Which companion camera do you have or recommend?

[lee_hom]

Probably not the right forum to ask this question , I was going to buy s95 as a canon fan, but some people recommends olympus xz-1 over s95. By checking the review on dpreview, the xz-1 image quality is really good.

I haven't touched a DC for a few years, really got no idea about them now.

So here comes my question, which companion camera do you have or recommend?

BTW, my budget is £500.

 

[kubelik]

I'd say go to a store and try playing with both of them. I'm guessing you're a Canon DSLR shooter, but there's really no linkage between the DSLR lineup and the point-and-shoot lineup, different menus, different ergonomics (obviously), no lens mount capability issue, different software.

so picking a second cam should purely be on an ease-of-use and image quality standpoint; the olympus XZ-1 is very nice from the IQ standpoint, I haven't played with either enough to judge on ease-of-use, but that's personal no matter what

 

[TW]

I have the S95 and can recommend it without reservation. It's very well built, easy and fast to use, and takes amazingly high quality photographs. And, since it's a Canon product, the software is already in place on your pc.

I am orderdering the aftermarket grip made by Richard Franiec to fix what I consider to be the one drawback of this camera. Otherwise, I couldn't be more pleased with it.

I had high expectations when I bought this device, and I must say they have been met and exceeded.

 

[Admin US West]

Probably not the right forum to ask this question , I was going to buy s95 as a canon fan, but some people recommends olympus xz-1 over s95. By checking the review on dpreview, the xz-1 image quality is really good.

I haven't touched a DC for a few years, really got no idea about them now.

So here comes my question, which companion camera do you have or recommend?

BTW, my budget is £500.

The reason there are so many point and shoot cameras is that each person has their own brand preferences and usage.

No one can pick out a camera for you unless they know your photography very well, there are just too many options. What you will get is a persons opionion of a good camera, he might not even own one. That most likely will not be what you want or need.

Some want wide angles, some want extreme telephoto, some want waterproof, some want low light capability, some want optical viewfinders(do you want to see what you are photographing when outdoors in bright sun), some want video capability, the list is long, and you cannot have it all, you must make compromises.

There is some help here where you can check the features you want, and a list of cameras will be given. Then, you can look at reviews and the cameras in a local store, or ask for experience on the forum:

http://www.dpreview.com/products/search/cameras

Good luck, it can be frustrating to see all the options.

 

[Loswr]

Probably not the right forum to ask this question , I was going to buy s95 as a canon fan, but some people recommends olympus xz-1 over s95. By checking the review on dpreview, the xz-1 image quality is really good.

So here comes my question, which companion camera do you have or recommend?

Lots of people also recommend the Panasonic Lumix LX5. Honestly, I think all of them deliver excellent IQ, as does the Canon PowerShot G12. What distinguishes the s95 from both the LX and the xz-1 (and even moreso from the G12) is that it's small - small enough to fit in my pocket, which the others on that list are not.

I have the s95, and it's a great little camera that can come with me everywhere.

I'm guessing you're a Canon DSLR shooter, but there's really no linkage between the DSLR lineup and the point-and-shoot lineup, different menus, different ergonomics (obviously), no lens mount capability issue, different software.

Same software. The PowerShot s95 shoots RAW and ships with DPP, just like a Canon dSLR. So, if the OP uses DPP and is comfortable with that workflow, the s95 will fit right in. Personally, I use DxO Optics Pro, and it has a module for the s95 which does a great job, especially at correcting the noise associated with the small sensor (DxO supports the Panasonic LX5, too, but not the Olympus xz-1).

 

[Deleted member 7828]

Before I got my first DSLR, I used the Canon SD950IS. Very small, compact and handy camera that's been with me on a couple of trips. I still have it now even with my 60D and new lens collection. It comes in handy especially when I want pictures of myself and wish to make it easy to ask others to take those pics, etc.

The only thing is that it does not give you any manual control (it's a fully automatic camera). But then again, that's what I have the DSLR for.

If I'm just walking about the streets though- my phone cam is good enough. ;D

P.S. I probably should mention that many of my best photos were taken with the P&S. The camera helps (sometimes a lot), but it's not the be-all-end-all

 

[kubelik]

Same software. The PowerShot s95 shoots RAW and ships with DPP, just like a Canon dSLR. So, if the OP uses DPP and is comfortable with that workflow, the s95 will fit right in. Personally, I use DxO Optics Pro, and it has a module for the s95 which does a great job, especially at correcting the noise associated with the small sensor (DxO supports the Panasonic LX5, too, but not the Olympus xz-1).

didn't know that, my old G9 still uses the non-DPP program and I didn't know they had changed that (which is great news actually). thanks for sharing that neuro

 

[Loswr]

my old G9 still uses the non-DPP program and I didn't know they had changed that (which is great news actually). thanks for sharing that neuro

Have you tried opening a G9 RAW image with the current version of DPP? I ask because the Software & Drivers page for the G9 serves up DPP v3.10.1, which suggests that it should work.

 

[jhanken]

I imagine the xz-1 is a very nice camera. But note in the picture in my link that it is almost twice as thick as the s95.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/OlympusXZ1/

I have an s95, love it to death, the color, image quality and low light performance are terrific, the size versus the G series is a huge benefit. I doubt I would want to put the xz-1 in my pocket, but the s95 fits great.

 

[EELinneman]

I got a Canon G11 about 18 months ago to use as a travel camera. I've been very happy with it, and it's built solid. What got me to choose this is that John Fielder, a well known Colorado nature photographer, shot a lot of his recent book with a G9.

Recently, I purchased a G12 for my father. He had a heart attack late last year and didn't feel up to lugging around his 5DII anymore. He's very happy with the G12, especially the macro capability.

Go to a good camera store and try some out. I'm convinced that we are living in the golden age of cameras. The IQ and capabilities are getting better and better and at a reasonable price. Remember, the only bad pictures are the ones you aren't going to take if you didn't bring your camera with you. So, find something that has the quality and features and size you are looking for and shoot all you can.

 

[ronderick]

My current grab-and-go camera is the Fujifilm x100. Definitely not something you can store in your jeans pocket, but it wins out in terms of view finder and the "retro" look. The photographer has a lot of control over the camera's setting, but using it is like trying to tame a foul-tempered stallion :

Here's a rough list of the DCs people I know have and the reason why they use the specific models:

Canon S95 - small enough to pocket and still gives you good quality picture. One of the complaints I've heard is that the camera is hard to hold since the smooth surface can be "slippery" sometimes.

Panasonic LX-5 (or if u want to make a statement, the Leica D-Lux 5) - A well-rounded camera, with a decent zoom (the older model has a pretty short zoom distance). The complaint of the owner is that it's still a bit too big to carry around with ease.

(Don't know anyone who has the Olympus XZ-1, but reviews online rates seem to be overall positive)

Olympus Tough-series: This camera is designed for abuse The user complaint is the manual organization, hard-to-come-by memory card format (I think the newer version uses the standard SD/XD card), and bulk.

My old DC is the Fujifilm F200 EXR (I think the newest version is the F550 which comes with GPS), and I love the color on that machine. However, the built-quality of that camera is not that great (by the end of its days, it feels like holding a rusting iron box).

Ricoh GRDIII: A prime that's convenient to carry and produces pretty good images. However, the GRD III has already been out for several years. Just to add, there's like a cult following for the GRD series...

 

[AlvisMedia]

I have an S95 for a every day carry around and a TS3 for water sports, they don't have the quality of my SLRs but still take good pictures and both fit in my pocket. I also have an sx30 love the zoom 35x, but don't like the focusing or the size so selling it. The S95 is a great camera great in low light and you get manual control.

 

[lee_hom]

Thank you all for your replies!

My reason to buy a small companion camera is I can carry it everyday. Any quality images would be better than no image.

I use my dslr less and less nowadays, partly because it's so heavy, it also look odd in casual occasions.

I'll follow your advise and pay a visit to my local jessops over the weekend to find the best DC for myself.

Thanks to you all again!