Camera Labs

Hi,

I need some advice on what camera is better... I am looking to buy a camera that will be great in taking photos and videos at concert, which obviously means a camera that is good in low-light situations. I have a DSLR but obviously I can't bring that in a concert so hence the reason of buying a point & shoot one. I also love to take Macros shots

I've never had good luck in cameras for concert (this is the 3rd attempt...) so that's why I've come to ask for some help because I I really want to get a descent one for this upcoming concert season for me...

I've gotten it down to Canon SX30IS, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ45 / FZ40, Nikon Coolpix P500. I've various reviews for each of these cameras and I'm still torn and undecided on which to buy...

Any help/advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

looks like you are listing superzooms, would a P&S for low light be more suited?

If you are looking at the Panasonic FZ you might as well take a DSLR

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Canon Powershot S95, Canon 7D, 15-85, Canon 85 1.8 USM, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L IS Macro, Canon 70-300L IS USM+Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic

Gosh if I was allowed to bring in DSLR in concerts then I wouldn't even be looking to buy another camera. But alas, we're not allowed "professional" cameras aka DSLRs in concerts .

I listed superzoom cameras because there are times when my concert tickets are not close to the stage so the superzoom would be awesome to have and have amazing photos come out.

I doubt you can use the super-zoom end of the range in low light - even with image stabilisation.

A better bet might be a compact with a brighter lens and bigger sensor such as the Panasonic LX5 or Canon S95. You can zoom in a bit and crop later with decent quality at higher ISOs

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/53061745@N02/

Panasonic G3: 9-18mm, 14mm, 20mm, 45mm

I had a precursor to the Panny you have listed. Its great outdoors and in really good indoor light. Its not so great indoors, even in RAW mode, tons of noise.

I echo Kimchi's comments about the LX5. In hindsight, I should have just bought either an LX3 or a entry level DSLR instead of the FZ28. Hindsight is always 20/20.

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My blog - http://islaycornersphotography.blogspot.com
60D, 18-55mm IS, 55-250mm IS and 50mm 1.8

kimchi and Karsan, is there anyway to set the camera settings so that even if I'm within the first 15 rows in the floor I can still use my superzoom camera, preferably without flash and still get sharp images and not blurry?

If not the superzoom, is there a camera that has at least 10X optical zoom and a great sensor that will be great for low light? I'd really like at least 10X optical zoom and a HD capabilities, even if it's just 720...

Thanks!

Look at the Canon G11 or S90, they're great in low-light.

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

Not wanting to be pedantic but what do you mean by 10x optical zoom? 3-30mm and 30-300mm are both 10x optical zoom. Do you have an idea what focal range you're after?

I agree that the G11 would be a good choice for its low light performance but if I'm not mistaken the highest ISO rating works at a much lower resolution, assuming of course that the resolution is of critical importance to you.

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Bodies: Canon EOS 550D w/ Magic Lantern
Lenses: Tokina AT-X 116 Pro DX f/2.8, Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Accessories: YongNuo Speedlite YN-468 Flash, Neewer Macro LED Ring Light, Meike Battery Grip, YongNuo RF-602 Wireless Flash Trigger & Receiver YongNuo WR-128 Wireless Remote Control

What about an EVIL camera like the NEX-5? You can buy some decent telephoto lenses to go with them, and the large sensor would definitely help in low light situations. However, I'm not sure if they'd let you bring one into a concert. They look like compacts in a way, I wouldn't think that you'd have a problem bringing one in.

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

why not fujifilm hs20 ?
it is faster, has bigger lcd and able to record fullhd movie.

Kadam - I do think it'd be wise to hang-off a while on advising anyone to buy an HS20. It inherits most of the faults of the HS10 (which I have) - while having only one improvement - there's now a RAW button on the outside of the body, which the HS10 doesn't have.

Fuji has added the EXR technology to it - so it can "pair" receptors on the sensor for low-light situations. That then gives it 8Mpix of its 16Mpix full resolution. The 16Mpix are on a 1/2.0" sensor - 7% larger than the 1/2.3" in the 10Mpix HS10 - so about 45% higher receptor density...

It still has the plastic tripod mount which is also too close (3mm) from the battery door. There are reports on several forums that the mount eventually cracks through to the battery compartment - and Fuji won't repair it under Warranty - as the mount-hole/thread is just drilled into the plastic case - so to repair it, the whole camera case has to be replaced - which would then just leave the owner in the same situation...

Fuji says - although it's a 30x Zoom camera - it's only intended for "occasional" tripod use.

As for the HS10/20 having Std and HD Video - yes, they do - and the Std - the 1280 x 720 - is better quality than the Full HD. You need to change zoom between video-clips - as it is impossible to zoom smoothly while video-ing, with the barrel-twist zoom. The video is best from a tripod - as the shake-reduction isn't too effective.

There are no video controls at all - other than the jerk-o-matic twist-zoom. That is - no Brightness/Exposure control - and no Manual Focus.

If Video was a user priority - the Canon SX30 is infinitely better! The 2-speed power zoom is fairly smooth and effective while video-ing - and it has both Brightness/Exposure control, and Manual Focus while video-ing. As it seems to Auto-Focus well in video - you could mostly leave that to the camera - and use the manual Brightness control to adjust as you pan from bright areas to shade, so on.

Seems History "repeats itself" - I bought a Canon SX10 not long before the SX20 was released - and I'm very happy to have the SX10 instead of the SX20...

There aren't any "full" Reviews of the HS20 yet - but from what I've read on several Forums with sections Fuji-related, about the HS20 - I'm very glad that I have the HS10....!

As for the HS10 - if you didn't buy it for the Video - other than short clips at one zoom-length, in Std HD, and you're careful with the tripod mount, and you don't use Auto or Program - it's quite an educational device, and gets good - for P&S - stills - and if you use the RAF RAWs - those can be a bit better than an SX10's SuperFine JPEGs...

Its only real talents - are the 30x/720mm zoom, good on a tripod - and the low-light / high-ISO (for a P&S) stills...

But I'm glad I bought the HS10 - after a year with it - learning to use Shutter Priority and Manual modes - with MF - handheld - using manual Takumar-etc lenses with a Pentax DSLR, won't be too awkward at all...

Regards, Dave.

oldwarbler you are right, there is not a full review about hs20. i´m just thinking about spec of the camera on the paper. And it seems very good on the paper. But what you are saying is more important as a hs10 user. And you are right, before i buy hs20, i would like see some good reviews about camera

Kadam - You can download the HS10 and HS20 Manuals by Googling. Until there are full Reviews on the HS20, that's about the best way to make a functions comparison.

Sadly - Fuji, like Pentax, doesn't send Gordon and Team here cameras to Review. The highly detailed Reviews here are the best on the net - but they're also warts-and-all truthful - and some camera makers might not like that....

However, from what I'm seeing in the Fuji sections on some forums, the HS20 has fallen victim to the "Fuji gimmicks" trend the HS10 also suffers from. With the HS10 - you first turn OFF all "automatics" and gimmicks that can be cancelled in the Menus - including the truly awful - and battery-hogging - "Automatic Switch" between EVF and LCD. Then change the EVF/LCD to 60fps instead of 30fps refresh - and put the Brightness up 2 clicks. This then makes the EVF usable, which is useful...

The new HS20 has an improved resolution LCD - but the EVF is identical to the HS10... Considering the type of cameras they are - it would have been much more desirable to improve the EVF.

Why Fuji has crammed 16Mpix onto a 1/2.0" sensor - when the HS10 has 10Mpix on a 1/2.3" sensor - I have no idea... They've added the "EXR" function from the (lower zoom, larger sensor) - S200EXR and other EXR models, perhaps to try to make 16Mpix work on a superzoom P&S - it 'pairs' receptors to give 8Mpix (less than the HS10's std 10Mpix) - resolution for fastest burst speed and low-light functions.

The HS10 does 12fps on JPEGs anyway - and its low-light / high-ISO abilities are pretty good for a P&S superzoom.

You wouldn't buy either Fuji for the Video - the twist-zoom is "jerk-o-matic" on video - and the Std HD video quality is rather better than the Full HD.

There's also the plastic (Fuji says "only occasional use intended") - tripod mount to consider. I'm using a wide tripod quick-release shoe - but being very careful with it anyway...

The HS10 - and from reports, the HS20 - isn't at all good in Auto or Program modes (don't use the automatic ISO ranges or Auto WB) - so my usual "carry" mode is Shutter Priority. As the AF "hunts" past half-zoom in any other than very bright light - using the very good MF (with press AE/AF Lock button "approx pre-focus") - is often needed.

The HS10 gets good results once you learn its Fuji-isms, don't let it do anything "automatic" - and do "tell it what to do".....

Would I buy an HS20? Not in a pink-fit - even if I had access to Bill-Gates' wallet for the day....

I'm finally going DSLR - Pentax K-R - and yes, I know about the AF "issues"... And its backup P&S won't be the HS10 - it'll be my trusty Canon SX10...

Dave.