Which would you choose: Canon SD300 or Panasonice Lumix FX7

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Newbie" <chromallly@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:1113582651.421089.107510@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

> I've narrowed down my choice of ultra-compact digicam. It's down
> to Canon SD300 and Panasonic Lumix FX7. The Lumix is tempting
> because it has image stabilizer and it's a 5 megapixel. The SD300
> is only 4 megapixel although 4 is really what I'm looking for. The
> upside of SD300 is, every review I've read praised the SD300.
> There's not much review written for the FX7 even though it's been
> out longer. Price is almost equal for both of them. The SD300 is
> smaller than the FX7, that's what I'm looking for. The battery
> life on the SD300 is longer too.
>
> Exilim Z55 was my third choice but it doesn't have an AF
> illuminator.
>
>

I can't give you an answer to your question, just a couple reviews of
the FX7, which you may or may not have see, yet:

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/panasonic/dmc_fx7-rev...

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfx7/

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/fx7.html

http://www.megapixel.net/reviews/panasonic-fx7/fx7-gen....

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1744938,00.asp

http://reviews.cnet.com/4545-6501_7-30980689.html?tag=t...

User reviews at pcworld.com:
http://tinyurl.com/assp5

There! That should be more reading than you really wanted to do for one
camera! If you search, you can probably find reviews of the Canon on
most of these sites, too. Check some of them to see if they directly
compare these two models, too.

HTH,

--
Eric Babula
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Listen Listen to yourself!

You have already made the choice only you have yet to realize it.

You chose the Canon. If the zoom ratio is about 3x then you made not
need IS in a very small camera.

Newbie wrote:

>I've narrowed down my choice of ultra-compact digicam. It's down to
>Canon SD300 and Panasonic Lumix FX7. The Lumix is tempting because it
>has image stabilizer and it's a 5 megapixel. The SD300 is only 4
>megapixel although 4 is really what I'm looking for. The upside of
>SD300 is, every review I've read praised the SD300. There's not much
>review written for the FX7 even though it's been out longer. Price is
>almost equal for both of them. The SD300 is smaller than the FX7,
>that's what I'm looking for. The battery life on the SD300 is longer
>too.
>
>Exilim Z55 was my third choice but it doesn't have an AF illuminator.
>
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Here, I'd pick the FX7 if it weren't for one thing - no built-in speaker
to listen to the audio from recorded movies. Otherwise, the sharper
lens, lower spherical abberation (shows up as white-ish haloing of image
detail), image stabilizer, larger LCD would all put it as my pick over
the Canon.

Then again, it doesn't have the speaker, so I'd pick another camera
instead. Between these two, it'll have to be the SD300. If I didn't
care for movies, I'd just buy the FX7 myself - sharper images overall
with better contrast. But I wouldn't even buy that one either if given
other choices.

Why?

The SD300 is $279 at www.shopper.com, the 7.2MP Sony DSC-P200 is $334
with far faster startup, more megapixels, more manual controls, etc. etc.

Given the longer battery life, more MP, faster & more responsive shutter
/AF on the Sony, I'd save up and buy the DSC-P200 instead.

Now there's a camera with very good to excellent ratings and lots of
happy users!

---

Of course, if you want only a 4MP digicam, then even the good rated
Kodak LS743 which blew out on sale at Fry's Electronics this week for
$99 new is an excellent deal (buy it from www.ebay.com from those people
trying to sell it for a little profit - typically $150 or so, but still
an excellent price for a 4MP 3x digicam.

eg. 4 1/2 stars out of 5 at amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B0001...
http://www.megapixel.net/reviews/kodak-ls743/ls743-gen3...
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/LS743/LS74A.HTM

A great buy at this price, esp. if you only need 4x6" shots, and the
50%+ savings over anything you've suggested means a) you don't have to
worry as much if you drop & break this camera b) you can spend the money
on a short weekend vacation c) you can use the difference to buy a new
photo printer d) buy some stocks and make money, etc.

I'm picky, but I'd honestly be happy to have the Kodak LS743 - the nice
menus are easy-to-use, the flash is nice and bright, and the camera is
very friendly and easy to learn to use.