I would say that both the A640 and the A710IS are essentially identical in image quality when comparing shooting static scenes on a tripod ( in review ISO test sequences )..
Having said that the A710IS has the image stabilization, and thats a significant difference in a practical sense and it will not show that in ISO test sequences. The A710IS also has a 6x zoom..
StephenG.
Fuji S9600Fuji S5200Fuji F30Fuji E900Canon A710ISPCLinuxOS..
Sweet man. That's what I'm thinking about going for. the only slight minor thing is I don't really love the battery life people say about it. But we own lots of rechargables and chargers so i'm not too worried. I am most likely going to get an underwater case too!..
Why do you want "semi-high megapixel?" Do you know what pixels are and what "semi-high megapixel" means in terms of photography? I suggest that you read the reviews of the P&S cameras on your list..
Jerry..
I would say that both the A640 and the A710IS are essentiallyidentical in image quality when comparing shooting static scenes on atripod ( in review ISO test sequences )..
Having said that the A710IS has the image stabilization, and thats asignificant difference in a practical sense and it will not show thatin ISO test sequences. The A710IS also has a 6x zoom..
Spot on. You could also consider that the A640 is a bit bigger and heavier, and uses four AA batteries to the A710IS's two. This should make the A640 quicker when taking flash pictures in a row. The A640 has a very handy flip out screen too. If you take a lot of macros, this is invaluable, but it does make the camera quite bulky..
If the 6x zoom is not the killer difference for you, there is another option: the A570IS is the smallest of the lot, has a 4x zoom and IS and is also the cheapest, but is equal in IQ to the others..
Androohttp://Androo.smugmug.com..
I wanted a basic camera for every day use, with good results, and fit in shirt pocket, to save me humping my d80 kit all the time, so I bought a OLYMPUS MJU 800, they are still on the market, 8 mp, and price is not bad. I paid 240, on ebay, local shop wanted 350 , read it's reviewI took these with it.
Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window.
Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window.
Mike Rudge..
I'd have said the A570IS was a little noisier than the A710IS and A640, but you can compare these yourself. Mention it just to flag it to the OP..
Well spotted about the batteries. That's a significant weight difference too..
StephenG.
Fuji S9600Fuji S5200Fuji F30Fuji E900Canon A710ISPCLinuxOS..
Hey thanks for the tips..
With the semi-high mega-pixel I wasn't referring to a professional camera just towards smaller compact cameras so around 7-8 or above..
With batteries and such, I suppose the the A640 lasts a little longer, but the weight does not bother me much either way..
The one thing that really stands out to me is the image stabilization for the A710 IS, I'm pretty afraid of buying a A640 and then not being able to ever take clear shots as this is kinda my first camera (besides using my sis' D70 and dad's old Sony Cyber-Shot) ..
But y'all are saying such great things about the A640, I just don't know, the flip out screen is defiantly cool..
What about the overexposure clipping? Has anyone had any problems with that with either of these cameras? Will that effect my outside pictures colors?.
Just a note here, I will be taking MAINLY outside pictures not in direct sunlight but just for fun with friends, most of the time..
Oh and thinks for the heads up about that Olympus. I'll defiantly take a look. I'm open to other cameras...
Oh and thinks for the heads up about that Olympus. I'll defiantlytake a look. I'm open to other cameras..
I wouldn't bother with the Olympus. It isn't in the same league as the others..
Androohttp://Androo.smugmug.com..
The olympus MJU 800 does have a form of stabalization, it's also showerproof, It all boils down on what funds you have to dispose, and how much use it will get , My olympus MJU800 takes rechargeable batteries, and they seem to last forever..
It has been superseeded with the MJU 1000, at 10 mp, but I am ok with 8mp for a general use camera, any special work I do with my Nikon D80 kit..
Mike Rudge..
With all the talk about how essential IS is, I can't help but wonder how all the great photographers of the past were able to take clear photos. Maybe they just got lucky..
Jerry..
Jchoate wrote:.
With all the talk about how essential IS is, I can't help but wonderhow all the great photographers of the past were able to take clearphotos. Maybe they just got lucky..
No, they just lugged tripods everywhere with them..
Androohttp://Androo.smugmug.com..
We were on holiday in the Maldive just a few month ago, and we saw some Vietnam people there with the tinyist P&S, poised on this huge tripod, like a pea on th drum, so funny, "But I bet they had no blur"Mike Rudge..
No, they did not lug tripods everywhere..
What they did was to learn to expose well manually and carry a small number of select tools with them, and be clever enough to anticipate what to shoot and when. It's about understanding where you should be standing to catch the light right and what you should be doing to record it. It's amazing what practice and talent can do..
StephenG.
Fuji S9600Fuji S5200Fuji F30Fuji E900Canon A710ISPCLinuxOS..
Sjgcit wrote:.
No, they did not lug tripods everywhere.What they did was to learn to expose well manually and carry a smallnumber of select tools with them, and be clever enough to anticipatewhat to shoot and when. It's about understanding where you should bestanding to catch the light right and what you should be doing torecord it. It's amazing what practice and talent can do..
What's your objection to IS?.
I have an SLR and when I'm out with that with no tripod I watch the exposure and shutter speed etc. Sometimes I get blurry photos, but I know what I'm doing and how to avoid it. If I had IS in my lenses, I'd get sharp photos more reliably, I know that..
But if I just take my little Panasonic that does have IS, I can suddenly take hand held photos down to maybe 1/3 sec or certainly 1/5 sec, reliably, without having to resort to flash or pushing ISO too high..
If you're in a dark museum,knowing where to stand to catch the light just doesn't help. IS does..
StephenG.
Fuji S9600Fuji S5200Fuji F30Fuji E900Canon A710ISPCLinuxOS.
Androohttp://Androo.smugmug.com..
Thanks for all the help guys. Man, I'm so indecisive! My friend has an A630 so I'm going to check hers out since it's pretty much the same thing as the A640 just lower megapixel..
Ah! Cool flip out screen with large shots or steady stabilized pictures!?..
Do you think that the S3 IS is a good Canon Powershot as well? It is only 6 MegaPixel but that is the same as my sis' D70. And it has a flip out and IS. So, that looks pretty awesome to me...
The powershot S3 is amazing, and is one of the best deals you can get bec it is cheap for what it is - a top notch very little compromise camera. If you look at my photos page (link below) the last few entries are all taken by the powershot s3..
That all being said, if you want a higher MP version of the S3, the Canon Powershot S5 has just been released. I heard that it is a totally marvellous camera (though I don't own one myself).http://www.flickr.com/photos/freezingrain/..
For the majority of the photos I take (and bear in mind my fav subject is candids of people), by the time the light drops enough that I would benefit from IS I can't get a clear shot anyway (bec the person will be moving, even if only slightly). The result is that for the same money you pay for IS you could invest in faster lens and those shoot moving targets are a stop or two lower. IS lowers your min stop by a factor of 3-4 stops for still targets, and a faster lens lowers your min stop by a factor of 1 stop for all targets. For about the same price too, so I guess it's all what you need.http://www.flickr.com/photos/freezingrain/..
Andrew,.
I've no objection to IS. My issue is that people give it undue weight in choosing a camera, and there are plenty of shooting conditions when it's useless. I know we've debated this before so you must have noticed I've actually recommended cameras with IS where I think it's appropriate to the poster's needs and/or adds value without compromising their main goals..
It's inevitable we will not all agree all the time - such is life..
StephenG.
Fuji S9600Fuji S5200Fuji F30Fuji E900Canon A710ISPCLinuxOS..
With all that said about IS it makes me lean towards like the A640 because it has high Megapixel for cropping and the flip out..
One more thing to add that I havn't said is I'm pretty positive I'm going to get an waterproof case. That being said. Do you think IS will come in hand down in the deep blue? Or should I not worry bout it..
Ya the S5 looks awesome. Unfortunately up to 200 dollars more...