Sony Cybershot DSC-H7 vs. CANON S5IS I am looking for a camera specifically for my kids sports outing, school plays, vacations, ebay shots and candid moments. I have been looking at the Sony H7 and Canon S5 since I wanted something more than a regular point and shoot w/o getting into the SLR. I am looking for a simple camera that will take crisp, clear photos. I have been doing lots of research on both and was struck by both because of the optical zoom capability and because the two cameras fall w/in the $300 price range. Any suggestions from those who have researched or own any of these cameras? Sony Cybershot DSC-H7 vs. CANON S5IS I am looking for a camera specifically for my kids sports outing, school plays, vacations, ebay shots and candid moments. I have been looking at the Sony H7... » Read More Sony Cybershot DSC-H7 vs. CANON S5IS I am looking for a camera specifically for my kids sports outing, school plays, vacations, ebay shots and candid moments. I have been looking at the Sony H7 and Canon S5 since I wanted something more than a regular point and shoot w/o getting into the SLR. I am looking for a simple camera that will take crisp, clear photos. I have been doing lots of research on both and was struck by both because of the optical zoom capability and because the two cameras fall w/in the $300 price range. Any suggestions from those who have researched or own any of these cameras? « Show Less
490817
I bit the bullet and went with the Sony. Mainly because Circuit City was offering it for $329. Also because it had a better fps and ISO capabilities, if I remember correctly. The 4 gigs of memory set me back $59 though and the case was another $20, so that put me at $415 after tax. I must say that this thing takes awesome pics. I got it mainly for my kids sports. The 2.2 fps and sports mode are nice. The image stabilization seems to do a good job to on other pics. I have not used the remote control yet, but plan on usnig it to try and get some close ups of birds or squirrels, etc on a day when I have nothing else to do. I bit the bullet and went with the Sony. Mainly because Circuit City was offering it for $329. Also because it had a better fps and ISO capabilities, if I remember correctly. The 4 gigs of memory set me back $59 though and the case was another $20, so that put me at $415 after tax. I must say that this thing takes awesome pics. I got it mainly for my kids sports. The 2.2 fps and sports mode are nice. The image stabilization seems to do a good job to on other pics. I have not used the remote control yet, but plan on usnig it to try and get some close ups of birds or squirrels, etc on a day... » Read More I bit the bullet and went with the Sony. Mainly because Circuit City was offering it for $329. Also because it had a better fps and ISO capabilities, if I remember correctly. The 4 gigs of memory set me back $59 though and the case was another $20, so that put me at $415 after tax. I must say that this thing takes awesome pics. I got it mainly for my kids sports. The 2.2 fps and sports mode are nice. The image stabilization seems to do a good job to on other pics. I have not used the remote control yet, but plan on usnig it to try and get some close ups of birds or squirrels, etc on a day when I have nothing else to do. « Show Less
490818
I am also looking at these two cameras. My needs are a good low light performance as well as action sport shots. I had purchased the Panasonic FZ8 but have returned it because the inside low light pictures were very noisy and grainy. It took great outside pictures and was responsibly fast. I'm currently wanting to try the Sony but don't like the idea of having to buy a memory stick for it, I have a few sd cards that the Canon takes.
490819
When you say "cheaper" re: the Canon, do you mean price? quality? Yes I do agree with you re: the battery pack. In addition to the expense of the battery pack, I understand I would also need to purchase a media stick (the one included would not be sufficient) plus the USB connector is flimsy. Pls advise if what I wrote is accurate and reply to what you meant by "cheaper". Thanks.
490820
I am in the same boat as you. My camera needs are the same as yours and I have been researching these two cameras as well as the Panasonic DMC-FZ8. Right now I am leaning towards the Panasonic. The Panasonic requires a battery pack instead of AA batteries but Amazon offers the battery packs for $15 - $20. In addition the Panasonic is about $50 cheaper than the Sony and the Canon. My old Olympus has problems with severe shutter lag and poor quality pics on indoor & low light situations.
490821
I've also done alot of research on these two cameras. I have not purchased either one because I'm still deciding. I personally have seen some BEAUTIFUL "kid" pictures with a Sony camera. The only drawback I see with that camera is the expensive battery pack (plus you need an extra back-up) and some poeple have difficulty using the connecting software. The Canon camera looks cheaper in the stores. When you decide...let me know!
490822
I also purchased the FZ8 and returned it because of the noise (grainy photos). I went ahead and got the Sony DSC-H7 and like it much better. My only wish is that it would shoot in the RAW format (the FZ8 did!). Overall, we like the flash better, the speed better, the grip and position of the buttons and the H7 camera overall.
1570383
Hi C.If mychildren were active types, I would probably lean toward the Canon 7 D, with its higher fps. But if my kids were more of the school-play type, I would get the 6D with its better low light performance. Hope my reply is of help. :-)
117328
I found this http://www.e-fotografija.si/templates/?a=1044&z;=94 today that shows pics of 2 new sony cybershot cameras. T70 and T200. If I read correctly they both will have touch screens for most adjustments. I can't wait til it comes out.
1223646
Is the EVF viewer large enough to view comfortably? I was comparing the S3 to the Sony H2 and the EVF on the Sony seems smaller compared to the S3. Can't find a FZ7 in town to physically look at, but it sounds like a great camera for the price. Any info you can give would be greatly appreciated.
1370343
Sam,We had a Sony for a few months then the kid lost it. We've had a Canon for two years, and during that time it went back to Canon twice for warranty service, for the same problem. When I wanted to upgrade, I bought a Sony DSC-N2. From the looks of things, it will even be almost as versatile as my 35mm Exakta SLR film camera. If you really want a slim camera, there are even slimmer Sony's than the DSC-N2, such as the DSC T10, that are comparable with the Canon for pixels.
1036668
I'd like to suggest the sx40 because it's fabulous. However, it is larger than the sx230 and won't fit in the pocket. The smaller you get the less perfection a camera has, whereas it can't possibly please every need. But canon has done decent job trying to fit in a fast camera with 7FPS [really cool, but a smaller file size]. I find it hard without a viewfinder to shoot birds in flight other than off a limb. This camera is small, so without high shutter speeds fast moving animals can be blurred. You really have to have a good technigue on small cameras. The sx230 is a little faster than the rest of the pack.
1884402
I replaced my Canon 60d and smaller Sony A55 with an Olympus E-P3. I've owned several intro/mid-level dSLRs, and I would say the E-P3 was my favorite camera of all time. My pictures were amazing, it was fast, and best of all was that it was truly portable - perfect for my hiking trips. Were you mainly using the camera in auto mode? I always used it in manual, so can't really tell you how good or bad the camera did in 'A' mode - but in manual mode it was nearly perfect. The lenses you use may also play a role. My favorite lens of all time had been (maybe still is) the Canon 24-70mm lens, and I thought I would never find something that worked just as well, but I came across the Panasonic 14-140mm lens, which is super amazing, and became my favorite and main lens for the E-P3. The lack of viewfinder was never an issue for me, since I used the VF-2 view finder by Olympus. Sure, I was never happy using the E-P3 without the viewfinder, so I kept it on most of the time. I did sell the E-P3 on Ebay soon after the OM-D was announced. I figured that if the E-P3 had become my favorite camera of all time, getting the OM-D would be a no brainer since the specs are better than the E-P3 and it included a built in viewfinder. I have used an NEX-5 (first gen) in the past, and I must say I hated that camera due to how hard it made to shoot in 'M' mode; however, Sony released the NEX-7, a nearly perfect camera targeted towards potential dSLR owners. Deciding between the NEX-7 and the OM-D is a challenge, and they each have their pluses and negatives; however, those looking to replace a dSLR for some trips, shouldn't consider anything other than the OM-D(m4/3) or NEX-7(e-mount) for the time being; although, I bet Panasonic has something in the works to compete with Sony and Olympus.
38159
I've owned three Sony Cyber Shot ultra-compact digital cameras and have had excellent luck, a T1, T7 and currently a T200. Sorry, you are having bad luck with the T2, I will make note. I ended up going with a T20 and an add on 4GB memory card as an Xmas present for my girlfriend, which ended up being about a $100 cheaper in the end, and the cameras have very similar internal specifications.
1419976
Thank you for the advice. I played with the ISO, MP and color settings a little bit today and got some pictures that came out a little better. Sadly, I am comparing the pictures to my 8 year old Canon S50 and the S50 takes better pictures. Indoor flash pictures are particularly disappointing. It is hard for me to accept this. The reason I want to upgrade the S50 is for the smaller size, wider angle, zoom and HD video. I expect the pictures to be at least as good if not better after so many years.The S95 is a great suggestion. I may look into a Panasonic too. Now back to the search for the S50 successor. Thank you for the advice. I played with the ISO, MP and color settings a little bit today and got some pictures that came out a little better. Sadly, I am comparing the pictures to my 8 year old Canon S50 and the S50 takes better pictures. Indoor flash pictures are particularly disappointing. It is hard for me to accept this. The reason I want to upgrade the S50 is for the smaller size, wider angle, zoom and HD video. I expect the pictures to be at least as good if not better after so many years.The S95 is a great suggestion. I may look into a Panasonic too. Now back to the... » Read More Thank you for the advice. I played with the ISO, MP and color settings a little bit today and got some pictures that came out a little better. Sadly, I am comparing the pictures to my 8 year old Canon S50 and the S50 takes better pictures. Indoor flash pictures are particularly disappointing. It is hard for me to accept this. The reason I want to upgrade the S50 is for the smaller size, wider angle, zoom and HD video. I expect the pictures to be at least as good if not better after so many years.The S95 is a great suggestion. I may look into a Panasonic too. Now back to the search for the S50 successor. « Show Less
876663
Brad - I don't think you can go wrong with either camera. Add to for your consideration the Sony HX5 - it's on a par with these two.I looked long and hard at all 3 of these, researching specs and comments, as well as trying them out in camera stores, etc. I finally chose the S8100, although only coming out in September the amount of reviews is sparse - but even compared to the S8000 earlier model the improved S8100 proves to be a great camera. One thing I really like is the heft and feel of the camera, as well as the professional and high quality look and detail of the camera. It's a joy to take photos with this camera. The photos from it are stunning. Brad - I don't think you can go wrong with either camera. Add to for your consideration the Sony HX5 - it's on a par with these two.I looked long and hard at all 3 of these, researching specs and comments, as well as trying them out in camera stores, etc. I finally chose the S8100, although only coming out in September the amount of reviews is sparse - but even compared to the S8000 earlier model the improved S8100 proves to be a great camera. One thing I really like is the heft and feel of the camera, as well as the professional and high quality look and detail of the camera.... » Read More Brad - I don't think you can go wrong with either camera. Add to for your consideration the Sony HX5 - it's on a par with these two.I looked long and hard at all 3 of these, researching specs and comments, as well as trying them out in camera stores, etc. I finally chose the S8100, although only coming out in September the amount of reviews is sparse - but even compared to the S8000 earlier model the improved S8100 proves to be a great camera. One thing I really like is the heft and feel of the camera, as well as the professional and high quality look and detail of the camera. It's a joy to take photos with this camera. The photos from it are stunning. « Show Less
458561
Why do you say " that the SX10IS will be better for photos" when this is the bottom line of the review you link: Canon's PowerShot SX1 IS has justifiably become one of the most talked-about super-zoom cameras on the market today. It takes the already capable PowerShot SX10 IS with its powerful 20x zoom and articulated screen, but swaps the sensor for a CMOS version which can deliver both HD video recording and fast continuous shooting. As such, the SX1 IS becomes the latest and arguably one of the best hybrid cameras to date, delivering 10 Megapixel stills at up to 4fps with a decent degree of manual control, along with Full HD video in the 1080p format. The SX1 IS is more than just the SX10 IS with HD and fast continuous shooting though. Canon's also fitted an HDMI port to deliver quality output to an HDTV, supplied an infra red remote control to make those HD slideshows even more convenient, and swapped both the viewfinder and screen for wider 16:9 shaped models to better-suit the HD video mode. There's also a digital teleconverter option which can double the reach of the lens without any loss of quality when filming video. The lens motor is also the improved silent mechanism used on higher end cameras and comes with RAW without need to update firmware (my additional comments...the only downside I see is the lower resolution viewfinder but I rarely use viewfinders any more anyway).
222440
my Kodak Z812S...and even my old Kodak DX7630 take better pictures than the Fuji S1800. My first digital was a Fuji with 3.2 mp and it was a honey! Since then, two more Kodaks (as mentioned previously) one Sony (which is purse-sized and the pix are okay...it's just so I always have a camera on me) and the Fuji S1800. I have about 120 out of 200 or so that are great pictures from Hawaii; and maybe 80 - 100 more from various events and locations. My Eastern Europe shots were not what I hoped for, but editing helped a lot. I'm online now to order the Z981 and will probably post my opinion of the results. With all that said...I'd suggest you go with the Kodak.
1942888
We recently got the EOS Rebel T5i and are very happy with it. Even though this set comes with 4 lenses, we really only use two ... telephoto and the one for portraits. For kids in sports, this is a great camera - up shutter speed and put it on the burst setting and you can get great quality still photos of action shots along with the set of them hitting the ball or catching the pass. We've used it for golfing and have some great series of pictures for driving the ball and sinking the putt!
1359619
I purchased the Sony HDR-CX240L for less than $200 with case, extra battery, sd card and stand from Amazon. We use it for our kids sports and the HD is great. I think it was a great deal.
1817747
Sorry, this post was really old! But in case you tracked it, how do you like the S200exr? I have the HS10 but am wondering if the latter would have been a better choice for sharper pictures.
617514
Thanks Technology Guy...I have one more question since you guys know what you are talking about. I was just reading a lot of great reviews about the Canon PowerShot S90, it sells for the same price of the new Sony so price wouldn't be an issue. I'm just wondering from the Sony HX5V or the Canon PowerShot which one will be a better buy.
703859
my Kodak Z812S...and even my old Kodak DX7630 take better pictures than the Fuji S1800. My first digital was a Fuji with 3.2 mp and it was a honey! Since then, two more Kodaks (as mentioned previously) one Sony (which is purse-sized and the pix are okay...it's just so I always have a camera on me) and the Fuji S1800. I have about 120 out of 200 or so that are great pictures from Hawaii; and maybe 80 - 100 more from various events and locations. My Eastern Europe shots were not what I hoped for, but editing helped a lot.I'm online now to order the Z981 and will probably post my opinion of the results.With all that said...I'd suggest you go with the Kodak. my Kodak Z812S...and even my old Kodak DX7630 take better pictures than the Fuji S1800. My first digital was a Fuji with 3.2 mp and it was a honey! Since then, two more Kodaks (as mentioned previously) one Sony (which is purse-sized and the pix are okay...it's just so I always have a camera on me) and the Fuji S1800. I have about 120 out of 200 or so that are great pictures from Hawaii; and maybe 80 - 100 more from various events and locations. My Eastern Europe shots were not what I hoped for, but editing helped a lot.I'm online now to order the Z981 and will probably post my opinion... » Read More my Kodak Z812S...and even my old Kodak DX7630 take better pictures than the Fuji S1800. My first digital was a Fuji with 3.2 mp and it was a honey! Since then, two more Kodaks (as mentioned previously) one Sony (which is purse-sized and the pix are okay...it's just so I always have a camera on me) and the Fuji S1800. I have about 120 out of 200 or so that are great pictures from Hawaii; and maybe 80 - 100 more from various events and locations. My Eastern Europe shots were not what I hoped for, but editing helped a lot.I'm online now to order the Z981 and will probably post my opinion of the results.With all that said...I'd suggest you go with the Kodak. « Show Less