Digital cameras forum: Canon Powershot S95 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V

The HX9V gives you far less control than the S95. Not that the Sony is a bad camera...all reviews point to be it being excellent. But creating photos with it is primarily about choosing which mode to use, not about learning how to use a "real" camera. The S95 has a bigger imaging sensor with fewer pixels packed onto it; a brighter wide aperture lens; aperture priority, shutter speed priority, and manual modes; two control wheels; and RAW capture...the same controls as a DSLR, packed into a compact body. So if you just want to take good quality images, you can go with either camera. But if you want to learn about photography before stepping up to a DSLR, the S95 is the better choice.

it's not that I dislike sony, but in the camera department it's inferior to canon in both point and shoot and DSLR cameras.

my point and shoot camera has been canon for several years now all over the world.

personally, I chose nikon DSLR over canon DSLRs though both are fantastic. people will point fingers and hang each other in the gallows sometimes over this comparison but it doesn't really matter that much because it's up to you to be the photographer!

also note that Nikon does use Sony's sensor, but tweaked for their cameras. Sony does take good pictures, but the advantage that Nikon and Canon have is their lenses are far superior in optical quality.