Need help and fast!

[mslibrarian]

I have a Pentax Optio that's about 3 years old and I"m not pleased with the pictures. It takes great outdoor shots but the indoor ones aren't all that great. I think it's time for a new one.


MY friend recommended the Canon A590 and I can get one for $139 at a local shop. But I've also been reading some reviews of the Canon A1000 and it sounds pretty good too. It is currently on sale for $169 at Staples but the sale ends tomorrow.

Both cameras use AA (which I want!), have viewfinder (which I want!) and have the Canon stabalizer system. But, neither have wide angle and I like that.

So...should I go with the older and dependable A590? Or spend the extra 30 and buy the newer model?

Recommendations?

[Eagle]

mslibrarian, I had a brief look at the reviews for both Cameras at www.steves-digicams.com, and both seemed to get fairly good reviews. I suppose a lot will depend on your preferences and the type of "shooting" you'll be doing. Both appear to have 4x optical zoom along with IS, so are about equal in that way.

I would probably choose the A590IS for the following reasons:

- It has a slightly "faster" Lens (f2.6 vs f2.7) - not significant but "fast" is always better.

- Most important it has a good range of both auto and manual controls, giving the user more control over the "technical details" and more ability to grow with the Camera as they learn how to use it.

- I believe the A-series are designed to accept accessory Lenses and other add-ons, making it a bit more versatile.

On the other hand, neither one of them appears to have a hot-shoe, so using external Flash units are not possible (although there may be an after market accessory that provides external Flash?).

I suppose the most important factor would be cost. Do you want to select a Camera based mostly on cost, or purchase the Camera that you think will provide the best photographic tool for your needs, regardless of cost (within reason of course)? As an alternative, the Canon A720IS seemed to get very good ratings on dpreview.

It's difficult to recommend a Camera for someone else, but the "A" series have consistently offered good value and lots of features. I believe one of them was just listed in the current Consumer Reports as a "best buy". The best thing to do is to try them out in the store, to see which one feels better. Take a Memory Card so that you can take some sample shots in the store.

Good luck with your decision!

[mslibrarian]

Thanks Eagle! Right now I'm leaning towards the A590 because my friend has one and he loves it. He took it to Austria and he came back with some great pictures and he never once took it out of easy mode. He let the camera do all the work. There are times when I like that.

I'm also attracted to the price. You asked if that was a major consideration and for me it is. I bought two top of the line cameras, one Minolta and one Pentax, and ended up rarely using either of them. They werne't what I wanted when I travelled and that was something easy and something I didn't have to worry about.

I'm embarassed to admit that one of the things that I like about the A1000 is the look. I find the A590 a bit ugly *sigh*

[Eagle]

mslibrarian,

I find the A590 a bit ugly *sigh*

Hopefully the ability to capture great photos will offset the "ugly" appearance? I tend to lean towards the A-series Cameras due to the full range of manual controls. I find that as a dSLR user, I quickly feel "constrained" by Cameras that don't have those features.

You might also have a look at www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_a590-review/ for another opinion. They also mention the www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_a720-review/index.shtml, which provides a slightly better zoom range. Most of the Cameras of this type have limits on high ISO shooting, but I'm not sure if that's a concern for you?

Given the range of features, the A-series provide fairly good "bang for the buck", but at that price range there are bound to be some "limitations". I did check my Consumer Reports, and the A590IS was listed as a "Best Buy".

Good luck with your choice!

[mslibrarian]

Well, I did it. I went with the A590 IS and I spent the day taking pictures with it. I'm very pleased with the results and I think it's a fine camera for the money. I got it for $139 + tax.

But it does like to eat batteries. Yes, I played around a lot with it today but I went through two AA's in a single day and I hardly used the flash at all. Maybe 5 times?

Anyone recommend some recharable batteries?

[Eagle]

mslibrarian,

But it does like to eat batteries.

What type of AA batteries were you using?

For Cameras designed for AA rehargeables, I'd recommend high capacity Nickel- Metal Hydride batteries (NiMH). Look for batteries with a capacity in excess of 2100 maH (the higher the better - 2300 maH if you can find them). It's a good idea to buy two sets, so that you always have a spare set on hand. Be sure to store the spare batteries in a "safe" fashion so the terminals can't "short" (a small zip-lock Bag works well). If "shorted" the batteries can produce a significant quantity of heat very quickly!

One point about NiMH Batteries - as I recall, they may have a high "self discharge" rate, which means the power will drain to some extent even if they're just sitting in the Camera bag. Be sure to give both sets a quick "top up" before going out with the Camera for the day. I would probably pack a backup set of Lithium or Alkaline cells as well. The Alkaline models won't provide many shots, but may be enough for "emergencies".

I tend to prefer the Lithium-Ion Batteries, as they're light weight and the capacity is fantastic. I didn't have much choice as that's what was supplied with the Camera I chose.

Have fun exploring the capabilities of the A590 IS! Using shutter and aperture priority and especially manual mode is often a bit of a challenge, something I'm still working on.

Cheers!

[mslibrarian]

The batteries I used weren't the best and I knew it. They were Energizer Max Alkalines I picked up when I was in the US last summer. They are fine for flashlights, etc, but not for cameras. They also have a "7 year shelf life" according to the packaging but an issue date of 2005. I"m surprised it lasted as long as it did

I'll probably go rechargable because it makes the most sense to me. But are Nimh's dangerous?

[Eagle]

mslibrarian, thanks for the additional info - that clarifies things!

Alkalines are not well suited for use in digital Cameras, due to the fact these discharge in somewhat of a linear fashion. That means the Camera may indicate a "low battery" condition well before the power is actually depleted. You'll probably find that if you remove the batteries from your Camera when the "low battery" symbol illuminates, they will still have ample capacity to power flashlights, music players or whatever.

Most rechargeables begin with a lower voltage (even when fully charged) - 1.25 (or so) volts for rechargeable vs. 1.5 (or so) volts for an alkaline battery. However, the voltage remains at a fairly high value (about 80%) until just before the power is depleted. The discharge curve is very gradual.

AFAIK, Ni-MH batteries are no more dangerous than any other rechargeable. Most rechargeables will create lots of heat if they're short circuited (including older Ni-Cd batteries), therefore it's a good idea to store them in a way that prevents the terminals from shorting.

Using Ni-MH batteries in a digital Camera is the best option IMO. Again, look for high capacity batteries, at least 2300 maH. Check www.thesource.ca/estore/product.aspx?language=en-CA&product=2318242&category=Ni-MH+Batteries&catalog=Online&tab=1#more for one example. I couldn't tell from the web page what the capacity was. You would have to check these in a store.

Cheers!