Help, digicam choice paralysis

[tcsenter]

If someone could make some recommendations, I would greatly appreciate it. Here are some criteria, feel free to ask if you need more input:

- Excellent performance up to ISO 400

- Willing to try entry-level DSLR but its not a requirement

- Must accept AA NiMH batts

- Video features not important

- Prefer EVF + LCD compose but willing to give-up EVF

- Swing-out LCD, prefer rotate but not required

- MP is second to noise reduction, ISO performance up to 400

- Decent performance with incandescent lighting, doesn't have to be exceptional as long as it isn't poor


MAX BUDGET = $350.00 (all inclusive, sales tax, rebates acceptable)

Mucho TIA!

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Canon Powershot SX-10

 

[jpeyton]

I'm not sure how you have "choice paralysis", because there is only one camera that fits all your criteria (posted above me).

 

[tcsenter]

Because according to two different reviews, the Canon SX10 IS AWB handles incandescent lighting poorly and begins to pick-up too much noise @ ISO 400 unless light conditions are stellar. Those are non-negotiable, along with AA NiMH. I don't expect much beyond ISO 400, but there are cameras doing better here in the same price range (albeit lacking other features such as AA NiMH). Would increasing budget to $400 put me in reach of anything else?

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: tcsenter
Because according to two different reviews, the Canon SX10 IS AWB handles incandescent lighting poorly and begins to pick-up too much noise @ ISO 400 unless light conditions are stellar. Those are non-negotiable, along with AA NiMH. I don't expect much beyond ISO 400, but there are cameras doing better here in the same price range (albeit lacking other features such as AA NiMH). Would increasing budget to $400 put me in reach of anything else?

Not anything better.

I only mentioned the SX10 because it won out by default, as jpeyton noted.

I'm not sure, but the SX10 might have a custom WB feature, so you won't have to use the AWB.

If you want an EVF, that means you have to have a superzoom. And because superzooms now have these crazy 20x zoom lenses, the sensors are very small, which leads to an increase in image noise. In addition to the Canon, Sony has similar superzooms, but those utilize proprietary batteries, and IQ isn't any better.

Why are AA's so necessary?

 

[ElFenix]

AWB almost never gets incandescent right. either use the incandescent setting or set a manual white point.


pretty much no compact camera does well in low light. there just isn't enough signal in low light, and it doesn't help any that the lenses aren't particularly fast.

the requirement for AAs isn't helping. about the only thing that could possibly take good low light pics, fit in your price range, and take AAs is a used k100d. of course, then there's no LCD compose, but in tough light it'll kill the SX10IS and pretty much any other compact you can think of, especially with some decently quick glass (such as the SMC Pentax-F 50 f/1.7)


if you can find a canon A630 it might fill most of your requirements, but no idea on the noise issue. its sensor is about 60% the density of the SX10 but it's also several years old now so hasn't benefited from improvements in sensor and post processing design.

 

[tcsenter]

I pulled the trigger on Canon SX10 IS today, going to pick it up from Best Buy later.

I figured that I could extract a little better ISO performance between ISO 200 and 400 by shooting in 5MP ~ 6MP mode, if necessary. I am accustomed to a 3.2MP camera and probably will rarely use (or need) the full 10MP, at least not until I'm ready to step-up to a real DSLR.

Thanks for the discussion. Can't wait to get it and start experimenting. Woot!

 

[tcsenter]

Very first impressions...

Its big, ever-so-slightly smaller than an average SLR. And with the 4 x AA batts, its heavy. It seems huge to me after using the Power Shot A Series for so long. It might be too big for toting around casually, will have to try it in such scenarios before making a decision. I'm not a pocket camera person, I use a small gear bag, which I will have to upgrade because this puppy isn't going to fit.