Might have to sell, I need advice

Due to a few reasons I may need to sell off my camera and equipment. I will have to wait until about this time next year or the following spring to rebuy new stuff. In the mean time I can use a bit of the money from selling to get a good P&S. I really don't know where to put this thread so I'd thought I'd put it where the other DSLR users are. I need a camera that will take the best pictures possible for a P&S. I'm not looking to match my 30D, I know that is not realistic. Last fall I tried the S3 and wasn't impressed with the CA on the lens. I hear the S5 is similar. I like the long zooms, but if they will degrade the IQ I don't want them. I'm not stuck in the "it must only be canon" mindset, right now I just need the IQ above all else, even if it means losing focal length. I want something I can take everywhere (I have a big purse) That will just be lots of fun to use, and that won't make me miss a better camera too much!

The funny part about this is two of my biggest winners this year were older shots taken with an A610 (one was thrid place in the state fair, the other was a calander that reached about 20,000 people)

So please for all you DSLR users what do you recommend. I want something that I will be able to use along with a future DSLR and that will take great shots.

PS- the GREAT news is that the hubby has said that since I offered to do this I can get the 5D next time!!!!!!! Even though it'll take longer to save for.

Oh yes, I also dont' need to work magic, I usually don't go over ISO400, I like landscapes, closeups, but not real macros. I shoots lots of birds and flowers. Although this time of year that's not too often. I normally shoot in natural light, but am not against maybe getting a flash if I decide to do indoor shots.

Well, I guess I can't help much, because I found the S3 to be fine for my very casual shooting and I really haven't used many other P&S cameras except the Olympus compacts (the CZ series). I've heard lots of good things about the G series Canons, and several here use the A series as their P&S's. If I were you, I'd narrow it down to a couple or three contenders then visit some local shops with CF and SD cards in hand and see if they'll let you take some test shots.

Also, post your question in the P&S Forum and see what kind of response you get there.

Mark

Thanks Mark! Yeah I somewhat have it narrowed down, but the only local camera shop, if you can call it that, is Best Buy or Walmart. groan. I live in the middle of nowhere.

But here's what I'm currantly looking at
G9
S5 IS
A640 (getting hard to get and the price is going up?)
Fuji S8000 (still researching this one)
Panasonic DMC FZ18 (still researching this one too)

How was the S3 for landscapes? That's where I found it weak, although I only borrowed one for a week, so maybe a bit more use would produce better shots?

I can't say I've ever used the S3 for landscapes. I did use the S2 quite extensively in Hawaii last year and it seem to do just fine (I bought if for my wife). When our grandchild was born last June, I gave the S2 to my daughter and bought my wife the S3 to replace it. She loves it and the images I've seen from it are nothing to complain about (with the right technique).

Mark

My neighbor just picked up the Canon A650IS and I got to play with it a little. It’s not really small by compact standards but the picture quality is outstanding and has a very decent zoom range as well. I didn’t get play with it a lot but it looked to be pretty feature rich.

This probably won't help much, but a friend of mine recently bought an s5 and she just loves it... but personally, I've never shot with one. Sorry to hear that you have to sell.

What about adding the tube and raynox wide angle on the S3/S5? I haven't tried, but others seem to like them.

Do you own a flashlight, 430EX etc that your not going to sell? If you shoot a lot with flash the G9 looks like a winner and has RAW editing for those landscapes

If I needed a P&S now I would look at A650. I recently got G7 and miss the flip out lcd of my old A80. A650 has it in addition to G7's lens and plenty (maybe even too much) megapixels.
Lev

Do you shoot RAW as needed, demand good quality lens glass, appreciate IS, like logical controls, decent flash output, and like using a viewfinder to compose?

The little Panasonic FZ8 super zoom is a very nice usable responsive nimble camera in its $279 price class. Can't be beat. Takes nice photos. The EVF viewfinder on the Pany FZ8 is far far more useful, more responsive, sharper, and clearer than the Canon S3 and S5.

The Canon G9 is excellent. At f/4 or f/4.5 the photos are super sharp and contrasty (all these digicams are diffraction limited by f/5.6). But you can buy a used Canon Rebel XT dSLR and travel lens for almost same $.

The Pany FZ8 has a lot going for it in glass, flash, IS, responsiveness, controls, and RAW over the Canon S3 and S5 series. FZ18 may have too many pixels. Not sure. Have shot the FZ8, but not the 18. Not rugged bodies though so don't take them kayaking, etc. I've killed two P&S cameras kayaking already....

Jack

I picked up a fuji f31d and have been very pleased with it's performance. High ISO shots are well above what the other PS can achieve. Manual control is a bit more work then needed, but for something that can fit in your pocket, it does the job about as good as any. Unfortunately Fuji messed up the f50d by jumping to 12 mpx which has reintroduced noise into the image. If you can find one.. give it a look.

Jack I just saw the FZ8 today on Amazon and have been looking up info on it. How is the IQ compared to the other P&S you've shot with?

Croasdail I've heard the F31 is a great high ISO camera, but it lacks IQ in good shooting conditions.

I'm a bit worried about the differences between a P&S and DSLR in that I'll get frustrated using it. I'm trying to get into the P&S mindset. I'm going to see just what they can do and learn to live with it. I didn't like the other P&S cameras I've tried because I was coming from a film background and it was just too different for me. Now that I know a bit more about digital I'm hoping it'll be a better experience. I want to relax and enjoy my hobby, not stress over it. Sometimes with the 30D it sits at home because I want to enjoy what I'm doing, not hurting my back dragging it and a few lenses around. I get mad and just leave it at home. Then I get upset because I miss shots. I'm hoping that being forced to use a camera and having it with me every single day will open my eyes again. Renew my love. Make photography fun again because I won't expect greatness.

if it were me, I'd go for a Rebel XT kit instead of a P&S. B&H sells them for $500 these days--nice camera for that money.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …EOS_Digital_Reb​el_XT.html

I thought of that, but it's too big. I want something I can just grab and throw in my bag without having to worry about lenses. I need something that will be less then $500 as well, otherwise it's not worth selling everything.