although i want a digital slr...i'm just not ready for it experience-wise...right now i have a point and shoot canon A80 4mega pixel..it takes great pictures and has alot of features...iv'e had this camera for a few years...with that being said...i'm ready to buy a new one...right now iv'e narrowed it down to the canon sd600 and/or sd630...iv'e looked at the specs on both cameras and they seem to be identical except for the screen size..the sd630 has a 3' screen vs. the 2.5' screen on the sd600...circuit city has the sd600 for $309 and the sd630 for $379..
can anybody tell me if theres any difference between these 2 cameras besides what i just mentioned above? like features,shooting modes,etc...? i'm just now learning how to take night shots among other things...would you guys recommened either of these cameras for what i want to use it for? thanks in advance...btw..should i consider the sd550 7 megapixel? not sure what the price is on that one..i'm assuming it's comparable to both sd600 and sd630...

 

i'd like to add that i was reading up on the canon S3 last night and am considering this now...my other question is...of the cameras i have mentioned...which is best at low light shooting..such as taking a night shot pic of a car or night shots of city buildings...sorry if these questions have been asked before...but i'm ready to buy a new camera hopefully by tonight/tommorrow...and was hoping i can get some help from you photo experts here...thanks again..

 

Feature wise, the S3 is the best camera of the bunch, but it's also the largest. Really the only reason to buy the SD630 over the S3 is it's size.

As far as night shots are concerned, you need a tripod for either camera. However, the S3 has an image stabilizer that will steady the camera so you can manage to take handheld shots of still objects in 2 to 3 times less light than non-stabilized cameras require. This is great for indoor shots or shots at sunset, but don't expect to be able to handhold the camera at night.

The SD630 has a very large screen compared to the S3, but the S3's can pop out and swivel. It's really handy if you want to take a low shot and not get down on your knees, or for shooting up and over a crowd of people.

 

i have a tripod...and i have learned so far with night/low light shots that its best when using a tripod...i do like the swivel screen..my A80 has that...size of camera is not really an issue for me...i guess my real question is..feature wise...are they all pretty much the same? i'm very eager to learn photography and be able to take nice pictures..i want to make sure i have a camera that is capable...which would you recommend out of the 3 mr. dan martin? thanks for your reply...

 

I replied to your PM drigo, but I think of the 3, the S3 is the best for what you're trying to do. You might also want to take a look at the Sony DSC-H5, but it doesn't have the swivel screen.

 

what do you think of these 2 shots dan? any suggestions..comments..etc...thanks

 

What ISO did you use? It's a little hard to tell, but it looks a tad noisy. Also you might want to bump the sharpness a little.

So what cam is this from?

 

i'm such a dumbass...i forgot the settings...but i think the iso was set at 400...the pics are from my old canon A80... i know that if i keep playing with the settings i can do better...

 

Ya, ISO 400 should only be used in an emergency on a P&S. Keep the ISO as low as possible, especially when shooting something still.

The A80 is a fine camera, keep playing.

 

thanks dan...i went to circuit city and played around with both cameras we talked about..S3 was sweet..but after much thought...i think its best for me to wait a little longer or at least until i learn more...besides my camera now takes good enough pics..i guess for the most part..i think i just got the "buying a new toy itch" ...i really appreciate all the help you have provided me...hopefully i can get more tips and suggestions from you and anyone else here...thanks

 

Good plan. There will always be something new on the market, so hone your skills in the mean time.

 

.....Thank you for visiting Dear Dan for Thursday, July 27, 2006.

Look for Dan's next column, Lens Flare and You, coming soon!