Decent point and shoot with Image Stabilization?

[RC Fan]

Please forgive me, I know you guys get twenty of these questions daily.

I just want a camera that takes good pictures, in the 5 to 7 megapixel range, that has some form of Image Stabilization, and is preferably under $300 US. I don't need anything fancy or complicated.

Your advice is much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[YEKCIM]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, if you can stretch your $ limit to $325 (online price), the Canon S2-IS, from all accounts, is a great camera for the money. It has IS, and a very long-range zoom (36-432mm in 35mm equivalence). I neither work for Canon, nor do I actually own this camera, but everything I read about it, both here on this board, and elsewhere, is very positive. I do not see how you could go wrong. Only "downside", if you want to call it that, is that it is not a compact, "pocketable" camera, which is more than made up for by the feature set.

~YEKCIM

 

[Jeanne B]

I took some sample pictures with the S3 in CC last night and I was very impressed with the IS. I agree with YEKCIM, for another $25 you can buy the S2 w/ IS and 12x zoom. Buydig.com, beachcamera.com and amazon are all selling it for around $325.

For myself personally, I'm torn between the S2 and S3. I'm not sure if it's worth the extra $110 to go for the S3 but I sure do love the color of it compared to the S2!!

 

[RC Fan]

The S2 and S3 seem quite advanced for a camera novice such as myself.

Dare I ask your opinions of the Panasonic Lumix line? The LZ3 and LZ5 seem to get decent reviews.

 

[YEKCIM]

The S2 and S3 seem quite advanced for a camera novice such as myself.

Dare I ask your opinions of the Panasonic Lumix line? The LZ3 and LZ5 seem to get decent reviews.

***Again, my disclaimer that I do not own this camera***

I think most "point and shoot" and, I guess, even dslr's nowadays have an "AUTO" mode, in which the camera is in point and shoot mode, and sets most everything for you. My Fujifilm Finepix S5200 has this mode, in addition to a whole host of other modes. Sometimes I use AUTO, sometimes the others...depends on the situation.

That said, the S2-IS, I'm certain, can be used in P&S AUTO mode. The strengths of this camera, IMO, are the stabilization and the very flexible zoom lens. You could buy a whole lot less camera for your $325.

I cannot comment on the Panasonic, as I swore off that brand over a customer service issue on a DVD player a couple years ago. They *may* make the best cameras on the market; I'll never know, b/c I'll never buy another Panasonic product, even if it meant going back to film!

~YEKCIM

 

[TwinMom7]

I just bought my Canon S2 about three weeks ago and I've basically used it as a point and shoot so far. I've yet to venture past the AUTO mode - but I will (I promise). Here's some examples taken in the past couple of weeks - totally AUTO:

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Panasonic is the enemy. Well, the second enemy. The first one being Kodak. Just look at the details at ISO 800 on the Canon vs Panasonic (Canon on the left, Panasonic on the right)

 

[TigerLaw]

Here to give the counter argument for panasonic. I hjust bought the tizzie (TZ1) and love it (nice screen, 10x zoom). I know the ISO is an issue, but given the factors you care about, I bet pocketability matters and if so, the canon is out.

you might want to check out some other camera forums, as there are alot of tizzie lovers out there that for some reason don't make it over here to the canon (I mean disney photo) board

 

[manning]

Panasonic is the enemy. Well, the second enemy. The first one being Kodak. Just look at the details at ISO 800 on the Canon vs Panasonic (Canon on the left, Panasonic on the right)

Were did these test shots come from??

 

[Greg K.]

I'm not 100% certain, but I think Kelly pulled those ISO test shots from www.dpreview.com.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

the test shots came from dpreview

to be exact Canon S3 IS vs Panasonic FZ7 which is the higher-end version of TZ-1 (the FZ7 is about US$100 more than the TZ-1 in Canada).

also from Panasonic website:

"When using High Sensitivity mode (ISO800 and ISO1600), resolution significantly decreases."

To my knowledge, the resolution decreases to around 1.3 MP, barely enough for 4x6 print.

 

[daddyscooltv]

Another vote here for the S2. I do have one of these and it is a very good camera. You can check out the link below for some shots that were taken with the S2.

 

[manning]

These test shots from dpreview?

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfx7/page6.asp
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfx7/page7.asp

 

[Kelly Grannell]

nope, those you posted are only ISO 400 from FX7 from year 2004.

The one I posted are from S3 ISO 800 vs Lumix FZ7 ISO 800 from dpreview from year 2006. Their newer Venus engine is worse than their older ones.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

If you need the cleanest ISO 1600 from a point and shoot camera, I strongly suggest Fuji F10 (but alas, no Image Stabilizer)