The Camera search may be over - hope it arrives in time
My camera search may be over.
I wanted something a cut above an average p & s. The Canon G9, 10 & now 11, look pretty cool, but they're a bit big & bulky for me. As are all the ultrazooms. Anyway, I've already got an interesting 10x zoom camera, a Nikon S10. But it takes very noisey shots in low light, so won't make an appearance at a U2 show.
I really liked the look of the Panasomic Lumix DMC-LX3, the best low light performer among compacts. Heaps of manual control. Plus it's got a very large aperture f/2.0 to f/2.8 for a compact, to allow plenty of light in, a large sensor at 1/1.63", & at 10MP, doesn't go overboard on the megapixel count. Only problem is the zoom. Wide angle is 24mm, which is great, get in more of the CLAW from close up. But the telephoto end is only 60mm (x2.5 zoom). I hope to be nice & close, so I'm not looking for an ultrazoom, but 2.5x is very limiting. Was a bit bummed, because, other than the zoom range, this camera looked idea.
But now there's a new contender on the market.
Canon's Powershot S90! Very similar specs to the Lumix DMC-LX3 (it's main rival for the prosumer compact crown - if you don't consider the G11 a true compact). They're both about 1/2 the size of the G11, have large sensors (1/1.7" for the S90), fast lenses (aperture range of f/2.0 to f/4.9 for the S90), both are 10MP. But the S90 has one major advantage, the telephoto end of the zoom is 105mm (x3.8 zoom), not quite as limiting as the LX3.
The S90's just now being released in the states, so I hope I'm able to pick one up before my 1st show in Phoenix, in one months time. Wish me luck