Digital cameras: S2 IS questions
S2 IS questions
by ssaileanu - 3/30/06 7:58 AMI owned one last year for about six months (got stolen in Barcelona on New Year's Eve). I'm in the market to buy a new camera and I have a couple of questions:
1. Should I get the S3 or stay with the S2? There some new features I like in the S3 but it's also $100 - $150 more expensive. Ideas pro and con?
2. More important: I want to buy a wide angle lens. After reading many websites I narrowed it to: the Canon wide lens or the Raynox SRW-6600. Any ideas? Can you recomend any other good lens which will not cost more than the camera?
Thanks.
Canon S2 IS
by snapshot2
- 3/30/06 8:15 PM
In reply to: S2 IS questions by ssaileanu
1. The differences are not earth shattering and only you can decide if the S3 IS is worth the added cost.
Here is a look at some of their specifications:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_s2is%2Ccanon_s3is&show=all
2. The Raynox lens will give you a wider view.
It is rated 0.66X which will give you a focal length of 25mm as opposed the the 28.8mm of the Canon wide angle lens.
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S2 IS
by ssaileanu - 3/31/06 5:29 AM In reply to: Canon S2 IS by snapshot2
Thanks, I've read the review. You are right: I'm the only one who can decide on that.
As for the Raynox vs Canon vs whatever else is there: I was looking more at picture quality differences.
Raynox
by snapshot2 - 3/31/06 7:39 AM
In reply to: S2 IS by ssaileanu
I have never used the Raynox lens, but it appears to get good ratings.
The Olympus WCON 0.7C is considered by many as the "gold standard" for a wide angle conversion lens.
But it uses a 55mm thread. The S2 IS uses a 58mm thread. That means you would need a step down adapter.
It is never a good idea to step down in size, because it could result in vignetting of the image (darkening or blurring the corners of the photo).
Do a Google search and see if you can find any reviews of the Raynox lens. If you have any doubts, go with the Canon lens.
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Raynox
by ssaileanu - 4/1/06 5:07 AM In reply to: Raynox by snapshot2
Thank again. I read about vignettin problems when stepping down. I've also read whatever I could find online about the Raynox lens plus there a couple of websites showing pictures: to my untrained eye they look good, but again, what do I know, I'm not an 'expert'. That's why I was looking for advise from people who know more about this subject. I'll continue my search.
Regards.
Wide angel lenses
by tasuray - 4/1/06 6:43 AM In reply to: Raynox by ssaileanuHi,
when you will step down with a wide lense corners will be black. It'll be more when u will use the maximum wide. So, don't step down. It is not a problem with teles but in case of wide ???????. Stay for canon lenses.They r really good.
S2 vs S3
by Joe WPB - 3/31/06 7:30 PM In reply to: S2 IS questions by ssaileanuI love my S2...I don't have the wide conversion lens, but do own the telephoto Canon which takes it to 18X optical zoom.....it's really cool...
I just checked the specs...and the difference between 5 & 6 megapixels is minor....the rest of the specs are just about identical...
I would get the S2 and use the savings for the wide lens you want....wide angle shots are terrific...I have an 18-55 mm lens for my Nikon D 50 and like it very much....
good luck...enjoy which ever you choose.
Joe C
I'm excited for the S3 IS...
by prodesma - 4/1/06 11:59 PM In reply to: S2 IS questions by ssaileanuI just got a S2 recently, and love it. I think I WILL upgrade to the S3, prolly by August at the latest. SRP is $499 when it hits streets end of May/June 1. Internet will prolly have it about $480 inclusive right away.
Got my S2 for $340, so figure I'll get plenty of use from it, worth $60 or so, when selling for $280 in a few months, right? I can't imagine price dropping too much, because the S3 is NOT PRICE competitive. (example, I just sold my 2 year old S230 with CF cards and extra battery for $200, so resale is very good).
Features? 2" LCD, 800 ISO, sports shooting mode, 60 fps video clips, AND 6 MPs. Well, I can analyze my golf swing and use the high speed video for sports coaching. So, it's a done deal I figure for me.
I had a 3.2 MP ELPH S230 and learned that I couldn't get great 5 X 7 prints when I cropped and enlarged from my shots. I, personally, think 6MP is the "sweet spot"- where you get plenty to always make great prints, and not pay too much extra for it when you aren't using it. 5MPs might limit me from getting the 3'X 4' print of my fave shot to frame in my home, don't know yet.
Good luck, cheers.
S2 vs S3
by ssaileanu - 4/2/06 7:19 AM In reply to: I'm excited for the S3 IS... by prodesmaTo your list of new features I would add: color accents, color swap, positive film, wide screen, and what many people complained about with the S2, adding a 9-point AiAF focus.
For me all these new features are worth an extra $150.
sounds like you have money to burn
by Joe WPB - 4/2/06 7:33 AM In reply to: I'm excited for the S3 IS... by prodesmawell you sold...you.
bigger screen...can see or use it much in bright light.
the video on my S2 is excellent...slow-mo great on the largest TV I have (32'')
the 800 film speed....totally useless of course in a point and shoot.
FYI.... I have 3 prints on my wall I shot about 6 years ago with my first decent digital, a Sony S70.
There only 20'' X 30'' .....the S70 is a 3.3MP.
the moral....look at what your shooting, crop using your zoom.....ha
I know you...your just like me...you love buying cameras....
I own the S2....for overall use.
A Nikon D50 (24mm & 50mm fixed, 18-55mm DX, 28-200mm
70-300mm lens)
and finally my dress camera (for formal affairs)
A Casio EXP600.....
see I like to buy cameras too.
close, but ....
by ssaileanu - 4/2/06 8:19 AM In reply to: sounds like you have money to burn by Joe WPBWell, small difference between us. I own one camera at a time: and it's mainly for vacations or family affairs. As I said in the beginning, I owned an S2 that got stolen. I liked the camera: I think I would like the S3 even more. Do I have money to burn? No, I don't, but for me at least, whatever small improvements the S3 brings makes it worth the extra $150.
In my initial question the wide-angle lens was really the important one.
I see the whole issue like buying a new flat HD-TV: for an extra $300 you upgrade from a 37" to a 42". It's an expense you don't have every year so ....
I enjoyed your humor though.
Regards.
Sounds like you've got a lot to learn.
by Kiddpeat - 4/2/06 12:18 PM In reply to: sounds like you have money to burn by Joe WPBSelling and upgrading is a pretty good strategy. While one waits for the S3, the shots being made by the S2 today are not being lost.
An ISO of 800 is a lot better than 400 or less. It can make the difference between getting and not getting a decent low light shot. I'm not sure why you don't know that.
If my calculations are correct, your 20'' X 30'' pictures are printed at about 72ppi if you retained the original 3.3MP. I guess they probably look OK from across the room where the pixelation is not so obvious? The same technique is used in billboards. The idea is that a picture will look OK in spite of large pixelation because the viewer never gets very close to the image.
speaking of learning
by Joe WPB - 4/2/06 6:25 PM In reply to: Sounds like you've got a lot to learn. by Kiddpeat1st off...forget using 800 iso...unless you have a digital SLR or like a lot of noise.
2nd -OFOTO (Kodak) will not print a size that will not look good....I could cut a 4X6 portion from any of my 20X30's and you couldn't tell it came from a large print...it looks fine right up close, so you don't have a clue.(means your calculations aren't worth anything).
going from 5 to 6 megapixle on the same little tiny sensor...won't do much for you....
want to really learn about digital photography (not from camera ads) check out www.kenrockwell.com
since digital came into being I have owned more than a dozen decent cameras by Sony, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic,Konica-Minolta...so I know a lot about trading up....
Gee Joe, the reviewers say that noise is not a problem on
by Kiddpeat - 4/2/06 9:15 PM In reply to: speaking of learning by Joe WPBthe S3. Here's one:
The successor to the five Megapixel S2 IS, the Canon PowerShot S3 IS enhancements begin with Canon's newly designed 6 Megapixel image sensor that together with Canon's DIGIC II image processor dramatically reduces "noise" for better image quality and achieves ISO equivalent speed ratings ranging from 80 to 800.
DPReview said pretty much the same thing. I guess they don't know much about cameras eh?
Ofoto? Here's what PC Magazine says about Ofoto:
Kodak-owned Ofoto is a competent photo service bureau with many great touches, but it lacks the polish and features offered by other sites. Ofoto's site lets you create custom-printed cards with photos.
Hmmmmm, you can put your prints on post cards there. Somehow, that doesn't sound like the high end, hands on site you described.
You can't get a silk purse from a sow's ear, and you can't get high quality prints from 72ppi. I learn about digital photography in the classroom, and in seminars from leading photographers. I don't look to ads or web sites for that.
ok enough...bs
by Joe WPB - 4/3/06 6:20 AM In reply to: Gee Joe, the reviewers say that noise is not a problem on by Kiddpeatenough with words...how about photos worth a thousand words....just Goggle me( just type in my name, Joe Ciccone)...then check out the several sites on which you can actually see my work...
Some of those reviews are worthless, paid for by the mfg....ya never know, do you.
Hey I heard a rumor the S4 will be out right before
Christmas 
cheers
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