Help Me Decide!

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Tom G - 27 Nov 2006 06:34 GMT

I think I've narrowed my selection down to two cameras. Any help
deciding is appreciated.

1. Canon A710 IS

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16830120067&ATT=30-120-067&CM
P=OTC-d3alt1me

2. Canon Powershoot A640

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16830120068

Which one should I take and why?

Thanks,

Tom

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Mike Painter - 28 Nov 2006 03:46 GMT

> I think I've narrowed my selection down to two cameras. Any help
> deciding is appreciated.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Which one should I take and why?

Buy both. I'm in the 710 camp because of the "IS" feature but would rather
have 4 AA rather than 2 AA.
But play with both if you can.

I have an older A30 and when I pick it up my finger falls on the shutter
release. With the 710 I have to reposition my hand. I've noticed this in
other cameras also, the extra two batteries make it feel better to me.
The flash probably recycles on the 640 faster which may be important. The
idea of a separate power supply is appealing. 4.7 volt Li-ON battery packs
are cheap.

With a bit of modification I repeat.

Buy both, and send the one you don't like to me.

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Tom G - 28 Nov 2006 04:37 GMT

>Buy both. I'm in the 710 camp because of the "IS" feature but would rather
>have 4 AA rather than 2 AA.
>But play with both if you can.

What exactly is the IS feature?

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Mike Painter - 28 Nov 2006 06:36 GMT

>> Buy both. I'm in the 710 camp because of the "IS" feature but would
>> rather have 4 AA rather than 2 AA.
>> But play with both if you can.
>
> What exactly is the IS feature?

What is IS? IS is Image Stabilization. The "with and without" photos on the
test sites indicate it's a very valuable feature.

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jeremy - 28 Nov 2006 07:01 GMT

>>> Buy both. I'm in the 710 camp because of the "IS" feature but would
>>> rather have 4 AA rather than 2 AA.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> What is IS? IS is Image Stabilization. The "with and without" photos on
> the test sites indicate it's a very valuable feature.

If one's photography style is oriented more toward architectural, landscape
or other static objects, an inexpensive tripod will produce better
results--and it will work with every lens one owns!

"The best new lens for your camera is a tripod"

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Mike Painter - 29 Nov 2006 01:53 GMT

>>>> Buy both. I'm in the 710 camp because of the "IS" feature but would
>>>> rather have 4 AA rather than 2 AA.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> "The best new lens for your camera is a tripod"

Certainly, as is learning to adjust your strap, use your arms and hold your
breath to make yourself as a fairly rigid shooting platform. But I suspect
few carry a tripod and many would get yelled at a lot if they set one up in
a crowd or in front of an audience.
IS gives a more stable platform and allows 2-3 more stops in many cases and
that can mean no flash.

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jeremy - 29 Nov 2006 03:22 GMT

"Mike Painter" <mddotpainter@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message news:XK5bh.7308

>> "The best new lens for your camera is a tripod"
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> IS gives a more stable platform and allows 2-3 more stops in many cases
> and that can mean no flash.

I shoot mainly non-moving objects like landscapes, architecture and
cityscapes. Using a tripod for such work is no burden at all. And, for
decades, tripods were the only real solution to eliminating camera shake.

Depending upon the type of work one does, IS may or may not be necessary.
In my case I found that once I just began to use a tripod, it became a part
of my shooting style and I got over the awkwardness of people looking at me
strangely--as though they had never seen tripods before.

If I were starting out today I'd definitely want IS. But many photographers
got along without it just fine for many years.

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