Point & Shoots: Compensating For Our Small Sensors (Buy the S110/RX100/X20)

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > Creative Convention > The Dorkroom > Point & Shoots: Compensating For Our Small Sensors (Buy the S110/RX100/X20)

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

The other high end P&S that comes up alot is the Panasonic LX3. I had both an LX3 and S90 at one time and ended up selling the LX3. The reasons were: LX3 did not fit in my jeans pocket, S90 does. The LX3 has a removable lens cap which was annoying to keep track of and made the camera even thicker, the S90 has an internal lens cap/shutter thingy. I don't need a hot shoe for my P&S and the S90 front ring is awesome to use.

As far as cheaper point and shoots go, I agree with the "buy the canon P&S in your budget" suggestion. The most popular ones seem to be the SD1x00IS lineup. Right not the SD1200IS is $150, SD1300IS is $180, and the SD $1400IS is $220. These are your standard, go-to, simple pocket cameras. Average zoom range, decent image quality, your facebook uploads will look respectable. Their small size, relatively cheap price, decent performance, and tradition of durability give them their popularity.

Another popular P&S line is the Panasonic ZS-x's. They are priced somewhere between the Canon SD1x00 line and the S90/LX3. They are popular because they have longer zooms than the previously mentioned Canon's. They're bigger but still fit in a pocket. They seem to be very popular for people looking for travel cameras.

# ¿ Jun 26, 2010 07:19

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 16:54

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

I think as long as you plan on using it during the day, it'll be fine for 90% of people. It's when the sun goes down that she'll be stuck with the lovely flash where the s90 gives you more to work with as far as low light goes. If she's never used anything better than a cheap p&s, she won't know what she's missing. The high end p&s's are for people with dlsrs who are used to better low/ambient light.

# ¿ Jul 3, 2010 02:03

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

You paid $630 for it originally??

# ¿ Aug 31, 2010 14:31

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

IcedPee posted:

I should have posted that in the gear thread, which I somehow did not see before.

No, I think this was the right thread. Buy the most expensive Canon p&s you can afford.

# ¿ Sep 3, 2010 17:20

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Boner Honkfarts posted:

I'll be on a mountaineering trip for several weeks next year, many miles from the nearest power outlet, and I want to make sure I'm not stuck up there without being able to take pictures. I guess I'll buy several OEM batteries and memory cards and hope for the best.

Just buy 10 extra batteries from different manufacturers. That way if one ends up sucking, you aren't completely boned.

# ¿ Nov 3, 2010 05:23

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Aatrek posted:

I'm going to be ordering a S95 this weekend. What SD card is recommended? I usually shoot JPEG, but I want to start learning how to use RAW shooting; would a 16GB card be a decent size for general shooting?

Also, does anybody use a case with their camera?

16gb will definitely be more than enough. 8gb will fit >400 raws I believe. I just but whatevers rated highest on newegg. Pretty sure I have Kingston SD cards for the most part. I don't personally use a case.

# ¿ Nov 11, 2010 07:33

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Yeah, those dark ones are pretty much the best you're going to get. You could manually switch the ISO to 3200 (if you hadn't already) since auto ISO stops at 800 I believe. It does on the s90 anyway. The scene was just too dark. You've got the right ideas though. Widest aperture possible, don't forget it's widest @ the widest angle and closes up as you zoom in. With the cars, you'll need a faster shutter speed if you want to freeze them. Somewhere around 1/125 or faster probably (I've never shot races before). Unfortunately sometimes there's just no substitute for a the relatively massive sensor of a dSLR.

# ¿ Nov 15, 2010 20:59

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Iron Lung posted:

I'm having trouble deciding between the Canon S95 and the Panasonic Lumix LX5. I know that the S95 is the overwhelming favorite in this thread (and the world) but the Lumix looks like a great camera as well. I want a P&S for traveling and taking photos on hikes and learning more about photography, so a camera that can fit in my pocket is nice (S95), but not completely necessary. I've read the review comparing the two from DPreview twice, but I'm still having trouble deciding. The Lumix is currently on sale for $399 on Amazon, so the prices are the same. If I would have known about the S95 Black Friday deal I wouldnt be asking! Any advice would be awesome!

Does the LX5 have a removable lens cap? It doesn't seem like a big deal but that was what killed it for me with the LX3. I don't want to have to worry about it or have it dangling on a string all the time. The s90/s95 has a regular, internal lens cap/shutter thingy.

Jeez caberham, you're going to overtake mannequin as the reining champion of photo gear damage and loss if you're not careful

# ¿ Dec 27, 2010 07:11

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

I too am very excited about the x100 even though I have no business buying another camera.

# ¿ Jan 6, 2011 13:11

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

CarrotFlowers posted:

s95 grain

Can you post some examples?

# ¿ Jan 9, 2011 18:35

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Costello Jello posted:

To me, the s95 might be amazing, but if you're going to spend that much money, you might as well spend a couple hundred more for a DSLR. And I want my point-and-shoot to be thin enough (and cheap enough) that I can slip it in my jeans pocket and always have it around. The s95 is a little too thick for that, and if you need a carrying case anyway, might as well be carrying your DSLR.

The s90/s95 easily fits into the front pocket of a pair of jeans (assuming you are wearing mens jeans). I never use a case with it, haven't seen the need. Can't argue with the price point though.

# ¿ Jan 19, 2011 09:00

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

We had a discussion similar to this in a different thread. I don't think you can get a point and shoot that shoots must faster than 1 frame per second. Also, autofocus on P&Ss pretty much always suck. I don't think you'll be able to find anything without the shutter lag outside of a dslr. Sorry to be such a downer, but autofocus speed and frames per second are some of the major reasons people buy dslrs.

# ¿ May 6, 2011 13:38

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Just tested S90 is 1/s on large jpg and ~.75/s (2 pics every 3 seconds) in RAW (continuous shooting mode and image review off).

# ¿ May 6, 2011 14:23

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

In all fairness, that costs, what $500? I don't claim to be an expert but I doubt that anything $200 or under will be able to go much over 1 fps. Maybe there is something out there but I've never heard of it.

e: ^^^ that's a nice list. I wonder if the "one photo" takes focusing into account. I highly doubt it. <0.2 seconds to focus and take a photo? I would personally be amazed.

spf3million fucked around with this message at 14:29 on May 6, 2011

# ¿ May 6, 2011 14:26

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

hairysammoth posted:

And yes, it seems that the S8000 really does focus in under 0.2 seconds. Sounds like it's something of an aberration though; it has some weird "DSLR-like" auto-focus technique, whatever that means. I assumed it mean phase- rather than contrast-based AF, but apparently not. Lord knows how it does it.

That's cool, I'd like to see it in action. Unfortunate that it has a max aperture of f/3.5.

# ¿ May 6, 2011 15:45

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Hamburglar posted:

The thing is my friend has an iPhone and I swear I could just keep tapping my thumb as fast as possible and it just keeps taking pics. I understand this is a phone with an operating system and its own processor, but I thought since I had been out of the camera "scene" for quite a long time that speed had made huge leaps. I guess it's not important to most people.

Again, I'm just guessing here, but the sensor on the iPhone is really small so there will always be a large depth of field and combined with the lack of an optical zoom, the focus throw is probably tiny (hardly any movement from near focus to infinity focus) so I wouldn't be surprised if it focused quickly. Also there is much less information being transferred from a cell phone sensor than an actual camera sensor.

# ¿ May 6, 2011 15:50

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Hamburglar posted:

Edit: She's down with the Canon S95 because it has something called "burst mode" which is supposed to mean it takes pics fast?

I don't know what this burst mode is but I'm going to guess that it won't be what she wants. It's a great camera but it will still take a half second or more to focus and it sounds like that's a deal breaker for her. I'd recommend trying one out in a best buy near you to see if it'll cut the mustard before buying.

# ¿ May 7, 2011 01:37

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

RoflcopterPilot posted:

Are we allowed to talk about film p&s cameras or digital only? I've been trying to find a wide angle film p&s and all I've really come up with is the superheadz slim/ultra wide cameras but they're at 22mm and I was hoping for something wider but not a fisheye either. I was also hoping to avoid the "toy" cameras but I'm thinking that's the only way I could get such a wide angle in a p&s.

Try here maybe: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3387938

# ¿ May 15, 2011 11:18

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

You can shoot RAW in Program (P) mode.

# ¿ May 30, 2011 13:56

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

The secret to good landscapes is to use a long lens, not a wide lens.

# ¿ Jun 14, 2011 01:26

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Niagalack posted:

this has to be a troll right? Or explain yourself i guess.

Nearly all of my landscapes are shot on a longer lens. Wide angles make it difficult to find an actual subject unless you're shooting Half Dome in Yosemite or something. I know Dread Head shoots great stuff, specifically coast-scapes, with a 10-20. To me, many of the ultra wide landscapes start to look the same.
Here's an example @ 135mm:

# ¿ Jun 15, 2011 14:38

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

krushgroove posted:

Dropping it - ...don't? obviously if it's in your hand, use the strap if you're walking, but if you're doing anything technical like negotiating a cliffside scree trail stick it in a camera belt bag.

I've dropped my s90 a half dozen times from waist/chest height and it is fine. A few dents in the corners but that gives it character.

# ¿ Jun 16, 2011 14:33

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

I prefer newegg.com for memory cards and batteries when available.

For memory cards, I think you sort of get what you pay for (assuming you're buying online). I've had success with Transcend cards for what it's worth. 32gb is pretty ridiculously big. 8gb should be enough to hold ~300 photos in RAW 32gb will obviously hold more. You shouldn't be filling up 32gbs without uploading them to your permanent storage anyway to avoid unnecessary risk of card corruption.

# ¿ Jun 19, 2011 17:11

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

The 2nd picture is much smaller than the 1st. Did you upload them at different resolutions?

# ¿ Jul 21, 2011 16:00

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

That does it, you're officially the dorkrooms most gear-endangering goon. Congratulations!

sorry about your most recent loss, I don't have anything useful to add.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2011 05:11

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

BeastOfExmoor posted:

It's probably going to cost way more than the S95, but Fuji just announced a P&S that looks absolutely amazing on paper.

That looks like it will be pretty sweet but it's won't fit in a jeans pocket like the s90/95 does. For me, that's the whole reason to carry a p&s.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2011 17:04

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

You could set up an action in photoshop to content aware fill them away, but as you said you don't have PS... Got any friends who do?

# ¿ Nov 4, 2011 18:52

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Umph posted:

Do any of you know if there will be a good deal on a s95 on cyber Monday anywhere? Thats the most recommended entry level cannon for P&S right? It's sad when OPs get abandoned, need to get a decent camera as a gift and I want to get the best one I can afford, thanks guys!

It's unlikely there will be any deals on an s95/s100. Typically the high end electronics, especially photography gear, don't enjoy the special discounts the lower end stuff gets.

MarsellusWallace posted:

might be a temperature-sensitive pixel. Try taking a really fast (IE 15 seconds) shutter speed, low ISO exposure of the inside of your lens cap, then do the same, but with long exposure(IE 1/2000 seconds), low ISO. For kicks, try long exposure + high ISO. If it only comes up on long exposure, you've got yourself a hot pixel. At least it should be in exactly the same place and color every time!

Lightroom will automatically remove any hot pixels you have for you.

# ¿ Nov 27, 2011 07:15

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 16:54

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

Are you shooting in RAW? I'm quite sure LR automatically removes hot pixels when it interprets the RAW file.

# ¿ Nov 28, 2011 10:01

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > Creative Convention > The Dorkroom > Point & Shoots: Compensating For Our Small Sensors (Buy the S110/RX100/X20)