September 05, 2007

Digital Cameras Fall 2007

Admittedly I only got my last camera, the ixus i zoom not that long ago. But recently, I've been feeling the need for a change. I am tired of the limits of my camera. The quality of the pictures are never good enough and it never captures the moment. They boosted up the pixels, but the minimal functions of the camera does not complement the upgrade. And so, I've been back on the market for a new camera lately. After a market-wide scan on the Panasonic Lumix, Casio Exilm etc., I've finally narrowed it down to two brands: Canon and Sony.

Canon because after much asking around and photo comparison with my friends many different cameras, we concluded that ultimately the quality of Canon pictures were the best, both in and outdoors. From there I narrowed it down to the two newest models: Ixus 860 and Ixus 960. The Ixus 860 is really not bad, with 8 megapixels, 3.8x wide angle optical zoom, a huge 3" screen, wide angle option and all the standard antishock things. It even has a battery usage bar now, that tells you the battery status ahead unlike the previous models, which only tells you when you're running out. The only thing is, holding it in my hands, it feel huge, especially compared to the ones out there (and my previous camera, which is smaller than my phone).

Plus, besides the wide angle, the rest doesn't seem to compare with the Ixus 960, with 12 megapixels (I KNOW the more megapixels doesn't mean its better, but still...), 3.7x optical zoom, 2.5" screen, touch control D tech (whatever that means) and a titanium cover. Unfortunately, even though it has been announced, no one has seen it in reality yet and cannot testify to the size. If this one was slimmer and smaller than the Ixus 860 (like the Ixus 95, which I really really hope it is-though I've heard rumors to the contrary) then this will be my winner. I'm hoping it would come out before I leave for the States. If not however, we've got a problem...

...and I might have to switch to the Sony Cyber Shot T-200, also new this month and is not available in stores yet. Because function, design and size-wise, the Sony T-200 is clearly superior to the Canons. Not only does it look this pretty and is tiny, but it also has a 8.1 mega pixels, 5x optical zoom, a HUGE 3.5" touch screen and all the usual double anti shock things. PLUS, it has this cool new smile shutter feature, which detects everyone in the picture smiling and automatically takes the picture without clicking. Not exactly a very essential or practical function, but how cool is that? The only downside is that Sony cameras have a special Sony memory card to go with it, so I can't stick it into my laptop slot directly. The colors are also unnaturally richer/redder, though the salesperson claims that it was the "true" color. Indoor/dark photos also occasionally show up not sharp enough, though the outdoor photos are gorgeous! There is also the concern for the touch screen technology- if it falters then I am in big trouble...a digital camera IS a long term investment after all (it needs to last at LEAST 2 years). In addition, because it is touch screen and its huge, it probably consumes battery a lot faster. Oh and lastly the Sony is more expensive than the Canons (naturally).

Wow I've written a whole essay about this topic (if only they were so easy to write!). I am probably leaving a lot of important points out, but I'm obviously no expert on digital cameras. I'm going back later in a few weeks to check out the T200 and Ixus 960 in real (hopefully they will be there), and I am determined to finally get one. Which one would you go for?

Image Source: Sony and Shiny Shiny

31 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Me personally would recommend to not buy a Sony Cam. Although they might look cool and all, I find Sony's cams a bit weak and would stick to Canon or better, Olympus instead. I don't like my Sony because the colors are weak and I have troubles shooting in the dark which annoys me because I hate flash. Also, a richer/redder tone is not flattering, especially to the people you might shoot. I've seen pre-photoshopped pictures made by an Olympus cam and they look so many times better than mine do!

9/05/2007 11:53 PM  
Blogger Bojana said...

Ooooh, loving the new header!

9/06/2007 12:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i have a sony and i love it! i deffinately recommend them, although its true that its a pain with the memory cards, i just got myself a card reader which wasnt very expensive and plug it in my computer usb.
also i love the new header, its totally grown on me, i really like the light that sort of cuts accross one of the models. good work!
zoe

9/06/2007 12:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have a cybershot dsc-T50 and I looove it, I would highly recomentd it, it´s so beautiful, fun and easy to use, not to mention the great resolution of the pics, I bought a memory stick adapter for my laptop which are really cheap so you don´t need to use the cables to transfer your pics, besides now it´s so cheap because of the launch of the t-100 and t200, I would just highly recomend you to by some kind of protection for the touchscreen if you dont wan´t your fingerprints for future evidence all over it

9/06/2007 1:10 AM  
Blogger Tammie said...

Go with Canon! I highly recommend the brand! I have a number of Canon cameras, including a Digital Rebel XT. We recently bought the PowerShot SD900 Digital Elph (10 megapixels) for my husband. It takes great pictures! The color is excellent, and the body (titanium) feels very sturdy. My sister has a thinner Canon (not sure of the model), but the picture quality is also excellent.

I definitely think that Canon is a much better choice over Sony with their proprietary memory format, etc. Canon makes excellent cameras.

9/06/2007 1:19 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i have a canon and i'm quite happy with my selection. I've had it for almost three years now and i'm glad i took my time researching. Anyway the color of the pitures can also be influenced by where you print them. For my graduation i printed the photos twice, once in a kodak machine and the other in some of other brand that i can't recall and the color came out completely different from one another. In one set the color looked richer and in the other one a bit more dull (for both evening and daytime pics).

9/06/2007 1:30 AM  
Blogger Peargood said...

i'd recommend Nikon and Canon. since Nikon ain't in your list, i'll vote for Canon.

Colour on Sony cams looks a little too fake at times.

and oh, Canon has this Colour Accent function which is really cool and fun. on top of that, users have a greater control over shutter speed and etc.

9/06/2007 2:52 AM  
Blogger admin said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

9/06/2007 5:47 AM  
Blogger admin said...

so far, both canon & sony cameras have disappointed. they've gotten messed up one way or another within months of purchase date. but at least the canon STILL takes way better photos than the sony one. nikon & Olympus are excellent brands, i hear. but i've never tried them in digital camera form... good luck with your selection! and please review it here (i'm looking to purchase a new cam myself).

9/06/2007 5:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have a Sony DSC-T100 and I'm involved in the design profession. I always get comments on how brilliant my photographs are and I'm always really happy with my personal photos, so I'd definitely reccommend a Sony.

9/06/2007 6:45 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have a Canon camera and it's amazing. The pictures it takes are really good quality (good enough for going out and stuff atleast) and the battery lasts forever! This summer I used it all day every day and the battery still lasted me a week which is nice. So I'd definitly go with a Canon, they're just better than anything else I've ever had.

9/06/2007 7:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am quite pleased with my canon sd750. The pictures come out great, and all my friends are always impressed with it. My uncle even plans on buying one too! I hear that Olympus is just as good. However, I didn't buy it because I was disappointed with its design.

9/06/2007 8:24 AM  
Blogger Butterfly Wishes LLC said...

I just bought the Sony T100 and love it! I am sure the T200 is going to be great. I'm a camera whore though, so I also have my "big digital camera" which is the Canon Rebel XT which is not a new model but its pretty good. I am thinking of buying a Lensbabies 3G to make some cool effects. Good luck in whatever you choose, either brand is GREAT! :)

9/06/2007 10:22 AM  
Blogger Carolyn said...

I have a touchscreen sony, and it doesn't kill battery. i charge it every other week, and i use my camera everyday. also with the touchscreen, sometimes i leave it loose in my purse and it is exceptionally durable- no scratched even with my keys. The smile detection of the canon is super cool though.

9/06/2007 11:48 AM  
Blogger rachel said...

i have a sony cybershot dsc w80 which i find really simple to use and it takes great shots. plus its slim and not bulky at all. i've tried canon too but for some reason i prefer sony cuz it appears simpler to use. my other camera is a nikon coolpix l11 but the pix don't turn out as well so my fave would be the sony cybershot.

9/06/2007 12:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

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9/06/2007 2:58 PM  
Blogger *Linchy* said...

Well thatś true Canon cams are really good and if it comes down to two of them then yes it would be wise to wait when the other one comes out.before that happens you really can´t decide anything.

9/06/2007 3:13 PM  
Blogger Dana said...

I have 2 cameras: one DSLR and a smaller one, that i always carry in my purse.

Because i have also a professional, the smaller one needed, well, just to be small :) and pretty of course, with decent features... So Casio Exilim was the natural choice. I am a big fan of this line, it is my third Exilim camera. My other camera though is a Canon (and i heard that Canon really shines only on DSLRs). See them here:
http://www.shopaholic.ro/2007/08/girl-needs-her-high-tech-gadgets.html

9/06/2007 3:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Definitely the CANON!

Sony's only plus is its aesthetic value, everything else, Canon reigns.

I got the T-10 because of the design and I thought the quavering photo quality wouldn't matter since I'm only an amateur. Wrong, because it does get to you to have to keep re-taking photos/have bad photos :(

My friend recently purchased the canon ixus and almost every photo came out perfect. IT's uglier, but superb quality.

9/06/2007 9:21 PM  
Blogger Priscilla I'Anson said...

always always ALWAYS go for the cannon when it comes to cameras. they are beyond comparison. and i would know--i am a photography freak. cannon all the way.

9/06/2007 10:08 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Definitely Canon. But don't limit yourself to the Ixus; it's probably my least favorite of the entire line. I've had a really good experience with the Powershot SD series; my first one was a 200, and I now have a tiny little 450 that I just adore.

9/07/2007 12:14 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I used to think canons but that was before I got the sony DSC W90. It is literally the best camera I have ever owned, and I have been through my fair share of cameras from a lot of different brands. The indoor pictures come out brilliant even without flash at night - I went to a dimly lit restaurant in nyc and the pictures came out great even without flash. I suggest sonys that have the lens that come out (like the canon) because those are the best but easier to break - the ones you have pictured suck in comparison to those with a lens. The sound on videos is also amazing - I have taken it to many concerts and the sound is very clear.

9/07/2007 4:12 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow what a CHIC phone!

9/07/2007 5:18 AM  
Blogger Flair said...

I have both a canon and a sony - and I have to admit that the canon takes much better pictures. But the sony usually looks better. I wish I could get the look of a sony but the quality of a canon.

9/07/2007 7:19 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have a sony cyber-shot and I love it, the photo quality is excellent and it's versatile and easy to use. I take hundreds of pics every week for my ebay store and the cyber-shot makes it much easier than the old HP digitals I had before.

9/07/2007 9:31 AM  
Blogger Tulz said...

I got the ixus 75 when I was in HK and although I'm still getting used to it, I really like it. I'd stay away from the touch screen one just because it would take up a LOT of battery and your screen will become pretty gross.

9/07/2007 1:22 PM  
Blogger ayl said...

I highly recommend the Canon series. I a Sony Cyber shot from the T series, as well as the Canon from the IXUS series and as a photography lover and Art student, the Canon captures much better. The pictures can even be matched up with a DSLR if you have the right composition and lighting. The Sony ones might 'look' sleeker, but in reality, they don't do the job as well. It really depends on what you're looking for.

9/09/2007 1:06 AM  
Blogger Eva. said...

I love canons, i do not suggest sonys at all.(they're horrible) but i strongly recommend olympus and so does my award-winning photographer uncle xD

9/10/2007 7:57 PM  
Blogger .:} {:. said...

I would check the most common cameras used on Flickr.com. Then you can see what quality pictures they take. ^_^

9/15/2007 8:25 PM  
Blogger ng2000 said...

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9/19/2008 4:59 AM  
Anonymous Barrie said...

In my view every person ought to look at it.
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11/05/2011 11:09 PM  

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