Which 4.0 Mega-pixel Digital Camera?

[Russ Arcuri]

I have a G2. I love it. For prints up to about 8x10, it's neither better nor worse than a fine-grained 35mm film emulsion. For larger prints, 35mm film is probably a better choice, though at the 11x14 size, the results will depend more on the skill and technique of the photographer than the choice between digital and film.

There are other 4 megapixel digital cameras that are less expensive, including a couple of Canon models. However, I require the manual overrides and external flash shoe the G2 offers. Plus, the G2 uses a GREAT long-lasting rechargeable battery, unlike some of the cheaper models.

For in-camera storage, I'd avoid the IBM microdrives. I know there are plenty of people who use them, love them, and have found them to be very reliable. However, the only shots I ever lost due to a problem with in-camera storage were due to a defective/failing microdrive. I stick entirely with solid-state compactflash cards now -- no moving parts to fail.

 

[bootman]

Quote:

Originally posted by Russ Arcuri ...the G2 uses a GREAT long-lasting rechargeable battery, unlike some of the cheaper models.

How long does it last under real world conditions?
Long battery life is an important consideration for me.

Quote:

Originally posted by Russ Arcuri For in-camera storage, I'd avoid the IBM microdrives. I know there are plenty of people who use them, love them, and have found them to be very reliable. However, the only shots I ever lost due to a problem with in-camera storage were due to a defective/failing microdrive. I stick entirely with solid-state compactflash cards now -- no moving parts to fail.

Compact flash is up to 512MB now (with a gig around the corner)so I can see why having no moving parts would be a better option.

Russ, have you tried any of the add on lenses?
Does the G2 do well with macro shots?

 

[bootman]

Whew!
I'm still wading through a lot of information and I thought to share some of the sites that I have (or have yet!) to visit.

Betterphoto.com

Dcviews

PC Photo Reviews

Dpviews

Imaging resource

Digital photography online

Megapixel.net

Photo District News

Photo.Net

Steve's digicams

Dcresource

 

[Russ Arcuri]

Quote:

Originally posted by bootman How long does it last under real world conditions? Long battery life is an important consideration for me.

The batteries are actually camcorder batteries, so unlike the tiny rechargeables used in most digicams, they're made to handle a heavy load.

I can take hundreds of pictures, using the LCD for composition and frequent review/culling of bad shots, before the battery runs out. If I start with a full charge, I might run out of power during the 2nd or 3rd day of light/medium shooting. I have a spare battery I keep charged in the bag, which I then pop in the camera. This will last just as long, giving me plenty of time to find a wall outlet to recharge sometime in the next day or so. If you're shooting heavily, such as constantly at an all-day type event, you'll want to be sure to have two batteries, or maybe three if you're paranoid.

I should point out that I almost never use the built-in flash. I have a Canon 380EX external flash I use with it when I need artificial light. Quote:

Russ, have you tried any of the add on lenses? Does the G2 do well with macro shots?

I haven't tried the wide-angle or telephoto add-on lenses yet. If you feel like you'll need more length, wait for the G3, which has a longer zoom.

The macro capabilities aren't bad. I have a Nikon 6T diopter, which I have adapted to work on the G2, and will get me even closer than the G2 can handle alone. (Canon recommends their own 250D diopter, but it's considerably more expensive than the Nikon.)

 

[blueocp]

As a lot of people have said, 4megapixels doesnt begin to come close to 35mm(19.4megapixel equivalent i believe). However, the thing with digital cameras is on the fly changing of 'film' speed. Also it doesnt cost a buttload of money to buy and develop film. Don't get me started on how bad 1 hour photo places are. It all depends on what you will use the camera for. For web publishing there is no way u need a 4 megapixel camera. You simply dont need such high resolutions. For prints however, it is well worth it. One thing I think you should consider above the pixel capture rating is the lens thats mounted on the camera. Affordable digital SLRs are a far ways off, so you are stuck with the lens thats mounted on your point and shoot. I am not too sure with olympus lenses, but I do know that canon and nikon lens technology is fairly close in quality. Most of all find out how much zoom you really need, and the aperture that the lenses run at. When at the maximum zoom, picture quality degrades noticeably. Having a lense with high zoom also increases cost, and can decrease the overall quality of the shots across the whole range of the lens.

 

[sunshine]

I have the G2 and the S40. Their image quality is about the same. The flash on the S40 is somewhat inadequate indoors so if you shoot lots of indoor shots I would recomend the G2 over the S40/S30. For me the G2 can produce shots that are equivalent to 35mm at sizes up to 11x14 maybe more but I haven't tried any larger. Even though the G2 is only a 4mpixel camera its noise handling qualities are superior to most any other cameras including the 5mpixel ones (not counting the DSLR's). Because of this fact I would pick the G2 over the current crop of 5mp cameras. The macro capabilities of the G2 are only average unlike the Nikons who excel in this category. Here's a link which compares the new Canon 1D with medium format. The Canon 1D came out on top. Link