I'm kinda in between this and a Canon S5IS. From looking into these two cameras they seem pretty close and both can accept an adapter tube with a lens kit. So if anyone has some feedback or any other options for a camera in this price range that can take pretty up close pictures of an aquarium I would love to hear them.
Anyone use a Sony DSC-H50?
- Thread starter BrianOKC
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t5Nitro
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Well, the S5IS has been replaced with an S110XIS or something like that. It has 20x optical zoom and also the ultrasonic lens. I believe it's a 2.8 lens also. Really nice camera for if you're into that style of a camera. Downside is they use 4 alkaline batteries. If you go this route, I recommend taking the batteries it comes with and throwing them in the garbage or using them in another device. Reason being is because regular alkaline batteries or the rechargable double A's can bleed into the battery sensor when the camera is turned off. Basically you would need to get this fixed and it's very expensive. If you go with that camera, I would buy an 8 pack of lithium ion equil double A's. 4 of those should get you a lot of pictures (300-500) and are in a shell that won't bleed like the others will.
The sony H50 is another decent camera. The carl zeiss glass is some of the best out there. However, different than the old sony point and shoots, they began using zeiss's lower end glass (tessar, the older ones used the sonar which is a better lens). Either way I don't think you can go wrong. If you want a night shot at all, the sony will shoot in 0 lux with it's nightshot ability but give it a green tint and somewhat grainy. I forget the mm on it exactly, but the H50 is advertised as a 15x optical zoom, a nikon at the same price range (P80 I think) says 18x zoom but the sony actually zooms farther. This means the mm on the sony starts out a little higher than the nikon does. The sony will actually zoom further than that P80 but not quite as good for your wide angle shots.
Honestly, if you don't mind buying lithium ion equivilant double A's, go for the S110XIS. It holds 4 batteries at a time, using a SD memory card. If you go to some stores, they have like PNY or Kingston brand memory cards almost the same price or maybe a few dollars cheaper than the san disk high speed cards. Kingston has a 1g SD card at around $12.99. Their 2g is $22.99 (or so). San Disk makes a high speed card at 15mb/s on a 2g that is $24.99. For a 2 dollar difference between the 2gigs, just spend your extra money on that san disk. A kingston like that you'll snap a shot and wait 4 seconds for it to record. The recording time is really bad.
The S5IS also took 4 alkaline batteries but had a 12x optical zoom. I think that's where you were wondering about the adapter tube. That tube made the S5IS up to 20x optical. The new version of the S5IS (listed above) already is 20x optical and is a very nice camera and well built. Keep in mind both the H50 and S110XIS have a moveable LCD screen on them also (a plus for some people
).
The sony H50 is another decent camera. The carl zeiss glass is some of the best out there. However, different than the old sony point and shoots, they began using zeiss's lower end glass (tessar, the older ones used the sonar which is a better lens). Either way I don't think you can go wrong. If you want a night shot at all, the sony will shoot in 0 lux with it's nightshot ability but give it a green tint and somewhat grainy. I forget the mm on it exactly, but the H50 is advertised as a 15x optical zoom, a nikon at the same price range (P80 I think) says 18x zoom but the sony actually zooms farther. This means the mm on the sony starts out a little higher than the nikon does. The sony will actually zoom further than that P80 but not quite as good for your wide angle shots.
Honestly, if you don't mind buying lithium ion equivilant double A's, go for the S110XIS. It holds 4 batteries at a time, using a SD memory card. If you go to some stores, they have like PNY or Kingston brand memory cards almost the same price or maybe a few dollars cheaper than the san disk high speed cards. Kingston has a 1g SD card at around $12.99. Their 2g is $22.99 (or so). San Disk makes a high speed card at 15mb/s on a 2g that is $24.99. For a 2 dollar difference between the 2gigs, just spend your extra money on that san disk. A kingston like that you'll snap a shot and wait 4 seconds for it to record. The recording time is really bad.
The S5IS also took 4 alkaline batteries but had a 12x optical zoom. I think that's where you were wondering about the adapter tube. That tube made the S5IS up to 20x optical. The new version of the S5IS (listed above) already is 20x optical and is a very nice camera and well built. Keep in mind both the H50 and S110XIS have a moveable LCD screen on them also (a plus for some people
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