[videian28]

thoughts? pros? cons? I just got a $300 gift certificate... time for an upgrade

[GORDYmac]

If your talking about the Canon PowerShot S50, you can't go wrong. I got a deal at MicroCenter on this camera for around $400. I think it still retails for close to $500.

It uses CompactFlash media, a plus for me since I've already invested heavily in CompactFlash cards from my other camera. It's really a great camera. It's compact--though dense--and feature rich.

The only thing I don't like about it is that the photos are at a 3/4 aspect ratio, instead of 2/3.

[videian28]

they currently have it on the website for $399, thinking of going that route

anyone here use the sony?

[mikeini]

i havent used teh p10 (but a ton of my buddies have it and love it) but i had the p7 (one gen back .. 3.2 mp).

they are awsome camera. they are really small (kina thick but its not bad).. and the thing i like the most is that they have an easier menu and set up compared to canon (unless you are used to canon).

you cant go wrong with either of them really, but the memory sticks if you have any other sony products are worth it (every sony product comes with a memory stick slot) ...

[OreoCookie]

Canon. Much better in terms of usability. A friend of mine just switched, cause his Sony broke. He loves his new Canon (he has a different model, though, different ambitions).

[videian28]

proud new owner of a s50 not to dig into all the functions

anyone have a good site for some info on digital photography? this camera far surpases anything prior that I have had, actually makes it worth trying to get the best pictures I can now.

[mbperk]

Originally posted by videian28:
anyone have a good site for some info on digital photography?

Try:

-dpreview

-Steve's Digicams

Both are great for reviews and results for just about every camera out there. In fact, dpreview has a review of your s50 at the top of the page.

[dbergstrom]

I was recently in the market for a new camera and actually opted for the PowerShot S400 (the very small, pocket-size Canon). I opted for size over features.

Many of the reviews I read said the PowerShot S45, which is the 4MP version of the S50, is actually a better camera (cheaper, too!).

To understand why, an elementary physics lesson is in order (excuse me if you already know this):

1) CCD image sensors in digital cameras detect light as photons. There is a threshold number of photons above which each sensor (pixel) in the CCD must be excited to register a signal. Below this threshold, the signal from the pixel is more likely to be random. Our eyes register this as "noise" when we look at a picture. This is why low-light pictures often look "noisy" until you mess with them in Photoshop (Gaussian blur).

2) The camera optics let a fixed number of photons through. The larger the aperture, the more photons come through in a given instant of time (the shutter speed). In telephoto, fewer photons make it through. For digital cameras, the lens and optics must be very well paired to get optimal image quality. The lens must let enough photons through to match up with the linear range over which the individual pixels in the CCD can capture the image. If the lens is too "slow" for the CCD, pictures will be noisy. If the lens is too fast (less of a problem), pictures will tend to be overexposed (saturated pixels look white).

3) The Canon S45 and S50 each use the same size CCD (I forget the exact size, but it's in the neighborhood of 1/2 an inch). Therefore, in the 5MP camera, each pixel is smaller than in the 4MP camera (same size CCD divided by more pixels). Since the lens only lets a fixed quantity of photons in, each pixel will register fewer photon "hits" in the 5MP camera. Unless the optics in the 5MP camera are redesigned to be "faster" (let more photons in) or the CCD is redesigned to be more sensitive (need a fewer number of photons to cross the threshold), there will be a greater likelihood of noisy pixels in the 5MP camera.

4) Canon is usually VERY careful about matching optics and the digital parts of cameras (CCDs and processors). Unlike Sony, Canon does not farm their lens manufacture out to other companies. Typically, when Canon comes out with a new generation of CCDs/processors (usually higher resolution), they redesign the optics to match. However, in the case of the S50 there were a little bit sloppy and essentially just put a 5MP CCD into the S45 camera.

5) From what I have read, images from the S50 tend to be noisier than the S45. Most of the digicam review sites will recommend the S45 over the S50.

Hope this long-winded explanation helps.