What to look for in a Digital Camera.

[Qansett]

I am looking at upgrading my wifes Pentax Optio M20 Camera to a Canon
Powershot. This camera (pentax M20)give pore results. (low resolution)
It seems that the highest number of pixels is hardly the issue with this
camera.

Do I look for other things such as Lens quality, good exposure/metering
system etc. I have a Fuji Finepix (S5800) that delivers very good
results, but the popup flash no longer works.

Thanks in advance.
+

[Joe]

Post by Qansett
I am looking at upgrading my wifes Pentax Optio M20 Camera to a Canon
Powershot. This camera (pentax M20)give pore results. (low resolution)
It seems that the highest number of pixels is hardly the issue with this
camera.
Do I look for other things such as Lens quality, good exposure/metering
system etc. I have a Fuji Finepix (S5800) that delivers very good
results, but the popup flash no longer works.
Thanks in advance.
+

Canon IXUS 12mp

[hickory]

Post by Qansett
I am looking at upgrading my wifes Pentax Optio M20 Camera to a Canon
Powershot. This camera (pentax M20)give pore results. (low resolution)
It seems that the highest number of pixels is hardly the issue with this
camera.
Do I look for other things such as Lens quality, good exposure/metering
system etc. I have a Fuji Finepix (S5800) that delivers very good
results, but the popup flash no longer works.
Thanks in advance.
+

I bought the Powershot SX20 IS some months ago & very pleased.

Have a look at this link. The review was filmed with the SX20 I believe.


http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon_PowerShot_SX20_IS/video_review.shtml

[Dr. Sir John Howard, AC, WSCMoF]

Post by Qansett
I am looking at upgrading my wifes Pentax Optio M20 Camera to a Canon
Powershot. This camera (pentax M20)give pore results. (low resolution)
It seems that the highest number of pixels is hardly the issue with this
camera.
Do I look for other things such as Lens quality, good exposure/metering
system etc. I have a Fuji Finepix (S5800) that delivers very good
results, but the popup flash no longer works.

I have a Fuji Finepix S7000. A nice camera but a little slow. The newer models
are supposed to be faster. Some idiot reviewer on the News website criticised
the Fuji Finepix cameras for not being SLRs, but do we really need digital SLRs?
I can't see the need for a pentaprism (more weight) when an LCD viewfinder is as
good as, if not better, than an optical one. Only problem is you can't change
their lenses but they give you enough zoom range that you normally don't need to.

However, what you should be looking at depends on your requirements. Some of the
small compacts are nice (i.e. the Nikon L series) but the ones with only a large
LCD screen can be a pain (e.g. try using them on a bright and sunny day. You
just can't see the screen). So a viewfinder is better.

Most can also capture video. I'd look at one that can do a HD format, if they
make them yet.

Other things to look at - standard memory cards. The Fuji Finepix take XD cards
- which aren't that common. I'm yet to find a card reader that takes one. Its
not really a problem. It just means I need to turn on the camera to transfer
images. Just taking the card out and plugging it into a card reader is simpler.
--

- KRudd at his finest.

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"This is the recession we had to have!"
- Paul Keating explaining why he gave Australia another Labour recession.

"Silly old bugger!"
- Well known ACTU pisspot and sometime Labour prime minister Bob Hawke
responding to a pensioner who dared ask for more.

"By 1990, no child will live in poverty"
- Bob Hawke again, desperate to win another election.

"A billion trees ..."
- Borke, pissed as a newt again.

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"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU DUMB CUNT!"
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"I don't care what you fuckers think!"
- KRudd the KRude Rat at his finest again.

"We'll just change it all when we get in."
- Garrett the carrott

[Noons]

On Jan 19, 7:42 pm, " Dr. Sir John Howard, AC, WSCMoF " <""noujwas
\"@yahoo.com is a stupid muzzie
troll

snippage...
I can't see the need for a pentaprism (more weight) when an LCD viewfinder is as
good as, if not better, than an optical one. Only problem is you can't change
their lenses but they give you enough zoom range that you normally don't need to.

Better yet: get a micro4/3 camera and get all the lens swapping of a
dslr, without any of the weight!
They are still a bit expensive, but they'll come down to earth.
Inevitably.

Most can also capture video. I'd look at one that can do a HD format, if they
make them yet.

Hmmm, not so sure I agree here. Get HD video *only* if someone
intends to do primarily video, or at least minimally serious. Which
with a p&s is a bit of a non-event anyway.

I'd rather save some bucks and go with standard video: it's perfectly
adequate for the non-committed video maker. As for the "committed"
ones, keep them locked-up(!) or give them a proper video camera. A p&s
camera does not replace dedicated HD video gear.

Other things to look at - standard memory cards. The Fuji Finepix take XD cards
- which aren't that common. I'm yet to find a card reader that takes one. Its
not really a problem.

Funny. I have yet to find a card reader that doesn't take one.
Lessee, at a glance:
desktop from HP: yup, it has an xD card slot.
Two usb card readers I use all the time: yup, there's the xD card
slot, among many others.
That one is getting harder and harder to explain...

images. Just taking the card out and plugging it into a card reader is simpler.

Yeah, but watch out for doing that too many times. The contacts and
plugs on cheap cameras are not rated for thousands of operations:
they'll wear out or get mis-aligned upon many cycles of plugging.
Be real gentle with cheap cameras.

[Dr. Sir John Howard, AC, WSCMoF]

Post by Noons

snippage...
I can't see the need for a pentaprism (more weight) when an LCD viewfinder is as
good as, if not better, than an optical one. Only problem is you can't change
their lenses but they give you enough zoom range that you normally don't need to.

Better yet: get a micro4/3 camera and get all the lens swapping of a
dslr, without any of the weight!
They are still a bit expensive, but they'll come down to earth.
Inevitably.

Yes, that's a good point.

Post by Noons

Most can also capture video. I'd look at one that can do a HD format, if they
make them yet.

Hmmm, not so sure I agree here. Get HD video *only* if someone
intends to do primarily video, or at least minimally serious. Which
with a p&s is a bit of a non-event anyway.
I'd rather save some bucks and go with standard video: it's perfectly
adequate for the non-committed video maker. As for the "committed"
ones, keep them locked-up(!) or give them a proper video camera. A p&s
camera does not replace dedicated HD video gear.

OK, we've got a difference of opinion here. The way I see it, a still camera and
a video camera are pretty much the same thing now. Both record to memory cards.
Lots of still cameras have video capability. So why not combine?

Post by Noons

Other things to look at - standard memory cards. The Fuji Finepix take XD cards
- which aren't that common. I'm yet to find a card reader that takes one. Its
not really a problem.

Funny. I have yet to find a card reader that doesn't take one.
desktop from HP: yup, it has an xD card slot.
Two usb card readers I use all the time: yup, there's the xD card
slot, among many others.
That one is getting harder and harder to explain...

Perhaps I should shop around. My Sony doesn't take XD in its card slots. The
stand alone card reader I have doesn't take XD either. Both are only 2 years old.

Post by Noons

images. Just taking the card out and plugging it into a card reader is simpler.

Yeah, but watch out for doing that too many times. The contacts and
they'll wear out or get mis-aligned upon many cycles of plugging.
Be real gentle with cheap cameras.

Yep.
--
http://youtu.be/_ipvdBnU8F8
- KRudd at his finest.

"The Labour Party is corrupt beyond redemption!"
- Labour hasbeen Mark Latham in a moment of honest clarity.

"This is the recession we had to have!"
- Paul Keating explaining why he gave Australia another Labour recession.

"Silly old bugger!"
- Well known ACTU pisspot and sometime Labour prime minister Bob Hawke
responding to a pensioner who dared ask for more.

"By 1990, no child will live in poverty"
- Bob Hawke again, desperate to win another election.

"A billion trees ..."
- Borke, pissed as a newt again.

"Well may we say 'God save the Queen' because nothing will save the governor
general!"
- Egotistical shithead and pompous fuckwit E.G. Whitlam whining about his
appointee for Governor General John Kerr.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU DUMB CUNT!"
- FlangesBum on learning the truth about Labour's economic capabilities.

"I don't care what you fuckers think!"
- KRudd the KRude Rat at his finest again.

"We'll just change it all when we get in."
- Garrett the carrott

[Noons]

Post by Dr. Sir John Howard, AC, WSCMoF

Post by Noons

Post by Dr. Sir John Howard, AC, WSCMoF
Most can also capture video. I'd look at one that can do a HD format, if they
make them yet.

Hmmm, not so sure I agree here. Get HD video *only* if someone
intends to do primarily video, or at least minimally serious. Which
with a p&s is a bit of a non-event anyway.
I'd rather save some bucks and go with standard video: it's perfectly
adequate for the non-committed video maker. As for the "committed"
ones, keep them locked-up(!) or give them a proper video camera. A p&s
camera does not replace dedicated HD video gear.

OK, we've got a difference of opinion here. The way I see it, a still
camera and a video camera are pretty much the same thing now. Both
record to memory cards. Lots of still cameras have video capability. So
why not combine?

Not as much a difference of opinion as a difference in expectations.

I do expect a dedicated quality HD video camera to have interchangeable lenses,
variable real shutter, r-g-b split colour sensors, ability to track focus, meter
and zoom at same time, good sound capture ability, including external mono and
stereo, etcetc. Very few p&s cameras can do that at all, if any. Hence why I
wouldn't bother wasting the potential quality of HD with lesser abilities in
other areas of video making.

In simpler terms: I think the quality of HD is a wasted capability if not
accompanied with many others that are specific to quality video cameras.

Just because some still cameras can shoot hd video it doesn't mean that the two
areas have merged, other than in the fertile imagination of low-quality
marketeers.

Some folks might consider the Laforet-surveillance-camera style videos as the
ultimate in video making. I can assure you they are totally amateurish and no
video professional would even remotely consider using a camera that has to be
kept stationary or folks will get seasick.

A moving or tracking camera is the hallmark of the professionally made video.
Don't even *try* that with any of the "combined" cameras...

On the other hand, a quick-and-dirty normal resolution video mode is perfectly
fine in p&s cameras for the occasional "moment" recording. Nothing wrong with that.

[Norman]

What do you mean by "PORE" results ????

Post by Qansett
I am looking at upgrading my wifes Pentax Optio M20 Camera to a Canon
Powershot. This camera (pentax M20)give pore results. (low resolution)
It seems that the highest number of pixels is hardly the issue with this
camera.
Do I look for other things such as Lens quality, good exposure/metering
system etc. I have a Fuji Finepix (S5800) that delivers very good results,
but the popup flash no longer works.
Thanks in advance.
+