FZ30 vs. Pro90IS

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Brian Allen - 23 Aug 2005 01:43 GMT

I have been holding on getting a new ZLR until I found one that had all of
the features of the Canon Pro90IS that I currently use. I already get
fantastic 8x10 prints using this camera, but I wanted something with much
higher resolution and all of the features. the FZ30 is the first in the FZ
line to have all of the features.

I have seen many complaints already about noise issues with the FZ30. I
know the Canon Pro90IS, though old technology, produced good quality images.

How does the picture noise of the FZ30 compare to that of the Pro90IS?

BCA

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Brian Allen - 23 Aug 2005 01:51 GMT

I just wanted to be clear that I am not interested in any of the other FZ
cameras because they do not have ALL of the Pro90IS features, nor do any of
the other Canon cameras.

BCA

>I have been holding on getting a new ZLR until I found one that had all of
>the features of the Canon Pro90IS that I currently use. I already get
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> BCA

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Daniel Silevitch - 23 Aug 2005 02:59 GMT

> I just wanted to be clear that I am not interested in any of the other FZ
> cameras because they do not have ALL of the Pro90IS features, nor do any of
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>>
>> How does the picture noise of the FZ30 compare to that of the Pro90IS?

Out of curiousity, what features that you use on your current camera are
missing from the FZ20 or Canon S2IS? (Just wondering)

I'm not sure you can do a fair comparison of the noise levels of the two
cameras because of the factor of three or four difference in resolution
between them. A fairer comparison would be to take an FZ30 picture and
use a 2x2 binning to resize it down to something comparable to the
resolution of the 90IS. Without doing the test, I'd guess that the FZ30
would come out somewhat ahead; same physical size sensor, but both the
sensor and the signal processor are about 2 generations newer.

-dms

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Brian C. Allen - 23 Aug 2005 04:48 GMT

> Out of curiousity, what features that you use on your current camera are
> missing from the FZ20 or Canon S2IS? (Just wondering)

Of of the top of my head, I can think of RAW files. I know there is
more, but I cannot recall now. I knew it back when I investigated the
FZ20 and the older Canon S1IS. I thought I would "settle" on the FZ5
a few months ago, then the S2IS was announced, and I am brand partial
to Canon. However, exept for possible noise issues, I am sold on the
FZ30.

BCA

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Cordovero - 23 Aug 2005 05:53 GMT

BCA,

Just be prepared for the fact that the FZ30 is a lot bigger than the S2 IS.
I held the S2 IS and the FZ20 in my hands, and they were totally different
beasts (pics on the net don't tell the story), and the FZ30 is bigger than
the FZ20.

I prefer bigger cameras, but I will say that the S2 IS (which I've had for a
week) is something I'd throw in a (big)jacket pocket on my way to something
like a family event, while the FZ30 is something I'd have to think twice
about travelling with at all, especially if by plane.

C

>> Out of curiousity, what features that you use on your current camera are
>> missing from the FZ20 or Canon S2IS? (Just wondering)
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> BCA

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Brian C. Allen - 23 Aug 2005 17:29 GMT

> BCA,
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> like a family event, while the FZ30 is something I'd have to think twice
> about travelling with at all, especially if by plane.

The FZ30 is virtually identical in both size and mass to the Canon
Pro90IS, so it is what I am already used to.

BCA

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Daniel Silevitch - 23 Aug 2005 12:24 GMT

>> Out of curiousity, what features that you use on your current camera are
>> missing from the FZ20 or Canon S2IS? (Just wondering)
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> to Canon. However, exept for possible noise issues, I am sold on the
> FZ30.

Yes, RAW mode would be a significant difference. I wonder why Canon
dropped it in their superzooms? It's probably coupled to the falling
list price; looking up the specs of the Pro90IS, I found it was released
with a list price of $1600, whereas the FZ5 and S2IS list at $500. The
newer cameras are aimed at a broader market, and RAW was probably seen
as a complication rather than an asset.

-dms

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Brian C. Allen - 23 Aug 2005 17:35 GMT

> Yes, RAW mode would be a significant difference. I wonder why Canon
> dropped it in their superzooms? It's probably coupled to the falling
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> -dms

I know the S1 & S2 also do not have a hot-shoe for external flash as
does the Pro90IS.

One bummer is that I have some good filters (UV, circular polarizer)
and add-on conversion lenses (Canon's wide angle and Canon's macro)
and a lens hood that are for 58 mm threads.

The FZ30 has 55 mm threads, though I think it does come with a lens
hood.

I wonder if a step-up ring 55 to 58mm would be a good solution, or
would there be some image quality issues? Maybe the filters would
work the same, but I am not sure about the conversion lenses. I
think they get designed with the camera's sensor and existing lens
in mind.

Any ideas?

BCA

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Daniel Silevitch - 23 Aug 2005 17:56 GMT

>> Yes, RAW mode would be a significant difference. I wonder why Canon
>> dropped it in their superzooms? It's probably coupled to the falling
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> I know the S1 & S2 also do not have a hot-shoe for external flash as
> does the Pro90IS.

The FZ20 has a hot-shoe; without doing a comprehensive check, I think
that's the only current-model superzoom with a shoe. The FZ30 will also
have one once it's released.

> One bummer is that I have some good filters (UV, circular polarizer)
> and add-on conversion lenses (Canon's wide angle and Canon's macro)
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> think they get designed with the camera's sensor and existing lens
> in mind.

My guess is that a step-up ring would work fine for the filters, but
that the lenses would be different enough to make the converters
problematic. The FZ5 and FZ20 both ship with hoods standard, and I can't
imagine that that will change for the 30.

Panasonic will sell wide and tele converters for the 30, and I imagine
that 3rd parties will eventually do the same. No macro converter that I
know of, so you'd be limited to the inherent macro capabilities of the
main lens.

-dms

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Paul Murray - 23 Aug 2005 19:30 GMT

>> I wonder if a step-up ring 55 to 58mm would be a good solution, or
>> would there be some image quality issues? Maybe the filters would
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> know of, so you'd be limited to the inherent macro capabilities of the
> main lens.

There is useful information about using conversion lenses on the FZ series
of cameras here:
http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/FZ-10/index.html

Closeup adapters can also be used for macro work.

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