CyberHippie Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 I think I've narrowed down my choice to these two: Canon s45 Olympus c-750 Their not really as small as I might like, but they pack all the features in. Anyone know about these cameras? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 the olympus looks real nice. The hotshoe would allow you to get a better flash so you wouldn't be stuck with shitty point-and-shoot flash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Huxtable Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 Are those the same as the electric cameras? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 well, i've had enough fun with digital camera's to probably help out a bit... to start, why do u want the s45 over the a70, the digital camera of the year 2002? Other than for the 1 meg pixel increase, there is no difference. They are the exact same camera, actually the a70 can add lenses, where the s45 can't. i'd say, save yourself 100+ dollars, and go with the a70. BUT, if you are sure you want the s45, i'd say go with the Canon. This is why. In june of this year, i took my camera fishing as i always do. Well, i was in the Grand River, and i sorta dropped it in the water. Completely submerged the camera. Barely was able to find it.... Well of course, it was toast. They currently dont make a waterproof digital camera. Well, i was pissed. 500 dollars down the drain. Read my warrantee, and it specifically said, in bold letters, if you camera sustains water damage, your warrentee is VOID. I figured i'd try anyways. Called them up, found where to send it, and away it went... A week later i called and asked what the word was, figuring i'd get the "there is nothing we can do for you sir, sorry." Instead they said, the part that was needed to fix my camera was on backorder, but i'd receive the camera within the next two weeks... I was pretty happy, but not convinced i was getting my camera fixed... Well two weeks went by, and nothing. So i called them, and they said, get this, "your camera is unable to be repaired due to excessive water damage, so we'll be sending you a BRAND NEW one, NO CHARGE, priority overnight delivery!!" And they did. Brand new camera. Brand new three year warrantee.... Canon blows my mind. I'll always recommend them to anyone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 Well I was looking at the A70, but there were some things I prefered about the s45. Although I can't remember now I think they were saying the S45 is essentially the same as the G3, but more portable, which is what I was looking for. I think the S45 had more manual controls, and maybe allowed you to save some presets. Thanks for the scoop on Canon though, I don't know much about their camera's, so it's good to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 well, you really should make sure, because the manual setting are the exact same on the s45 as the a70. maybe a salesman wanted to make a couple extra hundred bucks off ya??? i'm almost 100% positive that the only difference is the 3.1 to 4.1 megapixels... that is a difference, especially if your planning on blowing them up poster size...but if not.... either way, i'd definately go Canon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 hey guys... i gotta chime in on this...only because my name tag at work says "imaging expert"....im part of the "management team" at Henry's in London... to address a couple things secondtube said first, the s45 can accept additional lenses, so, i wouldnt be concerned with that. canon has allowed a company called Acetar to make an adapter and a wide and telephoto lens that will work on the s45. the s45 and a70 are actually pretty different cameras. from construction and design, right down to the type of battery it takes, which is a huge thing. the s45 will be considerably better on battery life, being that it takes a lithium battery, as opposed to a AA type battery, whether it be alkaline (which is bullshit, have fun for your 10 minutes of run time) or NiMH, which will get you as close to lithium as possible, but not quite there. now, the megapixel difference, from 3 to 4, is really only going to be noticeable if you plan on blowing up images past 11x14. true enough, you will also have more capability to crop in tighter for smaller images, but either way, you'd have more than enough resolution to do that with conventional 4x6 prints. there are a lot of things i like about the a70, and theres a reason it was camera of the year, but from a salespersons point of view, its not ALWAYS best to go by what the magazines say. how do you know who's paying them? haha. and as far as a salesperson trying to rope you into an s45 to make a few extra bucks...nope...the margin on products such as that is not quite what you think it might be, so, in actual fact, let me do the math here......ummmm....yep, well, the salesperson MIGHT have made an extra 7 bucks or so. no salesperson i know is gonna sway ya one way or the other for 7 dollars. unless you were buying a warranty....hahaha...kidding...no, really....im kidding.... now, to address the olympus 750....beautiful camera...however, if its the 10x zoom that is attractive, be aware of a few things: you will ALWAYS have camera shake unless you are outside on a beautifully sunny day. and i say that because there is no stabilizer in it, and it is impossible to handhold a camera of that size and not have shake...especially at 10x...its too long...also, the apertures decrease in size as you zoom out, so you have less light getting into the camera, causing a slower shutter speed. the olympus will have a sharper, more "digitally effective" lens to it. the hotshoe is nice, but, again, be aware that there are only 2 flashes that will work TTL (through the lens) with that camera, and they're both proprietary olympus flashes, and the cheapest of the 2 is $300. using any other flash, you run the risk of shorting out your system, because of the lack of communication in the computer systems. it also carries the AA battery system, and i have always found a bit of a learning curve to olympus products. one thing to take note of, too, the type of memory card it takes. olympus uses xD. proprietary to olympus and fuji products only. canon takes compact flash, which is used by some other companies and is in no way going the way of the do-do bird. cf is a better system than xD hands down, because of the way it is built. i've seen xD card literally fall apart in your hand, yet, compact flash can be thrown against a wall and be good to go. hmmm, i feel like a lot of my comments are fairly negative towards both cameras, and i dont mean them to be, because i think they both do a good job, in general terms, i just wanted to point out the things that u might be concerned with....some things that a salesperson might try to play on you with..."oh yeah, its got a great zoom! 10x, man!", "xD is a great system! can go up to 8 gigabytes!", etc.... anyways, if u want, check out some of these cameras: Pentax Optio 550, and Nikon 4300. 2 other options that are often overlooked. actually, shit, if u want, email me, and i'll give you my number if u want any more advice...i might be able to hook you up with a deal, too....who knows.... scottography@hotmail.com thanks. scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 sorry, one more thing....if it is zoom that u like, check out the Panasonic FZ1, and soon to be released FZ10...the FZ1 has a 12x optically image stabilized lens, huge barrel, made by leica. best lens in the business. f2.8 throughout, too. so, lotsa light getting in there. now, its only 2mp, good up to about 8x10, but, panasonics typically have a little more digital noise than anyone else, especially at that size...but up to 5x7, you're fuckin laughin. i hope they fix that noise issue with the FZ10... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Thanks for the info Shakyerbouti! I think you've actually swayed me from the Olympus, the 10x was kind of the main factor to go with that one, other than the zoon it seems pretty comparable to the canon camera's, I also didn't like the idea that it was an xD card as opposed to a more generic flash card. So I ask, which Canon do you like better, the s45 or the A70? I'm torn over the battery issue, sure the lithium lasts longer, but the AA nimh I already have 8 of, and can be easily replaced, the batteries run out, I can pop my spare ones in, much cheaper than the lithium battery. However, with the Lithium battery, idealy it would last me till I can get back to a charger. The key features to me are: have some amout of manual control so I can take pictures in low light scenarios at fast shutter speeds, and without a flash (concert scenario), being able to save custom presets, that way when I come up with a 'concert' setting I like, I can save it then go straight to that without having to fiddle around. I'm leaning towards 4 mega pixels, not because I need anything to print that big, but mainly for zooming and cropping purposes. Compact size is definetly an issue, I need to be able to pocket it, I was all set to get the G3, but then once I actually saw how big it is, I changed my mind. Also I'm assuming because I want concert shots, I might be looking for something with a wide range of ISO's, like maybe up to 800? I'll take a look at those cameras you reccomended and see what they are all about. One other camera I was looking at was the Pentax Optio 33L. I really like the flipable lcd! But I've heard the lens isn't so hot, and it turns me off a bit that there is no regular viewfinder, I don't like to use the LCD too much, to conserve battery power. Incidently, no salesperson has been trying to talk me into anything. I've been doing all my research online, mainly through www.dpreview.com, and Henry's online. I was planning on taking a trip into Henrey's very soon to actually see what a salesperson had to say. Again, thanks for you valueable input Sheikyerbouti, and I certainly don't expect a good deal, but if you could swing something, that would kick ass! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 hmmm, a70 vs. s45. thats a tough call. to be honest, i like the s400 better than both, hahaha, but, here's a synopsis of what i think.... the s45 has a better body to it, should be more durable, but really, if you were to drop either, you'd have a problem. however, on the flip side, the a70 is a little better design for the hand. everything seems to fit a little better, and the small handle is nice. the lens cover on the s45 is nice protection, though. if you already have 8 NiMH's, thats perfect. check the miliamps (sp?). above 1800 you're good, below 1800, you might run into trouble with battery life. the s45 does include a lithium battery and charger, so its not really an extra expense, altho, really, you are paying more for the camera, so, maybe it is...if you look at it that way. i cant remember off hand if the a70 has a custom funtion that you can set yourself, but im sure the s45 does, so, once you found your concert setting, you can program that in and be fine. i cant think of any camera in that range that has iso capability up to 800, but all will have exposure compensations that u can get creative with to manipulate it. usually 2 stops in 1/3 increments. so, if u shot at 400 and told it to overexpose 1 stop, you'd achieve 800. 2 stops, and u got 1600...better for concerts, but worse for noise. manual features will be about the same on both....now, as for my guy, the s400, it doesnt have any manual features, but i've always found it to be very reliable on auto, in low-light situations. hmmm, for concert smuggling, i dunno, i think you could get away with both, but the thicker design of the s45 might make it a little cumbersome in the pocket, and i suppose the same could be said for the handle on the a70....but then again, if u got cargo pockets, fuck it. and also for concerts, you're right, 4mp will give you added room to crop in closer if you arent as close to the stage as you'd like to be... shit, im not trying to confuse you, but in that regard, you might like the a80, man. most of the same features that are in the a70, but i believe it allows a custom feature, and its 4mp, and it takes NiMH batteries, which you already have. i just thought of that one, we just got it in the store last week. and i think its priced in between the a70 and the s45.....might be the one....have a look at that one, too... as for the pentax 33L, yeah, the lcd is definately nice, especially with the capability to protect it. only takes 2 NiMH batteries, so, your extras will go a lot further. i havent heard much negative feedback about the lens, i've always had good luck with pentax stuff, so i wouldnt completely shy away from it. im trying to remember the built-in functions it has....some of them have a "fireworks" function built into it, which would be a good preset for concerts, because of the light and speed and all that. i know the pentax 33WR has it (which is also a beauty, but slightly cumbersome), and the 550 does, and the nikon 4300 does, too......having something like that might help you out if the manual features arent available to achieve what you want. hope i've helped....let me know before u make a purchase, and i'll see if i can help you out dollar wise. scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 the canon a80 also has a flip screen that u can protect.....a great feature in my opinion. sorry, i always forget shit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 hahah, jesus....sorry, one more man...i walked away from the computer and thought of this, so i had to jump back on and tell ya....haha, im such a fotogeek....anyways... have you considered the nikon 3100? its got the size and weight to be a great concert camera, really small, but with a slight handle and it all fits really well in the hand, all the buttons are in all the right spots. takes 2 NiMHs (rechargeables and charger included in the box), and although it lacks manual features, it has 14 presets, one of which being fireworks, which i still think would be great for concerts. compact flash memory, and again, iso range to 400 with the exposure compensation that i talked of earlier. bang for your buck, outta the box, its a great choice. reason being the charger and batteries being included, also, u get a version of photoshop elements. retails for $170, and u get it for nothing with a nikon. if u dont already have a photoshop of some sort, elements is a gem. i'd say its got 85-90% of the usable features that photoshop has. the most noticeable things that are missing in that program, for me, are that u cant toggle through screen modes with the "f" key, and layer masking, altho it is achieveable, its not achievable in the same way it is with regular photoshop, and its kinda hard. but, if you've never used a layer mask, it really doesnt apply. one thing to consider tho, if u plan on using the movie function with these things at shows, the nikons wont give you audio as well, but the other ones will. im not sure how big a deal that is, i never use the movie feature on 'em. anyways, i have some personal experience with the 3100, so i'll stand behind it. just another option.... kryste, i gotta stop bringing my work home with me, hahahah........ caio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Wow, I didn't realize there was an A80, especially with a flip lcd, I thought the 33L and G3/5 were the only flip lcd's. This changes everything... LOL. I see though that out of the s400, s45, a70 and a80, that the s45 is the only one that you can have any presets. The a70 and 80 only come with 16mb card, but the s400 and s45 come with 32mb cards... Decisions, decisions... I'm shying away from the Nikon 4300, from what I was reading it seems to have a lot of noise, compared to others. Man, I just don't know which one to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 go with the a80 so i can play with it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headygouda Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Ive been looking into dig cameras recently and also come down to either the nikon 3100 (after seeing/playing with a 2100) or the a70 or a80. The flip screen is really what makes me drool. Perfect for those shots over the crowd if you're shorter than the guy in front... i was set on the a70 for awhile since i found a toronto/online retailer that sells 'em for $377cdn! so now i'm thinking whether the extra 150 bucks is worth it for the a80... hmmmm.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Which online retailer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headygouda Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 www.tigerdirect.ca aka misco canada. store is up in markham. also came across a bc ebay store that sells the a70 'buy it now' for about $380 with the good exchange rate now.. but if you buy from bc, you'll have to pay $10 for shipping, but save 30 bucks in pst... tough call. i've always tried to find out of province retailers to save a bit on pst, but sometimes its not worth the trouble! now after checking out hte s400, i'm drawn towards that..but its a lot more $$$. hmm...should battery run time be an issue? I hear the a70 will last twice as long as teh s400, but its also 4 aa's..and heavier..decisions..details... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 A80, man......do it and dont look back. guaranteed, you wont be disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 After doing some *more* research, it's really looking like the A80 is for me! Although the reviewers mention a lot of purple fringing when taking night shots, what's that all about? Currently I have a really shitty Olympus D-340r, I haven't noticed any of this so called purple fringing with that camera, since the A80 is much newer and better, in theory should the purple fringing be less? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 My thoughts on the double A's is portibility. Yes, they are heavier, and maybe don't last as long as the Lithium, but you can buy them anywhere in a pinch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 shitty....probably sold out....were you hoping to buy it this weekend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 In theory. But since I'm sick I probably won't be leaving the house. I guess I can wait till they get more in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 damn...i was gonna say, if u felt like driving to newmarket or oakville, i know some people there who could set ya up....otherwise, im back at work on wednesday, if they still dont have any by then, give me a shout at work, and i'll send one down for you. 519.686.7481. hope you feel better soon, dude. cheers. scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 i'm just going to comment on the battery issue... we bought the batteries recommended to us by futureshop... duracell rechargeable accu... now, lemme tell ya, at frontier town, i could take 30-40 pics a day, friday-monday, and my batteries were still fine.... i've easily filled my card twice (64 megs, about 55 pics) without charging.... You'd be surprised what the a70 and a80 charge length is.... AND, i always use the viewfinder, and constandly hold the focus down, waiting for the perfect shot ,sometimes upwards of a minute.... and the batteries withstand it all... i'm impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schwa. Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 no Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.