Canon SD1000

[mrhaines]

I just picked up the Canon SD1000 and I gotta say it is AMAZING. I have never had a digital camera that I have enjoyed so much. Plus...it isn't that expensive, just over 200$. Check it out at:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=14901

Plus if you are a Kevin Rose fanboy, he uses it too.

[masherscf]

I just picked up the Canon SD1000 and I gotta say it is AMAZING. I have never had a digital camera that I have enjoyed so much. Plus...it isn't that expensive, just over 200$. Check it out at:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=14901

Plus if you are a Kevin Rose fanboy, he uses it too.

The entire Canon SD line is pretty hot.

[chevmalfet]

Agreed, in the pocket camera range the Canon's are probably the best. The lenses are a bit soft but at that size they all are; noise is also an issue but ditto.

If you don't mind a camera that's a little larger Fuji's f30/13fd/40fd is the current benchmark for flashless photos by far and the lens is considerably sharper than Canon's SD series.

[masherscf]

Agreed, in the pocket camera range the Canon's are probably the best. The lenses are a bit soft but at that size they all are; noise is also an issue but ditto.

If you don't mind a camera that's a little larger Fuji's f30/13fd/40fd is the current benchmark for flashless photos by far and the lens is considerably sharper than Canon's SD series.

I've had issues with noise on some of Canon's less expensive POS. The A series is pretty useless for any ISO above 400. I'm not a huge fan of the Fuji camera though. However, it's been awhile since I actually used one.

I'm a huge Nikon snob anyhow.

[chevmalfet]

I've got a Nikon DSLR myself, though for recent consumer cameras I wouldn't touch a Nikon with a 10 foot pole. Except maybe that new 990 series replacement. The noise issue has gotten worse in the last year or two with the cheaper to make 1/2.7in sensors getting very small subdivisions for pixels; the result being many 5, 6, 8 MP consumer cameras generate worse image data than they did on the old 1/1.8in sensors, and start getting bad at ISO 200. The consumer 10MP sensors are noisy at ISO 100.

The Kodak style impressionist-painting look of nose reduction has also gotten popular, which is pretty atrocious. To my knowledge all the Canon Digital Elphs use the smaller 1/2.7in. sensors, and it shows in their image quality. The Fuji sensor is 1/1.7in. at 6MP and easily 2 stops better for noise, if not more. Haven't seen anything from their new 8MP sensor yet, but I suspect it's not quite as clean.

[masherscf]

I've got a Nikon DSLR myself, though for recent consumer cameras I wouldn't touch a Nikon with a 10 foot pole.

Which DSLR models do you refer? I use a Nikon D50 and the noise is nearly unperceptable at all but 1600 ISO.

[paper]

Looks like he's referring to point-and-shoots, not DSLRs.

I have a D50 as well. Fantastic camera to work with.

[chevmalfet]

By consumer I mean compact non-DSLR "digital rangefinders." I've got a D70, and use a D200 and D2x on occasion. My D70 is pretty solid at 800, passableish at 1000, 1600 in a pinch, but assuming very good light. You lose a stop or two of smoothness though in indoor/artifical lighting because the blue channel just basically drops out by 2-4 stops.

My next personal camera will be either a D200 or an S5Pro likely; I don't think anyone's ever going to get around to doing an exhaustive review of the S5 though so even considering it will depend on if I can put one through it's paces at a local camera dealer.

[nextgenxbox]

Can't go wrong with Canon line.

I'll stick to my Nikon D50 DSLR :)