Powershot SX1 or EF-S 18-200 IS

Boys and Girls:

This decision has got me twisted in so many ways its not even funny! I'm trying to "build" a system for light travel and I'm trying to decide whether to get a Powershot SX1 or an EF-S 18-200 lens.

As you can see from my current gear list, light travel means, 50D + 17-40L. very capable, albeit, limited in a way. ive tried to travel with more than one lens but its really a pain in the you know what!

What would you do? TIA!

While I'm under no delusions that I'll ever be accused of traveling "light" on camera gear, I got the SX1 for when I don't feel like taking out a whole load of gear. I guess both your options will give you about the same AoV at the wide end, but the SX1 has much better reach. If low light is your thing, though, the 50D is going to run circles around the SX1 just because the sensor size makes higher ISO settings more bearable. I'll use the SX1 at ISO 1600 if I have to, but if I have something else, I'll use that instead.

thanks for that Jon. what's your opinion on the SX1 raw files? is it just like any EOS raw file in terms of latitude and noise?

btw, ive never seen you travel "light".

. . . only going to work (SX1, 270EX, and A630)

Latitude, yes, pretty much. Noise, no, with that small sensor you just can't get the noise of anything newer than a D60.

IMAGE LINK: http://jonbarrettphoto​.smugmug.com …URgQ#796971666_​8y5z3-O-LB

I love my SX1, but it has no latitude compared to the 1Ds. It's maybe 1.5 stops worse than my G9.

But the 20x lens is great. MUCH better than what I've seen from the 35mm super-zooms.

It's noisy, too. Even in good light at 80 ISO. I leave the noise in, and remove the chroma noise in ACR. Looks more like film than any other digital I've seen (the grain shapes and visibility).

Dont know what a SX1 is, I guess is a compact super zoom?

I had a 18-200IS and really loved that lens for vacations and family reunions etc, I think is very underrated because of the "superzoom" anti-war
That and a 40 f2 was my Light travel kit on a 40D
I actually miss it sometimes, i sold it to fund my 15-85

I guess it depends on what is "Light " for you
But i vote for the 18-200