Any good? Anyone own one?

I'm looking for a new camera for not much money. I stumbled on a couple of YouTube vids showing the zoom capabilities of the Canon and I was quite impressed.

I need something with a good zoom without going into lenes costing hundreds/thousands.

The S5IS Powershot is on Canon's web site for £300 but i've found a few places on the net selling it for around £200. I guess it maybe an old model but i'm not that fussed about that.

I thought it sounded to cheap to be anygood.

Any views/opinions? Oh and I know nothing about photography, I normaly just point and squirt with my N95:D just thought this looked good enough and cheap enough to get me started while being a step up from the compact Samsung I already have.

Gets good reviews but is now bettered seemingly by the superzooms from Panasonic, Fuji and Olympus (in order of quality - by my interpretation of the reviews ).

Panasonic Lumix FZ18 would be my choice if I was in the market (am just itching for my old camera to bite the dust ) - 2 friends have it and are well impressed (though not camera buffs) - and they can be had for just over £200.

Compare lumix fz18 Digital Cameras Prices - PriceRunner UK

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 Review: 1. Introduction:

Panasonic DMC FZ18 Review

DCRP Review: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

That looks very nice. I've only seen the compact Lumix. Will have to have a read up on that Panasonic now.

Choices choices:)

Edit - You're making this very easy. thanks for the links:thumbup:

iirc someone was posting FZ18 photos :confused:

redbaron :confused: Dr Zoidberg :confused:

iirc someone was posting FZ18 photos :confused:

redbaron :confused: Dr Zoidberg :confused:

redbaron - but the older fz8 (available from around £149)

http://briskoda.net/forums/photography-photoshop/testing-new-lens-some-shots/111584/5/

post number 138

iirc someone was posting FZ18 photos :confused:

redbaron :confused: Dr Zoidberg :confused:

I've posted a couple of FZ7 pictures - very similar but a 12x zoom.

I like it a lot , but you may also want to look at the Sony DSC-H50 which has a 15x zoom.

SWMBO has the slightly older DSC-H5 which is a better camera than my panasonic. It takes better pictures and has a bigger and clearer screen

I've had the DSC-H2 for two years now and I'm very happy with it.

My dad has the H9 - I'm looking forward to having a go with it when I visit in a couple of weeks

Thanks for the above help. I've had a quick read on Cameras.co.uk (great site by the way). I can't beleive the Panasonic and Canon both score the same @83 each. Talk about make life harder.

The Panasonic does take a better/sharper pic when on full zoom but the Canon looks like it does better indoors.

I'll check out the others in the morning. Thanks again for all the help, looks like this might take a while:D

Decided on the Panasonic DMC FZ18. Ordered from currys, here on Thurs.

Thanks again for the help, i'm looking forward to having a play:D

I'll post some pics once i'm sorted.

Maybe too late, but I got an S1 IS when I went on honeymoon, specifically because it did most things the competition did, but took AAs and not some special battery pack. Thank goodness, otherwise I'd never have been able to take this:

Thanks again to the Israeli chap who lent me the batteries out of his flashgun!

One thing to remember about the zooms they quote is it's just a ratio. It doesn't mean anything on its own.

Take Panasonic's current advertising market for the Lumix stuff. On one hand they say it has a 10x (or whatever it is) optical zoom. This is great. But they also say - in a different advert of course - that it has the widest angle lens out there (which can also be good).

But when you combine the two together, all it really means is that you get a zoom similar to any other compact digi but with a wider angle. Its widest is at 28mm, so that and a 10x zoom effectively means a focal range between 28mm and 280mm.

Or put another way, a 14mm ultra-wide angle lense with a 10x zoom zooms no further than a 28mm normal-wide angle lens with a 5x zoom.

Just don't get caught in the numbers game, that's all

Edit, sorry Chris. Just noticed your last post and the date. I'm a bit slow as usual

Hi

I know I'm a bit late into the thread but I am a very happy S3 owner

this is the previous version to S5 becaseu 4 is unlucky in Japan meaning death or something....

whethre or not the S5 is better than the S3 is debateable but it does have soem updated and different features such as digic III (face recognition et al)

for me the S3 was a great step in between a p&s and a DLSR...and you can get all sorts of accessories for it (lenses, and whatnot...I have an additional teleconverter and some filters)

I love the S3

For unbiased reviews and comparisons check steve's digicams. Posting in their forums was invaluable when I was trying to decide what to get

Steve's Digicams - Main Menu

For biased opinons and lost of photos and help, there is an excellent unofficial S3/S5 community at www.s3users.com www.s5users.com (same site different domain names)