S100 vs SX260 for western US vacation pics? (plus everyday use)

[zaboomafoo zarg]

I'm going to buy a travel camera for a vacation I'm taking in a month. Initially I want a nice camera to capture my vacation to the western US (Grand Canyon, Sequoia, Yosemite, Yellowstone). Following that, I'll be using it for everyday use. After extensive searching I've narrowed my main considerations down to the S100 and SX260.

Does anyone have thoughts on which of these would be better in situations such as this? The S100 looks quite a bit better in terms of quality, but is missing the zoom capabilities of the SX260. Not sure if I really will need that though, I usually take more landscape than nature/animal pics.

The S95 and SX230 are also options as well I suppose.

Thanks!

[S100mike]

The S100 is a beautiful camera and in terms of IQ, it is pretty much the best P&S canon compact(G1x is a new class) For those nights out, low light performance is great, has a fast lens at the wide and 24mm. HD Video as well. IMO, I would not consider any other Canon compact.

Check out the S100 photo thread and see what it can do.

[eyalg]

Not just for its low light capabilities, but also for it's better dynamic range and color tones,
which may produce better images of those red canyons, grey rocks and green trees.
The SX260 will also do a generally fine job, no doubt, but the S100 has the edge.

-eyalg

[riverdog1]

A tip: take a circular polarizer with you (like a 58mm or so) and you can hand hold it in
front of your lens. I do this a lot with the S95 and it works great, especially for landscapes,
clouds etc.

[zaboomafoo zarg]

Originally Posted by riverdog1

A tip: take a circular polarizer with you (like a 58mm or so) and you can hand hold it in
front of your lens. I do this a lot with the S95 and it works great, especially for landscapes,
clouds etc.

Wow, the results are impressive for polarizers! http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...5&changemode=1

Have you used an attachable? That seems like it would be more convenient.

[zaboomafoo zarg]

The only thing stopping me from getting the S100 right this second is the "Lens Error" that a lot of people seem to be getting...

[zaboomafoo zarg]

Dang it, Canon has too many options! The SX40 is looking pretty awesome now. I think I'm just going to have to flip a coin to choose, haha.

[zaboomafoo zarg]

Well I ended up getting the SX40. Bought it from Walmart and have 2 weeks to return if I don't like it, but already I'm loving it. That 35x zoom is incredible, already got some amazing pictures of geese from 200 feet away. Definitely harder to carry than something like an S100 or SX260 though.

Still, I see myself probably keeping this and maybe getting a S95 on the cheap someday for true portability.

[riverdog1]

Originally Posted by zaboomafoo zarg

Wow, the results are impressive for polarizers! http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...5&changemode=1

Have you used an attachable? That seems like it would be more convenient.

I handhold a 58mm polarizer in front of the s95 lens....not attachment. I do take several
shots and rotate the polarizer a bit for each one in case the viewfinder info isn't accurate
enough. With my SLR's I always attach polarizers to the lenses when using them, but for
the p&s it isn't worth the effort because the results are fine the way I do it.

Congrats on the SX40!

[botw]

I ditched my s95 in favor of an sx260. I have dslrs or NEX for when I really care about low light performance. I find the sx260 to be a slightly easier size to handle, the IQ is practically indistinguishable for jpgs at common settings (the s95/100 do have some larger apertures obviously) and the extended zoom range is quite useful in a strictly vacation/P&S type camera.