other people have other taste.

what are your priorities?

Please please please get a Fujifilm Finepix S series camera. These cameras are the next best thing to DSLRs.

FINEPIX S6500FD costing around RM1200


FINEPIX S9600 around RM1500


I recommend this 2 cameras because it uses Fuji's Super CCD HR technology.

It produces excellent photo printouts.

Produces vibrant and sharp photos.

I was using the older generation Finepix S7000 before I switched to Nikon D80. And almost every camera shop I went to said the S7000 is a great cam.

The S9600 is a better choice because it has a LCD screen which can be tilted.



It's great for taking high angle shots of crowded area.

These 2 cameras offer all in one lens for macro, wide angle and telephoto. Their lenses support from 28mm-300mm.

My Nikon D80 lens also untill 135mm only.

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Fuji-Sup...CD-SR--HR-FAQ-1

http://www.digitalreview.ca/cams/FujiSuperCCD.shtml

This post has been edited by calvin_gsc: Jul 2 2007, 07:59 PM

ur D80 kit lens 135mm after converted is around 200mm already, not too far behind lah.. if not enuff, then go grab a 70-300mm and shoot at effective 450mm range loh..

yeah, which i why, i am not collecting funds for a 70-300mm VR lens. hehe

i've got 1 fujifilm 9600 back at home...presently owned by my father...so im planning to get one cam for myself exclusively

well, for 6500...the specs kinda low...so i dunno whether its good onot...
also, if im not mistaken, most of fujifilm's camera doesnt have built-in OIS features...i admit their pictures are pretty nice though...but it can be shaky when using in long distance zoom...especially in low light areas

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Added on July 2, 2007, 9:18 pmi've just read reviews regarding S6500...omg...the pictures quality is superb thanks to its super ccd technology...compared to Panasonic FZ-8, the texture details is much better and has better control of ISO...
damn...torn between choices...S6500 is definitely a good choice for budget...too bad it doesnt have image stabiliser n this might pose problem in low light shots and end of long zoom shots

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Added on July 2, 2007, 9:28 pmbasically my priorities is a good ultra zoom, image stabiliser, and camera good for wide angle shots as im more prone to landscape shots...of cuz i would like to have a decent burst mode as sometimes i would need some action shots

This post has been edited by kwws: Jul 2 2007, 09:28 PM

Yeah, right now, only the high end S5 Pro has IS technology.

However, this can be compensated by the high IS, big aperture and fast shutter speeds.

Well, if IS is a must for you... Looks like you have to go for other brands already.

Hey, when you shoot in manual mode, you have full control of your cam, and you can reduce those blurring.

Blurring can also be reduced with the use of flash.

yeah tats wad i worry...i have somehow tendency of shaking when using cams like 9600...cuz its heavy...not suited for my hands
flash reduces the appearance of the photo man...it looks unrealistic...unless i hav to use it in night...
sigh, 6500 is a great cam from what i read...but 5700 model has worse ISO even though it is a newer version...im pretty concerned with ISO performance of cameras...FZ-8 has failed badly even though it has a very responsive hardware performance...its noise reduction function is destructing the texture quality of photo...so i guess i better take out FZ-8 now

As for Sony H-7, it also produces impressive performance in ISO and color control...but it has some issues with distortion though...any reviews regarding H-7?

The 5700 isn't good cause it doesn't use the Super CCD HR.

Well about the flash problem. You can try bounce flash photography with cheap external flash or DIY your own flash diffuser to soften the flash, but yet get natural lighting.

external flash? but S6500 doesnt have an external flash mount...too bad otherwise like S9600 i can get bounce flash by using external flash...but anyway isit possible to fit a DIY flash diffuser for S6500fd?
i cant imagine myself carrying this kind of diffuser though - http://www.digitalfunstuff.com.au/prod1387.htm tat one should be better for studio purposes but not outdoors i assume

im not into S9600 oledi as I've personally used it b4...doesnt suit me at all...too bulky as i need to bring the camera out often for daily shots for blogging purpose

hmm maybe i should really choose S6500fd...great value for money...superb ISO performance...but one thing i worry about is shaking issue when using long zoom...and the burst mode for this model isnt v impressive but i can tolerate that though...

however set aside all, it has an attractive pricing n has flash compensation compared to Sony's...perhaps this is a better choice

This post has been edited by kwws: Jul 2 2007, 10:30 PM

s57 is out, sony the best among those

fuji too old model

pana fz7,fz8 simpan kulit

s3 crap

Just get a piece of paper and cover is or modify and old white transparent film plastic case.





Cut out a slit big enough to slide your pop up flash inside.

Use the white one, cut a slit horizontally to fit onto the flash. I have a friend who uses his Canon 350D flash this way.



Oh, if size is an issue, then go for the canon ixus series with IS. Suits you well, since u got a good budget.

This post has been edited by calvin_gsc: Jul 2 2007, 10:35 PM

thx alot for ur guidance dude!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/monkeywithagun/316565193/ another nice DIY flash diffuser for built-in pop-up flash !

going for ixus series? im quite an enthusiast maybe due to influence of my family member photography experience so im not very fond of ultra compact cameras...supposingly with prosumer cams like 6500 would help me to expand more on my photography learning in future...i suppose?

hmm personally i think S6500fd is small enuf for me oledi...i like the compact SLR looks...S9600 is definitely too big...especially its bulky lens...and its heavier

This post has been edited by kwws: Jul 2 2007, 10:51 PM

Well, i think you wont go wrong with the S6500fd.

What about the powershot G series? Do they come with IS?

it does comes with IS.. actually the latest G7 is quite disappointing as some of the pro features from G6 are removed.. i guess canon is giving up on prosumers already as prosumers was meant to bridge the gap between DSLR and consumer grade in the past, but now the prosumer grade is seemingly flooded by a hosts of megazooms which is only competing for the longest zoom, IS technology,crappy ISO race and megapixel race more than other techs.. and the prices of the entry level DSLR are already dirt cheap.. the Canon G series will soon dissapear i guess, so is the wide angle S series which i loved too..

This post has been edited by kevin613: Jul 3 2007, 12:18 AM

is the S6500fd still on sales rack now? im worried that it might be outphased soon...any hints of successor for this model?
i wont be getting any cam yet until end of september though...

Maybe you can wait for PC Fair, 3 - 5 August 2007 (KL Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur)

They have camera deals there as well.

too bad im not back to KL by that time yet...

fz-50??

for me.. external flash is quite important.. s5, G7, fz-50 got hot shoe whic support i-ttl instead of manual flash triger such fz-20.. don't know about s9600.. i'm eying on this model previously but the price too high at the time..

why i see no nikon on ur poll?
im using G7....it cost about 1.7k....not bad

G-7 review loses to Fuji's S6500fd though...G7 only has 6x zoom...tats a drawback though...wad else is good bout G-7 anyway?
i think i better cancel out S5 oso as its pretty bulky for me...

Nikon? Nikon doesnt have prosumer class i recall? only P5000 as flagship for point-n-shoot category...i dun have the budget for DSLRs so i din put nikon on the list

in that case....i think u better get your Fuji's S6500fd....

just read some reviews regarding G-7...im pretty impressed but the price kinda high compared to S6500fd though...

does the G-7 package comes bundled with a 2x teleconverter and a 0.75x wide angle lens as from wad i read from review? if it has...it would be cool...im pretty an enthusiast of bounce flash photography...with G-7 hotshoe i believe it would enhance more!

the only drawback that stops me from getting S6500fd now is its bulkier size compared to G-7...size is one of my priority as well as i will be bringing it outdoors daily

damn...i might be shifting towards smaller size camera now...i couldnt manage to get s56500fd around daily smoothly as its still pretty thick and bulky oh my tats bad for my case though...

if im to choose between G7 and s6500fd for long-term usage? which one is most recommended?

This post has been edited by kwws: Jul 3 2007, 09:51 PM

Fuji lose out on Image stabiliser and Continuous shooting.
Which is why i bought Canon S5IS over Fujis. I have Fuji F31fd... so I do know the superb picture quality Fuji cam can produce.

if u think s5 bulky.. then i think none of the prosumer suit u .. esp with high optical zoom.. g7 is metal casing for ur added info..

if looking for manual function on camera then their few with slim body such canon A series
if looking only for high optical zoom.. pana TZ series offer 10x at a slim body..

This post has been edited by ganz: Jul 4 2007, 12:46 PM

yeah tats wad i thought...i want a prosumer class but yet compact size one, perhaps G7 satisfies my criteria?
whats latest price for G7 anyway?

I voted for Oly SP-550UZ.

A friend was handed a unit to test & write a review for it.

So we tested it for 3 days. At MidV indoor, Sepang F1 circuit during M'sian GP & candid moments etc.

Quite impressed with it except for the slow writing speed when shooting RAW at max resolution.

someone is selling a 6 months old G7 @ RM1500 nego here.. http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/479095

big also...

yeah...550UZ too bulky for me

my final offer.. A710..

guys...i did some serious consideration and finally i decided to sacrifice the size issue...
my shortlisted choices are : Fujifilm s6500fd, Canon G7, and Nikon P5000...both latter have external hotshoe which is why its on my preference list...im kinda dilemma now as im pretty sure that i need powerful external flash guns for low light photography...G7 is kinda out of my budget already as after i buy the flashgun, acc and so on add up together i better get myself a DSLR...well anyway, any cheap DSLR model to be recommended if possible? lol...pretty confused rite now...

currently im into : Wide-angle landscape shots, indoor portrait and macro shots...so...any good cams to intro?

Macro shots? Canon S5IS... 0mm!!
Indoor... Fujifilm
Wide-angle... hmm.....

looks like i need a dslr to do all stuffs...but i dun have such budget for dslr la...still student
haha...i think i better stick back to current fujifilm 9500

if u're really tight on budget, u can actually look for a used, but still in working condition SLR, a used Canon EOS 350D kit is available for around RM1500-1600. the kit lens is good enuff for wide angle lanscape, indoor portrait and "not too bad" macro.. the main advantages of getting a DSLR is obviously the performance, it'll offer u much better AF speed, especially under lowlight condition, and the noise control, which will enable u to shoot in low light with high ISO, and still get usable results. then gradually as your skills improved, u can get different lens and accesories for different needs, and unlock your creativity(Prosumers are rather limiting, u'll eventually outgrown them, just a matter of time) i have 2 sets of 350D kit, planning to let go one set soon... PM me if u're interested.

yeah tats wad im considering also...dslr allows more room for expansion...as for prosumer...it will get phased out sooner later...but for my case now, im having an S9500 with me...so i guess i better save for better dslr then getting a new prosumer now...

wow u letting go one of it? with basic kit lenses i suppose? haha tat i have to wait till i get back to KL till september if wanna deal with u...

in fact, i'm throwing in a battery grip with the 350D with a slight increase in price, it's essential cause the body of 350D and 400D is a bit too small for comfortable grip if u have large palms.. both my 350D are batt-grip attached.. i'm from kajang, not too far from U.nottingham, can arrange to view items if u're interested.. haha..

This post has been edited by kevin613: Jul 6 2007, 11:04 PM

hmmm not bad not bad im quite interested...yeah im currently a student in Nottingham Semenyih...but I'm from Selangor now as I'm having my semester break till mid-sept...i will pm u regarding the details then