S30 vs. S40 vs. S45. vs. G2

[anayv]

I'm curious as to how much different the quality is between Canons 3.2Mp and 4.0MP CCD.

Below are a few shots I took with my Canon S30:


http://www2.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=459223

Colors:

http://www3.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=511437

Detail and colors:

http://www3.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=633188

Macro:

http://www3.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=324137

Using digital zoom:

http://www1.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=397694




Maybe others could post links to their shots,to see the differences.

ANAYV

[drisley]

anayv,

I too own a S30.
I have to say that your gallery easily contains the best looking S30 images I have ever seen!
What is your secret? Add on lenses/filter (polarizing, etc with the ckc lens adaptor), photoshop tips?

The saturation and sharpness is much better than any I've seen. Just as good as any what I've seen from the other cameras :)

[anayv]

Thanks.
I have the CKC adapter,as well as a polarizer lens.Soon to get the Tiffen 2X teleconverter lens.

I always use a tripod,and the 2 second counter,to avoid movement by pushing the shutter button.A steady camera gives a steady image.

I also take about 2 minutes on each picture to adjust the color, sharpness,contrast,and brightness,as needed.Some shots I only take a minute to edit.Some shots need cropping,some don't.

I kid you not that the time is under two minutes for each shot.The difference is not night and day,but to my eyes,is an improvement.

The program is a free one that came with my older HP 315 Photosmart digital camera. A very basic program.
Their name is part of the program (Hewlett-Packard PhotoSmart software,I think).

you can get similar results enhancing the color and sharpness inside the camera,by setting them to 1,instead of 0. The shot with the tree 9MR.Tree) was taken with in camera enhancement.I only adjusted the contrast with that one(and cropped out the bottom,where telephone lines were)

It's the camera that makes the difference,not the software.

A tripod,a decent eye,and good scenery. I hardly take indoor shots.

That's why I think the results from all the above cameras,will be very similar.You need to spend over $1000(US),on a 5.0MP CCD digital camera,with a really good lens,to see a big improvement.

All those images are under 360K in size. At least 5 times smaller than the original size.Original photo's are a bit better,I'm sure.

Also,I always use the best JPEG mode on the S30. Soon,I will try RAW mode,as this is even better,I'm told.

[drisley]

So, would you recommend the CKC adaptor?
I am thinking of getting it, but it's about $80 CDN. Ouch!

I have a simple set of photoshop actions I made that I call S30 workflow. I tweaked it by looking at your images.
It converts to LAB color, switches to the Lightness channel, auto contrast, unsharp mask (200%, 1pxl), and then switches back to RGB.

I LOVE the shots "Mr. Eagles Day Off" and "Turtle Pond".
Did you use the polarizing filter on these?

The contrast and sharpness is great!

[klee]

Anayv, the squirrel is a freakin' good shot - excuse my language, its just that with a 3.6x digital zoom engaged I never expected such a pleasing shot. True can't expect sharpness but i'm stumped with the claws/feet/paws and the soft underbelly!! Not to mention the highlight in the eyes. Goodness. Can you elaborate a bit more about that shot? Most interested in what was in-camera settings vs post adj in-PC.

I'm sure the tripod and the 2 sec counter shutter release is a must - the latter being a god-sent!

[drisley]

You know i would almost swear that he was using another camera and just fooling us.
But, alot of the actual images have the exif info attached.
Like you said 'freakin good shot'!

[delphinus]

Whoaaa, I need a couple of minutes to realize that I was looking at your picture with mouth opened. It is really good I'd say, very good.

Do you think taking off polarizer will degrade image quality much? Perhaps you can show us how will a pricture looked like with and without polarizer? I was thinking to buy a filter adapter, but I'm not going to buy CKC's. I don't like the way s30 look after the adapter is attached to it.

Delphinus
PS S30

[jle56]

http://users.skynet.be/fa304268/muchrooms.jpghttp://users.skynet.be/fa304268/cw.jpg
I compared the S30 side to side with the S45 and I only can say that the S45 delivers even sharper pictures ,specially on landscapes.
I have an album with more pictures on :http://www.pbase.com/jle56/
Kind regards,Jean-Luc

[hextor]

Question:

What polarizer size you have? Do you use a step-down ring with a bigger polarizer to avoid vignetting? Or dont have vignetting at wide angle with the 37mm, on which brand?

I wanna buy the combination, but need to know the right size to avoid vignetting at all.

Thanks

[anayv]

i lost the first post,now my two fingers are getting tired :>(
Second attempt here:

Thanks
Polarizer lens was not used with Mr.Eagles day off,or turtle pond.Both were taken at the zoo.

a polarizer lens blocks reflecting light,and deepens blues(as in the sky).

i used a circular polarizer from Tiffen.it came with a UV filter.both sells for $19.99(US) bought at www.circuitcity.com
No vignetting happens,as the lenses are very thin.

They are 37mm threads.
as you rotate the lens,varying amounts of reflection comes and goes.the light source needs to be at an angle to the polarizer lens to reflect the light.sometimes the effect is very subtle.i don't use it that often,but when around water,or for the fall colors of leaves,i used it.i'll use it for snow,too.

I'm not fond of the looks of the CKC adapter either,but who cares(I mean it's the looks of the pictures that matter,not the looks of the camera that takes the pictures,IMHO) with it,i can use polarizer lens,Uv lens tele-photo lens,wide angle lens,close-up lens,the 8X 32 Cristalvue 8x momocular lens,and many more.more tools for the trade,so to speak.it's an option,not a necessaty,of course.

with the squirrel shot,no in camera settings were used. A bit of saturation,contrast,sharpness and brightness was used in the HP software I mentioned.Similar results would happen ,if in camera settings for color and sharpness were set to 1 (too the right,instead of the middle.)

Jean-Luc.......Great shots !!!!!!!

You sure do make the S45 look Better than my S30 !!!
Keep shooting. (i posted a comment at your website)

P.S. i just got the tiffen tele-photo lens today,and there is some vignetting,but only at wide angle setting.Zoom in just a little,and it's gone.
ANAYV

[anayv]

i will try to post a' before polarizer',and 'after polarizer' photo of the exact same shot,for those who want to see the difference..
give me a few days,and e-mail me if i forget. (i hardly visit this site)

also,using a polarizer lens allows a bit less light in,so some exposure compensation might be needed.

ANAYV

[drisley]

I just went to dpreview and did a side by side comparison of the S40, S45, and G2, and the S45 are much clearer, sharper, than even the G2.

Quite surprising

[klee]

drisley, just to be sure on what it is u r comparing ... its just the photo shots that dpreview put up ya. The only one that is almost identical is the big ben landscape shot. But one zoomed more than the other and one was a hazier day than the other. After eyeballing them all ... its a tough call ... if only he had taken the same shots of the lamp post! What else or particularly made your mind up? Btw are the lens elements in G3 vs S45 the same?

Reedited post:- Oops just reread your post and u were comparing S45 against G2 (not G3! as I alerted). Yes u are right. S45 photos against G2 photos - assuming Phil Askey has not manipulated the S45 shots in-PC ... I agree - the S45 first generation shots are super! For the average snapper - its quality is *above* average.

[drisley]

SO, you agree that the S45 takes better pix than the G2?

[jle56]

I compared the S45 with the G3 on the same subject:
http://www.pbase.com/jle56/the_canon_s_45_compared_with_the_g_3

Jean-Luc

[ganeg]

hi i am new to this forum, stumbled upon it when i was searching for websites showing the s45 attached to the ckcpower lens adaptor =) mine just arrived and i thought it looked a bit weird attached to the s45 =) i was just wondering since the website listed 37mm compatible lenses, is it possible to use a step up ring to increase it to 52mm? just curious =) i know this question has been asked many times in regards to g3 vs s45 but i was curiuos as the g3 has an apperature of 2.0 and the s45 has 2.8/2.5 does it make any difference?

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=318041

Some photos taken with the s45 (without additional lenses, might have one pic in there taken with a g3)