Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > Which is the better camera?

Which is the better camera?
Thread Tools
Timan
Forum Regular
Join Date: May 2002
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 25, 2004, 04:46 PM
 
Canon PowerShot S400 or the Canon PowerShot A80



I'm looking to buy a digital camera, and thes 2 cameras were recommended to me, but do not know which is better to get, they both are around 350$

Thanks.
- Tim
     
fhoubi
Senior User
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: The Netherlands
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 25, 2004, 08:27 PM
 
Good question.. try look f.e. here. But what makes a camera better (for you)...?

A 300D owner.
I'm-a trying to wonder, wonder, wonder why you, wonder, wonder why you act so.
     
Ambassadeur
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Transatlantic flight, first class, third row, aisle seat
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 25, 2004, 09:01 PM
 
Two friends of mine were in the same situation. One got the A70, the other the 400. It depends on your priorities...

Both take very good pictures, with the Ixus 400 being SMALL and pocket size (thus smaller optical system) and not running on ordinary batteries. so nothing for trips into wilderness without electricity for more than one day.

The A80 has a very good optical system, especially for its price (there you might want to look at the A70, less expensive and comparable quality, if you don't need the pop out display), AND it's big enough to hold it very steady. Plus standard AA batteries, so it's useable on a longer trip into uncharted territories. watertight enclosure available, and screw on adapters for different stuff, fish lens, macro etc.

Hope this helps a bit...

And of course: have a look at the reviews on the net out there, useful most of the time.
- What is your nationality?
- I'm a drunkard. That makes me a citizen of the world.
     
OreoCookie
Moderator
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hilbert space
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 26, 2004, 01:08 AM
 
Ixus 400. A couple of friends bought it here, really great camera. Nice design, excellent UI, nice autofocus and the light metering (especially with flash) beats my Olympus C-4040 anyday.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
smic
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: sLurrey
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 26, 2004, 02:27 AM
 
i just got a camera this weekend, and this site helped alot
http://www.steves-digicams.com/
lots of review material for every camera
w3rd..
surrey represent
     
Ambassadeur
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Transatlantic flight, first class, third row, aisle seat
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 26, 2004, 07:30 AM
 
Originally posted by smic:
i just got a camera this weekend, and this site helped alot
http://www.steves-digicams.com/
lots of review material for every camera
That's right, that site helped me a lot as well! (I didn't find it quick enough to mention it though while writing my earlier post)
- What is your nationality?
- I'm a drunkard. That makes me a citizen of the world.
     
yoyoman
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Cali
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 26, 2004, 03:12 PM
 
a80 is the first one and the s400 is the second one.
_Format_____
Compact
Ultra Compact

_Price (street)_____
US$368
US$429

_Also known as______
Canon Digital IXUS 400
_Camera body_____
_Release Status______
_
_Max resolution_____
2272 x 1704
2272 x 1704

_Low resolution_____
1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480
1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480

_Image ratio w:h_____
4:3
4:3

_Effective pixels_____
3.9 million
3.9 million

_Sensor photo detectors_____
4.1 million
4.1 million

_Sensor size_____
1/1.8 " (7.18 x 5.32 mm)
1/1.8 " (7.18 x 5.32 mm)

_Sensor type_____
CCD
CCD

_Colour filter array_____
RGB
RGB

_ISO rating_____
Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400
Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400

_Zoom wide (W)_____
38 mm
36 mm

_Zoom tele (T)_____
114 mm (3 x)
108 mm (3 x)

_Digital zoom_____
Yes, 3.2 x
Yes, 3.6 x

_Auto Focus_____
Yes
Yes

_Manual Focus_____
Yes
No

_Auto focus type_____
Ai AF TTL 9-point
Ai AF TTL 9-point

_Normal focus range_____
46 cm
46 cm

_Macro focus range_____
5 cm
5 cm

_White balance override_____
Yes - 6 positions plus manual
Yes - 6 positions plus manual

_Aperture range_____
F2.8 - F4.9
F2.8 - F4.9

_Min shutter_____
15 sec
15 sec

_Max shutter_____
1/2000 sec
1/2000 sec

_Built-in Flash_____
Yes
Yes

_Flash guide no._____
2.5 m (8.2 ft) 5 m
3.5 m (11.4 ft) 5 m

_External flash_____
No
No

_Flash modes_____
Auto, On, Off, Manual (Red Eye On/Off)
Auto, On, Off, Manual (Red Eye On/Off)

_Focal length multiplier_____

_Exposure compensation_____
-2EV to +2EV in 1/3EV steps
-2EV to +2EV in 1/3EV steps

_Metering_____
Evaluative, Center Weighted, Spot
Evaluative, Center Weighted, Spot

_Aperture priority_____
Yes
No

_Shutter priority_____
Yes
No

_Lens thread_____
Yes, with adapter
None

_Continuous Drive_____
Yes, 2.4 fps, 5 frames, 1.6 fps, 8 frames
Yes, 1.5 fps, 2.5 fps, max 5 images

_Movie Clips_____
Yes, 320 x 240, 15 fps, max 3 mins
Yes, 320 x 240, 15 fps, max 3 mins

_Remote control_____
No
No

_Tripod mount_____
Yes
Yes

_Self-timer_____
2 or 10 sec
2 or 10 sec

_Time-lapse recording_____
No
No

_Storage types_____
Compact Flash (Type I)
Compact Flash (Type I)

_Microdrive compatible_____
No
No

_Storage included_____
32 MB CompactFlash
32 MB CompactFlash

_Uncompressed format_____
No
No

_Compressed format_____
JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
JPEG (EXIF 2.2)

_Quality Levels_____
Super-Fine, Fine, Normal
Super-Fine, Fine, Normal

_Viewfinder_____
Optical
Optical

_LCD_____
1.5 " (flip-out & twist)
1.5 "

_LCD Pixels_____

_Playback zoom_____
Yes
Yes

_Video out_____
Yes
Yes

_USB_____
Yes
Yes

_Firewire (IEEE 1394)_____
No
No

_Battery / Charger_____
No
Yes

_Battery_____
AA (4) batteries (NiMH recommended)
Canon NB-L1H 840 mAh Lithium-Ion

_Weight (inc. batteries)_____
350 g (12.3 oz)
230 g (8.1 oz)

_Dimensions_____
103 x 65 x 35 mm (4.1 x 2.6 x 1.4 in)
87 x 57 x 28 mm (3.4 x 2.2 x 1.1 in)
     
Ambassadeur
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Transatlantic flight, first class, third row, aisle seat
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 26, 2004, 06:03 PM
 
Some more review sites:

dpreview.com
mattis-testarchiv.de - German site, but the names/models of the cameras should be the same and the links in the text for each camera refer to english reviews most of the time. Great resource!

Maybe some of this helps!
- What is your nationality?
- I'm a drunkard. That makes me a citizen of the world.
     
RiSE
Forum Regular
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Raleigh
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 27, 2004, 11:25 PM
 
I just got the A80 and i love it. Its got all the auto controls like regular digital cameras but then it has all the manual controls like a 35mm. You can also regulate the flash input on an semi auto setting, which is awesome for taking quick snap shots in dark places. Its got a good weight and feel so it doesnt feel like you bought a cheap camera. Another feature i like about it is the ability to mount diffrent lens on it. You will need to buy a lens mount adaptor for $20. If you do desided to get a power shot A series i would spend the extra money and get the A80. I couldnt be happier. hope this helps.
     
israces
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Land of the Free
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 28, 2004, 01:53 AM
 
My friend had one of these sweet cameras when he visited this weekend. It was amazing.

Even Woz uses 'em. (see review section in link above)

Slightly off topic, but it seems to be in your price range and I just thought I'd pass it along.
Backup your Backup
     
Dubloseven
Forum Regular
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: san luis obispo
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 31, 2004, 06:07 AM
 
i'd get the s400 if i were you. i just picked one up from amazon.com a week or so ago and i love it so far. they have it on sale for $400 bucks, but you can save $30 if you buy one of several viking memory cards with it. i chose a 256 mb card for $65, therefore making my total $435. after they shipped the camera, the card still hadn't shipped, so i canceled the order for that card and ordered a cheaper 256 mb card that was faster and had a better rating for $55, bringing my total to $425. woo hoo! thats the way to do it, and i recently ordered the leather case to protect it. just get it.
MacBook 2.0, 4 gig Nano, Nike+
loving cal poly slo every minute!
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:53 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,