New member needing some guidance. Sony/casio/Canon

[JKD COBRA]

Hey guys,

I just registered on this forum. I did some searching but it seems like this forum has the best and most knowledgeable people.

I apologize if this question has been asked before, but I did a search and was not able to find all the information I needed. I also checked the user reviews but there were no reviews for two of the camera’s I am interested in.

I have been using a Canon Powershot SD100 3.2mp and have been very happy with it. I just recently bought a Casio Exilim EX-Z50 5mp but I have had some concerns about it. The picture quality is not what I expected. In daylight it is ok, but in anything other then that, the quality is not very good. It is ok, but not what I expected for a 5mp camera. My 3mp canon has better picture quality. I also noticed that the LCD screen is very grainy, especially when you are looking at dark colors. I did some researching on the net and found a lot of reviews that also say the same thing. A lot of people are not happy with the picture quality. It has a lot of features, but they don’t seem very useful. So, I have decided I will return the casio.

I am now looking at a few different cameras. 99% of the time I will be using this camera for car pictures. For example, car shows and other car events. So picture quality is most important for me. I need a camera that can take great pictures in day light or inside. I will not be using the camera for videos very much at all. I will also use a tripod on occasion. Let me know if my opinions of these cameras are correct.

1. Sony Cybershot DSC-T5
I really like how small this camera is and I really like how it looks. From what I have read, the picture quality is very good, the battery life is very good, and the screen is very good. My only concern is the lens. A friend of mine told me to go with a camera that has a lens that extends from the camera when zooming in or out because the Sony lens does not move and that could affect the picture quality.

2. Canon Powershot SD450
I have had very good results from my other canons so I have been considering the SD450. I have heard the picture is great and the overall quality is great. The only issue I found was the battery life. Its possible the battery life is not as good as the other choices.

3. Casio Exilim EX-S500
I really like how thin this camera is, but I don’t really know that much about this camera. I haven't read many reviews yet. I am a little hesitant to buy another Casio because of my experience with the Z50. But I understand that this is a different model and probably performs very well.

Sorry for the long post everyone, I really appreciate any advice you guys have.

[drg]

Welcome to PR!

Are you really tied into the Ultra-Compact size of camera? If size is an utmost consideration that is one thing. Else...

The Sony DSC-W7 is not that significantly different in size of camera nor in price, but it has a 7+MP sensor. The W7 is getting some good buzz. The T5 is I believe one of the folded optics type so that they easily fit in a pocket (shirt or jeans) and do sacrifice some image quality.

The Canon A series (80-95) or the A600's (a couple of variants) also fall into a similar price range as the SD's, or certainly will after the first of the year. They have full controls and also there's the fold out and twist screen which I can attest is real handy at events like car shows. Low angle and overhead shots are much easier.

Inside pictures can be more difficult depending how much you need to depend on flash. Compacts are always iffy on flash except up close and under very specific (to the brand of camera) circumstances. The custom white balance settings are probably the most crucial to getting the best image with this type of camera. It is probably worth while to not only read multiple reviews, but to put hands on any camera you really are thinking about and see how well you like the operation of the controls.

Some people will like the images from one brand of camera over another. It is as much about how the manufacturer decides to 'tweak' the image in camera.

Sony's are becoming known for fairly fast operation from my experience. The color will be different from the Canon where there's more latitude for post processing adjustment it seems. Sony Cybershot pictures are thought of as overprocessed (unrealistically bright and sharp under some exposure situations) compared to most of the other cameras. They also don't have the range of adjustment and photographic controls of many brands.

There are several cameras that might suit your needs, not just these two, so shop around.

Hope this is a start, and do check the review section Camera Reviews at photographyreview.com for more information.

If you have more questions, feel free to ask and we look forward to you posting photos when you decide (or sooner if you want).

[JKD COBRA]

Thanks for the info drg

So do you think there would be a big difference in picture quality between the 5mp sony, and the 7mp W7? If so, I will probably go with that one.

we look forward to you posting photos when you decide (or sooner if you want)

No problem! Here is an example of what I will be using the camera for. These pictures were taken with just a simple Canon Powershot SD100, 3.2 megapixel: