Deciding between 2 Digital Cameras

[Reckoner]

I'm trying to decide between Sony Cybershot DSC S90 and the Canon A520. The former can be had for $149, and the latter for around 30 bucks more. The review sites give similar reviews, but I keep hearing people rave about the A520. Is the A520 worth spending another $30 over the DSC S90?

 

[Sluggo]

I would buy the Canon for the simple fact it uses a common flash card media, that is really inexpensive.

 

[imported_Mike]

memory sticks are hardly expensive

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: Mike
memory sticks are hardly expensive

This week Circuit City is offering a 2GB Secure Digital card for $79.99 no rebates.

Find a memory stick, in any of its 3 or 4 models, for even close to that price.

 

[RossMAN]

A520 vs S90

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
A520 vs S90

I generally find these quantitative comparisons quite useless.
But then again, there's not many ways to be able to try them both out, than to maybe buy both from costco and the return one, which isn't too practical either.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Mike
memory sticks are hardly expensive

This week Circuit City is offering a 2GB Secure Digital card for $79.99 no rebates.

Find a memory stick, in any of its 3 or 4 models, for even close to that price.

2GB memory sticks are rather irrelavent when you're talking about consumer level cameras and end users. Typically, a 1GB Memory Stick can be had for $30 to $40. SD cards are barely cheaper and when they are, its rare.

 

[chuckywang]

http://www.dpreview.com

 

[George P Burdell]

Anything but Sony

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: George P Burdell
Anything but Sony

Why do you say that? Your playstation broke? :roll:

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: George P Burdell
Anything but HP or Kodak

Fixed.

 

[Vette73]

Canon by a long shot.

 

[George P Burdell]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
A520 vs S90

Obligatory link to:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare...eras=canon_a520%2Csony_dscs90&show=all

 

[ZoomStop]

FYI - Circuit City has the A520 on sale for $169.99 right now online. I am picking one up after work. All the reviews are incredible.

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Mike
memory sticks are hardly expensive

This week Circuit City is offering a 2GB Secure Digital card for $79.99 no rebates.

Find a memory stick, in any of its 3 or 4 models, for even close to that price.

2GB memory sticks are rather irrelavent when you're talking about consumer level cameras and end users. Typically, a 1GB Memory Stick can be had for $30 to $40. SD cards are barely cheaper and when they are, its rare.

I regularly fill up my 1GB SD card and I'm using a 5MP consumer level camera. So I wouldn't say 2GB sticks are irrelavent when most new camera's these days are 5MP or better.

That being said, I don't think you'll go wrong with either camera. It comes down to features, whether or not you want to deal with Memory Sticks (since it limits you to Sony product from now on unless you want to buy new media), and how it feels in your hands.

That last point is a biggy. I was 99% sure I was going to buy a Lumix FZ20 until I held it in my hands. I had to contort my fingers to take a picture and was just uncomfortable to hold. I ended up getting a Canon S2IS instead because of that.

 

[sao123]

I only buy olympus.

 

[shoRunner]

canon has my vote, i haven't been to impressed with the sony digital cameras i've used

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Mike
memory sticks are hardly expensive

This week Circuit City is offering a 2GB Secure Digital card for $79.99 no rebates.

Find a memory stick, in any of its 3 or 4 models, for even close to that price.

2GB memory sticks are rather irrelavent when you're talking about consumer level cameras and end users. Typically, a 1GB Memory Stick can be had for $30 to $40. SD cards are barely cheaper and when they are, its rare.

I regularly fill up my 1GB SD card and I'm using a 5MP consumer level camera. So I wouldn't say 2GB sticks are irrelavent when most new camera's these days are 5MP or better.

That being said, I don't think you'll go wrong with either camera. It comes down to features, whether or not you want to deal with Memory Sticks (since it limits you to Sony product from now on unless you want to buy new media), and how it feels in your hands.

That last point is a biggy. I was 99% sure I was going to buy a Lumix FZ20 until I held it in my hands. I had to contort my fingers to take a picture and was just uncomfortable to hold. I ended up getting a Canon S2IS instead because of that.

If you're using up a 1GB stick before you have a chance to uplaod it to your PC...you're in the minority by far. Which isn't a bad thing, just depends on the type of photographer. 2GB sticks, if for some reason you *had* to get a 2gb stick and not 2 1GB, it would run you a good $20-$30 more for the Sony. You would never do that though, you'd just get teh 2 1gb sticks. My main point is that between canon and sony, price of media is irrelavent.

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Mike
memory sticks are hardly expensive

This week Circuit City is offering a 2GB Secure Digital card for $79.99 no rebates.

Find a memory stick, in any of its 3 or 4 models, for even close to that price.

2GB memory sticks are rather irrelavent when you're talking about consumer level cameras and end users. Typically, a 1GB Memory Stick can be had for $30 to $40. SD cards are barely cheaper and when they are, its rare.

I regularly fill up my 1GB SD card and I'm using a 5MP consumer level camera. So I wouldn't say 2GB sticks are irrelavent when most new camera's these days are 5MP or better.

That being said, I don't think you'll go wrong with either camera. It comes down to features, whether or not you want to deal with Memory Sticks (since it limits you to Sony product from now on unless you want to buy new media), and how it feels in your hands.

That last point is a biggy. I was 99% sure I was going to buy a Lumix FZ20 until I held it in my hands. I had to contort my fingers to take a picture and was just uncomfortable to hold. I ended up getting a Canon S2IS instead because of that.

If you're using up a 1GB stick before you have a chance to uplaod it to your PC...you're in the minority by far. Which isn't a bad thing, just depends on the type of photographer. 2GB sticks, if for some reason you *had* to get a 2gb stick and not 2 1GB, it would run you a good $20-$30 more for the Sony. You would never do that though, you'd just get teh 2 1gb sticks. My main point is that between canon and sony, price of media is irrelavent.

While I agree with you on the price of the media, the fact that only Sony uses it should be a concern that people have when choosing Sony products. Not that it should be the only reason someone should choose between Sony and something else though.

As for using up a 1GB stick and being in the minority, how do you know that? Did you poll people asking them what their normal usage patterns are or are you just basing it on your own usage? I actually have 2 1GB sticks for my S2IS and am thinking about getting a 2GB stick for our next trip to Hawaii in a couple weeks. The last time we were there, we constantly ran out of space between the video's and pictures we took. Video is one of the main reasons someone would choose a 2GB stick over 2 1GB sticks.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Mike
memory sticks are hardly expensive

This week Circuit City is offering a 2GB Secure Digital card for $79.99 no rebates.

Find a memory stick, in any of its 3 or 4 models, for even close to that price.

2GB memory sticks are rather irrelavent when you're talking about consumer level cameras and end users. Typically, a 1GB Memory Stick can be had for $30 to $40. SD cards are barely cheaper and when they are, its rare.

I regularly fill up my 1GB SD card and I'm using a 5MP consumer level camera. So I wouldn't say 2GB sticks are irrelavent when most new camera's these days are 5MP or better.

That being said, I don't think you'll go wrong with either camera. It comes down to features, whether or not you want to deal with Memory Sticks (since it limits you to Sony product from now on unless you want to buy new media), and how it feels in your hands.

That last point is a biggy. I was 99% sure I was going to buy a Lumix FZ20 until I held it in my hands. I had to contort my fingers to take a picture and was just uncomfortable to hold. I ended up getting a Canon S2IS instead because of that.

If you're using up a 1GB stick before you have a chance to uplaod it to your PC...you're in the minority by far. Which isn't a bad thing, just depends on the type of photographer. 2GB sticks, if for some reason you *had* to get a 2gb stick and not 2 1GB, it would run you a good $20-$30 more for the Sony. You would never do that though, you'd just get teh 2 1gb sticks. My main point is that between canon and sony, price of media is irrelavent.

While I agree with you on the price of the media, the fact that only Sony uses it should be a concern that people have when choosing Sony products. Not that it should be the only reason someone should choose between Sony and something else though.

As for using up a 1GB stick and being in the minority, how do you know that? Did you poll people asking them what their normal usage patterns are or are you just basing it on your own usage? I actually have 2 1GB sticks for my S2IS and am thinking about getting a 2GB stick for our next trip to Hawaii in a couple weeks. The last time we were there, we constantly ran out of space between the video's and pictures we took. Video is one of the main reasons someone would choose a 2GB stick over 2 1GB sticks.

The ability to use an SD card in your phone, pda, camera, and MP3 player is nice indeed. I personally would want a separate card for each device though.

I work in retail, I encounter consumer level photographers by the dozens. Not to mention most of my friends and family have digital cameras as well. Id say its a broad enough base to justify my claims.

I certainly didn't mean it in an offensive manner either. Each photographer is different, which is good. He/she will have different needs as a result of that.

You say you need a 2GB memory card, I say :thumbsup: You're just in the minority is all.

:beer:

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Mike
memory sticks are hardly expensive

This week Circuit City is offering a 2GB Secure Digital card for $79.99 no rebates.

Find a memory stick, in any of its 3 or 4 models, for even close to that price.

2GB memory sticks are rather irrelavent when you're talking about consumer level cameras and end users. Typically, a 1GB Memory Stick can be had for $30 to $40. SD cards are barely cheaper and when they are, its rare.

I regularly fill up my 1GB SD card and I'm using a 5MP consumer level camera. So I wouldn't say 2GB sticks are irrelavent when most new camera's these days are 5MP or better.

That being said, I don't think you'll go wrong with either camera. It comes down to features, whether or not you want to deal with Memory Sticks (since it limits you to Sony product from now on unless you want to buy new media), and how it feels in your hands.

That last point is a biggy. I was 99% sure I was going to buy a Lumix FZ20 until I held it in my hands. I had to contort my fingers to take a picture and was just uncomfortable to hold. I ended up getting a Canon S2IS instead because of that.

If you're using up a 1GB stick before you have a chance to uplaod it to your PC...you're in the minority by far. Which isn't a bad thing, just depends on the type of photographer. 2GB sticks, if for some reason you *had* to get a 2gb stick and not 2 1GB, it would run you a good $20-$30 more for the Sony. You would never do that though, you'd just get teh 2 1gb sticks. My main point is that between canon and sony, price of media is irrelavent.

While I agree with you on the price of the media, the fact that only Sony uses it should be a concern that people have when choosing Sony products. Not that it should be the only reason someone should choose between Sony and something else though.

As for using up a 1GB stick and being in the minority, how do you know that? Did you poll people asking them what their normal usage patterns are or are you just basing it on your own usage? I actually have 2 1GB sticks for my S2IS and am thinking about getting a 2GB stick for our next trip to Hawaii in a couple weeks. The last time we were there, we constantly ran out of space between the video's and pictures we took. Video is one of the main reasons someone would choose a 2GB stick over 2 1GB sticks.

The ability to use an SD card in your phone, pda, camera, and MP3 player is nice indeed. I personally would want a separate card for each device though.

I work in retail, I encounter consumer level photographers by the dozens. Not to mention most of my friends and family have digital cameras as well. Id say its a broad enough base to justify my claims.

I certainly didn't mean it in an offensive manner either. Each photographer is different, which is good. He/she will have different needs as a result of that.

You say you need a 2GB memory card, I say :thumbsup: You're just in the minority is all.

:beer:

AM NOT

Although I didn't mention using my SD card in multiple devices. My S2 takes great video and I use it more than my MiniDV camcorder now. A 1GB stick can only hold around 8 minutes of video (640x480@30fps w/stereo audio) so having more room is always a good thing.

 

[Reckoner]

I ended up going with the SD90. Great price at $149, and from what I've seen, good image quality.

 

[Phlargo]

Originally posted by: George P Burdell
Anything but Sony

I hate to say it.. I completely agree. Go for the HP. (Edit - I mean Canon.)

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

Another vote for Canon.

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
I ended up going with the SD90. Great price at $149, and from what I've seen, good image quality.

Although I think you'd have been happy with either camera, I think I would have gone with the Canon due to the feature comparison George P Burdell put up. The Canon has a slightly wider angle lens and slightly better zoom and uses SD cards.

But that price is really good on the Sony and I'd have been hard pressed to pass it up either. Enjoy your new camera! Take some sample shots when you get it and post them. Remember nekkid chicks always get a warm welcome here