Bob Buchanan
Well-known member
Have been considering a walk around that would give me better images than my Samsung Charge smartphone. The phone is OK under ideal conditions and though some adjustments can be made - I find I am losing some good stuff because I don't carry my Canon 50D with me all the time.
I wanted a compact vs. a bridge that would allow me to tuck it into my fanny pack or it's own belt carried case - or my pocket. Image quality was high on my list -- actually, at the top of my list. Wasn't sure what I could get in telephoto or low light ability. But I did want the lens to disappear into the camera when stowed.
By the time I got to QZ I had narrowed it down a bit - then while at QZ I was down to the Canon S100 and their SX260. Tough trade off there. The S100 has a 2.0 lens, whereas the SX260 has a 20x zoom. And then decided the zoom was more important, "if" it was a good zoom lens. Low light or portraits didn't seem as important for this camera vs. my Canon 50D DSLR. However, the SX260 does have Canon's HS technology for low light enhancement - but not a factor either way with me. Both have Canon's Digic5 processors which supposedly are 6 times faster than the Digic4 with 75% less noise. The S100 has a raw file, whereas the SX260 only has a "fine" jpeg. So far that has not been a problem. Also, my first DSLR had 2.5mp whereas this camera has 12.1 - so that is more than enough for me. As a long time film photographer, I learned to fill the VF with what I ultimately want - and would never print larger than a 16x20.
I since found that by going to other modes such as shutter and aperture priority and by adjusting either, I can easily get the f-stop to a higher number or stop action over the Auto mode just as I do with my 50D.
Reviews are OK, but before I purchase, I want to shoot images myself. HERE are a few test shots I have placed on my Flickr portfolio. Three test the zoom and one is a point and shoot in Auto mode at about 25mm taken in Laughlin. Click each thumbnail, or click the Slideshow button to enlarge -- plus, click F11 for full screen.
Am close to keeping this puppy -- and am amazed at the zoom they built into this camera that fits in the palm of my hand. The images are not what I can get with my DSLR, but for what I want when out and about, am very pleased.
I wanted a compact vs. a bridge that would allow me to tuck it into my fanny pack or it's own belt carried case - or my pocket. Image quality was high on my list -- actually, at the top of my list. Wasn't sure what I could get in telephoto or low light ability. But I did want the lens to disappear into the camera when stowed.
By the time I got to QZ I had narrowed it down a bit - then while at QZ I was down to the Canon S100 and their SX260. Tough trade off there. The S100 has a 2.0 lens, whereas the SX260 has a 20x zoom. And then decided the zoom was more important, "if" it was a good zoom lens. Low light or portraits didn't seem as important for this camera vs. my Canon 50D DSLR. However, the SX260 does have Canon's HS technology for low light enhancement - but not a factor either way with me. Both have Canon's Digic5 processors which supposedly are 6 times faster than the Digic4 with 75% less noise. The S100 has a raw file, whereas the SX260 only has a "fine" jpeg. So far that has not been a problem. Also, my first DSLR had 2.5mp whereas this camera has 12.1 - so that is more than enough for me. As a long time film photographer, I learned to fill the VF with what I ultimately want - and would never print larger than a 16x20.
I since found that by going to other modes such as shutter and aperture priority and by adjusting either, I can easily get the f-stop to a higher number or stop action over the Auto mode just as I do with my 50D.
Reviews are OK, but before I purchase, I want to shoot images myself. HERE are a few test shots I have placed on my Flickr portfolio. Three test the zoom and one is a point and shoot in Auto mode at about 25mm taken in Laughlin. Click each thumbnail, or click the Slideshow button to enlarge -- plus, click F11 for full screen.
Am close to keeping this puppy -- and am amazed at the zoom they built into this camera that fits in the palm of my hand. The images are not what I can get with my DSLR, but for what I want when out and about, am very pleased.