Canon SX10

[crispycritter]

I need to buy a new camera for my vacation to Italy in a couple of weeks.
I cant decide between the two cameras they almost sound identical except for the xs1 had HD vidieo and I think it may shoot faster than the sx10.
I will be using the camera mainly for vacation shoots, nature, and close ups of nature. I also want a camera the doesnt have a long delay when taking pictures so I can get the pictures of my neice and nephew before they turn away. I know a dslr would do this but I dont want to spend that much or carry around that much stuff. the canon sx1 cost about $150 more than the canon sx10 but is it worth it? Please help I cant make up my mind on these to cameras!

Thanks,
Christine

 

[Silent1CB]

I've owned the S3 model for about 2 years now I guess. It feels good in my hands. Feels solid and well made. I didn't think the same years earlier when I had held the S1 or maybe it was the S2.

I had the opportunity to hold an SX10 today. Some of the buttons, the zoom lever, and the dial (Auto, P, ...) just didn't have the same solid feel as my S3. It wasn't horrible, but it just didn't feel as solid.

Has anyone else noticed this or was it maybe the particular camera I was holding at the store?

 

[S. C.]

Bump

 

[Amy]

Hi! I upgraded from an S3 to the SX10, and I don't have a problem with durability - I think it's made just as well. Takes a little getting used to using the dial, but some of the functions are easier to get to on the SX10, like exposure comp is now a button on the back (rather than scrolling thru menus on the S3) and the screen shows you if exp comp is being used. (My biggest prob. on the S3 was changing the exp comp and then forgetting to set it back to 0.)

But I'm having a tough time getting good shots on my SX10, and I can't figure out why. My "keeper percentage" is WAY down over similar shots taken with my S3. For instance, my son is in marching band, and every year right before school starts they march in a parade at our local amusement park. The parade is at 8pm, last year they marched on Aug 24, this year on Aug 25, so it's not like the lighting conditions changed much. I even stood in the same spot for the photos. Last year I used Sports mode on my S3 and got some really decent shots. This year, Sports mode on my SX10 was lousy - the fastest shutter I got was 1/8, which is obviously no good when the kids are marching by. (Sports mode sets everything, including bumping up the ISO, and is supposed to have a semi-fast shutter.) I had to resort to trying to use my flash to get some shots of the band, but the flash recycle time is VERY slow, so I missed many, many shots.

I'm going to keep experimenting with my SX10, but other than the fantastic zoom, I'm not too happy with it right now.

 

[Silent1CB]

Thank you for the info.
How are the other modes working for you? How about Auto? Compared to the S3 that is. Still not as many keepers?

Its the zoom that's reeling me in, but if the camera and shots aren't better, then what's the point?

As a side note, I took DH to the same store today, and had him hold the camera, and his reaction was the same as mine and I hadn't said anything to him. Again, it might just be the stores floor model.

Two visits to same store now, and neither time was I able to get the camera to power on so I could play with the buttons and menus. I had shopping to do and didn't feel like waiting for help. NExt time.

 

[prophotogal]

I've had my sx10 for just over a month now. I love it! As a point and shoot I upgraded from the A95 to this camera. It has a grip that I like as a P&S yet it is not big like my 5D which is fine. I don't like the no grip P&S cameras. I found my sports setting to be just fine (used it here in the house just to test it w/no flash and had no problems. This camera has way more features than my previous p&s, so I'm having fun learning the camera.

 

[Silent1CB]

Who did you buy yours from?
When?
And what did you pay?

Was it on sale or with a coupon code?

If I can find it cheap enough, I might just talk myself into it.

 

[VVFF]

Who did you buy yours from?
When?
And what did you pay?

Was it on sale or with a coupon code?

If I can find it cheap enough, I might just talk myself into it.

If you don't mind refurbished you can get it here:

http://www.adorama.com/ICASX10ISR.html?searchinfo=SX10

and then can get 11% through Bing cashback for a final price of $267

If you do mind refurbished...do the same thing but here:

http://www.circuitcity.com/applicat...?EdpNo=4177141&sku=C930-1554&srkey=Canon SX10

for a final price of $306 after 15% bing cashback.

 

[Silent1CB]

If you don't mind refurbished you can get it here:

http://www.adorama.com/ICASX10ISR.html?searchinfo=SX10

and then can get 11% through Bing cashback for a final price of $267

If you do mind refurbished...do the same thing but here:

http://www.circuitcity.com/applicat...?EdpNo=4177141&sku=C930-1554&srkey=Canon SX10

for a final price of $306 after 15% bing cashback.

Nice. And I thought Circuit City went out of business. I guess not.

 

[VVFF]

Nice. And I thought Circuit City went out of business. I guess not.

Their domain was bought by the company that runs Tigerdirect

 

[Simba22]

I got mine in May 2009 from newegg.com for $365.00 plus a 1 year service/replacement plan for an extra $34.99

 

[Simba22]

I upgraded from the S2 to the SX10 and the only thing I don't like is the lens cover...the fact that it's not attached drives me up the wall! I like having the power switch actually be a BUTTON now as opposed to the "dial" that it was on the S2. It would accidentally get turned on while in my bag/backpack and since the lens automatically pops out, that use to freak me out. My SX10 will be making it's first trip to WDW in October so I will know for sure how it holds up after we get back.

 

[Silent1CB]

If you don't mind refurbished you can get it here:

http://www.adorama.com/ICASX10ISR.html?searchinfo=SX10

and then can get 11% through Bing cashback for a final price of $267

If you do mind refurbished...do the same thing but here:

http://www.circuitcity.com/applicat...?EdpNo=4177141&sku=C930-1554&srkey=Canon SX10

for a final price of $306 after 15% bing cashback.

Too good to be true. I don't see Circuit City listed on Bing's Cashback list of stores.

 

[Amy]

I did some experimenting over the weekend, trying my S3 vs my SX10. And I finally had that "duh!" moment as to why I'm so disappointed with the SX10 in low light. While both cameras have F2.8 when they're at their widest, once you start to zoom you lose the aperture: fully zoomed, the S3 has F3.5 while the SX10 only has F5.7. And since the SX10 starts out at 28mm vs. the S3 at 36mm, you begin to "lose" aperture sooner on the SX10 (for want of a better way to phrase it). In bright daylight, however, the only real difference between the 2 cameras is the zoom.

While I'm still kind of "eh" over the SX10, I love to show off the zoom! Here are a couple of photos I took over the weekend of downtown Pittsburgh. First, the wide angle:

Notice the tall, dark building in the right 1/3 of the photo. Now, here it is, fully zoomed in - you can even see all the satellite dishes and stuff on the roof!

I'm still going to play around with the SX10 for a while and see if I might be able to get better photos in low light, but I think in that respect the S3 has the SX10 beat by a mile. DH and I are hoping for a nice "couples only" vacation next fall, and at this point I'm not sure I'll want to take my SX10; I might go back to my trusty S3. It's either that or carry both cameras with me, the SX10 for its zoom in bright light, and the S3 for low-light conditions. But if I'm going to carry both cameras, I might as well make the leap to a dSLR and carry all that other gear. But I really don't want to lug all that stuff around with me, which is why I've been holding out against getting a dSLR. Decisions, decisions.

 

[Silent1CB]

OMG, the zoom.

How low are you talking when you say low-light? Are you talking WDW dark rides? How about inside houses with just lamps on in a room?

Are we talking horrible like not keeping the shot, or just picky photographer standards? LOL

Most of my pictures tend to be outdoors & non-WDW travel. Mountains, bodies of water, and sightseeing. I was thinking of selling off the S3. But now I'm afraid to.

Why do they make it so hard?

 

[Amy]

OMG, the zoom.

How low are you talking when you say low-light? Are you talking WDW dark rides? How about inside houses with just lamps on in a room?

Are we talking horrible like not keeping the shot, or just picky photographer standards? LOL

Most of my pictures tend to be outdoors & non-WDW travel. Mountains, bodies of water, and sightseeing. I was thinking of selling off the S3. But now I'm afraid to.

Why do they make it so hard?

When I say "low-light", I'm talking about dusk, twilight, the sun has gone down so there's no direct sunlight but you can still sit outside and read a book. That type of light. Sure, you can bump up the ISO to 1600 on the SX10 (and there's even a setting for ISO 3200), but the noise is unbelievable! And using Sports mode in those conditions just isn't the same as with my S3; I'm thinking it has to be the aperture issue.

I got fantastic fireworks shots on the 4th of July with the SX10, using fireworks mode. Can't complain about that.

You know, now that you mention it, I really haven't taken many photos indoors. I know I took some in church on Easter Sunday with all the flowers, but I don't really take very many indoor shots. I'm mostly into flowers and landscapes.

Like I said, I'm not quite ready to give up on the SX10 just yet; I'm going to do some more experimenting. But so far, other than the zoom, I'm not seeing that much improvement over the S3.

 

[VVFF]

Too good to be true. I don't see Circuit City listed on Bing's Cashback list of stores.

Not too good to be true. I don't know why they don't list them seperately but probably because circuitcity.com is identical to tigerdirect.com. Anyway here is your link for 15% cashback:

http://www.bing.com/search?q=circuit+city&FORM=Z7FD

 

[Silent1CB]

Not too good to be true. I don't know why they don't list them seperately but probably because circuitcity.com is identical to tigerdirect.com. Anyway here is your link for 15% cashback:

http://www.bing.com/search?q=circuit+city&FORM=Z7FD

Thanks. And that's weird because TigerDirect was listed as 5%.

Thanks for the help!

 

[VVFF]

Thanks. And that's weird because TigerDirect was listed as 5%.

Thanks for the help!

Bing.com has "search terms" that bring up special % off. For example search bing.com for "crumpler" and you get 11% cashback at adorama. Just a little trick of the trade .

 

[Silent1CB]

Well I did it. I ordered the SX10. Thanks for the links & the 15% cashback info.

I need another camera like I need a hole in the head. Its time to sell off some of the older ones I think.