I took a look at the reviews, but I'm still torn. At the moment, I'mleaning toward the canon.

The Canon also has a flip out screen which is often very handy, and takes great video - with stereo sound (the Sony's mono sound)..

Also, does the face recognition feature seem to make a noticeabledifference? If I remember right, this sony has it but canon doesn't?.

I think the Canon S5IS has face recognition but the S3IS doesn't. Yes it works, but it's not much more than a gimmick perhaps..

Androohttp://Androo.smugmug.com..

If you are down to two models which are really very close in performance terms you have reached the point where you should be trying them out in shops. Take as much time as possible and try all the features you can. The most important feature now at this point is how you like holding and using them..

Two other points :.

(1) The Sony uses Sony's proprietary memory cards ( which I don't like ) compared with the Canon's using standard SD..

(2) The Canon has a super macro mode, which I don't think the Sony has..

StephenG.

Fuji S9600Fuji S5200Fuji F30Fuji E900Canon A710ISPCLinuxOS..

Re>-little delay between shots (I'm sure there's a name for this..) <.

You're right. There probably is a name, but I do not know it, either..

Related to this topic is "shutter lag." Shutter lag is the time between when you press the shutter release and the camera actually goes off..

Then, of course, there's more shutter lag when you press the button again to take a second shot, third, etc..

When photographing children, shutter lag can be a real pain..

Sleeping babies no problem. But even a three year old on a swing in a playground is a problem. The child will have moved by the time the shutter goes off, and who knows at which point in the arc of the child the focus locked on..

Lots of digital cameras have an electronic version of the motor drive of some film cameras. Set a switch or button, and the camera will keep taking pictures as long as the button is held down. Depending on the camera, the viewfinder may black out during this time, so if the subject is moving, you have difficulaty tracking it..

And usually focus is locked on the point where it was in the first shot..

This sounds like a lot of problems it really is up to you whether it would bother you very much. But it drives many photographers nuts..

The way around it is to buy a Digital Single Lens reflex camera the Nikon D40 and Canon Rebel XT are very good and among the lowest priced of this kind of camera but they are bigger and bulkier..

BAK..

Any superzoom, including the 2 you listed will be good for photographing kids. I have three myself. Kids never sit still. I have found that the best shots I've gotten were candids when the kids weren't looking, hence the need for a good zoom. In addition to the 2 excellent cameras you've mentioned, you might also want to look at the Panasonic FZ50 and the Fuji S9100 or the S6000. All of these would serve you well..

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Mike.

Http://www.liquidartgallery.com.

'For every complex problem there is a solution that is obvious, simple..and wrong'..

Time between shots is usually referred to as cycle time. Shutter lag is almost instant with most cameras anymore. Shutter lag is the time it takes after the camera is locked with a half-press to take the picture when you push the shutter button the rest of the way. If you tend to take photos without a half-press then the delay has various names like autofocus delay or full press delay. The dpreview timings and sizes page in their reviews is the best place to get that information..

For kids I find that a camera with a continuous focus mode makes the job much easier. With the continuous focus modes Ive used the camera continues to focus while you hold the half-press. So when you finally see the shot you want you can grab the shot instantly. Without continuous focus you have to release the shutter and reset whenever your target moves. I do much better with kids with a continuous focus mode. Not all continuous focus modes are created equal and the reviewers evidently dont have kids because they never report on them.

All the others I know of continue to focus after a half-press and are great for kids..

From what I could find only the S3 has a continuous mode of the two you are looking at. I also prefer the articulated LCD over the larger fixed LCD on the H2. Simon reports in his review that the stabilization on the H2 isnt as effective as the S3. Both are excellent cameras..

You can get the H7 or H9 in black...

Please try a DSLR before buying, trying to snap moving objects with a compact drove me round the twist. Had to buy 2 cameras as a result! No cine though prehaps you've already got that?.

Geoff..

I can't see myself taking video with my camera, so that's a pretty unimportant feature for me. Too bad I can't find a camera without video with the other features I'm looking for that costs less!.

I know I've had the video option in other cameras, but never even attempted it. I hate to say it, but I'm pretty lazy when it comes to the options! I like to just keep my camera programmed at a versitile setting & hope it takes good photos!.

I did like that my olympus allowed for in-camera editing, though (i.e. cropping). Does anyone know if the canon s3 or sony H2 has that?.

Thanks again!..

I'm sure I'm going to look goofy asking, but what is a DSLR? I've seen the acronym all over, but never really knew what it meant. I take it the canon s3 and sony H2 are not DSLR cameras then? What would be a good one?.

Not quite sure what "cine" is either....

Thanks again!.

Geoffmo wrote:.

Please try a DSLR before buying, trying to snap moving objects with acompact drove me round the twist. Had to buy 2 cameras as aresult! No cine though prehaps you've already got that?.

Geoff..

A DSLR is a digital single lens reflex. Basically a camera with a large sensor and interchangeable lenses. Since you say you want a 10X zoom it would get pricey and you would have to change lenses to get that full range. Since you say you put your camera on an average setting and just shoot you wouldnt be taking advantage of most of the better features..

Your old camera took dinky little movies. Movies are easy to take and the cameras your are considering take movies that could get you hooked. It isnt rocket science to switch to movie mode and everything is pretty much automatic. I doubt they could knock much off the price by eliminating the movie mode since it is mostly a software (firmware) addition..

I dont think either of the cameras you mentioned have in-camera cropping. It isnt a popular feature on more advanced cameras as most people prefer to crop on a big computer screen..

Cine is just another term for movies...

Don't let everybody confuse you. Your original choices were fine. An SLR would be way too much trouble for you since you want a long zoom lens..

Androo..