Compare digital compact cameras: from Canon A630 / G7 and Nikon P5000 to Canon G9 / A650 and Nikon P5100

Choosing the most attractive digital compact camera as Canon A630, A640, A650 or PowerShot G7, G9, SD950 / SD850; Nikon P5000, P5100 and comparing it with some SLR-likes as Canon S5 / SX100 or Sony H9 / H3 it’s better to treat with respect to compact gadgets. Although this digital camera type is just a little gadget, it is able to make good pictures and sometimes costs about $500 like Canon G9.
Some SLR’s features in a compact
Digital compact can have some cool SLR’s features such as RAW format, Optical image stabilizer or mega pixels gross at 12MP but it has a small sensor (1/2.5 – 1/1.7 inch) and it’s not easy to make images without noise with it. However, it is necessary to consider a compact. It is not only a toy. It can serve as second camera for a cool Pro or can help your in some delicate situations. I am feeling respect to the compact from the moment I failed with SLR’s shooting in the Sauna (for more look through my Banya vs. Sauna or Spa). Trying to shoot in damp and hot steam room for my saunabanyaspa blog I nearly killed my Sony Alpha. Instead, my pocket Canon PowerShot A95 did not overwarm and let me take great pictures in the steam chamber.
Conclusion
It is worth knowing to consumers that not all compact characteristics are really useful in amateur shooting. Therefore, if you do not want to waste money for a toy camera with useless abilities, it is better to pay attention to its features. You have to know precisely what you want from this camera. Otherwise, you will get into difficulties when you choose a dray-horse to come to a horse race.
I put links to articles about comparing various compact cameras below. There is some advice how to make a good purchase and not to waste money. If you become interested, I will be glad to see your replies and answer all your questions. Please post your questions and opinions to the Comments directory.
List of articles for digital compact cameras choosing
- Fujifilm F40fd vs FinePix F50fd, Canon IXUS 960 and PowerShot G9: no more expensive mega pixels for a Compact
It is quite enough to look at some digital cameras, as the FinePix IS Pro, S700, IS-1, S9600 or an excellent digital SLR – FinePix S5 Pro so as to understand that Fujifilm is a great digital cameras manufacturer. Fujifilm camera’s color rendering favorably differ FinePix photo cameras from many others. This is an advantage of FujiFilm firm’s Super CCD HR image sensor. Unfortunately, this sensor is not the rule for all FinePix cameras.
- Canon PowerShot SD850 IS vs. SD950 IS: 12MP in titanium body or who is the Canon 950 IS
When I am looking for a great image quality from an SLR-like or a Compact digital camera, at first I focus my attention on the sensor size. However, most digital cameras as the Canon S5 IS or Powershot A720 have a small 1/2.5 inch chip. Alternatively, some cameras as Canon G9, SD950 IS or Fujifilm F50fd have a large (for a compact) 1/1.7 – 1/1.6 inch, but overburden with useless 12 extra pixels sensor. As a result, we have a price at $400-450 for noisy images.
- Fujifilm F50fd vs FinePix S5 IS Pro: 12MP from digital compact it’s not the same as 12MP from SLR
After Canon’s 12MP cameras as PowerShot G9, SD950 and A650 appearing, this mega pixels gross is not outstanding. However, the Fujifilm’s favorite SuperCCD HR sensor coupled with 1/1.6 inch size, which is not the rule for a digital compact camera suggest me some expectancies to an outstanding picture quality. Unfortunately, a small compact’s sensor, as Canon G9 / IXUS 960’s 1/1.7 inch chip plays dirty with Fuji F50 images too.
- Canon SD1000 as IXUS 70 vs. SD 870 or IXUS 950 vs. SD 950: it’s easy to be lost there
Canon is the fastest digital compact cameras mfr. Look: PowerShot SD950, SD870, SD1000 as IXUS 70, SD850 as IXUS 950 and PowerShot G9, A720, A650, A640, A570, A560, A550 – they are only 2007 models. It is impressive but it is just a little complicated to choose the one. Therefore, for the right choice it is better to know exactly what you want from this digital camera.
- Canon SX100 IS as a Powershot S5 IS killer
Canon PowerShot SX100 IS as the first digital camera in the new budget SX series would make happy a lot of Canon’s fans who do not want to waste money on cooll and useless features. The very fact of SX series appearance says that Canon inc. at last swung its face to consumers. Moreover, this is a bold step, because this new PowerShot SX100 can compete not only with Canon’ A-series digital cameras: such as A650 or A720, but famous S5 IS.
- Choosing Digital Compact camera: Canon A650 vs A640, against A630
Modern Canon 1/1.8 " (7.18 x 5.32 mm) sensor A-series replaced the double-digit A-series, which had an excellent compact, such as 5 megapixels, 3x zoom Powershot A95 (August 2005).
There were 4x 5MP A610 and 7MP A620 in 2005, 8MP and 10MP A630 and A640 in 2006 and the latest 12MP model Canon A650 with 6x zoom lens. I am using A95 and A630 as my second cameras for a long time and I can say that to shoot with these two is a pleasure.
However, there is an adequate 8-megapixel sensor, which allows selling Powershot A630 for a good price and making this compact the best purchase in the digital market.Unfortunately, we can get great new digital compact cameras from Canon ink. only after the speedy completion of the project of developing CMOS sensors for compact models.
- Nikon Coolpix P5100 vs P5000: it’s better to look at Canon A630
The Coolpix P5100 appearance is one more cause for mfrs’ wild enthusiasm, not consumers’. Nikon right after Canon with G9, A650 put into P5100 model 1/1.72 inch sensor more than 12 mega pixels. It is possible that after slightly disappointing P5000’s selling, Nikon solves this problem in style: more pixels and spit upon the image quality. However, this method cannot make from P5100 a cadet of D3 and D300 DSLR models. It may be not so prestigious to shoot with Canon A630 as G9, P5100 or P5000. However, it is a truly Compact with a good image quality for fair money. As for prestige, it should be better to buy Canon’s Tele or Wide-angle converters for saving money and having fun.
- Canon Powershot G9, SD950 and A650: can 12MP make SLR from compact
Canon’s new 12.1 megapixels digital cameras G9, SD950 and A650 were announced this August as flagship models with wild enthusiasm about their cool advantages. Of course, some its features as Optical Image Stabilizer, DIGIC III processor, Canon’s Face Detection AF/AE/FE or RAW mode are not bad and sometimes are realy useful. However, I think that $500 for compact is the same excess as 12 megapixels in a 1/1.7” sensor. Therefore, if you want to buy digital compact without extra features for extra money, it is better to look at the Canon Powershot A630 with 1/1.8 inch 8MP sensor, vari-angle LCD screen, full range of the same as G9 etc. accessories for abt. $270. Pay attention to its owner’s opinion: “It is a real bargain! The A630 is easy to use, with bright lens, very sharp and good quality images (80-200 ISO).Fantastic quality for the price!”
- Canon PowerShot G9, digital compact camera with RAW, Hot-shoe, Wide and Tele
The Canon PowerShot G9 introduced in August 2007 as high-end compact digital camera with large 1/1.7 inch sensor and rich of features. Unfortunately, this new ‘combination of advanced features’ costs abt. $500 and with some accessories its price can touch in any SLR cameras. As for image quality and other Canon G9 abilities, there are some problems:
- Noisy images at ISO 400 and very noisy at high ISO
- Focusing problems in lowlight, especially with zooming
- No optical zoom in movie mode
- Short battery life
Off course, there is nothing perfect, but in an attempt to 12 mega pixels Canon lost sight of some useful abilities.
- 4 newest compacts: DSC-S800, DMC-FX100, IXUS 950 IS and Coolpix P5000; Panasonic’s sensor race: Compact vs. SLR.
4 new enthusiast compact cameras have appeared in May. I pay attention to these equipped gadgets because they are packed with high-end features. Some of these specialties such as: optical image stabilizer, 1/1.72-inch large sensor and powerful image processor used to distinguish great SLR cameras. But now beautifully designed luxurious all-metal bodies are filled up with these groovy features. And compact cameras become more and more interesting as hi-tech innovations. I find some mfrs.’ desire to chase consumers’ attention deflects them from its course. As a result we have 12, 2 megapixel sensor compact cam such as new Lumix FX-100.