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Samsung, Canon, Nikon or Panasonic

DaveO

New member
I have been looking at p&s cameras from these manufacturers. I have narrowed my choices down to:
Samsung TL 500
Samsung TL 350
Canon S 95
Nikon P 7000
Panasonic LX 5

Can anyone tell me about the IQ of these cameras. I am mainly looking at the TL 350 since it does 1080p video @ 30fps, but no one has told me about the IQ of the stills with this camera. Does anyone have one and have an opinion on the IQ? Is it close in quality to the pictures from the TL 500 which supposed to be really good? Price wise it is really reasonable.

DaveO
 
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luznoi

Guest
I could be wrong but the TL350 doesn't have a sensor as big as the other four on your list. IQ wise, the S95, P7000, LX5 and TL500 all are very similar. You should look at other differences instead. Here are some:

S95 is the most compact, the LX5 has the best video, The nikon has the most versatile zoom range and the TL500 has the widest fastest lens by 1/3 stop over the LX5. The S95 and P7000 only start @28mm equivalent. The TL500 has the sole swivel LCD of the bunch etc...

The recent Oly XZ1, G11/12(also has swivel LCD) and Ricoh GRD/GX series are also in the same class of prosumer compacts. The LX5 and Ricoh are the only two with VF, I think (Does the Oly has a VF?) if that is important etc...They all have their quirks but IQ are all very similar to the point of being equal IMO.
 
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luznoi

Guest
Quick google check...it seems like the Oly ZX1 has a EVF as well.
 

DaveO

New member
The TL 350 has the smallest sensor at 1/2.33 vs 1/1.7 or so on the others. The TL 350 also has the best video at 1920x1080 at 30fps. It also has a backlit cmos sensor which is supposed to be better for low light conditions. And finally, it is about $ 250 which is almost $ 150 less than all the others.

DaveO
 

wells_dc

New member
After doing much the same research and arriving at much the same list, I went with the LX5 and its EVF. The LX5 was $400 from Amazon. The EVF was about $130 on eBay. (I'm old school with VFs, so I had to have one.) The Oly EVF for the XZ-1 (and EP models) is reportedly superior, but it is pricier.
I find the LX5 to be just fine in all respects for an almost pocketable camera. The IQ is excellent. I shoot RAW most of the time, and I haven't tried jpegs, but many reviewers have found their color a little wanting, as I recall.
Every camera on your list will do a lot of things very well, so it's hard to make a huge mistake with any one them.
I love my D700, but I'll leave it and my older Canon Elph at home now if I am out for travel, street and casual shooting.
The LX5 also seems to be built very well and has a good feel in the hand for a small camera.
 
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luznoi

Guest
Well...buy the TL350 and report back the result:)

I have no personal experience with back lit sensors but if it is indeed something extraordinary then we would hear more about it, right? The best cameras are still in the (not so anymore) short list with ~1 1/7 sensors...

It seems like it comes down to personal preferences and one really can't go wrong with any one of them. There are differentiations among them but, again, IQ isn't really one of them.
 

DaveO

New member
Well...buy the TL350 and report back the result:)


It seems like it comes down to personal preferences and one really can't go wrong with any one of them. There are differentiations among them but, again, IQ isn't really one of them.
I just ordered the tl 350 from beach camera with a 45mb/sec SD Sandisk card. I have been reading the manual online. It's amazing what this camera can do. I have a Sony WSC 150 camera that is about two years old which has no overrides. On the TL 350 you can set iso, adjust white balance, set aperture, shutter speed, manual focus. You can also set it to take 2 pictures to use part of an underexposed and overexposed picture ( poor mans HDR? ) I just wonder about the IQ of the pictures. I'll know soon.

DaveO
 
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