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Is there a quality DSLR that has great picture quality good recovery time, and will last for several years with the right lens? I am in the market for one for my wife and she is leaning towards a Canon, When it comes to DSLR's who is considered the industry leader?
Thanks, all, for popping by with your questions--I hope you found this useful. For a real fun time, join Matt Moskovciak on Tuesday for the lowdown on HD DVD vs. Blu-ray. You'll find it here:
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-12548_102-0.html?forumID=136&threadID=274433
I have read your rankings but wanted to ask if the image stabilization in the Olympus along with the Live view (and additional 40-150mm lens) out weighs the higher quality of picture with the other two? All 3 are equally priced.
but you can't make bad image quality better 
How do Olympus cameras stack up in terms of quality, features and price. Someone recommended the Olympus SP560 UZ and I haven't been able to find any reviews yet.
we should be getting one in soon. Check back for our review later this month
I recently bought a Canon S3 (based on your and others' high praise, it's feature set, and speed) and am, for the most part, happy to agree with all the great reviews. The only drawback, and here's my question, is that with indoor shooting (which, having an 8-month old, I do a lot of) the flash frequently seems to over-expose pictures. Things got a lot better when I switched from "Auto" or "Program" to the "Indoor" mode under "SCN," but the problem still persists.
Do you know of a remedy? I've been instructed that a diffuser might be the magic salve, but there don't seem to be any on the market for this non-SLR, no hotshoe camera.
and also try flash compensation, which works like exposure compensation, and lets you dial back the flash.
I love my Nikon Coolpix 5.1, but after a trip to the beach, it's a bit sluggish. I am interested in image stabilization and face recognition. Could you recommend a camera or two please?
Something like the Canon SD870 should probably suit you.
Canon PowerShot SD870 IS
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sd870-is/4505-6501_7-32471275.html
My wife is looking for a great 7 or 8 megapixel camera, we have looked at the CanonPowerShot SD870-IS Digital Elph 8.0 Megapixel and the Canon PowerShot SD1000 7.1MP Digital Elph Camera with 3x Optical Zoom which one do you recommend? You should know she is a moderate knowledged photographer.
Thanks
Craig
...if she's a knowledgeable photographer, though if she really likes to play with the settings you might want to go for something like the A720 IS (or that family), which offers more manual settings.
Canon PowerShot A720 IS
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-a720-is/4505-6501_7-32471270.html
Hi Mrs. Grunin,
I would like to know if you know of any good 7 - 8 MP cameras that have face recognition and also color isolation features. I've seen these pop up now, and would like to get a new camera soon (my other's already showing its age), especially one that's faster in taking pictures in regular and low-light conditions.
The color isolation (all B&W except for the blue on my jeans) and alteration (changing red to blue in-camera) and face recognition would be useful to me in several applications, but I would like to stick to an HP Photosmart camera if possible.
So, my question is if you know of one or more such cameras from HP, and if not, who might make them.
thanks,
James
at least, it's stopped doing its own R&D and manufacturing. So we really don't know what to expect from future HP models. Got a second brand preference?
HP to stop designing own cameras
http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9812970-1.html
Is the camera shake that occurs in low light scenarios fixable win newer models. I have a Kodak DX7590, and night shots are hard to take withouth the blur. What's available now?
like the Canon SD850/870/950 IS, the Sony T200, Panasonic FX100 and so on.
Canon PowerShot SD870 IS
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sd870-is/4505-6501_7-32471275.html
Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sd850-is/4505-6501_7-32441340.html
Canon PowerShot SD950 IS
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sd950-is/4505-6501_7-32591168.html
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T200B
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/sony-cyber-shot-dsc/4505-6501_7-32571562.html
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX100
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/panasonic-lumix-dmc-fx100/4505-6501_7-32467548.html
I want to upgrade from my point & shoot camera to one that won't have such a long lag time. I know SLR's are the best, but what's your opinion about the Kodak Z812IS?
and the last one we did, the Z710, was a bit slow. if you're looking for a fast, reasonably priced, compact megazoom, the Canon SX100 and the Sony H3 might be good alternatives. Or wait for our Z812 review
Canon PowerShot SX100 IS
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sx100-is/4505-6501_7-32471276.html
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/sony-cyber-shot-dsc/4505-6501_7-32578725.html
I'm in the market to get a good point and shoot camera with IS. What, in your opinion is the best out there for the money? ($100-200.00)
Canon, Hitachi, Sony, and others all claim to have "full 1920 x 1080" camcorders, but I can't find any sites that directly compare the video quality under different shooting conditions, so how I am supposed to figure out which one takes the best videos? Also, I'd really like to be able to edit the high def videos because of the amount of space they take up. Can I do it with a program like Videostudio?
...what you mean by "different shooting conditions", we provide that info. We test all the camcorders (and cameras) with a standard scene and environment, as well as the individual field tests. That's how we determine our ratings
Yes, you can use Videostudio to edit the movies--in fact, I think most video-editing software now supports HD, at least from tape. AVCHD and MPEG-2 TS aren't quite as universally supported.
Hello Lori Grunin,
I do wildlife and nature photography. I like the control of shooting in manual exposure mode, so I can frame shots with a lot of sun or sky and know that my subject will still be correctly exposed.
I really should save money now and go fo rthe all in one like a panasonic lumix dmc zf18 rather than the Canon XTI and the pricey lenses on top of it. Problem is, the panasonic has a shoddy manual mode for determining the correct fstop and exposure settings. If the settings are not right, then the letters simply flash red. No indication is made if the shutter speed should be increased or decreaded Are there any superzooms out there that will tell you in manual mode if you need to adjust to let more light in or decrease light? and, icing on the cake, indicate about how much?
my good ol K1000 growing up did this...sigh.
Thanks,
JOhn
give you a full manual experience. You may need to shoot in a different mode to get the display to work the way you want, though (e.g., shoot in shutter-priority instead of program). I'm relying on my bad memory for this, though.
Sony dslrs are relatively new to the market, but should I trust them over Nikon and Canon dslrs? Or would I be better sticking with the companies that have been in the dslrs business for quite some time? What's your personal take?
I happen to really like the A700. And remember, Sony bought Minolta, lock, stock and SLRs. Plus, I get the sense that Sony is really committed to the dSLR business, though it's as yet unproven in the pro biz.
I think that if you're buying into an entire system, the way people used to commit to film SLRs, yes, you're probably best sticking with Canon and Nikon, since they have a wide selection of accessories and third-party support. And if you've already committed, it's not worth switching. But if you've got the ability to take a little risk, you might be pleasantly surprised.
http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-6501_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5250865_&tag=dffl3_1
Do you forsee full frame DSLR's dropping in price? I'd like to hold off until they are little more affordable.
not likely in the near future, if you mean radical price drops within the next year. It's not just the sensor, but all the supporting electronics that make them more expensive.
I have numerous Canon lenses I used with my Canon Elan SLR, and I'm wondering if my older lenses will work with the new DSLRs? And what Canon DSLR body would you recommend I look at?
To answer your questions in reverse order: If you're stepping up from a film Elan, I'd probably recommend the 40D. The Rebels are a little too low-end and the others are mighty pricey. I think the 40D would be the best fit.
As for lenses, the older ones should work with the dSLR bodies, but you may lose some camera features (for instance, the metering might work differently). To find exact compatibility issues, download the manual of whatever camera(s) you're interested in, and you'll find detailed information on lens compatibility.
Last year, Kodak won several awards with their new dual-lens cameras. Do other manufacturers have cameras with similar technology in development?
There are a ton of digital photo frames on sale but most from companies I have never heard of. How should I go about buying a good quality yet affordable digital photo frame?
The real answer is to read the reviews, but I know nobody really has comprehensive coverage of the frames--we've only done a few, ourselves. (And affordable is relative, natch.) I think the question is, how picky are you? If you just want something that will saturate your colors and render a gee-whiz picture, then shop by convenience features. If you're picky about your colors, then you've got to look at them in stores (unfortunately, a sub-optimal viewing experience), and I'd say to go with a brand you've heard of that's had some experience in imaging (e.g., Kodak)
Hello again.
First, thanks for the info. and opinion on the dust issue. Since I'm in the market I'd appreciate your two-cents on my purchase decision.
In the running are the Nikon D80 and D300. I know that they are very different cameras at very different price points. I am not a professional photographer, but have been told for years by family and friends that I have a knack for picture taking (in both film and compact digi). I know the D80 would be a great stepping stone into dSLR and would provide me with plenty of options. However, I also want to make certain I have a camera into which I can grow and won't feel the need to replace with something higher-end in the next 3-4 years.
Price aside and in your opinion, should I go for what is comparable to my abilities or purchase with the future in mind?
Again, thanks.
We're getting to the point where a solid dSLR will keep you happy for a few years. If the D300 had built-in vibration reduction, that'd be a consideration for spending more money, but if it's your first dSLR, you're better off buying the very good D80 and spending the money you save investing in really good lenses, which you should then be able to use when you make your next camera buy. If it's another Nikon, of course
I've bought a Nikon and a Canon in the past and am looking to buy another one for my family. I was looking at the CNET reviews for an ultracompact ($150-$300) and saw that Canon's pretty much filled up the top 10. How would you compare similarly priced Canons and Nikons in terms of quality?
Canon and Nikon tend to both produce very good quality images; Nikon's cameras tend to be slower, which is why their overall ratings are lower. So if you don't care about speed, have at 'em
Hello. I'm looking to upgrade from my Canon SD500. I'm considering the Powershot G9 and the Rebel XT. I like taking a lot of low-light shots. I've seen the Rebel take some great shots, but I'm also worried about portability, since I always like having my camera with me. In your opinion, is there a noticeable dropoff in image quality from the XT to the G9 that would justify going to the full dSLR?
If you shoot in low light, dSLRs really are better, and without checking back at the test images, I'll say that the XT probably is better. Its real advantage is that you can get a very fast (i.e., wide aperture) lens, which gives you more low-light latitude as well.
I hear how great dSLR cameras are for taking rapid succession pictures (like capturing a moving child) but I don't use the camera enough to justify it. Is there a comparable higher end point and shoot that will yield the same results?
The fastest non-dSLRs we've seen thus far that have real continuous-shooting modes (as opposed to really fast 3-shot bursts) are the Sony T200/T100 and Sony DSC-H3. They tend to max out at about 2fps, while dSLRs tend to be 3+fps. How fast is your kid?
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/sony-cyber-shot-dsc/4505-6501_7-32578725.html
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/sony-cyber-shot-dsc/4505-6501_7-32331737.html
Hello!
I'm looking at making the jump to dSLR and see that there are cameras that shake dust off the sensor and that there is software to "remove" the effect of dust on a sensor. Can you briefly explain how software removes the dust's impact on an image and what are your thoughts on cameras that use shaking to remove lose dust.
Thanks.
the camera basically takes a shot of nothing, which allows it to create a map of where the dust is on the sensor. Then, in subsequent photos, it subtracts that map from the image, digitally removing the dust. clearly this is a suboptimal solution, since no one wants to lose random pixels from the image.
shaking probably works, but some cameras have a small sticky area which grabs the dust after its been shaken off the sensor, while others don't.
Since dust is a long-term problem, we haven't really had enough time to gather data about the problem of dust on dSLRs and how serious it is. Clearly, if you work in really dusty areas and switch lenses frequently you're going to have a greater problem than most, but we don't really know how much of an issue it is in typical dSLR usage.
Just my 2 cents
Glad you could make it for our little photo one-on-one-on-one-on-one-on-one... I'm all caffeinated and ready to answer your questions--I think So shoot.
