What's your favorite P&S brand?

[A.M.D.A.]

Hi,

What is your preferred compact digital/point-and-shoot camera brand? If you don't have a favorite, then what is the manufacturer of your most-used camera?

Responses to this thread are optional, but please vote in the poll.

[Photo-John]

Great poll. I have mixed feelings because I've yet to find a point-and-shoot I can unequivocally call my favorite. I voted Canon because my Canon PowerShot SD950 IS has, by far, the best image quality of any pocket camera I've ever used. It's awesome.

But it's not perfect. In particular, the lens isn't wide enough for my taste. And it would be nice if it was a little quicker.

I am also a fan of the waterproof and shockproof Olympus Stylus SW cameras. They can't be beat if you don't want to worry about breaking your camera. I just finished a review of the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW. I love shooting with that camera. But I wish the image quality was better and it really needs an optical viewfinder to be the perfect camera for me.

I think Panasonic makes great compact cameras, too. I think I like their features and controls the best. They've had optical image stabilization as a standard feature longer than anyone. And they have some point-and-shoots with really wide lenses. I really enjoyed shooting with the Lumix FX35, which as a 25mm (35mm equivalent) wide-angle zoom. But Panasonic sabotages their cameras with poor image quality due to overprocessing. At least, that's what I think. Maybe I'm just spoiled by the image quality of my Canon SD950 IS.

Thanks for posting this one, A.M.D.A. It's a great post!

[A.M.D.A.]

Thanks Photo-John,

What do you think if I post a similar poll in the "Digital SLR" forum?

I haven't seen many websites that list the most popular camera brands, the only one I've found is dpreview.com. But, it shows the manufacturers as the overall most popular on the site. For example, Panasonic is currently in fifth place overall, but I'm very sure that it is not fifth for D-SLRs.

So, the only info gained there is which is the most popular manufacturer overall---P&S, compacts, D-SLRs and lenses.

[Photo-John]

Only one real reply and 4 votes so far? This is one of the most interesting forum polls for a while - at least for me. Tell us what you think. What's your favorite P&S camera? And tell us why. Details, please!

[Liz]

Only one real reply and 4 votes so far? This is one of the most interesting forum polls for a while - at least for me. Tell us what you think. What's your favorite P&S camera? And tell us why. Details, please!

Canon! I know, I'm a Canon "loyalist" However, there is good reason for it IMHO! My favorite is the G9, although I sold it and bought the Pana TZ5 for the wide angle. The copy was defective so I returned it instead of replacing it because the price had gone up in the meantime. Now - back to Canon and I'm waiting for the G10!

The reasons for my Canon choice is the IQ. One of my favorite things about Canon is the color rendition. I did purchase an A720 at Walmart before the supplies went off the shelves. Even that cheap camera has great color - and the IQ is good. All p&s cameras have their quirks........and you have to compromise somewhere. However, maybe the G10 will be perfect.

Here are 2 samples of why I love Canon......the first time test shots from the G9 - right out of the box - no pp - .:thumbsup:





Why did I ever sell that camera???

Liz

[drg]

Canon just keeps producing winner after winner from the very pocketable SD series, the practical A series and of course the Powershot G series of cameras.

I've used many of them, either my own or other peoples under a lot of different conditions. I even dropped a SD1000 about 6 feet (off the edge of a porch), really flipped end over end, on to concrete, with the lens open. Didn't leave mark on it. Still working a year later.

I have a G5 and a G6 with over 25,000 photos on each one. They've been loaned to people, kicked around in tool boxes (in a case of course) and glove compartments, each been through multiple power cells and my remaining G6 even got pretty wet as I sat in cab of truck sitting out a sudden downpour and realized as the rain was letting up that I'd left it on the hood! I let it dry out for two days and then blew it out with a rocket blower as much as I could. Cleaned up all the electrical contacts and it worked perfectly.

The G9 is a great camera and I'm anxiously awaiting the G10.

There was a Fujifilm f31fd I tested for PR that took great photographs, but no decent viewfinder, it was rather expensive, and had limited control options. Still wish I'd bought one. The fxxfd series that have followed just are not quite as good an image, though much better controls and the higher pixel sensors can overcome a lot.

Samsung has produced some really clever cameras. The photographic quality just has not matched up, even on the ones that sport the supposedly high quality Schnieder-Kreuznach lens. Too bad as their interface designs are unique and innovative as well as potentially very handy.

I've had hope for Ricoh (lots of reasons I won't go into now) but still haven't seen a real winner.

I'm looking for that high quality lens and wide angle that seems to be the holy grail of pocketable P/S. That and it must shoot RAW.

[Canuck935]

I don't have and never had a P&S, but if I were to get one it would be a Panasonic. Great image quality and wide angle lenses!! Canon, HELLOOOOOOOO!!! Time to get with the program!!!!

In fact, I think I'll be picking up a Panasonic LX3 when it comes out. I'm tired of waiting for Canon to put a wide angle lens on a G series camera. Before anyone says it I know they have wide-angle add on lens but my whole point in getting a compact camera is to avoid extra bulk and extra lenses to carry around.

[Photo-John]

We're anxiously awaiting an LX3 review camera. I have high hopes for it. Although for me, it's too big. If it doesn't fit in my pocket it doesn't qualify. As for image quality, have you seen my review for the Panasonic Lumix FX35? The 25mm lens is definitely sweet. But the image quality, well...

[Canuck935]

Thanks John. I have high hopes for the LX3 as well and I anxiously await your review. That's too bad about the FX35 IQ due to the way it processes the photo's. This is exactly why I'm waiting for camera's like the LX3 which can save RAW files.

[Photo-John]

Thanks John. I have high hopes for the LX3 as well and I anxiously await your review. That's too bad about the FX35 IQ due to the way it processes the photo's. This is exactly why I'm waiting for camera's like the LX3 which can save RAW files.

And have you seen my Panasonic LX2 review? I ended up not shooting RAW with it because it was just too slow saving the files. But with the new processor and the same resolution, that should be improved in the LX3.

I won't be doing the review for that camera. It will be going to Laurence Chen. He's an excellent photographer and one of our best reviewers.

[Canuck935]

Yeah I am hoping the LX3 is going to be a little speedier. I'm really hoping it turns out to be everything I've been hoping for in a P&S sized camera. My fingers are crossed..

[Photo-John]

Yeah I am hoping the LX3 is going to be a little speedier. I'm really hoping it turns out to be everything I've been hoping for in a P&S sized camera. My fingers are crossed..

Thousands of fingers are crossed. Lots of people have big hopes for this camera.

[byjamesderuvoDHQ]

I'm definitely in the Canon camp. But I have to tell you that some of the Olympus point and shoot cameras are very robust. I've dropped the SP560 a few times and let me tell you it keeps coming back for more.

One thing though, I would caution against falling into the "more mp is better" trap. Because it isn't. In fact, it could be worse. Let me explain. I came across an interesting article today about how more mega pixels is not necessarily a good thing. According to Image Engineering – a company that does testing of digital cameras for photo magazines in Germany – the quality of digital pictures has steadily decreased since the state of the art was six megapixels back in 2004. And because they don’t have a “dog in this hunt,” they put forth a compelling argument for buying new digital cameras with less mega pixels and not more.

The argument is essentially this: CCD chips on point and shoot cameras a smaller and as such, fitting in more pixels causes them to lose light sensivity. Sure, there’s more data on the chip, but the chip can’t absorb the light data and what it ends up with is a picture that has more noise than image quality. In addition, the more megapixels a camera has, the larger the lens it needs to provide the clarity it deserves and prevent diffraction due to a loss of detail with smaller apertures. But since we’re talking portable point and shoots here, those large lenses simply aren’t being made.

Finally, with larger mega pixels comes longer saving time due to their requires huge storage capacity, or more compression if not storing images in RAW format. The result is a noisier image and a dissatisfied camera user who thirsts for high quality and speed but fell into the trap of "more must mean better."

And when you consider that in 99.9% of point and shoot pictures, they will merely be snapshots, then you won't even see that extra MP in the photos since they wouldn't even be noticeable until you reach enlargement sizes above 8x10.

In the end, relying on a smaller MP that can balance all these needs may indeed be a better answer.

[A.M.D.A.]

What, only 17 PR members use the world's most popular digital camera format?!? Out of 50,000+ members?

Feel free to discuss the different manufacturers, and also why you prefer one over another. (Cust. service, price, more accessories available, etc.).

Remember to vote in the poll - replies are optional, but welcomed.

[A.M.D.A.]

Why I voted Panasonic:

#1. The FZ7K is the camera I currently use most often.

Some features I like...

~Long 12x optical zoom. Great for birds & wildlife.
~Quality, sharp lens.
~Unlimited rapid-firing burst mode. (Keeps shooting until you release the shutter button or until the memory card fills up).
~Plenty of accessories available.
~"Sits" just right in my hands.
~Controls are user-friendly and well placed.

...and some I don't like:

~Poor quality surface finish. (Catch it with a fingernail and there will be a permanent scratch).
~No flash hot-shoe.
~Rather low resolution screens, this makes accurate MF very hard.
~Not much wide-angle capability. (A wide-conversion lens comes in useful).
~Lens is a "dust vaccum".

[Wild Wassa]

Both of my sons have quality Canon DSLRs quality Canon lenses and Panasonic point and shoots. I have a Canon SLR and a Canon DSLR and a Canon point and shoot S75. The young bloke's $350AU Panasonics are so much sharper than every single one of the Canons and their lenses ... it is a total embarassment.

Only the Canon L's, the quartz flourites and you know what they cost? are better over the long distances and display a more consistent colour quality than the Panasonics.

I do not mislead you ... that is how it actually is. I've compared shots often.

I have been a Canon top-of-the-line user for decades ... for quartz flourite quality decades. I know that I pay lots for my lenses and I use far from the best cameras and lenses going around ... but I like the word 'Canon' it is quicker to write in my web postings, than the Panasonic whatevers are ever likely to be.

Warren.

[Wild Wassa]

Both of my sons have Canon DSLRs and Panasonic and I have a Canon DSLR and a CanonS75 and the young bloke's Panasonics are so much sharper than every single one of the Canons and their lenses it is a total embarassment.

Only the Canon DSLR L's are better over long distances.

[ken1953]

Well, I chose Nikon because of my experience with the Coolpix 8400. The versatility and quality of this prosumer camera made it an awesome backup camera and before I went DSLR...It was a perfect primary camera, once I learned how to use it. However, there is, IMHO, not a camera out there, in it's class, that compared to my Kodak DX4330. It started me on my journey and until it took a dunk in the creek while canoeing one day was my favorite camera and gave me years of enjoyment and great shots that compared to any camera of it's day.

[Jenn_B]

Panasonic. I love how they put image stabilization in practically every camera they make. The TZ1 is the camera I use the most, small, 10x zoom, and it can zoom & focus while shooting movies.

I like Canon's cameras, but the software support for their legacy products stinks.

[A.M.D.A.]

Panasonic. I love how they put image stabilization in practically every camera they make. The TZ1 is the camera I use the most, small, 10x zoom, and it can zoom & focus while shooting movies.

I like Canon's cameras, but the software support for their legacy products stinks.

Agree − awesome MEGA O.I.S.!:thumbsup:

It really helps with long hand-held telephoto shots and greatly increases the "keeper" ratio.