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View Full Version : Nikon Coolpix S710 vs. Canon PowerShot G9 vs. Something Better?


kevs
12-19-2008, 10:15 PM
I'm in the market for a quick point and shoot camera. And although these two cameras can probably do more than I need, I'm the kind of person who likes to know it's there...

Anyway, I'm reading up on the S710 and the G9 and they both have good pros, but some cons as well.

I'm looking for:

1. Ease of point and shoot
2. Quick response time in taking the picture

Does anyone have experience with these cameras?

Thanks for any suggestions.
Markel
12-20-2008, 07:13 AM
As I posted here (http://www.gotapex.com/1283785-post3.html), if I was in the market for a new camera I would strongly consider a PowerShot that can be hacked to do so many neat things.
renovation
12-20-2008, 10:23 AM
i have had nikon and canon camera. personal i like canon cameras better .also i understand canon are the only cameria made by the manuf. if this is true or not i cant say as a friend told me this last week .
kevs
12-20-2008, 02:31 PM
As I posted here (http://www.gotapex.com/1283785-post3.html), if I was in the market for a new camera I would strongly consider a PowerShot that can be hacked to do so many neat things.

Very interesting...to think you could hack a camera! :) Sounds pretty cool...

I really need to learn more about taking better quality pics!

Thanks for the continued input!
zippyjuan
12-20-2008, 08:51 PM
When I got my first real camera it was Nikon and I liked it so I have been pretty loyal since then. But I have owned a Nikon point and shoot and got to use my brother's Canon point and shoot. On DSLRs they both make good cameras but I think that for the other part of the market that Canon is better. The G9 (they are up to a G10 now I think). Any digital camera can be used in "Auto" making them pretty easy to use. Point and shoot cameras do have slower "power on to shoot" times compared to a DSLR but are getting better. Part of that is the autofocus- the camera takes time to lock in. One way to work around this is to be "pre focused" at a point you expect your subject to be (hold the shutter release down partway to focus) and wait for the action.

Don't worry about how many pixels the camera has. More is not necessarily better (they just cram them into the same amount of space meaning each one gets less light- my infrared camera you have seen may pictures from here and won a Blue Ribbon at the San Diego County Fair is only six megapixels). Optical zoom is nice. The Nikon has a comprable range when comapred to a 35mm camera of 28- 105mm while the Canon reaches from 35mm to 210mm. YOu get a bit more at the wide end with the Nikon but a fair bit more on the long end with the Canon. The G9 will do better for you than the Nikon you are looking at. It is slightly bigger but is still easy to carry around. Both will have some difficulty in seeing the LCD screen in bright sun (the nature of those displays). With the Canon it has an optical viewfinder ao you can still see thorugh it what you are shooting at in bright light situations.

If those were my two choices, I would not hesitate to jump on the G9. It also has the ability to grow with you. If you take the time to learn more about taking pictures, it has more options for you to use. But again, if you want to you can just set it to auto and forget about it.
Jeffbx
12-22-2008, 06:40 AM
:stupid:

For DSLR, it's more of a personal preference between Canon & Nikon. However, for the P&S market, Canon still seems to be the leader in terms of picture quality & functionality for the price you pay.

I'd go for the G9/10, or even the SD880 IS if you want great features in a very small package, or the SD990 IS if you want a ridiculously large photo size as well (14MP).
ray
12-22-2008, 11:11 AM
Can't go wrong with the Powershot G9 or G10. If you want something more compact, get a Canon Powershot SD850IS. This is an older model, but it's a great camera if you can find it since it will be cheaper now.
Airencracken
12-22-2008, 02:16 PM
Another vote for Canon.
vypher
12-22-2008, 03:23 PM
I would go for the Powershot G9 too. I've had a few Canon cameras and I've been very happy with them.
kevs
12-23-2008, 07:16 PM
Wow, the votes are pretty one-sided (which makes it easier for me!)...

I went into my local Best Buy yesterday and didn't see the G9, so I asked about it. The guy there said that it was already discontinued and the G10 is out now. Is that true?

If it IS true, then I'm not sure about the G10...it looks really bulky in person...is it the same dimensions as the G9?
ray
12-24-2008, 05:07 PM
Dimensions of the G9 and G10 are about the same. It's definitely not a pocket camera. if you're looking for something that you can carry around in your pocket, go for one of the Canon Powershots that some of us mentioned above. SD850IS, SD870IS, etc
kevs
12-28-2008, 04:47 PM
Dimensions of the G9 and G10 are about the same. It's definitely not a pocket camera. if you're looking for something that you can carry around in your pocket, go for one of the Canon Powershots that some of us mentioned above. SD850IS, SD870IS, etc

Yeap, I think I'm definitely looking more for a quick point and shoot as opposed to a camera with a lot of functionality.

As great the the G9 may be, now I might have to just look into a Powershot...

So confusing!!! :)
ArkiStan
12-28-2008, 09:04 PM
picture quality-wise i really doubt you'll notice a difference between makes and models, canon and nikon are all decent. do research on the technical specs, read reviews and go for one that has fast boot up, low noise, and the widest angle lens possible.
Airencracken
12-29-2008, 10:40 AM
If you're looking for a lot of zoom the Panasonic TZ-5 is another decent choice.