Camera recommendations

[D&D Auto Detail]

SLR is definitely the way to go, especially for detailing pictures where manual focus is so important.

[yakky]

Originally Posted by D&D Auto Detail

SLR is definitely the way to go, especially for detailing pictures where manual focus is so important.

$99 P&S don't have full manual controls, but the better ones sure do.

[jfelbab]

As you asked for some examples, take a look at the photo's in my MR2 gallery linked in my sig. They were all taken with a P&S.

Yes, any of the long zoom P&S cameras I suggested have full manual control. I can control every aspect of the image on my P&S models just as well as on my Nikon D40.

I also will re-stress the fact that the P&S models have a huge advantage in the DOF. Much more of the image is in focus with a P&S than is possible with any DSLR. This is due to the use of smaller sensors in the P&S models. When shooting vehicles the DOF is a significant point of concern.

[D&D Auto Detail]

Originally Posted by yakky

$99 P&S don't have full manual controls, but the better ones sure do.

How much does ones like those cost?

[yakky]

Originally Posted by D&D Auto Detail

How much does ones like those cost?

You can find a Canon S5IS for about $300. Full manual controls, 12x zoom with super macro and IS.

[jfelbab]

Originally Posted by D&D Auto Detail

How much does ones like those cost?

Here are a number of models with full manual control in the $220 - $360 range, listed alphabetically.

Canon SX10 IS ($335),
Canon PowerShot S5 IS ($290)
Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD ($220)
Fujifilm FinePix S8100fd ($249)
Kodak EasyShare Z712 IS ($266)
Kodak EasyShare Z1015 IS ($237)
Nikon P80 ($269)
Olympus SP565UZ ($304)
Olympus SP570UZ ($357)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 ($284)
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 ($316)

I recently chose the Olympus SP570UZ, FWIW.

[yakky]

Originally Posted by jfelbab

As you asked for some examples, take a look at the photo's in my MR2 gallery linked in my sig. They were all taken with a P&S.

Yes, any of the long zoom P&S cameras I suggested have full manual control. I can control every aspect of the image on my P&S models just as well as on my Nikon D40.

I also will re-stress the fact that the P&S models have a huge advantage in the DOF. Much more of the image is in focus with a P&S than is possible with any DSLR. This is due to the use of smaller sensors in the P&S models. When shooting vehicles the DOF is a significant point of concern.

You know, if you took the pictures in your gallery with a DSLR, the towels would have appeared more neatly folded

[jfelbab]

Originally Posted by yakky

You know, if you took the pictures in your gallery with a DSLR, the towels would have appeared more neatly folded

Got me there. LOL

[Bunky]

I think for novices you can easily take worse photos with a DLSR than a P&S if you have no idea what you are doing. They offer so much flexibility and once you get out of program mode they can really get out of adjustment (wb, exposure compensation, spot metering, etc) if you mess with controls and then get bad shots. You need to pay attention to what the camera is doing.

Most p&s like Canon add "pop" to images to make them look great out of camera. Some DLSR's (like Nikon) tend to favor more accuracy than eye candy jpg appeal so OOC they may not seem a "colorful". The in camera jpgs can be so so looking...

Unless you shoot raw, you will not really see that much difference between an DLSR and decent P&S when shooting in decent light since the jpgs are not significantly better if you are just posting pics to web. Raw should show a major difference. The "great" shots are usually shot raw with post processing to make them look great.

If you find yourself shooting where high iso requirements are needed (less light available and no flash), the noise in p&s is much worse at isos above 200 to 400 so this would push you to DSLR. This is the real trade-off. I also think DSLR tend to use proprietary batteries to really crank out the shots over aa's, etc. That can be a disadvantage to some.

I am have been looking at the Panasonic FZ28 (a super zoom).

[rydawg]

Originally Posted by jfelbab

As you asked for some examples, take a look at the photo's in my MR2 gallery linked in my sig. They were all taken with a P&S.

Yes, any of the long zoom P&S cameras I suggested have full manual control. I can control every aspect of the image on my P&S models just as well as on my Nikon D40.

I also will re-stress the fact that the P&S models have a huge advantage in the DOF. Much more of the image is in focus with a P&S than is possible with any DSLR. This is due to the use of smaller sensors in the P&S models. When shooting vehicles the DOF is a significant point of concern.

I use to think that, but now that I know how to adjust all my settings correctly, I find I can get more DOF with my dslr then with any of the other "m" mode p&s's I have had.

I do agree that with a p&s it is easier to just point and shoot and get a decent picture with good depth of field. With a DSLR if you keep it in auto mode it will focus on the subject while distorting out everything out of focus sometimes.

If you want more DOF just set to A mode or M mode and put your f-stop in the 20's.

[jfelbab]

Originally Posted by rydawg

I use to think that, but now that I know how to adjust all my settings correctly, I find I can get more DOF with my dslr then with any of the other "m" mode p&s's I have had.

I do agree that with a p&s it is easier to just point and shoot and get a decent picture with good depth of field. With a DSLR if you keep it in auto mode it will focus on the subject while distorting out everything out of focus sometimes.

If you want more DOF just set to A mode or M mode and put your f-stop in the 20's.

You can do manual settings with the P&S too, that's not the issue. What you are missing is the physics of the design of these two camera types. The smaller sensor size in the P&S means that it will always be able to achieve a greater DOF given identical settings in both types of cameras. It's a matter of design physics, not settings.

For example:

DOF is related to the physical aperture so f/4 is different for DOF purposes. Most P&S long zooms have a crop factor of about 5.6 while a dSLR has a crop factor of about 1.5.

f1 (for P&S) = 10 mm
f2 (for dSLR) = f1*5.6/1.5 = 37 mm
f1/4 = 2.5 mm
f2/4 = 9.25 mm
In order to have the same aperture the dSLR would need to stop down to 37/2.5=14.8.

IOW, for similar DOF, f4 on the P&S would require nearly f16 on the dslr, a point where defraction issues are evident.
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