Olympus Stylus 1s - thoughts - or other suggestions?

[DisFam95]

Went to my local small camera store that primarily deals w DSLR and pro equipment etc and he suggested the Olympus Stylus for my Point and Shoot search. It's not pocket size , which isn't a neccesity but it sure had nice zoom 10x optical for a smaller camera! Also had a great tilt screen which I love for my unusual angles I try and get. "Only" 12 MP but for my use i think that's fine. Many of the upper end have 20mp. just wondering if anyone had any experience with it.

Thanks!

 

[jec6613]

The reason it's, "Only," 12 MP is the same reason that the Canon S120 and G16, and Nikon P340 and P7800 are only 12 MP, it uses a larger sensor (they all actually use the same sensor). The extra sensor size over a standard compact camera will get you more light, and fewer, larger pixels add to this, to mean that it will give you acceptable photos in dim light, well beyond what a standard point and shoot will. It also adds in a lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8, so the lens is more sensitive as well, further expanding that advantage (you should easily get photos in about 1/16th the light of a standard point and shoot).

Overall, a good camera, and I can recommend it easily, provided it's the camera that actually meets your needs. And that's the thing: all four of the models I listed above, as well as several others, share very similar technical image quality, but each has different design choices that match different shooters better.

So that brings up the other questions: what do you want to take photos of, how do you envision yourself using this, and how portable do you want it to be? And one last one: is a viewfinder something you'll use?

 

[DisFam95]

So that brings up the other questions: what do you want to take photos of, how do you envision yourself using this, and how portable do you want it to be? And one last one: is a viewfinder something you'll use?

This camera will be my sole camera for our Disney trip. So outdoor and indoor shooting. I like macro too and shooting at unusual angles so I love the tilt screen aspect. I plan to carry it at the ready to shoot when I see something so I want something easy/fast to turn on. It doesn't need to fit in a pocket like an ELPH would but I am wanting to downsize from my DSLR kit on this trip - yet I like the feel of a small 'grip' or at least a designated spot for your thumb etc. A viewfinder is not a must.

I have not looked at cameras (esp P&S types) in years so I feel out of the loop. I'm a Canon girl and used to their menus so I've look at the G7 and some of the other s-series like the 120 you mentioned.

Thanks!

 

[jec6613]

Well, in general, you can get large zoom range, large sensor, and small size: pick any two.

You've already seen the Stylus 1s, and it's quite good. Canon has the G7x, but there's also the G1x which has a nearly DSLR sized sensor, but gives up zoom range and compactness, and then the G16 of course. Nikon fares a bit better but not much ... the P7800 is quite good and offers full DSLR controls and a 7.1x zoom (not as good as the Stylus 1s, but close), its big selling point is a fully articulated screen, but it's a Nikon DSLR menu, not a Canon. The Nikon J5 has a 1" sensor, focuses like a DSLR and shoots faster with continuous AF than almost anything else out there, has the option for interchangeable lenses and is pretty darn compact with the kit lens, plus the menus aren't very Nikon-like ... or Canon-like, either, they're kind of different to be honest. You really have to get your hands on one to see. There's also the Nikon V3, but it's pretty pricey.

Then there's the Sony RX10 II, and the Canon G3x. They're brand new and just shipping to the first deliveries no, but both have 1" sensors and a big zoom range.

Of those, the short list for me with those needs would be the Nikon P7800, Olympus Stylus 1s, Canon G3x, Sony RX10 II, and the Nikon 1 J5. I know that if I were invested in the Canon system that I'd probably get the Canon, but it's hard to go wrong with any of them, really.