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Canon G-11, Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 or the Canon S-90
Debra L Rothenberg, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 1:33 AM on 10.08.10 |
| ->> which do you think is the best of this bunch, and why? |
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Robert Hanashiro, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | | Posted: 1:43 AM on 10.08.10 |
| ->> Nikon Coolpix P7000. |
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Debra L Rothenberg, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 1:49 AM on 10.08.10 |
| ->> Robert-I was looking at that one after seeing some images a friend took with it. Have you tried it yet? Do you feel it's pretty much the best p&s out there. |
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Dan Powers, Photographer
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Appleton | WI | USA | Posted: 2:47 AM on 10.08.10 |
| ->> I just got the G11 and really like it a lot. But, Canon just announced the G12 a week or so ago I believe and it has a few nice new features that the G11 lacks such as HD recording. You might want to look into that too. |
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Brian Davies, Photographer
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Eugene | OR | USA | Posted: 3:24 AM on 10.08.10 |
->> Check out the Canon S95, an HD upgrade to the S90. It has the G11 beat with a faster 28mm f/2.0 lens and is less expensive and much smaller than the competition.
The s95's low light capabilities are amazing! I've owned a couple of point-and-shoots that claimed to be good in low light but this is the first camera that actually is.
I've had one for a month and love it. |
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Grace Chiu, Photographer
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Ottawa | ON | Canada | Posted: 4:45 AM on 10.08.10 |
->> I've ditched a bunch of Canon compacts for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3. I was trying to get the Leica Dlux 4 on Boxing Day but my dealer was out of them. The LX3 is the exact same camera with Panasonic branding and $150-200 less.
When I pop my SD card into a Panasonic plasma TV, the shots really pop. |
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Nigel Farrow, Photographer
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Suffolk | UK | United Kingdom | Posted: 4:46 AM on 10.08.10 |
->> I'm going through the same process and so far I have cut my options down to the Canon G12 and the Nikon Coolpix P7000.
I've read a lot of good reviews of other cameras including the ones you mention but I like having an optical viewfinder. Maybe I am just old fashioned but I spend so much time looking through one that it is instinct to go to look through that when I pick up any camera. If you expect you might need to use this p&s for work then this may also be an important consideration to you.
My only problem with either is their size. |
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Debra L Rothenberg, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 8:58 AM on 10.08.10 |
->> I have sort of narrowed it down to the Nikon P7000 or Canon G12 as well, but the one thing I do not like is the size. I am actually looking for a P&S that I can bring with me on some weekend visits with old friends and leave the "big" Nikon home-something I have NEVER done. I have never gone out with out the DSLR but want to see if one of these cameras will satisfy me.
I love the Panasonic Lumix LX3 but the limited focal length is something that keeps me away. |
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Shaun Sartin, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Glenview | IL | | Posted: 9:39 AM on 10.08.10 |
->> Debra,
My simple advice, see if you can't borrow one from somebody and test drive them. I bought the G11 earlier this year for my honeymoon, as I didn't want to haul around a 1DMKIII. I should have shot more with it before we left. But even 6 months into owning the camera, I couldn't get use to the size, just didn't fit in my hand well, hopefully your hands aren't as big as mine! :)
I also had a hard time trying to shoot via the LCD. Yes, the G11 has a viewfinder, but it's just not the SLR/DSLR I'm use to and found myself frustrated with that as well as the layered menus. Trying to change white balance and other functions quickly is not easy.
The image quality is fine, no issues there, just didn't end up being my cup of tea which was disappointing as I wanted the smaller camera like you.
If you do go with one, I found that using a lens wrap was a great substitute for a case, easier to pack and stow.
Good luck! |
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Debra L Rothenberg, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 9:45 AM on 10.08.10 |
->> HI Shaun,
My hands are tiny-my D3 and D3s are way too big (the D100 was a perfect fit without a grip!).
I used a G10 for a day but didn't really like the size but I know I definitely want a really great P&S that I can be feel I can bring with me and leave the DSLR home.
I have an old cheap Kodak Easy Share that was a $60 ebay special that I have to say takes amazing photos, but I want a camera that also shoots RAW. The limited focal length (28-60) is something I don't like.
Did you end up getting a different camera?
I also like the flip out screen of the G11/12 but again, it's a big camera which is a downfall for me |
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Bradly J. Boner, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Jackson | WY | USA | Posted: 10:38 AM on 10.08.10 |
->> Debra - if size is an issue you should really go back and look at that Canon s90 again.
I have a G10 and while I love it, it is a little too big for everyday P&S use. I'd just like something I can stick in my pocket instead of in a case around my shoulder. The G10 has a lot of bells and whistles, many of which I thought were cool at first but in reality don't really use (i.e., hotshoe).
I think if I get another P&S I'd sacrifice some of the things I liked about the G10 at first (such as its zoom range) in exchange for a more compact camera. What I've found to be most important for me is a wide-angle, fast lens, the ability to shoot RAW and an exposure compensation feature. If I could have those things in a durable, compact camera, everything else is pretty much gravy.
A friend of mine has the s90 and has taken some really nice images with it. |
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Robert Klein, Photographer
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South Easton | MA | USA | Posted: 10:42 AM on 10.08.10 |
| ->> Like others, I am frustrated by the viewfinder on the G series and would imagine that the same is true for the latest Nikon. Fuji has announced the X100 that supposedly will feature in addition to an LDC screen, an accurate optical view finder. The problem is that the lens is fixed 23mm (35mm equivalent). For some time now, I have been begging Canon to take one of their old rangefinders that can incorporate various lenses and put the electronics from the G series in it and give us a small, carry everywhere rangefinder for travel, street photography and even reportage. I think most photographers would prefer to frame their shot with a viewfinder and not by holding a camera at arm's length and looking at a sun baked LCD. The Leica M series digital, of course fits the bill, but who has the change to spring for the body and lenses? A nice rangefinder, compact in size with a working optical viewfinder for under $800 or less would fit the bill. To be more direct Debra, I have been using a G9 for three years and while the newer models have a few more bells and whistles, the G9 shoots raw and has a better zoom, better video and is really not that bulky in my opinion. |
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Jacob Langston, Photographer
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Orlando | FL | | Posted: 10:58 AM on 10.08.10 |
| ->> Panasonic DMC-GF1. Awesome camera. |
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Ron Manfredi, Photographer
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Merrick (Long Island) | NY | | Posted: 11:42 AM on 10.08.10 |
->> Debra,
To add to your choices, you might want to consider the Panasonic ZS5 or ZS7. While the lens isn't the fastest, it does have a 12X optical zoom, and is quite small, with a reasonably bright screen. The '7 has a GPS feature and a 3" screen, while the '5 has a 2.5" screen and no GPS. My wife loves hers. (It replaced an old Canon G-2 for use as a "fun camera". For more serious work she still uses her D-100! )
Ron |
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Jon Blacker, Photographer
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Toronto | ON | Canada | Posted: 11:59 AM on 10.08.10 |
->> I bought a Nikon P7000 last week. I have found that the still images are amazing - sharp & contrasty, and the 720p video quality is great plus it has a built-in stero mic as well as an external (stereo) mic jack. I've used it with the Sennheiser MKE400 & it makes a terrific, compact HD video kit for quick applications.
Having owned Canon G9 and G10 cameras prior to the P7000, I find this camera seems smaller in my hands; it's a little thinner and simply feels more compact. That the P7000 doesn't have an articulating LCD when compared to the G11/G12 will certainly lend to the Nikon's smaller profile.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy the Nikon again. |
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Shaun Sartin, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Glenview | IL | | Posted: 12:55 PM on 10.08.10 |
->> Debra,
I picked up a 5DMKII here in the classifieds and then added the grip via roberts.
Who knows, I may end up with something similar again, but I think I'd go to something with less controls (S90) so I wouldn't be so into using like a manual DSLR/rangefinder. I'm definitely losing some neat options like the flip/angled
LCD, but I think the sanity of not hitting all the small buttons on the back and sending the camera into different modes, then missing shots will give my blood pressure a rest! :)
There was a funny moment in Rome, we were touring the ruins next to the Coliseum and I was fighting with the camera, only to overhear a tour guide mention I was seated right next to the spot where Julius Ceasar was cremated... it was time to stop futzing with camera and start taking in the history that surrounded us! Next time I'll just take the 5DMKII and haul the extra gear! |
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Philip Johnson, Photographer
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Garland | TX | USA | Posted: 1:24 PM on 10.08.10 |
->> Hi Debra,
Here is my 2 cents worth, list 5 things that are important for you to have in a P&S camera and see how the cameras listed here compare for those five things.
Every P&S will have one or two things better then another. You have to decide on what matters to you. |
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Robert Irvin, Photographer
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| NJ | USA | Posted: 8:51 PM on 10.08.10 |
| ->> Wasnt one of the P6000-P7000 limited to connecting to a PC and not MAC compatible? |
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Steve Puppe, Photographer
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Olathe | KS | USA | Posted: 1:53 AM on 10.09.10 |
| ->> I'm in the same boat. I've been looking at the S95 or LX5. |
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Robert Seale, Photographer
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Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 10:14 AM on 10.09.10 |
->> We have a D-lux 4, and an LX-3 in our family and we love them. 24/2.0 image stabilized lens at the wide angle end. The flash stays off by default - which is wonderful (all my Canons frustrated me with the "de-arming" the flash routine every time I turned them on. Shoots HD video. Awesome little P&S.
I would get the LX-5 though, which is the recently released successor to the LX-3. |
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Curtis Clegg, Photographer
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Sycamore | IL | USA | Posted: 8:00 PM on 10.09.10 |
->> Nigel et al, I was the same way in regards to wanting an optical viewfinder so at the time I ended up with a Canon G9. I am very happy with the camera but along the way I realized that two of the tenets of point and shoot snobbery are essentially mutually exclusive.
Coming from a DSLR background I wanted something with both an optical viewfinder AND manual settings. If you're used to constantly fiddling with ISO, aperture, and shutter speed via your DSLRs viewfinder display, shooting with a P&S may frustrate you since you have to look at the rear LCD all the time anyway to adjust your settings.
To complicate things more I bought a Lensmate hood that I keep on the camera all the time. It gives the camera a nice "feel" and something to grip when I shoot, but it obscures most of the viewfinder.
Sooo, I reluctantly became a mostly-LCD shooter and it really isn't that bad. Just my $.02 |
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Yamil Sued, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Peoria | AZ | USA | Posted: 8:48 PM on 10.09.10 |
->> Deb,
I'm picking up a Nikon P7000 in he next few weeks.
For video, I have a Video camera, I want the best quality possible in a P&S.... FOR STILLS!!!
Y |
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Dianna Russell, Photographer
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Springfield | MO | USA | Posted: 1:02 AM on 10.10.10 |
->> Hi, Debbie.
Before you decide, check out the 4/3 Olympus PEN 2. There is a rebate going on and I think a $100. price drop is coming in early November.
I've ordered the Special Edition Black Kit with the flash and the pancake lens -- 17/2.8 -- and the electronic viewfinder. I'll add more lenses next year. Lots of goodies to come out in 2011.
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1482
I've been playing around with this in the store for about a month and am very excited about it. I love the small size in my hands and it's going to be fun carrying this around day to day and on vacations rather than bringing all my other gear.
Good luck with your choice. |
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Steve Ueckert, Photographer
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Houston | TX | | Posted: 10:36 AM on 10.10.10 |
->> I like wide and fast, the Lumix LX-5 is the logical starting point for me. The longer zoom is a serious improvement. I think a LX-5 with a Leica 24mm auxiliary finder could be my best option for a P&S. If the Canon S95 had a hot or cold shoe to accommodate a VF it might have been an option.
If video is a consideration the stereo capability and auxiliary mic input of the NIkon P7000 is a plus.
I used only a G10 on vacation trip, which will be the last time I do that. I wasn't bothered by the noise at elevated ISO's, I found the optical VF useless and shot at arms length which was weird, I wasn't comfortable with the native 4:3 format but that was manageable, what drove me to distraction was the shutter lag.
Anticipating a shot and being ready is a necessary skill, but the decisive moment often doesn't involve a pause for the camera making up its mind to finally shoot. |
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Steve Puppe, Photographer
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Olathe | KS | USA | Posted: 10:59 AM on 10.10.10 |
| ->> I wish they had an affordable underwater housing for the LX-5. I would only use it on vacations but I it would be better than taking two cameras. I guess the LX-5 and a GoPro HD would be an option. |
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Jeff Frings, Photographer
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Milwaukee | WI | USA | Posted: 12:10 PM on 10.10.10 |
->> Debra,
You might also want to consider the sx200 from canon. It has a 12x optical zoom and has full manual control for still pix and shoots good quality 720 HD video. It is small enough to fit in a pocket. I take mine everywhere. |
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Debra L Rothenberg, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 7:11 PM on 10.10.10 |
->> Jeff,
that one looks great but no RAW.
I picked up the Nikon P7000 today. It was between this and the Canon G12. I wanted a smaller camera, but they didn't have everything I wanted. I'd like a swivel LCD (the G12 has it) but I have heard nothing but great things about the P7000 so it won out. I have 7 days to decide or I can bring it back. One thing I will say-these P&S cameras are not easy to figure out how to use! They are hardly "point and shoot"!!!
PS-if I decide to stay with the Nikon, the better not announce a new one with the swivel LCD next month!! |
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Diana Porter, Photographer
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Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 5:10 PM on 10.11.10 |
| ->> I have the G-11 and love it. I usually carry it in my purse or fanny pack so the size really isn't an issue. Great in low light and really good when I need a wide angle but don't want the weight of the DSLR. I use it at football games for my cheerleader shots, bench shots, etc. I love the flexible screen that lets you get different angles without having to have the camera right in front of you. |
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Chris Large, Photographer
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Okotoks | AB | Canada | Posted: 11:43 PM on 10.11.10 |
| ->> A similar thread a month or so ago that I can't find but in it I spoke highly of the g10/11. After finishing another movie since then, I again sing the praises of RAW in the G 11 |
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