Advice on buying a s90/95 (crosspost from Canon EOS forums)

IF you`ll shoot for :

Artistic/Creative shots = DSLR or mirrorless (NEX or micro 4/3)

Simple shots with decent picture quality = S90/95 or Panasonic LUMIX LX5.

I had a chance to play with the S95 and it is really a very capable camera in the hands of an experience shooter. I`m not saying I`m a pro but here is my sample S95 shots fully manual mode and no flash.

http://awd8.zenfolio.c​om/p18723898#h14006559

I have seen average joe with expensive DSLR and yet shoot like a point and shoot quality type of pictures...

Since you are starting out, S95 full manual mode or Aperture priority , will give you a nice quailty pictures, preferably shoot in RAW for better post processing advantage later. Perfectly nailing the focus is the key...

We rent the S90 if you just want it for the trip

Lots of good options here. I love the s95 as a take it anywhere option, sometimes when I go back through my photos I wonder if I took a shot with my s95 or my 7D.

I think the most important thing thought is to get good. instead of a new camera You might want to spend the money on a photography class, or a subscription to something like Kelby training or lynda.com. Or just invest some time, buy the s95 and spend some weekends shooting it. Really get to know the camera and practice composition.

thanks guys. Just to clear things up, I'm not looking into buying a dSLR. My friend is letting me borrow his rebel xti, and I have a point and shoot (canon sd1100). It's just that I've seen the images produced by the s90/95 and it is way better than what my sd1100 can produce. So, I was thinking that I would get the s90/95 to replace my sd1100 as a compact camera to use for occasions where carrying the dSLR would be hard or impractical. Plus it has a manual mode, so I can practice with it after I return the XTi to my friend. What do you guys think I should do? I know I could probably just keep my sd1100, but the OCD in me can't get over the fact that the images will look a lot better on the s90/95..Help me!!

kingme, welcome to the forum!
If you want an independent opinion, Ken Rockwell rates the S95 extremely highly on his site.
I'm OCD too...carry a camer with me wherever I go.
The S95 is an incredible camera! I don't own one, and regret that. Why? The lens is quite short for me. So...provided the lens focal length meets your needs, I would recommend the S95 highly. I may buy one yet. When I do I shall buy a Richard Franiec grip for it, but that's just me.

I have a Panasonic LX5 that is also an incredible camera. It is not as easy to carry as the S95. I have a Panasonic ZS3 that has a 35-300 lens; that's the camera that I carry with me. The wide to longer lens suites me better. I used a Canon G11 for quite a while; found it hard to carry the way I would like to, and traded for the LX5.

Best,

thanks 2mnycars. I'm just wondering if its justifiable to upgrade from the 1100 to the s9x series. The images look really good, but its just so expensive!

Frankly, it depends on what is important to you?
There's always going to be better equipment. It's the images that count. I buy when new equipment produces better images or somehow works where old stuff doesn't.

I figure the only people that care what gear I use are me and the person selling the gear. And soon as the sale is made, the clerk says "next!"

If your camera is working for you, keep it.

Hope this helps.

I'd trade my S95 in for the same camera with a cable-release capability tomorrow. (No, using the timer is not an answer for me.)

I can honestly say that I've never once looked at a photo and been confused as to whether it was taken with my S95 or my proper camera.

But I very much like the S95 and have it with me always. However, a whole lot of the time, it's a case of not being able to do what I want as - well - it's just a pocket camera and it shows. Within its limitations, a great camera.

I believe Richard Franiec makes a cable release option for the LX5...hope this helps.

Simon:

link--
http://www.kleptograph​y.com/rf/

Can't use the Electronic View Finder at the same time...as the cable release. The cable is not supplied. You have to provide your own. Adapter is about $19.00 US.

Dang. I nearly bought the LX5 instead of the S95 in the first place.

Simon_Gardner wrote in post #12398384
I'd trade my S95 in for the same camera with a cable-release capability tomorrow. (No, using the timer is not an answer for me.)

I've read repeatedly that this is something you can do with CHDK, using the usb port...

http://chdk.wikia.com/​wiki/USB_Remote_Cable
Confirmed the Ricoh CA-1 cable release works for the Canon S95 using beta CHDK. Tested Single shot only; not continuous or zoom

tkbslc wrote in post #12385323
I've already given my opinion twice, but I would grab an S95 and leave the dSLR and SD1100 home, unless you have access to better lenses. With the 18-55 kit lens you will have less zoom range than the S95, you won't have sharper optics, and the lens will have a slower aperture that negates the image quality advantage at higher ISO. The 18-55 that came with the XT lacks Image stabilization. The S95 has manual control and RAW shooting. You aren't going to get shallow DOF or fast autofocus or fast burst speed with the XT and 18-55. So I am not left with any reasons I can think of to take it over the S95.

FWIW, I have owned a rebel+18-55, an SD1100 and an S90.

Yeah, I would rather agree with this as well...if you're not going to be buying or bringing extra lenses other than the kit lens, I'm not sure the XT has any advantage over the s95. In fact, if the lens lacks IS than you might get worse performance out of it.