Help!!! Close to buying

[lukinrats]

I need some help from you seasoned veterans with opinion, or users of these particular cameras... I have chosen this group of cameras as potential buys... Mainly based on the Macro Range... I need some final help in choosing a really good camera that (in the near future) can take amazing macro shots, and also be a pretty good standard picture camera... Melev has been helping me out some, and the camera he uses on his website is in the list... I am hoping to get a few more opinions incase some people have had experience with some of the others... THESE are the ones that I have been looking at side by side, and each seems to have its own particular advantages... I need some experience with some of the technology defined in the comparisons, so please HELP me out... They are all pretty close I think, and all the features are compared side by side

Also, I put them in a little pole if you would like to choose your favorite, but please give an opinion also

Thanks in advance,

Later,

 

[lukinrats]

Come on, I know someone has got have something to say about these cameras!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gregr]

I'm going to look them over in the morning but the first thing that jumps out at me on the comparison page (thanks for linking to that- makes it a lot easier) is the S60Z is an old model. I'd expect that camera to be slower (start-up time, image processing, autofocus etc.) and the pictures grainier than the competition-- but that is based purely on age and not first hand knowledge.

 

[lukinrats]

I added another that I ran across... I can get a really good deal on any of these 4 cameras, which is the reason that I chose them, aside from the fact that the macro range is 1cm... Anyway here is the new list

Thanks,

 

[gregr]

It's a tough call. The Casio has the shortest zoom of all and the least wide too, and though it has a 2" lcd the resolution isn't very good, so my first inclination is to skip that one, but I haven't seen test pics from it- take a look if you can find some. The S602Z is an old model and only has 3mp, which you may find limiting if you want to print anything bigger than 8x10 or so. Comparing the Z6 to the Z20-- the 6 has a much longer lens and a bigger lcd (though probably not quite as detailed as the 20's since they have roughly the same number of pixels) but the Z6 lens is slower and probably has quite a bit more distortion at the long and wide ends of the zoom lens. With the Z20 you can't use an external flash.
Not an easy choice but I guess I'd lean towards the Z6 but I'm still kinda curious about the Casio. Even though it doesn't have the zoom range of the others it may still perform very well. Can you go to a camera store and play with each one? Check out the lcd, zoom range, etc., and see if anything stands out for you.

 

[djc1026]

From that selection I would lean toward the Z6 as well, it has a longer zoom, faster lens, hot shoe, higher resolution, sensor shift IS (which none of your others have). My main drawback would be the 4AA batteries. I haven't used this camera personally either, but have owned an older Dimage that I was very happy with and it took great pictures.

Personally, for the price range you're looking at (unless you've found them at a great deal), I think there are some newer model superzooms available for the same price or even lower with more features that I would look at, such as the Canon S3 or S5, Panny FZ7 or 8, and Fuji has several decent superzooms that are newer and in the price range as well.

The only sure fire answer is to try to find whatever models you're interested in and hold them and play with them in a shop or store before you buy.

Dave

 

[lukinrats]

what would be the difference in The canon s2 and the canon s3... Much besides MP?

 

[djc1026]

When I was researching superzooms for my purchase, I seem to recall that it was mainly minor upgrades and several small improvements in the S3, practically the same thing happened with S5 in my opinion. The S3 vs. S2 looks better (IMHO), has a better flash, a couple new dedicated buttons like ISO, a slightly bigger screen, and I believe supermacro mode is on the S3 but not the S2, so it has a minimum focus distance of 0cm.

Dave

Dave