePix S8000 fd
3) Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18
4) Sony DSC-H9

anyone has any other recommendations or anything to say about these 4 cams? Greatly appreciate any comments.

 

[Bosty]

hi all, after thinking about it for a long time, i've finally decided to give up getting a DSLR so i won't burn a hole in my dad's pocket.

I said this 2wks ago
and got a canon powershot S5
and so far, i have no regrets

Go dpreview and see each photo preview on these cameras.
compare the photo qualities, esp extreme conditions like super macro or telephotos.
den iso noisiness.

den go to some random shop and go feel the camera

 

[night86mare]

pushes his link

link

 

[marshmallow]

pushes his link

link

haha, i've read this!!!!

 

[Clockunder]

To compare sample images from different cameras, go to the website listed below and then click onto the "compare sample images" in the left column, select 2 cameras to be compared, mouse click onto the pictures you want to compare and then eventually click onto the picture to see the full unaltered original pictures for comparison.

At low ISO 100 or below, the Canon, Sony and Panasonic are probably better. However, at higher ISO, the fujifilm cameras with Super CCD HR sensors are clearly way better than the rest (try comparing ISO 400 and above pictures between the Canon S3 or S5 IS with Fujifilm S6500fd).

Other than image quality, of course other factors to look at are costs, zoom range, range of largest aperture sizes within the zoom range, sharpness, focusing speed and accuracy at various zoom range, continuous shooting speed, White balance accuracy, availability of hotshoe, flexibility of LCD monitor, size and quality of view finder, other features (such as bulb mode etc.) and availability of accessories etc. etc. It all depends on your needs. No one camera outperforms in every aspect.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/MFR1.HTM

 

[Azure]

Clockunder has provided a useful set of points to think about.

You may also want to ask yourself, what do you want to shoot most of the time. Some prosumers are better with a certain genre than others, given how they handle colours, focusing distances, etc.

And, really, a 2nd-hand dSLR, with a kit lens, may well prove to be a bit cheaper than a prosumer.... if you look hard enough. You do not need to go for the latest and most top of the range gear. My former apprentice is churning out great pictures on her D70 and 18-55 kit lens. And her portraits/nature shots can put quite a few (read : expensive gears) gearheads to shame.

 

[night86mare]

Honestly, I think the best way to see which one you want is to go down to the shops and have a hold on all of them.
Frankly while yes, there are better handling of colours, focusing distances, etc, some have some edge over others depending on what you want to look at, these can be overcome. And other than Fujifilm, prosumers would have some amount of noise so noise is quite a null point when you're doing comparison. What I would think is most important is the handling/interface of the camera, whether you like it, whether you like the feel. If I have a camera whereby I do not really like the way I have to use it, I would think that I would not use it much. After all, image quality across most prosumers are pretty decent, and hey hey hey, Photoshopping a little here and there is also done by DSLR users.

One point you might want to consider is what sort of shots you'd be interested in first and foremost, for example if you wish to take insect photography then you'd have to look for something which can focus closely and/or receive good closeup filters/adaptors easily, etc. Or if you take landscapes you might want to get something wider at the wide end of the zoom.

 

[spidey89]

Can consider the Panasonic FZ50 as well,pretty good camera

 

[twistedzero]

Noone can give you a better recommendation that you. I think the best advise go to any shops and try the camera.

 

[felixcat8888]

Best is still check the reviews then go to try out.

www.dpreview.com
www.dcresource.com

 

[Galdor]

Go to a shop and try out the cameras you like & see which camera you like more. Then get from the usual shops recommended by bros here. Remember not to listen too much to the sales person & go with your heart.

 

[hamustar]

if u feel shy about walking into a shop and asking to see all the models ( i do ), u can head down to Courts@Tampines, the one near Ikea. There's a digicam section with almost every model hooked on some pedestral. u can try out there....some still got batteries in it so u can even turn it on and play.

 

[diver-hloc]

Maybe check out the review at dpreview.com. Then go to the shop like BEST to try it in your hand. There is no real way any person could tell you which camera to get.... since everyone is difference. Hope this help.

 

[Snoweagle]

I strongly recommend the S5 IS.

 

[cantaresg]

For canon, one way is to just walk down to vivocity and go to the canon showroom. Play with the different models. Almost everything for you to try.

 

[hirowen]

For canon, one way is to just walk down to vivocity and go to the canon showroom. Play with the different models. Almost everything for you to try.

Good idea. :thumbsup:

Canon S5 IS and Sony H9 are both good choice.

 

[marshmallow]

thanks for all the help!!! was still wavering earlier on today, because my peers were all egging me on to get the DSLR, but i really didn't want to have to worry about getting good lenses and proper equipment to keep the DSLR. the one i originally wanted was nikon D40x, but i've heard so many bad comments about it, and most people were saying why not just go one step further to get the D80 or D70, but i'm either getting a D40x or a prosumer, and the lens that comes in the kit is really.... -_-

hopefully i won't regret my choice when i really do make the decision amongst one of these!

 

[night86mare]

thanks for all the help!!! was still wavering earlier on today, because my peers were all egging me on to get the DSLR, but i really didn't want to have to worry about getting good lenses and proper equipment to keep the DSLR. the one i originally wanted was nikon D40x, but i've heard so many bad comments about it, and most people were saying why not just go one step further to get the D80 or D70, but i'm either getting a D40x or a prosumer, and the lens that comes in the kit is really.... -_-

hopefully i won't regret my choice when i really do make the decision amongst one of these!

The lens in the kit is not a bad lens.

I use only my Pentax kit lens and my Sigma 10-20, the difference is undiscernable unless you are professional, Nikon kit lens isn't too shabby in quality either actually.

In fact, the lens on D40x if I dare say would perform better overall than any lens on a prosumer, actually, due to the fact that prosumer lens have so wide range of zoom that it is going to suffer optically for sure. So if that's the only thing keeping you back, and you know that D40x has no AF motor in-cam, go for it. Or you can also consider Pentax K100D, cheaper, and good too, what I use. <3

 

[marshmallow]

The lens in the kit is not a bad lens.

In fact, the lens on D40x if I dare say would perform better overall than any lens on a prosumer, actually, due to the fact that prosumer lens have so wide range of zoom that it is going to suffer optically for sure. So if that's the only thing keeping you back, and you know that D40x has no AF motor in-cam, go for it.

hmm, i was at the shop today, and when i was trying it out, there was a very limited distance that i can zoom in on for the d40x, i.e. a REALLY REALLY short distance, which was what made me changed my mind back to getting a prosumer. and there has also been a lot of criticism about the d40x that it has a limited range of lenses available for use.

any opinions on this?

 

[night86mare]

hmm, i was at the shop today, and when i was trying it out, there was a very limited distance that i can zoom in on for the d40x, i.e. a REALLY REALLY short distance, which was what made me changed my mind back to getting a prosumer. and there has also been a lot of criticism about the d40x that it has a limited range of lenses available for use.

any opinions on this?

So why must buy D40X?

Got a lot of other cameras around that price range that are good. I hope I don't get flamed for saying this, but Nikon is not the only brand out there. If you want something with a wide range of zoom, optical quality will suffer, nonetheless. Because the lens has to accomodate that wide range of zoom. Nowadays getting better and better but nonetheless I personally think that the image quality suffers and it's discernable to me.

Yes, the kit lens is 18-55mm, which roughly equates a 3x (slight more than 3x actually) zoom. Most prosumers give you 12x, which is in a way, making it more budget than getting a DSLR and th 18-200 lens (which would give you 27-300mm focal length in 35mm film terms).

But what do you want? Are you committed to photography? Do you know the basics of photography? Can you handle a DSLR? These are some questions only you can answer yourself before deciding which to get.

The D40x is a DSLR whereby you have to get lenses with AF motor built into the lens. So yar, in a way it is limited, but I'm not very sure, have to ask Nikon people.

Some other cameras you might want to consider if you really are interested in DSLR,
1) Pentax K100D like I said, good value for money, good kit lens, SR, etc
2) Pentax K10D (more advanced than K100D but more megapixels)
3) Olympus E410
4) Olympus E510
5) Canon 400D / 350D - from what I hear the kit lens quality is less than desirable and has a rotating front though