PnS recommendations?

Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
edited December 29, 2010 in Cameras
I'm sick of hauling my dslr equipment on vacations. I rarely use it, and it's a pain in the ass on an airplane. I'm thinking about getting either a g10/11/12 or a canon s90/95. I want something that will be easy to handle, fit in a pocket or backpack pocket easily, and will produce amazing quality.. For a pns at least..

If there are other point and shoots you would recommend, let me know. Keep in mind, I am willing to spend like $500 on this.. So, no crappy consumer cameras lol.

I'm going to Florida on Thursday, so I either have to get it wednesday or while im there.. Im also going on a missions trip to brazil in June, which is the real reason i want one. So i don't have to worry about my 5dmkii all the time. Theft, damage, etc..
Jer

Comments

  • chrisjohnsonchrisjohnson Registered Users Posts: 772 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    We just bought a G12 for the office and it works fine. For personal use I am happy with the G9 still, keep it in a leather case from Canon that gives added protection. Fits in my jacket pocket or my wife's shoulder bag - too big for trouser pockets although it does fit in the leg pocket on my hiking trousers. Highly recommended.
  • aj986saj986s Registered Users Posts: 1,100 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    I've had the G10 for about a year, and like it very much. But for Christmas I treated myself to a S95, and I'm thrilled with it. It has as much manual or automatic capability as most people would ever need. I'm very impressed with its low-light capabilities. And the fact that I can shoot in RAW doesn't hurt. And when its off, its small enough to slip into a shirt pocket. As far as limitation, it doesn't have a view finder or hot shoe (which the G10 does). Its taken some practice to get used to its small size, especially handling it one-handed. But where the G10 only fits into a large pocket, the S95 is much easier to carry around.
    Tony P.
    Canon 50D, 30D and Digital Rebel (plus some old friends - FTB and AE1)
    Long-time amateur.....wishing for more time to play
    Autocross and Track junkie
    tonyp.smugmug.com
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    S95. The quality - and "real" photograhic features in it - are terrifyingly good for something so small! Agree with aj it takes a little getting used to (still finding my way around mine) but I'm very pleased with it so far.
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  • ZanottiZanotti Registered Users Posts: 1,411 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    Jeremy:

    So what in this thread:

    http://digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=186166

    Didn't answer any questions you might have had?

    You have basically two legit choices - Large with G series and small with the S series. YMMV, everyone is happy with both.

    I have an S90 that I bought and sold my G10. I like small.

    Both take excelllent pictures, if you acknowledge the limitations of PnS camera's. (Like shutter delay, no multi frame rate, etc.)


    I dont think its that complicated anymore. IF you are a Canon guy, its down to two choices.

    Z
    It is the purpose of life that each of us strives to become actually what he is potentially. We should be obsessed with stretching towards that goal through the world we inhabit.
  • aj986saj986s Registered Users Posts: 1,100 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    Zanotti wrote: »
    .......... no multi frame rate.....
    Z

    I agree that, as with most PnS, there's a bit of shutter delay. But the S95 seems to be quite responsive, even when compared with the G10 (though neither is as instantaneous as an SLR). But I believe the S95 does have a multi frame rate capability, like maybe 2 frames per second. Haven't tested it yet, but I guess I should. mwink.gif
    Tony P.
    Canon 50D, 30D and Digital Rebel (plus some old friends - FTB and AE1)
    Long-time amateur.....wishing for more time to play
    Autocross and Track junkie
    tonyp.smugmug.com
  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    The dilema I'm having is I want the S95 because its so small, but no-one has one in stock in my town. I can get a g12, but then I have to deal with a bulky pns.. Or, I could just be patient.. wait.. and get a good deal on a used one eventually..

    So, Diva, worth the wait to get an S95?
    Jer
  • aj986saj986s Registered Users Posts: 1,100 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »
    The dilema I'm having is I want the S95 because its so small, but no-one has one in stock in my town. I can get a g12, but then I have to deal with a bulky pns.. Or, I could just be patient.. wait.. and get a good deal on a used one eventually..

    So, Diva, worth the wait to get an S95?

    Can you check the stock of any local stores in Florida? Or maybe you could order online and have it shipped to the Florida address.
    Tony P.
    Canon 50D, 30D and Digital Rebel (plus some old friends - FTB and AE1)
    Long-time amateur.....wishing for more time to play
    Autocross and Track junkie
    tonyp.smugmug.com
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    Haven't used a G-series so can't compare, but the only advantage I can think the G's would have is the ability to take a hotshoe flash. The image quality on the s95 is pretty fabulous - I can't believe the low-lightperformance it's capable of! That f2 lens is something, and the high iso settings are far superior to anything I've ever seen in a pns. I was using it at 1600 and the pictures are... well... useable. (my last pns at 1600 looked like a BAD pre-2005 cellphone picture!)

    Are they out of stock again? They were back in last week... Check out your local Best Buys, as I did - they may have one on a shelf somewhere. Yeah, you'll pay tax, but (for me) it was worth it to KNOW I would have it in hand before I travelled. I'm not sorry I pressed ahead with it :D

    ETA: Sorry - misread. You can't get one in home town. Therefore, in your situation I'd probably order from one of the usual sources and have it sent to Florida to meet you there. Anything up to $20 shipping is ~the same as tax would be if you bought locally, so it comes out to nil sum.
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  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    Well.. they're out of stock online too.. I guess everyone is waiting on Canon to make more.. :/ Lame.
    Jer
  • ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    Try pictureline.com

    The S95 will be awesome if you don't shoot a lot of action. I love my s90 for everything but fast moving subjects. Its frame rate flat out sucks. But the IQ is unreal for a P&S
  • ZanottiZanotti Registered Users Posts: 1,411 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    aj986s wrote: »
    I agree that, as with most PnS, there's a bit of shutter delay. But the S95 seems to be quite responsive, even when compared with the G10 (though neither is as instantaneous as an SLR). But I believe the S95 does have a multi frame rate capability, like maybe 2 frames per second. Haven't tested it yet, but I guess I should. mwink.gif


    The S90 fires on continuous mode at 0.9 frames per second.

    (Not quite the blazing 10fps we are used to!)
    It is the purpose of life that each of us strives to become actually what he is potentially. We should be obsessed with stretching towards that goal through the world we inhabit.
  • aj986saj986s Registered Users Posts: 1,100 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »
    Well.. they're out of stock online too.. I guess everyone is waiting on Canon to make more.. :/ Lame.

    I haven't called to verify, but.....

    http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-S95-Stabilized-3-0-Inch/dp/B003ZSHNGS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293649556&sr=8-1
    Tony P.
    Canon 50D, 30D and Digital Rebel (plus some old friends - FTB and AE1)
    Long-time amateur.....wishing for more time to play
    Autocross and Track junkie
    tonyp.smugmug.com
  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    aj986s wrote: »
    I haven't called to verify, but.....

    http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-S95-Stabilized-3-0-Inch/dp/B003ZSHNGS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293649556&sr=8-1

    I found that one, but I'm not gonna spend $450 for it when I can get it for $360 or even $399 (I found J&R has them online for $399 with free 2 day shipping - tempting) or $300 used.

    I'm just trying to make sure this is something I should buy. Yes, I have extra cash to spend from selling my alien bees. Yes, it would be super convenient to have it for traveling.

    But, I could use that $400 for other, more important things. Like having stationary designed and printed finally. I've been putting it off because of having no money. Or getting branded packaging for delivering products to clients. Or developing and running some marketing campaigns. Doing things that will help my business go forward seems like a smarter move in the long run. ne_nau.gif
    Jer
  • jdryan3jdryan3 Registered Users Posts: 1,353 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    Midwest Photo Exchange has them for $370 http://www.mpex.com Ironically my wife got me one from there for Christmas and I hadn't even asked! Just a karmic conversation with kdog on the G12 vs S90.
    "Don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to. Oh well."
    -Fleetwood Mac
  • ZanottiZanotti Registered Users Posts: 1,411 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    aj986s wrote: »
    I haven't called to verify, but.....

    http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-S95-Stabilized-3-0-Inch/dp/B003ZSHNGS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293649556&sr=8-1


    Stay away from Beach Camera.....
    It is the purpose of life that each of us strives to become actually what he is potentially. We should be obsessed with stretching towards that goal through the world we inhabit.
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    Zanotti wrote: »
    Stay away from Beach Camera.....

    Really? They did very well by me on my first dSLR purchase, which arrived w/err99 issues brand new our of the box. Easy return & replacement without a hitch. YMMV of course, but my experience with them was good.
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  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited December 29, 2010
    If a G10 is an acceptable size, what about the Panasonic DMC-GF1?

    It's price has come down and it takes pretty darn nice images, and accepts different lenses as well. The more I use mine, the better I like it.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    pathfinder wrote: »
    If a G10 is an acceptable size, what about the Panasonic DMC-GF1?

    It's price has come down and it takes pretty darn nice images, and accepts different lenses as well. The more I use mine, the better I like it.

    The micro four thirds cameras have caught my eye.. but I really want to stay around $350-$500max. Plus, with the lenses, it wont fit in a pocket.

    Placing an order for an S95 through MPE (midwest photo exchange, totally forgot they sell cameras) <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/wings.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >

    Thanks for helping me chose a camera guys. <3 dgrin.
    Jer
  • ValderValder Registered Users Posts: 30 Big grins
    edited December 29, 2010
    Take a look at the Samsung EX1 (TL500 in the States). The output from that one looks great as well. Lots of great shots on flickr. Shoots RAW, but no HD video, but that doesn't bother me at all.

    I too got tired of hauling the gear all of the time and decided to get the Samsung to try out on my Business trips. It arrives tomorrow.
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