Sony DSC-W150 or Canon SD1100IS?

[wildroamer]

Hi there everyone,

I have a $150 Sears gift card burning a hole in my pocket and am looking at getting one of these models.

Any input would really be appreciated.

Some of the specs;

Canon SD1100IS - effective pixels 8.0 million, zoom-wide-38mm, zoom-tele-114mm, zoom digital 4X, F2.8-F4.9, 2.5" lcd

Sony DSC-W150 - effective pixels 8.1 million, zoom-wide-30mm, zoom-tele-150mm, zoom digital up to 2X, F3.3-F5.2, 2.7"lcd

Both offer optical viewfinders.

I am looking for a general-purpose everyday camera, user-interface is not a big concern, image quality is.

Don't know if I can post this link comparing the two, but here goes;

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/comp...cw150&show=all

Thanks for any feedback,

Todd

[Photo-John]

Welcome to the site, wildroamer! A Sears gift card burning a hole in your pocket is a nice problem to have

choosing between those two cameras is a tough decision. On paper they are very, very close. My experience has been that both Sony and Canon make cameras that perform very well and have good image quality, with Canon usually having the best image quality and more comfortable ergonomics. I haven't used the Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS, although I did a review of the 8-megapixel SD850 IS a couple of summers ago and was really impressed: http://reviews.photographyreview.com...is-pro-review/

The SD1100 IS is a year newer so the image quality and speed should be even better than the SD850 IS.

We have a pro review for the Sony W150. The reviewer found the image quality to be excellent, but thought the user interface and menus were a little problematic. You can read that review and see sample photos here: http://reviews.photographyreview.com...c-w150-review/

Hope that helps. I agree it's a tough choice and I don't think you can go wrong with either camera. So if you have an gut inclination, I think it would be ok to make your decision that way.

[Anbesol]

John is spot on as usual, one thing I would add is that extra 8 millimeter wide angle on the Sony makes an enormous difference. Most often point and shoots are used at the widest angles, 30mm for indoor and casual group portrait photography is significantly wider than 38mm. I would even say this makes a lot more difference than the extra 36mm on the telephoto end.

John also has a point, though - the Canon is a newer model. I would expect better noise and image performance from the Canon.

[Photo-John]

Ohhhh - nice catch, Anbesol. I think the wider lens on the Sony would make that camera my choice. I have a Canon PowerShot (SD950 IS) with an equivalent 35mm lens and I am always wishing it was wider. On the other hand, the image quality from my Canon is creamy, delicious.

[PHATSPEED7x]

Both are great camera. Sony and Canon are known for their attention to quality and detail. You can't go wrong with either.

[wildroamer]

Thanks very much for your replies gang. I appreciate it.

Yes, the wider angle of the Sony does have me a bit hesitant to jump on the Canon. Plus, I think the SD1200IS is right around the corner....Not sure what changes will be made.