REIGN SS

This thread was compiled by me and DC52NV, and designed to review/recommend cameras in a wide variety of price ranges/user levels. The information has been broken down into 4 sections ($0-250 Point & Shoot, $250 - $550 Point & Shoots, $400 - $800 Digital SLRs, $800 - $1,300 Digital SLRs) and each category has a recommendation by myself(REIGN SS) and DC52NV. This is by no means a list of all the available cameras out there, especially the P&S segment which changes every few months, but more as a guide to the most popular and powerful cameras in each price range. If you have any questions or would like anything explained please feel free to ask.

For those considering a DSLR for the first time I highly suggest you take the time to learn about the settings/modes, exposure, and basic composition. It's not just about the equipment you have, it also has to do with how well you can use it.

This thread explains some things: https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/pictures-videos-64/photography-information-thread-work-progress-86560/

I also recommend this book: Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson


All prices were taken from B&H photo as of 05-01-2008 and are subject to change.

REIGN SS

$0 - $250 Point & Shoots

Fujifilm FinePix S1000fd



Price: $230
MP: 10 megapixels
ISO Range: 64 - 1600
Zoom Range: 5.9 - 70.8mm (33 - 396mm equivalent)

Pros:

• 2.7" LCD Display
• Face Detection with Auto Red-Eye Removal
• Dual Media Compatible
• xD-Picture Card (up to 2GB) & Secure Digital (SD/SDHC) Card
• 28.5'ft Flash Distance
• Compact design. Feels good holding the camera. Feels very secure.
• Powered by AA-Size Batteries

Cons:

• No RAW
• Dynamic range is a bit limited, but then it usually is with small-sensor 10MP cameras.
• Lens does produce noticeable barrel distortion at the wide-angle end
• Slow menu navigation

FujiFilm FinePix F50fd



Price: $210
MP: 12 megapixel
ISO Range: 100 - 6400
Zoom Range: 35mm - 105mm
Pros:

• 7cm Macro Focus Distance
• 20ft flash distance
• Class leading resolution
• Decent quality even at 800/1600 ISO

Cons:

• Slow low light focus
• 3 image burst mode
• Poor Image Stabilization

Nikon Coolpix P50



Price: $140
MP: 8.1 megapixel
ISO Range: 64 - 2000
Zoom Range: 28mm - 102mm
Pros:

• 22.6ft Flash Range
• Accurate metering
• Wide Angle Lens
• Low price

Cons:

• Poor High ISO quality
• Very Limited manual controls
• Below Average Battery Life
• Sluggish Performance

Canon PowerShot A720 IS
*REIGN SS $0 - $250 recommendation
*DC52NV $0 - $250 recommendation


Price: $190
MP: 8.0 megapixel
ISO Range: 80 - 1600
Zoom Range: 35mm - 210mm
Pros:

• Accurate metering in the majority of situations
• Well priced
• 10-points auto focus
• 1cm Macro focus distance
• Image Stabilization

Cons:

• Slow flash recycle times
• 11ft flash distance
• Low resolution screen

$250 - $550 Point & Shoot

Canon PowerShot S5 IS
*REIGN SS $250 - $550 Point & Shoot recommendation



Price: $310
MP: 8.0 megapixel
ISO Range: 80 - 1600
Zoom Range: 36mm - 432mm
Pros:

• 9 Point Selectable Auto-Focus
• Hotshoe for External Flash
• Face Detection Auto-Focus
• Image Stabilization, including movie mode

Cons:

• Flash Range 17ft
• Poor 800 & 1600 ISO quality
• No RAW mode

Canon PowerShot G9
*DC52NV $250 - $550 Point & Shoot recommendation



Price: $470
MP: 12.1 megapixel
ISO Range: 80 - 1600
Zoom Range: 35mm - 210mm
Pros:

• Focusing Range:
  - Normal: 1.6 ft./50cm-infinity
  - Macro: 0.39 in.-1.6 ft./1-50cm (WIDE)
• Hotshoe for External Flash
• DIGIC III and iSAPS for lightning fast response, superb image quality and advanced Noise Reduction
• Image Stabilization, including movie mode
• 25 shooting modes including full manual control and 2 custom settings
• 3.0” high-resolution, PureColor LCD II with extra wide viewing angle
• RAW mode
• Excellent movie quality

Cons:

• ISO 800 and 1600 so noisy (and soft) it's almost pointless, ISO 3200 very low resolution
• Battery life not great
• No alkaline battery option.

Sony CyberShot DSC-H10



Price: $299
MP: 8.1 megapixels
ISO Range: 100 - 3200
Zoom Range: 38mm - 380mm
Pros:

• Impressive Image Stabilization
• Good Movie Quality with IS
• 2cm Macro Focus distance
• 3.0" LCD
• 22.9ft Flash Distance
• Good edge-to-edge sharpness
• Excellent everyday camera

Cons:

• Manual mode only offers 2 F-stop settings
• Slow, unreliable focus in low light
• No manual (custom) white balance
• No real wide angle

$400 - $800 Digital SLR's

Canon Digital Rebel XT (EOS 350D)



Price: $409 (body only)
MP: 8.0 megapixel
ISO Range: 100 - 1600
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (1.6x focal length multiplier)
Pros:

• Very Affordable Entry Level SLR
• Excellent seven point AF system, fast, good in low light and reliable
• Hot Shoe supports E-TTL II flashes
• Very low noise levels even at ISO 1600, virtually unnoticeable below 1600
• Remote capture software included for computer controlled shooting
• Full Canon EF lens compatible (plus EF-S lenses)
• Continuous Drive: 2.8 fps, 14 JPEG or 4 RAW frames

Cons:

• 1.8" LCD
• Average automatic white balance performance, still very poor under incandescent light
• No spot metering
• No Kelvin white balance selection in-camera

Nikon D40



Price: $480 (body & 18-55 lens)
MP: 6.1 megapixel
ISO Range: 200 - 1600
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (1.5x focal length multiplier)

Pros:

• Excellent image quality, great resolution and detail, who needs eight megapixels?
• Great in-use performance, very responsive, short black-out time, very fast media write
• Unlimited 2.5 fps continuous shooting in JPEG mode (with a reasonably fast card)
• In-camera retouching features including D-Lighting and Red-eye reduction
• Good large LCD monitor with wide viewing angles (2.5")

Cons:

• No lens motor in body means non-AF-S/AF-I lenses are manual focus only
• No exposure or white balance bracketing
• No depth-of-field preview
• Disappointingly RAW+JPEG setting only records Basic quality JPEG's
• No hard buttons (without customizing) for ISO or White Balance
• No status LCD panel on top of camera

Canon EOS 400D / Digital Rebel XTi



Price: $535
MP: 10.1 megapixels
ISO Range: 100 - 1600
Interchangeable Lens (1.6x focal length multiplier)

Pros:

• 2.5" LCD Display
• EOS Integrated Cleaning System
• 9 point Auto Focus sensor
• Continuous shooting burst up to 27 JPEG and 10 RAW images
• Magnification available in record review
• Very fast off to shot time (virtually instant)

Cons:

• Average automatic white balance performance
• Sporadic continuous shooting once buffer is full
• Camera body is small (might be uncomfortable for people with big hands)
• No spot metering
• 1.6x focal length multiplier

Nikon D40x



Price: $470 (body & 18-55 lens)
MP: 10 megapixel
ISO Range: 100 - 3200
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (1.5x focal length multiplier)
Pros:

• Resolution and sharpness on par with the best of the current ten megapixel bunch
• Reliable, sophisticated, if sometimes a little conservative matrix metering system
• Unlimited 3 fps continuous shooting in JPEG mode (with a reasonably fast card)
• In-camera retouching features including D-Lighting and Red-eye reduction
• Good large LCD monitor with wide viewing angles (2.5")

Cons:

• No lens motor in body means non-AF-S/AF-I lenses are manual focus only
• No exposure or white balance bracketing
• No depth-of-field preview
• Limited image parameter adjustment
• No hard buttons (without customizing) for ISO or White Balance
• Sony Manufactured sensor

Canon 30D
*DC52NV $400 - $800 DSLR recommendation



Price: $799 (body only)
MP: 8.2 megapixels
ISO Range: 100 - 6400
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (1.6x focal length multiplier)
Pros:

• 9-point auto-focus system, works well even in low light
• Hot Shoe supports E-TTL II flashes
• Excellent resolution, very good per-pixel sharpness
• Trademark Canon CMOS noise free images, remain detailed even at high sensitivities
• Large 2.5" LCD monitor
• Excellent build, very robust, good ergonomics
• REIGN SS & DC52NV both own it

Cons:

• Average automatic white balance performance, still very poor under incandescent light
• Picture Style tone curve not indicated in camera menu (contrast is an offset, not absolute)

Sony DSLR-A200



Price: $600(body & 18-70 lens)
MP: 10.2 megapixel
ISO Range: 100 - 3200
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (1.5x focal length multiplier)

Pros:

• Super SteadyShot anti-shake system with viewfinder indicator
• Anti-dust system automatically shakes dust off the imager
• Large 2.7-inch LCD
• 9-point AF with Wide, Spot and Local Area Selection
• Unlimited Continuous 3fps shooting Large/Fine JPEG images
• OUTSTANDING battery life (takes 750 shots w/ 50% flash used compared to new Canon's XSi 500 shots)

Cons:

• 3 fps that maxes out at 15 frames in jpeg and 8 in RAW
• Too small and light (may be uncomfortable for users w/ big hands)
• Cheap plastic feel

Nikon D80



Price: $730 (body)
MP: 10.2 megapixel
ISO Range: 100 - 3200
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (1.5x focal length multiplier)

Pros:

• Excellent build quality, tight shut lines, quality materials
• Fast, accurate auto focus (11 area sensor, similar to the D200)
• Extremely useful, customizable automatic sensitivity (ISO)
• Unlimited continuous shooting in JPEG mode (with a reasonably fast card)
• Built-in wireless flash commander
• Large 2.5" LCD

Cons:

• Disappointing automatic white balance performance in incandescent light
• High sensitivity (ISO) noise levels
• Noise reduction can be intrusive, although adjustable, more grain-like appearance

Canon XSi (EOS 450D)
*REIGN SS $400 - $800 DSLR recommendation



Price: $799 (body only)
MP: 12.2 megapixels
ISO Range: 100 - 1600
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (1.6x focal length multiplier)
Pros:

• 9-point auto-focus system
• Continuous Drive 3.5 fps, 53 JPEG or 6 RAW frames
• 3" LCD Screen with Live view
• Canon DIGIC III sensor
• Contrast Detect Autofocus option
• In camera Highlight Tone priority & Auto Lighting Optimizer
  image processing
• 14-bit image pipeline

Cons:

• Smaller grip, may be uncomfortable with larger hands
• Uses SD cards (a trend in the DSLR field )

$800 - $1300 Digital SLR's

Canon EOS 40D
*DC52NV $800 - $1300 DSLR recommendation
*REIGN SS $800 - $1300 DSLR recommendation



Price: $1,140 (body only)
MP: 10.1 megapixel
ISO Range: 100 - 3200
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (1.6x focal length multiplier)

Pros:

• Excellent resolution, good per-pixel sharpness
• Highlight tone priority option delivers even more dynamic range with very little downside
• Trademark Canon CMOS noise free images, remain detailed even at high sensitivities
• Live view on LCD with 5x and 10x live magnification and 'drop mirror' auto-focus
• Instant power on time, excellent operational speed, always feels responsive
• 6.5 fps Continuous Shooting
• Good nine point auto focus system, works well even in low light
• Excellent build, very robust, compartment door weatherproofing, good ergonomics
• Dust reduction from Canon's 'Integrated Cleaning System'
• HUGE 3" LCD screen
• Three user memories via 'C1/C2/C3' on mode dial
• Uses Canon EF & EF-S Lenses

Cons:

• Average automatic white balance performance, still very poor under incandescent light
• Picture Style tone curve not indicated in camera menu
• No contrast detect AF in Live View

Pentax K20D



Price: $1130 (body only)
MP: 14.6 megapixel
ISO Range: 100 - 6400
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (1.5x focal length multiplier)

Pros:

• 11-point SAFVOX VIII Auto Focus system
• Selectable RAW formats (PEF or DNG)
• 2.7" LCD Screen
• Sensor-Shift Shake Reduction
• Live Preview Mode

Cons:

• Uses SD/MMC/SDHC card, not a common card in the mid/high end DSLRs
• Poor Autofocus in Low Light
• 3.0frames/second continuous shoot, slow compared to it's competitors

Nikon D200



Price: $1300 (body only)
MP: 10 megapixel
ISO Range: 100 - 3200
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (1.5x focal length multiplier)

Pros:

• Excellent resolution
• Bright clear viewfinder, doesn't feel small like some cropped cameras
• Compact body design which has a true pro feel, build and feature set
• Excellent five frames per second continuous shooting, fast 'smart buffering'
• Eleven point AF system, fast and accurate
• Important information such as ISO sensitivity is shown on the LCD status bar
• GPS data recording feature (requires optional cable, NMEA compatible)
• Very flexible control system, lots of options for control and programmable buttons
  

Cons:

• Disappointing automatic white balance performance under artificial light
• Very poor memory management and performance from optional Nikon Capture
• Some cameras affected by vertical banding issues
• Higher noise at ISO 1600 and 3200, mostly in shadows
• High ISO noise reduction works but at the expense of detail, first impression to a new user may be negative

Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10



Price: $1,160 (body & 14-50 lens)
MP: 10.1 megapixel
ISO Range: 100 - 1600
Zoom Range: Interchangeable Lens System (2x focal length multiplier)

Pros:

• Contrast detect AF in and quick mirror for the most usable Live View mode to date
• Reliable white balance (outdoors)
• Large 2.5" Free-Angle LCD
• MEGA O.I.S. Stabilization
• Face Detection Feature
• Dust Reduction System

Cons:

• Small and dark viewfinder view (difficult to see fine detail, difficult to check focus)
• Auto focus provides just three focus points, although AF performance good
• 3 frame raw buffer
• Noisy shutter and mirror assembly
• Price and strong competition
• Slower than average startup (presumably due to SSWF doing it's dust-busting)
• Focus slow in low light
• 2x focal length multiplier

ssmokin

i dont see any pictures, videos, or photoshops in this thread. is this in the right section?

REIGN SS

well, you use a camera to take pictures right?

ssmokin

well you added some pictures so i guess it's okay

DC52NV

hopefully this will help out some members here. ryan and i took great time in putting this together but we feel it was time well spent.

bigrroberto

about a month too late for me!

I just bought a Canon SD870IS for my gf. So far so good.

What's your opinion on that one?

REIGN SS

For those considering a DSLR for the first time I highly suggest you take the time to learn about the settings/modes, exposure, and basic composition. It's not just about the equipment you have, it also has to do with how well you can use it.

This thread explains some things: https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/showthread.php?t=86560

I also recommend this book: Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson

06' SS2SS

I'm in love with that Canon EOS 40D! When I get some of my disability cash, I'm gonna get one. I want to take a basic photography class too. I used to do real good with 35mm, but technology has changed soooo much!

mugencivicsi

My next camera is a DSLR, thank you very much REIGN SS , for such a great gathering of information on all sorts of SLR's, i also liked the pros and cons..

was this from personal experience? or possible just a excellent gathering of opinions...


Michael

css9450

Reign, do you work at a camera store, or is this just a hobby for you? I remember the earlier thread where you talked about exposure, metering modes, DOF, etc. Both of these threads must have taken hours to write up.

kingg5

iTrader: (1)

just wodnerign when the sony H10 came out...ive been using the sony H9 and im sure it has more then 2 F-stop settings in manual mode...how could the h10 only have 2...or perhaps im wrong...

Pyros777

iTrader: (4)

great thread reign

REIGN SS

It wasn't just me, DC52NV help me tons. It came from personal experience + lots of reading + looking at image tests.

Nope, just an ambitious hobby, with a few classes here and there. I linked to the thread with the exp/metering/DOF etc in the first post.

I have to give credit to DC52NV for all his help with this review thread.

The H10 was announced on January 23, 2008

weavagra

iTrader: (1)

X2 on the Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson

Another good read is

National Geographic: The Ultimate Field Guide to Photography

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0792262093

07LaserBlueSS

Reign what is your opinion on Olympus DSLR's, I just bought due to the fact that I got a steal on an Olympus E-410 on NewEgg for 600, body plus 2 lenses. 14mm - 42mm lense and a 70mm - 150mm lense.

portergraph

ps - when you do decide on a camera, the best advice I can give is - Read the Owner's manual

there's so much in there, you'd be foolish not to...

Dustin

No 20D?

KillerBee

about damn time someone made this kind of thread i am always asking about cameras

REIGN SS

The Olympus seems like a decent entry level DSLR camera, I don't really care for the 2x multiplier, or the 3point autofocus. But the image quality seems acceptable for the money. Good luck getting quality lens' tho =/

QFT!! x200,000,000

We tried to do cameras that were still available thru online retailers, not just on ebay.

Dustin

You make me a sad panda.

REIGN SS

Just get the 30D, it's "basically" the same camera with a few tweaks and a larger LCD

Dustin

Not ditchin' my 20D, sir.

REIGN SS

I'm talking about those that don't already have a camera

DC52NV

if you want i can do a 20D review, just for you.