Ok Guys....LX3 or Canon G10: BTW, the LX3 goes from $399 to $419 every 1/2 hour or so, what's up with that?
287141
I don't think the T300 is in the same class as the G10 and LX3, in terms of features and image quality. I'm a Canon guy and I really wanted to get the G10. But it was a marginal improvement over the G9. And the low light performance is still lacking. I tend to shoot a lot of indoor and night time pics, so the LX3 was a better choice for me. But if you're more of an outdoor daylight shooter, the G10 blows the LX3 away. And I have to say that Canon has a better menu system and user interface. The Panasonic UI takes some getting used to. I would highly recommend browsing through Flickr to get an idea of the image quality that comes from each of the cameras. It should help you decide on the best camera for your needs. And Amazon uses automated scripts to adjust pricing. If a Marketplace reseller offers it for a lower/higher price, the Amazon price will drop/increase by X dollars. So if you're looking for the best price from Amazon, it helps to be a little obsessive and check every half hour or so. :-)
2244672
The white balance issue may be partially resolved with the new Einstein heads from Alien Bees. The marketing blurb shows the range of the Einstein to be greater (9 f-stops!) than competing brands, including Profoto, but also includes a color shift graph that shows the Einstein does pretty well against the super high priced brands. All this for basically the cost of a (Canon) 580II (just under $500).I also want somewhat light weight heads, as I plan on shooting some photos with the (main) light on a boom.I'm still shopping for my first studio stuff, but Alien Bees definitely caught my attention.Check it out. The white balance issue may be partially resolved with the new Einstein heads from Alien Bees. The marketing blurb shows the range of the Einstein to be greater (9 f-stops!) than competing brands, including Profoto, but also includes a color shift graph that shows the Einstein does pretty well against the super high priced brands. All this for basically the cost of a (Canon) 580II (just under $500).I also want somewhat light weight heads, as I plan on shooting some photos with the (main) light on a boom.I'm still shopping for my first studio stuff, but... » Read More The white balance issue may be partially resolved with the new Einstein heads from Alien Bees. The marketing blurb shows the range of the Einstein to be greater (9 f-stops!) than competing brands, including Profoto, but also includes a color shift graph that shows the Einstein does pretty well against the super high priced brands. All this for basically the cost of a (Canon) 580II (just under $500).I also want somewhat light weight heads, as I plan on shooting some photos with the (main) light on a boom.I'm still shopping for my first studio stuff, but Alien Bees definitely caught my attention.Check it out. « Show Less
440162
I agree completely. We have a G-9 and LX-2. I love the interface of the Canon but the images of the Leicasonic are often a little cleaner. The G-10 is not as good as the G-9 IMHO and the LX-3 is a smarter upgrade (they tried for improved images, not pixel count). The paid reviewers generally agree that the LX-3 is better, but things could change in the next iteration. Someone (Steve's?) said that they'd wished Canon had used a sensor like Panasonic did. That would be close to an ideal pocket camera for me.
2234811
Yeah the biggest complaint for the SX200IS was the automatic flash every time. I'm gonna wait to see if that has been fixed in the SX210IS before I go ahead an order. Looks like a great improvement in every other area!I'm glad I held out on getting my super-zoom point and shoot! Within the last few weeks Nikon, Fujifilm, Canon, and Panasonic all announced their Spring 2010 models. There are some real good options out there!
360551
I ordered the silver version with a "1-2 month wait" on 11/3 and it's scheduled to arrive today. Original estimated delivery was as late as Jan 5. It was $399.99 and I would have liked the black, but couldn't justify the price difference. I love how, for example, canon G9s are selling for way over retail and G10s are bouncing around $460. So order the silver LX3k from amazon, as they seem to have just gotten some in.
440164
I had no trouble making the choice for the LX3. The only real advantage of the G10 is the zoom range, and even though my previous camera was a Panasonic DMC-TZ5, with a fantastic 10x zoom, I never used it. The f/2.0 lens and the dynamic black and white mode sold me. Now that I have it I absolutely love my LX3.
305171
The new G11 is an improvement over the G10. But I don't think it's on the same level as the LX3, mainly because of the lens. I think the upcoming Canon S90 is a direct competitor to the LX3. It has a small and compact form factor like the LX3. And it has a fast f/2 lens like the LX3. However, it doesn't have a hot shoe. And it doesn't shoot HD video. And no viewfinder either. I've had the LX3 since the beginning of the year. And I plan on selling it after the S90 comes out. The LX3 shoots fantastic low light pictures. But daylight pictures are average. I think Canon has the better image processor overall. Also, the auto focus on the LX3 seems slow to me. My other gripe is that menu system isn't intuitive on the LX3. Canon cameras are extremely easy to use and changing the settings is a breeze. I love the exposure and ISO dials on the G10 and G11. It's a much better/easier camera to operate. But the size is a little too big for me, as a daily carry-around camera. And it still has a somewhat slower lens. I just think it's odd that Canon gave the S90 a fast lens, but not the G11. Maybe they'll get it right on the G12?
141042
I too have my heart set on the d300. I would have purchased it already if I had not also heard the rumors of the price drop with the release of the d300s. I hear it could go as low as $1200! I'm going to wait it out a couple more weeks but I don't think I can hold out any longer than that!
1839762
I purchased LX-3 back in March 2009 and paid less than current price. I was sold on abundant glorious reviews. I take lots of macro shots with manual control. I was expecting superior performance to my old Canon G6. To my surprise, Canon G6's image was superior to LX3. I sold LX3 on eBay with BIN and my loss was minimal because I sold LX3 when all online dealers didn't have the LX3 in stock.I am eagerly waiting for G11, sure it is bigger than LX3, but G series cameras feel solid and secure. Also LX3's annoying lens cab is a shortcoming.
1134714
Have you made a decision? I'm in the same boat. Got a bunch of Sony DVs but the camera is huge. Time to move to HD. I like the Canon HF M40 because its got alot of the same optics as the G10 at half the price. The Pan has a much better range on the wide end, so I'm torn. Not sure if the Pan features are as good as the Canon otherwise.
2172668
Sad. Now that the T2i can be purchased at the same price, I'm afraid Nikon will lose out to Canon. I'd prefer the Nikon if the price was better, but at the same price, I think I'm leaning toward the T2i. I will wait a few days to make the purchase, but if it was today, I'd have to buy Canon.
1463513
I can't tell you why exactly, but it seems that it has something to do with the fact that its being phased out. For example, I don't think Amazon carries it anymore. In Sept. 2007, just when the G9 was coming out, Amazon was selling the G7 for about $479. But its original list price (650?)was much higher than the original list price of the G9 (499). As T. Rose said, you'll see that some marketplace sellers are offering it for around $460 (if you buy from them, you just need to be certain that they are "authorized canon dealers" for warranty purposes), but I think some "featured sellers" throw out a ridiculous price trying to appeal psychologically to the idea that the item is being phased out, now rare, and thus worth more. By the way, if you're in the market, I would still go for the G9 even if you find a G7 for cheaper price. I did a lot of comparative review reading and ended up getting the G9 and I have been very pleased with it. Check out the 1st review on the G9 page (by RonAnnArbor) for an informative comparison of the two.
2075390
@ Ronnie Dale Frost: What do I think? I've already pre-ordered one! Yes, $5,200 is a bit steep, but I will sell my current D3 body (mint condition, should fetch $3,200 - $3,700) and use those proceeds to offset the purchase price. I want and need the extra 1-2 stops this new extended ISO range will provide. Regarding the 720P-only video, while the omission of 1080P seems both inexplicable and ridiculously short-sighted (given what is readily available elsewhere, and for far less money), it's not a dealbreaker for me--and that comment is all the more interesting when you factor in that I am an independent filmmaker. Nope, for filmmaking, I want a REAL video camera/camcorder, designed for filmmaking from top to bottom. The Canon 5D Mark II, for example--and despite that whole very impressive Laforet short--is NOT a camera I would even consider using for indie filmmaking.
391683
Thanks for the opinion on the LX3, I think I'll wait for one of the these new Canons. Agree with your point on megapixels too, it's seems like 12mp is probably overkill for these small image sensors, so I expect I'll probably crank mine down to 10 or 8 to see if I get less noise. Digic 4 sounds pretty cool too, hopefully that will help.
305388
Thanks for your review and great job on the research. I need your opinion on something. Although, the current price of the XT and and XTi is less than $200.00. difference, the List price is the XTI is twice as much as the XI. I kind of agree that the XTi isn't really much of an upgrade over the XTi and some of the superior features of the XIT I'm not really to concern about except the 8MP and 10MP. I'm not a proffesional or anything like nor I plan to do large prints, but should I pay those extra bucks just for 10MP? Please help anyone.
2172665
It really stinks - I was waiting for Black Friday to purchase and it's gone UP in price. I'm going to rethink this - maybe the D3000 which is here for $100 off. I was so ready to buy!
391684
I don't hate my Panasonic LX3, but if this new Canon SX200 had a faster lens, I would ditch the LX3 in a heartbeat and get the SX200. I guess I'll just wait until the reviews and photo samples come out.