[long] Re: [clug] Really OT: digital cameras

[Pietro Abate]

On Sun, Jun 13, 2004 at 10:37:05AM +1000, Alex Satrapa wrote:
> >I want to buy a DC and after browsing the web and reading review I
> >decided to get a panasonic dmc FZ-10 (it's a 4MP with a 12x optical).
> I have to wonder about the utility of anything higher than 6x optical 
> zoom. At 4x optical zoom, the shaking of your hands makes impossible to 
> take a sharp, focussed photo without the assistance of a tripod. I've 

I've to admit I'm quite new to digital photography. From my reading and
few shots I took with different cameras I can say that IS makes quite a
bit of a difference. I've tried the Canon S1 IS (3MP, 10x), this
panasonic, the Minolta A1 (1.5K !!!) and the Olympus cameras (770,
765,...). The first 3 have IS while the Olympus doesn't. From what I can
say the Canon has the best IS: it's fast and accurate. The FZ-10 has a
good IS as well. If you try to take shots with and without IS and you
can notice the difference (in particular with 12x zoom...). All the
Olympus don't have IS and you certainly need a tripod. It also depends
what you intend to do with you camera. If all you want is taking photos
of steady objects, the Olympus are perfect. They have a good set of
Features and good image quality. If you want to take sports shots you
need a camera with an IS otherwise, I agree with you, more then 6x is
useless. 

>Panasonic has good quality optics, so the lack of focus/image quality
>will be entirely attributable to the shaking hand and the image
>stabilising software.
All the IS are hw devices and not sw... I think they have a small
gyroscope that try to compensate you shaking moving the sensor...

Cons about this panasonic are about software (it has only two level of
Jpeg compression and it doesn't save tiff or row) and I really hope that
Panasonic will release a sw upgrade sometimes in the future.

> >Now I want to buy it, but it seems that the DC shops in civic decided
> >to have exactly the same deal ( -/+ 50 cents). This doesn't help the
> >consumer and it's not really fare in terms of free market.
> if the rise in sales will result in more net profit. The market for 
> $1000 digital cameras isn't big enough for that kind of sales drive to 
> work. If you're concerned about price fixing, complain to the ACCC.
My "concern" was about the location of these shops that made me think
that maybe there exists some other place in Canberra other than civic
where I can get a better deal. But, yeah, the market for this class of
camera isn't big enough... And even on the web it's difficult to find
any significant difference in price.

> Don't forget a tripod! You want to get yourself into group photos too! 

> A word of advice - while you're in the shop, get the camera out and try 
> taking 10 photos at maximum resolution as fast as possible. Try 
> different SD cards. If the shop doesn't stock multiple brands of cards, 
> buy the camera from a different shop!  A crappy flash card will turn 
> your $999 camera to a $999 pain in the rear. I have three CF cards for 

Thanks for your advices !!

:)
p


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