From: Richard on

"David J Taylor" <david-taylor(a)blueyonder.co.uk.invalid> wrote in message
news:i2uuv3$brv$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
>
> "infiniteMPG" <57classic(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4b4c13e2-34bf-4918-86d0-5d4d7bd9061c(a)5g2000yqz.googlegroups.com...
> []
>> Comments and suggestions welcome, criticisms accepted, too :O)
>>
>> Thanks!
>
> Fuji FinePix HS10 - not a DSLR, so off-topic for this group.
>
> Cheers,
> David

Of course, you might find a helpful response in rec.photo.digital to where
the follow-up is set.

HTH
Richard


From: Bruce on
On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:26:41 -0700 (PDT), infiniteMPG
<57classic(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>Don't mean to start any border wars here but have a sneaking suspicion
>this post might. Sorry about that in advance. A little background
>history :
>
>Been into nature and general photography since I snagged my first
>Minolta STR-201back in the 70's. Obtained some decent glass and
>upgraded to a Maxxum 9000. Then the digital world caught my eye and I
>was watching the Konica Minolta 7D. While I was debating that I saw
>the Konica Minolta Z3 which I snatched up. Great little camera,
>awesome zoom, nice macro, built in flash, a good companion to haul
>along while kayaking, hiking and mountain biking.
>
>But in hauling it along on our adventures it bit the ground quite a
>few times and even survived a six-foot dunk in a river. The battery
>contacts are held in with super glue, the SD card cover it patched
>together with JB Weld, and the battery cover is held shut with cut
>pieces of bicycle inner tubes. But it still works if I can get all
>the pieces in the right places.
>
>Wanted to get something more durable for our trips as this was barely
>holding together, so I got an Olympus SW 1050. A nice sturdy camera,
>waterproof, but the picture quality was bad and the first time I took
>it snorkeling it leaked and had to have it factory repaired. So it
>was off to shopping again.
>
>Konica just dumped the camera line which Sony picked up so I jumped on
>the Sony Alpha A100 bandwagon thinking I could use my Minolta lenses.
>Not the case so got a couple decent Tamron lenses. When I had the Z3,
>it fit in a little tiny belt case.... the A100 takes a whole back pack
>and no live view or video or things like that. Soooo..... I have been
>window shopping again.
>
>Was looking at the Sony Cybershot HX1 which looked good except no RAW
>format. So I kept looking and stumbled across the Fuji Finpix HS10.
>30X optical zoom built in (24-720mm equiv.), great macro modes (and
>additional macro adapters for even better closer shots), HD video,
>panorama capture, and more features then you can shake a stick at
>including RAW or RAW+JPEG modes. And all this in package much
>smaller then my A100 with my smallest lens.
>
>I don't expect to be some published photographer, just a hack who like
>to snap shots during adventures. So I guess I'm standing on the edge
>of jumping BACK OUT of the DSLR world and back into the high end super-
>zoom camera such as I had with the Z3.
>
>Comments and suggestions welcome, criticisms accepted, too :O)


There are two issues here. One is whether or not you should invest
more money in the Sony Alpha system. The other is, assuming you leave
Alpha, which super-zoom camera to buy.

Taking the second issue first, I don't have the expertise to advise
you which super-zoom camera to buy, so I won't even try.

On the first issue, I think leaving Alpha behind would be a very good
move for you at this time. Sony has lost huge amounts of money on the
Alpha DSLR series and has not reached anything like the market share
it set out to achieve. The range is still losing huge amounts of
money and, as a result, has been starved of investment. I don't
expect Alpha DSLRs will ever be able to compete with Nikon or Canon
because of some very bad decisions Sony made at the outset.

At some point, I have no doubt Sony will end Alpha production - there
are already strong rumours of the demise of the A850 and the A900 has
been out of production for many months now. These full frame Alpha
DSLRs have been a big disappointment and sales are negligible.

On the other hand, the Sony NEX system is shaping up to be quite a
success. It is clear that this is where Sony has been investing its
money, and it won't be long before NEX's market share will comfortably
beat Alpha's - in some markets it already has.

So now would be a good time to sell your Alpha equipment, while there
is still a market for it. You should get good prices on eBay.

On the subject of what to replace it with, apart from a super-zoom,
you might also wish to consider Sony NEX, Micro Four Thirds from
Panasonic/Olympus or one of the mirrorless cameras from Canon or
Nikon, at least one of which should be announced at Photokina 2010 in
September. That's just a few weeks away.

From: David J Taylor on
"infiniteMPG" <57classic(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:5bf872b8-4c3a-48f2-97b9-a580b08cc07c(a)z10g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
[]
> Was kind of looking at this as trying to get the opinions of "other"
> DSLR users about possibly switching to a super-zoom since they are
> progressing and advancing. Thinking that someone might post some AH-
> HA piece of advice or information that might change my mind.
[]
> I didn't see it a problem trying to get some opinions from DSLR users
> in here.... :O/

I have a DSLR and there is now way I would want to revert to a super-zoom
for routine photography, with its slow operation, poor viewfinder, lack of
lens flexibility, lack of high-ISO performance etc. I do have a compact
super-zoom (Panasonic TZ3) which I use when it's the best tool for the
job. Look through the viewfinder compared with that of a DSLR. See how
long it takes to zoom from one end to the other (compared with twisting
the zoom on a typical DSLR lens). See how quick the camera is in
operation.

If you feel you can take those hits, and the lighter weight and smaller
size are that important to you, then switch.

Cheers,
David

From: infiniteMPG on
> There are two issues here.  One is whether or not you should invest more money in the Sony Alpha system.  The other is, assuming you leave Alpha, which super-zoom camera to buy.

Was looking at the A390 but no too impressed.

> Taking the second issue first, I don't have the expertise to advise you which super-zoom camera to buy, so I won't even try.

Having had the Z3, the HS10 is like it but leaps and bounds past it.

> On the first issue, I think leaving Alpha behind would be a very good move for you at this time.  

From what I have seen and read, I agree. Since I was Minolta from day
one, then Minolta turned into Konica, then that turned into Sony, I
was just following the rut in the road. Unfortunately.

> So now would be a good time to sell your Alpha equipment, while there is still a market for it.  You should get good prices on eBay.

Probably right with that.

> On the subject of what to replace it with, apart from a super-zoom, you might also wish to consider Sony NEX, Micro Four Thirds from Panasonic/Olympus or one of the mirrorless cameras from Canon or Nikon, at least one of which should be announced at Photokina 2010 in September.  That's just a few weeks away.

Looks at the NEX but the super-zoom like the HX1 and the HS10 just
does so much more without changing lenses and carrying axillary stuff
around. Getting to partially be a practicality thing, too. If I am
hiking somewhere and SNAP a picture, if it's with a DSLR, a super
zoom, or my Droid Incredible, people look at it and get an idea of
where I was and what it looked like. I'm not looking to send the
pictures to some rag to get published, it has happened but as much
with my Z3 as my A100. I'll look into the other options.

Thanks for the good info!


From: Bruce on
On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:46:03 -0700 (PDT), infiniteMPG
<57classic(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>
>Thanks for the good info!


You're welcome.

If you haven't already referred to it, the recent DPReview group test
of super-zoom digicams would be a good place to start:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q110superzoomgroup/

Do let us know what you decide.