My Canon went kaboom!

Griff · 07-09-2008, 08:06 AM

We went to Quebec City over the weekend for the 400th year celebration. Unfortunately, the flash in my camera did its best gunshot sound imitation followed by a tiny little smoke puff. Does anybody know what I'm looking at for repair bills vs the diminishing value of the camera? It's a Canon PowerShot S1 IS 3.2 megapixel with a 10x optical zoom. We're thinking about a new camera anyway and the girls could use this one without the flash.

glatt · 07-09-2008, 08:48 AM

Completed auctions on E-bay have that camera selling for between $80 and $120 bucks.

Griff · 07-09-2008, 09:06 AM

The model that replaced it is in the $300 range. It probably isn't worth fixing considering the increased memory and better optics...

Cloud · 07-09-2008, 09:05 AM

thought your gun exploded there for a minute. Was concerned!

Griff · 07-09-2008, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud

thought your gun exploded there for a minute. Was concerned!

thanks

footfootfoot · 07-09-2008, 10:18 AM

3.2 megapixels? srsly? get the powershot A720 IS. It's 8megapixels and kicks hinder for under$200.

BigV · 07-09-2008, 10:31 AM

seconded.

I have the Canon PowerShot A710IS. I **love** it.

Griff · 07-09-2008, 02:06 PM

A710IS duly noted, will investigate. We're leaning Canon anyway to reduce the learning curve. 3.2 was purdy good away back when, not so good now...

Radar · 07-09-2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Griff

We went to Quebec City over the weekend for the 400th year celebration. Unfortunately, the flash in my camera did its best gunshot sound imitation followed by a tiny little smoke puff. Does anybody know what I'm looking at for repair bills vs the diminishing value of the camera? It's a Canon PowerShot S1 IS 3.2 megapixel with a 10x optical zoom. We're thinking about a new camera anyway and the girls could use this one without the flash.

I've been EXTREMELY happy with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4K. It's 8.1 Megapixel which is probably more than I'll ever need. It has all kinds of cool stuff, like you can program your kids b'day into the camera, and when you take photos of them in "baby" mode, it puts the number of years, months, and days they are into the file so you can see it later. It has a 10x optical zoom with a Leica lens and a 2.5" lcd screen. You can find it for under $200 now.

If you don't mind spending about $100 more, they have a 9 Megapixel version of this camera.... The DMC-TZ5K.

glatt · 07-09-2008, 03:00 PM

You probably already know about this, but if you do shop for a new digicam, make sure to check the reviews out on dpreview. With their multiple page reviews for each camera, and dozens of full resolution sample images for each camera, it's hard to find a better source of information.

Griff · 07-09-2008, 03:07 PM

hmmm... looks like no flip out view finder? ...and 6x not 10x. I think Pete was using dpreview but I'll mention it just in case.

jinx · 07-09-2008, 03:17 PM

A comparable Sony would have a Carl Zeiss lens.
Personally though, I'd save my pennies for awhile and go for the slr - makes a world of difference.

Griff · 07-09-2008, 03:24 PM

We're kicking that around as well. We just don't know when we'd change lenses. Pete has/had(?) a stash of now useless old glass from the art school days, so we're reluctant.

glatt · 07-09-2008, 03:59 PM

For me, the only draw of an SLR over the SLR-like cameras like the PowerShot A720 IS is that the sensor's physical size is usually larger. A larger sensor will generally have less noise.

Griff, you probably never noticed the noise in your 3.2 megapixel camera, but as they are squeezing more pixels into CCDs without increasing the physical size of the chip, the noise has been going up dramatically. This is especially apparent in low light situations where high ISO settings are used. SLRs usually have physically larger chips, so all those pixels aren't squeezed together so tightly, and noise isn't so bad. Frankly, for a point and shoot, I don't see the point of having more than 5 megapixels. The noise trade off is too great. But manufacturers disagree with me.

Noise is a big deal these days in high megapixel cameras. I suggest looking very closely at examples of pictures taken in low light situations on the dpreview web site. I got a Panasonic DMC-FZ7 and love it except for all the noise. Check out this sample from the dpreview web site to see what I mean. Unfortunately, they didn't take any pictures with the PowerShot A720 IS at higher sensitivity, so you can't see the noise effect for that particular camera. You can go to flickr though, and see samples of pictures taken by various cameras.

jinx · 07-09-2008, 03:29 PM

I don't change lenses often at all (until I get my new 75-300mm) because I the one I have on it now (18-200mm) has a range that I really like. It just gives you more options - between the lenses, flashes, and filters you can almost always get a good shot.

07-09-2008, 08:06 AM	#1
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	My Canon went kaboom! We went to Quebec City over the weekend for the 400th year celebration. Unfortunately, the flash in my camera did its best gunshot sound imitation followed by a tiny little smoke puff. Does anybody know what I'm looking at for repair bills vs the diminishing value of the camera? It's a Canon PowerShot S1 IS 3.2 megapixel with a 10x optical zoom. We're thinking about a new camera anyway and the girls could use this one without the flash. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-09-2008, 09:06 AM	#3
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	The model that replaced it is in the $300 range. It probably isn't worth fixing considering the increased memory and better optics... __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-09-2008, 09:05 AM	#4
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	thought your gun exploded there for a minute. Was concerned! __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

07-09-2008, 10:18 AM	#6
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	3.2 megapixels? srsly? get the powershot A720 IS. It's 8megapixels and kicks hinder for under$200. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

07-09-2008, 10:31 AM	#7
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	seconded. I have the Canon PowerShot A710IS. I love it. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

07-09-2008, 08:48 AM	#2
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Completed auctions on E-bay have that camera selling for between $80 and $120 bucks.

07-09-2008, 02:06 PM	#8
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	A710IS duly noted, will investigate. We're leaning Canon anyway to reduce the learning curve. 3.2 was purdy good away back when, not so good now... __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-09-2008, 03:00 PM	#10
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	You probably already know about this, but if you do shop for a new digicam, make sure to check the reviews out on dpreview. With their multiple page reviews for each camera, and dozens of full resolution sample images for each camera, it's hard to find a better source of information.

07-09-2008, 03:07 PM	#11
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	hmmm... looks like no flip out view finder? ...and 6x not 10x. I think Pete was using dpreview but I'll mention it just in case. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-09-2008, 03:17 PM	#12
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	A comparable Sony would have a Carl Zeiss lens. Personally though, I'd save my pennies for awhile and go for the slr - makes a world of difference. __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

07-09-2008, 03:24 PM	#13
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	We're kicking that around as well. We just don't know when we'd change lenses. Pete has/had(?) a stash of now useless old glass from the art school days, so we're reluctant. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-09-2008, 03:59 PM	#14
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	For me, the only draw of an SLR over the SLR-like cameras like the PowerShot A720 IS is that the sensor's physical size is usually larger. A larger sensor will generally have less noise. Griff, you probably never noticed the noise in your 3.2 megapixel camera, but as they are squeezing more pixels into CCDs without increasing the physical size of the chip, the noise has been going up dramatically. This is especially apparent in low light situations where high ISO settings are used. SLRs usually have physically larger chips, so all those pixels aren't squeezed together so tightly, and noise isn't so bad. Frankly, for a point and shoot, I don't see the point of having more than 5 megapixels. The noise trade off is too great. But manufacturers disagree with me. Noise is a big deal these days in high megapixel cameras. I suggest looking very closely at examples of pictures taken in low light situations on the dpreview web site. I got a Panasonic DMC-FZ7 and love it except for all the noise. Check out this sample from the dpreview web site to see what I mean. Unfortunately, they didn't take any pictures with the PowerShot A720 IS at higher sensitivity, so you can't see the noise effect for that particular camera. You can go to flickr though, and see samples of pictures taken by various cameras.

07-09-2008, 03:29 PM	#15
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	I don't change lenses often at all (until I get my new 75-300mm) because I the one I have on it now (18-200mm) has a range that I really like. It just gives you more options - between the lenses, flashes, and filters you can almost always get a good shot. __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

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