Is the G6 right for me?

Hello,
We just had a little baby girl 9 weeks ago and we purchased a TRV33 Camcorder to record her. Well, we've been using it to take still shots and recently my wife sent some of those off to be developed because she is into scrap booking. Needless to say, the shots did not come back very clear. The photo's were quite grainy and just not very sharp.

So, I guess this is because it's a camcorder and not a digital camera, so I started to look for a decent digital camera that would not be hard to use for either me or my wife. I'm guessing I probably need a point and shoot more than an SLR for our purposes, so I was looking at the G6. Before I started looking I figured that $500 would get me a decent digital camera. It looks like the G6 is on the high end of what I was looking to spend.

So, my question is, if I don't want to do "professional" photography, but I just want a camera that can take good quality pictures that will look good when being developped, is the G6 the camera for me? If not, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

The G6 is really getting into the "prosumer" class. You can use it for a point and shoot, but you'd be missing out on a lot of functionality.

I recommend you read up on the G6 as well as Canon's S500, and A95. They all will take excellent pictures, up to 8X10, but each has advantages and disadvantages. The S500 is a lot more portable than the G6, but the A95 and G6 have the rotating LCD's (very handy when you want to get low to the floor for baby-level shots!)

If this is your first digital camera purchase, I'd recommend something like an A95 (or A85 if you can find one) or a used G3 or G5. With the little one the rotating LCD will be the most useful feature. The G6 is a great camera, but probably not the best value for your needs.

This is a great review site:

http://www.dcresource.​com/

I exchanged a broken camera for a G6 after reading good reviews and seeing the camera at the local Best Buy. The price is a little up there for such a camera, but I would recommend this camera because of the good features and it's ability to grow with your photography demands. The swivel LCD is a plus also. I had an Olympus C-5050 which was a good camera. Purchased an extended warranty (smart move), then the camera started losing it's memory everytime I changed the batteries. That was a good camera and seemed more solid than the G6 because it is made out of more metal, but the G6 was offered as a no cost exchange for the C-5050 so I couldn't say no!

I have a Digital Rebel as well and I like the fact that both cameras can use the same memory card and same batteries.

I don't think you will be disappointed in your purchase if you purchased the G6..

8)

I have also the trv33 and in low light, the 1mpix images are really grainy.
Try neatimage to remove the noise. Works rather well.
Of course it's not a replacement for a real photocam.
I have the G3 also and I can recommend a G-series, gives good pictures.
From what I've heard, the powershot A-series are about equivalent in picture quality and functionality to the G-series, but they lack a shoe for an external flash. That was mainly the argument why I bought a G3 rather than another.
The advantage of an external flash over to onboard flash is of course less red-eyes, certain external flashes also have tilt or swivel functionality so you can direct the flash to the ceiling or the wall. It will be less blinding for the kids...

You can't go wrong with a G series camera. You may only need a Point and shoot now, but as you continue to take pictures you will probably grow out of a simpler camera. With a baby - toddler for a subject, you will need flexability in your camera to catch the action. Faster shutter speeds, a nice zoom to catch the baby unawares etc. You can grow with the camera and save money in the long run getting the G6 or a previous G model. Enjoy the baby.

You can pick up a good used G3, which in my book is a classic camera, for around $350 in very good condition. With the money you saved by not buying a G6, you can put that towards a good flash - 420EX ($184).

This combo will carry you far in your photographic travels.

BTW, all the photos in my gallery below are taken with a G3...check it out.

Hey all!
Thanks for all of the replies! Man, I didn't think picking a digital camera would be THIS hard. So, after I made the post I called 4 different friends that I know asking their opinions. None of them are "camera experts" per se, however, every single one of them owns the EXACT same camera.

The Digital Rebel

So I took a look at that thing, and man is it expensive! But, what I don't get is, it's a 6.3 megapixel camera and the G6 is a 7.1 megapixel camera. From what I read here (and elsewhere) it sounds like that for a good 8x10 print, 5 megapixel is what you need, which I guess is why the A95 and S500 were recommended.

Ok, so now I have all of these camera choices, which, of course, just brings more questions up for me. So, here we go:

1) Can someone explain what the difference is between the different "ISO" numbers? How does ISO 50 compare to ISO 400? I'm guessing that it's like the film numbers on 35mm film where 800 speed film is for lowlight/action photos.

2) The articles I read about the A95 and S500 indicated they were both better at ISO 50 than 400 and ISO 400 introduced alot of "noise" in the photo. Can someone explain what exactly this means?

3) Outside of the slightly different sized LCD screen (1.5 on the S500 and 1.8 on the A95) I really couldn't tell the difference between these 2 cameras. They both have the same amount of megapixels, they both have 3x zoom. they both have built in flash. The only real difference I could see was one had a body like an SLR (A95) and the other was really really small (S500) and I read something like the A95 can do really close pictures (Macro?) a bit cleaner. Am I overlooking something here?

4) One friend mentioned how he liked the Digital Rebel for shooting pics of his 1 year old because he found he could snap off multiple photos in rapid succession on it as compared to his digital point and shoot camera and with a child, they are constantly moving so maybe out of a dozen pictures, he says he gets 2 or 3 good ones. Do any of these other options (S500, A95, G6) offer the same?

5) Between the G6 and the Digital Rebel is a $300 difference. They both seem to offer the ability for external flash. The G6 is 7.1 mpixels as opposed to the Digital Rebel which is 6.3 mpixels. The Digital Rebel allows for various lenses and such, which I guess is because it's more of a "professional" camera choice? Anyway, I guess my question is, it seems to me that camera companies are always touting the megapixels a camera has as a major selling point. The G6 has more than the Digital Rebel, but I guess the lenses of the Digital Rebel are it's selling point. I guess my question is, what advantages does the Digital Rebel offer the "family user" over the G6?

Sorry for all of the questions.. I know I mentioned previously I'd like to stay in the $500 range if possible... That's because I planned on upgrading my computer with the other money.. But, I have this problem where I seem to always need to have the "best" things.. My wife always makes fun of me when I buy things... "Oh, you couldn't get the no name sneakers? You NEED Nike's? Only the best for you!"

Anyway... I just want to get the best deal for the money.. and I'm one of those people who has the thought "you get what you pay for"... the Digital Rebel is quite expensive and I think it's FAR beyond what I'll ever need.. The A95 and S500's sound like really good options as well, but I question what I am "missing out on" by going with one of those choices as opposed to the G6.. Then again, I wonder what I am actually gaining by going with the G6 over the A95 or S500...

Ok, my head hurts now.. I think I'll go lie down.. oh wait, I'm at work.. I guess that's not an option...

Stop worrying about megapixels. In truth you can make an 8x10 with
3.1 megapixels and it will look great. I know, because my first camera was a 3.1 mp Kodak, which I still use. As you say, the camera companies jack up the mps to sell cameras. It's like buying a car that will do 0 to 60 in 30 seconds, and you live in a place where there's a traffic light on every corner. Consider the other important options on the cameras that are important to you.
PS From reading your last reply, don't get the Rebel, it's too much camera for you.

There's a big leap from the G6 to the Digital Rebel. Do a search on this site for the numerous discussions of the merits of the DR vs. a G-series.

TWL845 is right, don't get hung up on the MP count. I have 8x10s hanging on my wall taken with a 2.1MP Canon A40 and they're great.

If you want to take pictures of your little one, get an A95 or G6, or one of the used models. You want the rotating LCD. Believe me. You can get at floor level and also hold it over your head.

For what you want the DRebel is way overkill.

In 7 years or so when you start taking pictures of Tee-ball then you'll want an SLR with a long lens. By that time the prices will be even more affordable.

Exactly the same - film is rated in ISO (which is a logarithmic scale), and it's carried over to digital. So ISO 50 needs 4 stops more exposure than ISO 400

"Noise" in digital photography is an unevenness in the reproduction of a uniform colour surface because each individual photo-receptor on the sensor reacts slightly differently to light in very low levels.

The A95 also uses AA cells, instead of a proprietary Li Ion battery. Rechargable NiMH AA cells are cheaper than the Li Ion of the S500, and have very good life. They both have macro mode. The A95 isn't even cloe to the size of a DSLR. It's not as slim as the S500 when fully collapsed, but it's still fairly small. The A95 is a somewhat newer model, so the sensor may be less "noisy" (the potential is there - they're constantlyy making advances; I haven't looked for head-to-head comparisons).

They don't, AFAIK, have the "burst" capabilities of the DR and other digital SLRs.

It offers a wider ISO range (100-1600) than the G6 (50-400) so it'll be better in low light conditions. The larger sensor in the DR is less susceptible to sensor "noise" at high speeds. It also responds faster when you press the shutter, so you're more likely to get the picture that you were expecting when you took it. Head over with a friend/assistant to a store that has several of the cameras you're considering and have the friend move around randomly while you try to capture specific moments with the camera. See how well you can do at that - it should give you some idea what it'll be like trying to "stop" your daughter.

Masque wrote:
Sorry for all of the questions.. I know I mentioned previously I'd like to stay in the $500 range if possible... That's because I planned on upgrading my computer with the other money.. But, I have this problem where I seem to always need to have the "best" things.. My wife always makes fun of me when I buy things... "Oh, you couldn't get the no name sneakers? You NEED Nike's? Only the best for you!"

Anyway... I just want to get the best deal for the money.. and I'm one of those people who has the thought "you get what you pay for"... the Digital Rebel is quite expensive and I think it's FAR beyond what I'll ever need.. The A95 and S500's sound like really good options as well, but I question what I am "missing out on" by going with one of those choices as opposed to the G6.. Then again, I wonder what I am actually gaining by going with the G6 over the A95 or S500...

Ok, my head hurts now.. I think I'll go lie down.. oh wait, I'm at work.. I guess that's not an option...

The megapixels from any of these will do fine for you. You'll probably be more concerned about how easily the camera handles and how well it photographs in relatively low light (nothing destroys the mood of whatever "cute" thing small, highly mobile creature is up to quite so well as a blinding flash tipping them off that you're watching). If she goes in for sports later, you'll find the P/S cameras won't let you get as close as you may want to the action without setting up in the middle of the field, but that's down the road a few years.

Hi Masque!

First of all congatulations on the addition to your family. I thought I chime in into this discussion cause I may give you some visual examples. No I don't have G6, I still use my G2 and loving it. When I bought it I had absolutely no prior photography experience. I'm still learning but hey we all got to start somewhere.

My advice to you would be similar to Pradeep. Get a second hand or discontinued G3 or G5 and put the extra money towards Speedlite 420EX. Maybe pick up a Lumiquest accesories as well but thats optional. Just to show what a killer combination that can be look at this pic of my one year old nephew I took 2 days ago

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Flagpole,

nice pictures

Masque, what you see in Flagpole's last picture is noise.

That's about the only disadvantage of every digicam (having a very small sensor to capture the light). ISO 50 gives you great pictures, but if you go to 200, the dark areas will look very much like Flagpole's last picture.

As far as the S500 is concerned ... you should be aware that this camera can *only* be used as a P&S digicam, whereas the A, G and S series give you all the creative possibilities of photography.

The basics are very simple, actually. (Forgive me if you know all of this and I am insulting you by hinting I have to explain it first )

When you take a picture, the camera measures the available light and sets 2 parameters: Aperture and shutter speed. The camera can either select a fast shutter speed (e.g. 1/200 second) and a large aperture (e.g. f/2.8 ) or a slower shutter speed and a smaller aperture (e.g. 1/50 second and f/5.6) Both settings let the same amount of light hit the sensor (unless I did my math wrong) and allow the picture to be properly exposed. However, the first one will only have a small portion of the picture exectly in focus, and the background and foreground slightly blurred. On the other hand, if something is moving very fast in the picture, it will be stopped. The other setting will also have a sharper back- and foreground, but a fast moving object will not be completely stopped, but you will see the motion.

With a camera that allows you to set either aperture or shutter speed, the camera allows you the make this decision ... you can 'freeze' a runner in his sprint, or you can move the camera along with him with a longer shutter speed so that the runner is sharp, but the background is blurry to give the viewer the impression of speed. With a camera like the S500, you can't make this desion. You have some 'picture' modes (e.g. 'sports' and 'portrait'), but basically all you can to is press the shutter and hope the camera selects what you want.

Best regards,
Andy

You're probably already swamped by the excellent advice above, but here's one more thing (forgive me if it's been mentioned already, and I forgot it by the time I got to the end of the thread) to think about: size. Go to a megastore and hold the cameras in your hand, and think about which one you'll most likely have with you/near you when you have a great photo opportunity. The best camera in the world won't be useful to you if you left it behind/in a padded case because it's to big or heavy to take with you conveniently.
Obviously there are trade-offs, and you may end up compromising your own convenience in order to always carry a camera with more functionality. Personally, I'd love to have a DSLR, but honestly, my G2 is large enough that I sometimes leave it behind, and then find myself missing great shots. I'd be more frustrated by that, with a bigger camera, but equally frustrated by limitations of a smaller one, so the G-series is the least frustrating choice for me
Also, I can't emphasize enough how useful the swivel LCD is. I had no idea, when I bought it, that it would be my favorite feature. Now I'm spoiled, and can't possibly go back to a viewfinder.

Hey all..
Thanks for the great advice here... in the mean time while I am trying to make my decision, I borrowed a S30 from a friend and took some pictures of my daughter with it... One thing I noticed on most of the pictures was how bright it was when the flash went off.. the pictures looked mostly "white".. I asked my friend and he said it's the "Flash Exposure" which is doing that and occurs on most direct flash camera's...

So it looks like the S500 and A95 both have this direct flash on them... is there anyway to regulate how much it flashes on these cameras? Are there any point and shoot cameras for that matter that allow you to regulate this?

I was VERY close to going and picking up the A95, and now this has me second guessing myself... Sorry for all of the questions.. I'm a real novice when it comes to digital photography...

In manual mode you can adjust the flash output on the A95.

However, you probably only want to do that when you're using flash as a fill light.

In auto modes, the camera controls the power of the flash based on a pre-flash that happens microseconds before the main flash. Based on what the camera meters on the pre-flash, it will adjust the output of the main flash accordingly. The metering system places a heavy emphasis on the focus point. If it happens to be a dark object, then it will up the flash power, at the risk of over-exposing light areas.

EOS cameras have something called Flash Exposure Lock which can be used to meter off a medium toned subject. I don't think the A95 is that sophisticated.

Notwithstanding, the light from any on-camera flash, regardless of the camera, is usually harsh and direct.

If you're going to use the flash a lot, you may want to have a second look at the G6 and consider an external flash like the Canon 420EX (or third party equals).