Canon A540, A630, or A710?? I'm intrigued by the a710's IS function, and it's longer zoom, but is it worth the extra cost?
1621195
I highly recommend the A710. I bought it for a recent trip to Tokyo as an upgrade from the A70 and it did exactly what I wanted it to do. I like to take a lot of pictures in low light without a flash and the IS worked out great. The longer zoom is digital so I don't bother using it. I can crop later and zoom if I want to in photoshop. The normal optical zoom is good enough for me at 6x. I did most of my shooting in auto mode which gave me control over flash and macro settings. Manual mode is easy enough however. There are a lot of extras that I haven't used much. The one thing that I didn't like was the fact that this camera uses SD unlike my A70 which uses CF. Since I have a bunch of CF cards it would have been nice to use them in the A710 but a 2G SD card is pretty cheap. One more thing that I like about the A710 is that they removed 2 batteries so it's a bit lighter. I like canon cameras so I haven't looked at other brands with similar features and price. It sounds like you've done your homework and I think you'll really like this camera. btw, if you would like to see some of the pictures that I have taken with this camera you can see some of them here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjw333/sets/72157594390957283/
328902
I was faced with this exact problem and chose the 700. Here are my reasons. The 700 has a longer lens but the 800 has a wider lens. For my shooting purposes, longer is definitely more useful. You should think about what kind of shots you're likely to shoot and decide based on that. The 800 has a newer sensor and higher ISO capabilities. The higher ISO enables you to shoot in dark light so if you often shoot at night, that might be something to think about. I doubt the newer sensor is worth the $80. It's not like the 700 had a terrible sensor.
166892
Thanks for the info on a potential new Canon with autofocus, DigitalHecht. I'll hold off as well to see what comes available. No rush, although I intend to purchase my first SLR in the next few months. The video autofocus is a must for me.
1949917
yeah the D5100 is a better deal if you aren't too picky. If it got the same sensor as the D7000 (which it seem) then it is better then the Canon in low light and higher ISO. Well the D7000 vs D5100 6fps vs 4fps: advantage d7000 Fixed screen vs tilt: D5100 Maganisum body vs. plastic: D7000 More manual controls vs menus: D7000 1080p 24fps vs 1080p 30fps: D5100 Sensors: tie (if it is the Sony cmos like the D7000, D3100 used Nikon Cmos) Lenses selection: D7000, the D5100 still lack th ebody motor for older Nikkor lenses. Nikon CLS wireless flash: tie, both have it I not sure if the 3100 does (for speedlight without buying a trigger and using i-ttl off camera). 39 vs 11: D7000, but I only use the single point focusing (like manual on the camera) so no really advantage unless you do thing fully automatic. Or focus and recenter, same thing. All in all the D5100 is a better deal for consumer. For enthusiast the body and control of the D7000 is much better and faster to change settings to get a good shot. The d7000 defaults were soft and designed for portrait. You have to use the submenu to jack up the sharpness and contrast to look vivid on the D7000 to look like the unnatural Canon defaults.
1617973
I really can't compare because I've never used the A65. I like the a77 and specifically like the weather sealed body. Camera takes great pictures when paired with a good lens.
2055505
I am trying to decide between these 2 cameras too (G7 and A710). I take lots of photos of pets - both inside and out, but cats are strictly inside, so I avoid a flash with them. I am looking for great quality photos and something easy to use. I have been using a Canon G2 (3MP) for a loooong time and I need a better camera (plus the G2 has been acting up). I have also historically had trouble with black dogs and cats, so any advice regarding that dilemma and the better camera would be appreciated. Also, why is a G7 more expensive than a G9? Thanks.
1857605
Mr. Wong, it's not necessary to go up in ISO to take indoor, low light pictures. A simple $20 tripod will do what's needed. The A630 is perfectly capable and takes a very good low light picture.
872975
I haven't tried the A720IS (I assume that's the one you're looking at) but a quick glance at the specs and photos leads me to believe the Powershot SX100IS is easier to control, i.e. it's easier to use manual settings and control the flash. (I always had problems with compact cameras where the flash would go off when I didn't want it, and when I thought I had it turned off. With the SX100IS the flash doesn't go off unless you actually lift it up, so there is no problem with accidental flash. This suits my needs, but might not be important to you.) Both cameras have a similar sensor, both use SD cards, both use 2 AA batteries, and the size and weight are not all that different. Both have face detection and image stabilization, though it's important to consider how important these features are and how easy they are to turn on/off when you need them. Both cameras have a 2.5" screen. The biggest difference I can see, aside from the layout of the controls, is the zoom, and this is a pretty big deal to many people. The A270IS has a 6x zoom, which is already twice the zoom of an average compact camera, but the SX100IS has a 10x zoom which really makes a difference. My dad uses this camera and on a recent family trip he was getting similar shots using the 10x zoom as I was getting on my DSLR with a 300mm lens! So you get a lot more freedom from the longer zoom, and it is ideal for shooting wildlife. I believe the only thing the A720IS can do that the SX100IS cannot is use lens adapters. If this is a concern for you, then you'll want to stick with the A720IS. Otherwise, I highly recommend the SX100IS, but try to test both cameras at your local store even if you plan on purchasing them from Amazon (which I also recommend).
1440613
d7100 is far better, but its also more money, if you are just starting out 5300 is great, lots of features like toy camera mode, painting mode , it also has wifi and gps built in, my wife is just starting out so I opted for this instead of the more advanced 7100,also d7100 was named most stolen camera in the world!
443624
How about a Canon Tx-1? I got a brand new US model on fleabay for $285. It's a fantastic point & shoot and takes 720p video. Best of all, it has beautiful Canon optics with a 10x zoom lens that is active while shooting movies.Negatives are tiny controls (what do you expect on a camera this powerful in this small form factor), tiny screen (ditto), and m-jpeg compression for the AVI files.Check it out. It's a fantastic camera.
1210846
If you want a great camera that will run off of AA batteries look at the A720IS or one of the other A series cameras in Canon's lineup... the A720IS is almost functionally identical to the SD850IS but adds 2.2x more zoom lens and runs off of AA's. In the trade off it is slightly larger but not that much... If I were you i would go to office depot or somewhere else and see it in person to determine if the additional size will bother you, but it is hard to argue against the AA versatility.
1908116
It all depends on your lens. I think the processor is fine, it's just the lens f rating that helps or hurts. Most of the photographers I've spoken with would all love to have my Sony, but every one brings up the cost of the lenses. They are awesome lenses, but cost more than those for Canon or Nikon. Personally, I love the A77.
467108
I was faced with this exact problem and chose the 700. Here are my reasons. The 700 has a longer lens but the 800 has a wider lens. For my shooting purposes, longer is definitely more useful. You should think about what kind of shots you're likely to shoot and decide based on that.The 800 has a newer sensor and higher ISO capabilities. The higher ISO enables you to shoot in dark light so if you often shoot at night, that might be something to think about. I doubt the newer sensor is worth the $80. It's not like the 700 had a terrible sensor.
348784
I too am torn between the Canon SX10 and this Nikon. I was 90% sure I was going to go with the Canon as it gets nothing but stellar reviews, but I tried them out side by side today and I have to say - the Nikon seemed more intuitive to use! My kids started going off the deep end before I could make a final decision, but I'll be watching this post to see how others chime in :)
1380156
Both the Canon A610 and A620 have smaller screens. They also have the drawback of ISO only to 400. The Canon A540 pushes the ISO to 800 which is important for getting the photo in lower lght levels with less chance of camera "shake". The movable screen on the A620 intriqued me but them I really did not see a pressing need for it. The 620 has a longer zoom range, but again the more compact size of the A540 won the day. The A620 takes 4 AA batteries and that adds to the bulk and weight. Again, the A540 won the day because I wanted a high function, pocketable camera. I hope this helps you.
1790347
I've been flipping back and forth between the SD800 and the A710. And, your pics are now making me lean towards the A710. Two must-haves for my first digital camera are a view finder and image stabilization. Just one question for you, cjw333. I noticed that a couple of your motion shots were blurry. Was the stabilizer on? Thanks for sharing your photos. They're awesome.
1232660
the A700 is one of the best cameras ever made. The 18-250 is an all-purpose lens, so it's not ideal. I would definitely consider pairing the A700 with a Sony-Zeiss lens (e.g. the 16-80, if you don't want to invest too much), or with one of the latest Sigma ART/Contemporary lenses (e.g. the 18-35 f1.8)