Help! selection of a digital camera for the technology challenged

[dcherry]

I've been searching here and on the web in general but now I'm more confused than ever. I want to purchase a digial camera (my first) but it has to be for the very technologically challenged. I can barely work my "old type" camera ( I won't even go into computer knowledge) which takes horrible pictures.

So, I'd like something REALLY easy to use, that takes clear photos AND I have a habit of really liking to use a zoom. Is there a camera out there like this? I don't care a wit if it takes movies or panoramic.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Here's the great thing about almost all of the digital cameras, these days. Almost all of them run from as easy as "do nothing but point and press a button" to allowing you to control just about every aspect of picture taking.

Even the pricey ($1000+) mid-range DSLRs are coming with Auto and Scene modes!

Personally, I love my Canon Powershot S3 IS ... not only does it have a good selection of Auto/Scene modes, accessible by a simple dial, it also has full manual mode so it can be as easy or complicated as the user wants it to be. It takes great pictures, is very speedy, has great battery life and has a phenomenal zoom (36mm to 432mm in 35mm equivalent ... 12X in P&S terminology).

The Canon Powershot S5 is the newest of the line, and it's essentially the same camera with a few more megapixels and a couple of nice additions (bigger LCD, flash hot shoe and longer video clips); also an excellent camera....

There are a lot of very happy Canon S3/S5 users here on the DIS Photography board!

You might want to check out a site like the Digital Camera Resource Page, for reviews and it would help you to determine what features are important to you and what you can expect to pay....

If you have specific questions, feel free to ask them here ... we're quite a friendly bunch!

 

[bumbershoot]

If you have specific questions, feel free to ask them here ... we're quite a friendly bunch!

I have one. How do I decide between the S3 and S5? I've flip-flopped more times in the last 2 days than I ever have, and I'm a near-professional mind-changer!

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I have one. How do I decide between the S3 and S5? I've flip-flopped more times in the last 2 days than I ever have, and I'm a near-professional mind-changer!

Since the price difference is now down to about $50, it really comes down to what matters most to you.

The S5's advantages include the larger LCD, face detection, a hotshoe for an external flash and a 4G video limit.

The S3's advantages include a faster high-speed continuous mode, an intervalometer for automatically taking pictures over time periods and (very) slightly better IQ.

Also, the fact that S3's are getting harder and harder to find might make your decision for you....

 

[bumbershoot]

Thank you! I like that continuous mode thing, and I thought that I was reading that the S3 was better at it, but talked myself away from the thought b/c it seemed crazy to make a newer version worse at something.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Thank you! I like that continuous mode thing, and I thought that I was reading that the S3 was better at it, but talked myself away from the thought b/c it seemed crazy to make a newer version worse at something.

Yeah, that was a major moment for lots of people on other discussion boards ... why is the newer camera slower than the old one?

Unfortunately, it's true.

 

[mickeyluv]

Yeah, that was a major moment for lots of people on other discussion boards ... why is the newer camera slower than the old one?

Unfortunately, it's true.

I'm getting ready to get a new digital camera also (I have Sony Cybershot 3mp). So are you saying that the s3 is better than the s5? And what is the advantage of "face detection"? Is it really that big of a deal if you don't have it on your camera?

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I'm getting ready to get a new digital camera also (I have Sony Cybershot 3mp). So are you saying that the s3 is better than the s5? And what is the advantage of "face detection"? Is it really that big of a deal if you don't have it on your camera?

Hmmm ... better? Not really.

I would have to say that the S5 has a distinct advantage over the S3 in terms of features, but there are several features of the S3 that are important to *me* that the S5 lacks (higher speed, intervalometer and the ability to use the CDHK firmware 'hack' to get RAW and other abilities).

Likewise, there are some features of the S5 that I really wish my S3 had; flash hot shoe, ISO 1600, bigger LCD and 4G video limit.

I've seen some amazing shots from S5s, just like I've seen from S3s, so any IQ differences are really only noticeable if you're pixel-peeping. For example, this is an ISO 1600 pic from an S5, *far* better than I'd been lead to expect it would be!

Face detection is the "cool new thing" and it definitely helps when taking portraits or pictures of people ... the camera adjusts focus and exposure to favor the faces because that's what most people want. Is it necessary? Not at all; but, it is pretty cool.

I think if I were buying, now, I'd definitely go for the S5. But, I'm not about to upgrade....

 

[jakoky]

HI there, i have the S5. I love my camera...before i had the S5, i had a sony H5 which was also a great camera that took great pics, but the movie mode just wasnt as good as i wanted...i started to look into buying something new( i knew we were headed to DL in a few months). I wanted a camera that took excellent pics, had an excellent movie mode, had all the manual settings(still learning these), and lastly, it is important to me to have a large lcd..the one on the S3 is tiny, the S5 it is a big step up(my H5 had a 3 inch-one of the best lcds i have seen)...My S5 has not disappointed me at all, took hundreds of excellent pics in DL in september, taken awesome movie clips, and had lots of fun learning the different modes...I think the S3 and S5 are very comparable, trade offs in different areas with each, you just need to decided which areas are more important for you...good luck
sharon
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