Help Me Choose a Good Low Light Camera

[MedRed]

I'm wanting a good point and shoot (I know right) camera that would do the best job with low light situations and close ups. It will need to take pictures of my corals as well as low light and night time shots of my computers and their parts.

Here are some of my pictures to show you the kinds of things I'll need to shoot and the conditions:

I already know I'm a horrible photographer, but I'll work on that after I make sure I have the right camera.
I currently have a Canon PowerShot SX200 IS that I will be selling and replacing with the new camera. One issue I have with the 200 IS is an inability to capture color at night. There's a small light strip on the bottom right in the night time PC picture that shows up blue instead of purple.

These are the cameras I've narrowed down. I'm aware that some of the newer versions of cameras are sometimes worse than the outgoing versions. Please take a look at these and help me decide or feel free to offer another idea.

Canon PowerShot S90 or the newer S95: I did notice that the S90 doesn't have a lot of manual controls
Canon PowerShot G11
Canon Powershot SD4000 or the newer 4500
Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR or the newer 300EXR
Fujifilm Finepix 80EXR or 70EXR
Sony DSC-WX1

Thanks in advance.

 

[MedRed]

bump

 

[kilroy217]

If you're not willing to go dSLR, the Canon G11 is probably your best bet. Specifically in regards to your color issues, the G11 shoots RAW, which can be adjusted for color (aka white balance) where a JPG cannot. However, I should first point out that a new camera does not make a good photographer. You still need to know the basics of photography - and it's not just point and shoot, in spite of the name of the type of camera you are interested in. I would suggest finding one (or a few) tutorials online to help you understand the basics of photography. Good luck.

 

[dancewithethan]

Plus one for Cannon G11

Plus one for Cannon G11

Are you sure that is a computer and not some kind of alien machine that would open up a black hole and suck everyone including my fish in it? :lolspin:

 

[MedRed]

Thanks for the recommendation dance... I can neither confirm or deny your accusation. It's currently undergoing major upgrades >:-D

 

[iceemn360]

with new bodies being announced you could probably find a used pentax kx for about 450

 

[MedRed]

I was told if I went DSLR not to go with pentax because of upgradability

 

[iceemn360]

I was told if I went DSLR not to go with pentax because of upgradability

I have the Canon s90. Its a great camera with great macro but Im not convinced its the "low light" camera that most would be looking for.

the colors on the s90 are also often times overcompensated/ and yellow IMO

 

[MedRed]

thanks for the input iceemn

 

[Misled]

Ok, so IMPO, go with the G11. Start taking your pics in RAW and make needed adjustments in photoshop. Most of the problems in the computer pics can be corrected, except the ones a little out of focus. You are shooting things with alot of light in some places, not much in others. Unless you start using a flash, (which on a P&S may or may not help), that would be the way I'd go.

 

[MedRed]

thanks misled

 

[IPT]

I agree with Misled about most if not all of what he wrote. I happen to have the s90 and I am quite happy with it (for a P&S). For serious stuff I use serious gear, DLSR. However, the s90 is capable of decent images. I also think it has decent amount of manual controls too.

I'm not a 100% on this, but I think the sensor in the S90 is the same as in the
G(xx) series.