help on camera purchase

[mary3412]

Hi there, I had an old 5mega pixel Kodak early digital camera it just quit one day after taking some really beautiful photos for 5 years. So I got a new 12 mega pixel kodak thinking it would be even better. It is not...I do not get the same quality photos. So I got a new SONY cyber-shot dsc-h2/h5. I just love the outdoor photos but find the indoor ones awful...flash washes out and makes things orange. It is also very big to lug around. Now I am reading up on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 it sounds like just what I need for an up coming trip, small, great photos inside and out, point and shoot, smart adjustments that do the setting for you. Now my questions are, is it better than the 12 mega pixel kodak? Will take better photos indoors than my sony? Is it the best point and shoot out there?? Will I need a sdch class 10 for this ?? Thanks for any help you can give me. Mary3412

 

[twistedlogic]

So you had a Kodak 5mp - quit working
Got new Kodak 12mp - not the same quality photos (why?)
Got new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 or a DSC-H5 (which one?)
- too big to carry
- flash overexposed and makes everything orange

Looking at Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20.

So you currently have the Cyber-shot and the Kodak 12mp (model #?) and want to buy another camera?

 

[fralexandr]

point and shoots can get pretty expensive ~$500, and price is a pretty good indication of quality, so the Panasonic Lumix FH-20 won't be the best point and shoot out there.
that said, the Panasonic Lumix FH-20 is a nice point and shoot for the price. it has a pretty good lens, and one of my classmates took some pretty good pictures with it (had that exact model of camera) of moss specimens (some viewed through microscopes) in the lab as well as on field trips.

nowadays, megapixels do not make a good camera (before it did when cameras were <5mp). having a good image processor, good lens, and good sensor are way more important, which i'm guessing the new cheap kodak lacks.

as for low light performance i'm not sure the lumix fh20 will be enough if the sony wasn't satisfying.
you might have to spend about $200 to get a lumix zs(3-7) (portable), or more for the canon sx30 (slr like point and shoot; i'm not sure low light is any better than the sony and its not portable), or go for a tripod or dslr w/fast lens to get adequate indoor/low light performance depending on your low light expectations.

edit:
do you mean this?
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonyh2/
i doubt any compact point and shoot superzoom will offer results better low light than that...
if you don't need a superzoom, go with lower optical zoom panasonic zs series (they have faster lenses) or their nikon/canon/etc counterparts
you're going to have to get a DSLR with a fast lens, or just get a tripod if you want significant differences though......
or this?
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Sony/sony_dschx5.asp

also if you want a camera that just happens to also be a smartphone
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4126/nokia-n8-review-
the nokia n8 seems like its a pretty kickass camera
http://thehandheldblog.com/2010/10/04/shootout-nokia-n8-v-canon-550d-dslr/
it apparently can compete w/ dslr's with kit lenses

 

[finbarqs]

if you have 1200 bucks to chug around, get the fuji x100

 

[mary3412]

thanks for the information...got the lumix and was disappointed...the photos look grainy...the lighting looks washed out. I am going to look for the next model up and hope that helps. thanks again Mary3412

 

[finbarqs]

lighting is almost never controlled by the camera itself, but mainly the actual lighting conditions. Grainy photos mainly means you don't have enough light, the camera is "automatically" selecting the prefered ISO.

The only thing that should be different would be the presets of the camera, in this case, Lumix (Panasonic) has it's own type of presets, compared to the Kodak, which also has it's own type of presets.

Wait for a Fuji, and turn the preset to "Velvia" and you're gonna get a helluva kick!

 

[ArizonaSteve]

Seriously, for that much money I'd be looking at a digital SLR.