Questions on your SX1is

[Joe M]

Hello Jon and others with the SX1is. I have the SX10is and I am thinking of buying the SX1is. The SX10is is a good camera, I enjoy it now that I understand more of is features.

What I want now more then anything is the speed. 4 shots per second is great. When they say 4 shots per second, are they focused or blurry, other then my own blurry hands.

How is your battery life? A report on the SX1is said the the battery life is 1/2 the life of the SX10is, how are your batterys lasting.

How are the photos, the report said the the SX1is photos are softer the the SX10is? How are your photos, all the photos on the forum are a little blurry on my computer so I can not see the photos sharp.

I look forward to reading your answers so I can buy the SX1is.

Thank you all very much.
Joe M

[Jon]

The 4 frames/sec. in the SX1 are like the 1.4 frames/sec. the SX10 tops out at. The camera focuses before the burst and doesn't re-focus. With AF between shots it does about 1 fps, still better than the SX10's .7 fps with AF between shots. Of course, if you have a slowish shutter speed, it won't be able to make that rate either.
Battery life - it's pretty good. I've gone at least 250 shots (including several minutes of video) on a set of Eneloops. I don't notice much difference between the SX1 and the SX10 I had before.

I shoot RAW, which is one big reason I got the SX1. It's noisy (that's compared to a 5D or 1D3 though), but not especially soft.
Here's a recent shot (click for the full-sized image, which is 10 MB, so will take a while):

http://jonbarrettphoto.smugmug.com/photos/605508573_wcvhJ-L.jpg (http://jonbarrettphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/7971157_sURgQ/2/605508573_wcvhJ#605508573_wcvhJ-O-LB)

[eosphotomanoftennessee]

I upgraded mainly for the CMOS sensor vs CCD sensor = higher quality pix. The full HD video was also a factor. Battery life is nearly as good as SX10, but not quite. AF is noticeably faster and as Jon mentioned above the burst is much improved although I would have wished for continuous AF during the burst. I am very happy with the upgrade.

[Salleke]

For a few months now I'm thinking of buying a SX1 IS but I can't decide.
Mostly due to the poor revieuw on DPREVIEW.

So my simple question for the users of this camera is:

Is it really that poor as DPREVIEW writes, or are you all happy whit yours?

Or should I go for the Panasonic FZ 38 that comes out in september?

Thanks, Salleke.

[Jon]

I'm happy with mine. But then I'm used to CMOS sensors. Regardless of what "common knowledge" may be, I think there's a real behavioral difference between CMOS and CCD sensors and if their reviewer treated it like a CCD camera they'd be disappointed.

OTOH as for the Panasonic, do you want to get a camera that you may not be able to get a replacement battery for (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=730582)? The SX1 uses readily-available and generic AA cells, either disposable or rechargeable.

[Salleke]

I'm happy with mine. But then I'm used to CMOS sensors. Regardless of what "common knowledge" may be, I think there's a real behavioral difference between CMOS and CCD sensors and if their reviewer treated it like a CCD camera they'd be disappointed.

OTOH as for the Panasonic, do you want to get a camera that you may not be able to get a replacement battery for (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=730582)? The SX1 uses readily-available and generic AA cells, either disposable or rechargeable.

OMG ... Can this be really true? Are we not in the year 2009 and isn't there a worldwide crisis going on?

Shame on you Panasonic to treat your customers like this. You should r... and burn in h... if this is true ... :mad::mad::mad:

Thanks Jon, for opening my eyes.

Good luck.

[Joe M]

To everyone, I thank you all for your answers. I gave one more question. I saw that the aperture size is from 2.8 to 5.7. I know the SX10is is 2.8 to 8. I wish it was up to 12. What do you feel that the Av is so small? How does it work for you and why?
Again, I thank you for your answers.
JoeM

[JustShootin']

I don't have a SX1, but I'm sure, like the SX10, the aperture is 2.8 to 8.0 also. The 5.7 is the largest aperture at full zoom. To me that's one of the set backs on both cameras. If I'm wrong, I'll go sit in the corner or something! ;)

[Jon]

You can come out of the corner . . .
But keeping a constant f/2.8 through that range would require a huge front element, in addition to major design work. There's a reason that there aren't any constant aperture extreme zoom lenses in any format.

[Joe M]

Ha ha, I'm out of the corner. Thank you.
JoeM