New Gear. Drool!!!!

[LRK@adobeforums.com]

Zeb: I can generally get within 60 feet of most of the birds on our property. Whereas birds are not my primary interest I would love to be able to capture them.

Another subject I have shot before and may be asked to shoot again is horse shows. I wonder how this camera would do with jumping horses. Actually I did pretty good with my 990 but had to click in advance to finally catch the horse as it was going over the jump.

BTW, thanks for the glossary link. I'll hang onto it.

[LRK@adobeforums.com]

Cindy: The Canon PowerShot Pro1 is looking pretty impressive for the price.

I want as much bang for the buck as I can get. This seems to have a lot of bang.

[Zeb@adobeforums.com]

Well even at 60' you won't get much detail on a small bird, a stork would be bigger but it's not meant for that.
As far as I'm aware the camera is not on sale yet and the shutter lag is not mentioned in the specifications but it will be much faster than the 990, and could be used for horse shows.

[Cindy@adobeforums.com]

It does sound like a great camera. Like I said, it just depends on what you want. You may be very happy with a point and shoot but I personally want to be able to expand. That is why I got the cheaper body. I can invest in lenses and upgrade the body in a year or two and still get great photos.

[LRK@adobeforums.com]

Thanks very much for pitching in Zeb. I appreciate you breaking it down for me.

This review was released Monday, 9 February 2004. I wonder what else is around the corner. :)

[LRK@adobeforums.com]

Cindy: You are much more of a photograher than I am. I want to be able to "cheat" (for lack of a better word) enough to produce high quality images for my clients (and my own pleasure) in the most efficient and cost effective way possible.

Thanks for your input as well Cindy.

[Zeb@adobeforums.com]

Canon is said to be releasing dozens of new cameras this year, mostly compacts, as Cindy said depends on what you want, every camera is a compromise of some sort.

There's also a Nikon 8700, just to confuse you;
<http://www.dpreview.com/news/0401/04012805nikoncp8700.asp>

[LRK@adobeforums.com]

Zeb: I think this is the one that John V. showed me. It looks pretty exciting too. I take it the Canon is considered Professional but this one not? Also the Canon L lens is better?

[Zeb@adobeforums.com]

I think the term professional is a marketing term. Both would both give exceptional image quality. Canon 'L' means they either have special glass or design in their lenses.
Wait until they become available and try them, sometimes how they feel in your hands is a big deciding factor and how easy they are to use.
A digital SLR is another option but a decent lens will take you beyond your stated budget.

[LRK@adobeforums.com]

That's a good idea. I will wait and try them Zeb. I'm not quite ready financially but hope to be after I finish a job I've been working on.

I feel I can justify the $1,000.00 since I recently braced myself to pay around that much to have my printer repaired. After I fixed it myself I decided I would use the money I saved for a much anticipated new digital. :)

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

Linda,

I just checked to see what my Nikon 990 Zoom is and I believe it is 8-24mm.
If this Canon is 28-200 mm, that's quite a difference. It might be all
I really need.




Apples and oranges. The effective field of view and the resulting zoom effect vary according to the size of the sensor, just like an 85mm lens is by no means a telephoto on a medium format camera. Each digital camera has a certain "magnification" factor to let you know what the approximate equivalent is in terms of 35mm photography.

The lens of the Canon PowerShot Pro1, according to dpreview, is indeed the equivalent of a 28-200mm zoom lens in terms of 35mm photography.

Your Nikon Coolpix 990 is rated by dpreview as a 38mm to 115mm equivalent in terms of 35mm photography, even though its actual focal lengths go from 8mm to 24mm.

Therefore, the effective maximum focal length (again compared to 35mm) of the Canon PowerShot Pro1, would be less than twice the maximum focal length of your Nikon Coolpix 990. It is in fact, less than 75% more "powerful" (200 divided by 115 = 1.739130435).

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

As a matter of fact, all other things being equal, a 38-115 lens (3.03 zoom ratio) would tend to be better in quality (chromatic aberration, pincushion and/or barrel distortion, etc) than a 28-200 (7.14 zoom ratio).

[LRK@adobeforums.com]

Oh my, Ramon. That's quite enlightening about the zoom lens comparrison. Thanks for pointing that out.

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

You're welcome, Linda.

As long time foe of zoom lenses in general, personally I wouldn't touch a camera that had a non-interchangeable lens with a 7.14 zoom ratio (28-200) like that Canon with a ten-foot pole. That's just my personal preference.

[LRK@adobeforums.com]

Glad to know your take on it Ramon. I think I'll give myself a month or so before making up my mind.

[LRK@adobeforums.com]

In light of this information the Nikon is weighing in a little heavier.

The COOLPIX 8700 comes loaded with all the essential accessories: a battery
and charger, an A/V cable, a USB cable and the comprehensive Nikon View
software package. The camera is also compatible with a host of optional
accessories, including wideangle, telephoto and fisheye converters. It can
also be fitted with a Lens Hood that uses lens filters. In addition, the
COOLPIX 8700's accessory shoe accommodates a number of Nikon's external
Speedlights.

[Cindy@adobeforums.com]

Your decision should be interesting with all the input.

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

The COOLPIX 8700 comes loaded with ...




Ouch! It has an 8x-zoom lens. :(

[LRK@adobeforums.com]

Cindy: I'll take one of each. :)

Ramon: 8x-zoom lens = Sad face?

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

Yes, very sad. :(

The larger the zoom ratio, the more compromises the lens designer has to make in terms of quality (as I said before: chromatic aberration, pincushion and/or barrel distortion).

Just look at the better zoom lenses for SLRs. You'll find they come in such focal lengths as 28-80mm (2.85 zoom ratio), 85-200mm (2.35 zoom ratio), etc.