Tiger Woods Out...Until August!
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| | | Posted by Alan Dang on Thursday October 13, 2005 - 12:20 PM |
(Post a comment) » Camera Clash: Digital SLR (Canon EOS-20D) vs All-in-One Digital Camera (Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30)The photographer is responsible for the picture, not the equipment." We're going to test that statement by comparing two 8 megapixel digital cameras: a $600 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 and a $1400 Canon EOS-20D backed by over $4000 worth of lenses and accessories. We'll show you what the cameras are capable of and when the equipment becomes the limiting factor. We’re also going to be doing it in the setting of Kauai and San Francisco. This is an article for anyone interested in digital photography. It doesn't matter if you think you know the outcome, or even if your budget doesn't come close to this price range |  Previous news article | Back to main news | Next news article  |
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#79
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Author:
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Anonymous at 08:58pm 05/22/2006
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This was an interesting article and looks at an overlooked question
- do you really need a DSLR? It would have made way more sense to
compare the Canon rebel or Nikon D-50. Most people considering the
either or senario would be looking at those. I went through
comparing the Panasonic to both the rebel and the D-50 and purchased
the rebel. I'm not wild about the extra weight and money that I paid
and I realize that it will only make a difference about 20% of the
time but I'm willing to put up with it for that gain. Now maybe I
should shop for a leica lens for my 350D?
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#78
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Anonymous at 07:01pm 05/11/2006
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I think that it speaks volumes for the FZ30 that you would go to
such trouble and expense to compare it to the 20D. It is also
remarkable that you felt that you had to spend $4000 on accessories
to make the 20D competitive with the FZ30. I must take issue with
you when you keep referring to the FZ30 as a point-and-shoot camera.
The FZ30 has just as much adjustability as the 20D so, if the FZ30
is a point-and-shoot, so is the 20D. The nice thing about the FZ30
(I own one, can't you tell) is that I can get the shot while you are
still fumbling around trying to find the right lens for your 20D. By
the way, my FZ30 only cost $500.
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#77
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Anonymous at 12:56am 10/30/2005
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You'd have done yourself a favor to have taken a Digital Rebel XT
(95% of the 20D's capabilities) and a 17-85 (lightweight superb lens
for most all around work) and maybe one nice long zoom (like the
70-300 DO) and used that. The cost would not have been nearly so
extravagant, the quality would have been right up there and you'd
have had a package where the weight would have been much more to
your pleasure.
Secondly, you dialed down the color saturation on the 20D, yet you
graded it poorly for having less saturated colors than the Lumix?
You could have fixed that in less than 60 seconds of menu shifting.
If you want color saturation don't tell the camera not to give it to
you then spank it when it fails to give it.
There are plenty of lenses in the 20D's repertoire that give great
depth of field. Why did you not use them, if that was something you
were after?
I'm not going to fault you in saying that yes much of the world
would be happy with a cheaper point and shoot than a high end
digicam. But many of the points you failed the 20D on were either
not equipping for the goals you were after (meaning the kinds of
things you valued in your pictures)or misusing the camera. Why in
the world did you take that birds picture at ISO 1600 then compare
it to ISO 80 on the Lumix?
In the end this gave us some nice pictures from Hawaii, but I don't
think it advanced people's knowledge very much. I'd highly suggest
you try the next model down from the 20D and some less expensive
glass to give you something you'd have fun doing. You do have a
very good eye, and there are a lot of great shots in your
collection.
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#76
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Anonymous at 06:08pm 10/29/2005
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Thanks for a great article! IMO you did just a fantastic job
comparing these two cameras. And truly, I am about to jump from 20+
years with 35mm film SLR's to digital and have been reading all I
can about these two cameras to decide between them. Your article was
an affirmation on almost everything I thought I knew but was unsure.
Of course, you were more concise and clear than I could ever be. My
only criticism would be I would like to have seen what possibilities
you COULD achieve in photographing people (posed and otherwise)
with these two cameras. Any chance you might try a Kenyan safari for
some Masai shots?
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#75
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Anonymous at 10:45pm 10/23/2005
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This comparison is ridiculous. Most of the shots are blurry to
begin with and some look out of focus slightly. I can't believe a
tripod was used in many of the shots. That alone makes it really
bad. The author does not understand the purpose of RAW format in
high-end cameras. Sharpening and color balance can be adjusted at a
later time. Overall, the quality of the images shown is well BELOW
what both cameras can do. Very disappointing. There are several
review sites with images that show what these cameras are really
capable of. I get much better looking shots that the ones in this
review straight out of my bang around CP 8700 in RAW mode. I also
have an EOS and the shots in this review are not even in the realm
of what this camera is capable of with the mentioned lenses.
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#74
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Anonymous at 09:27pm 10/19/2005
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Alan, you mention the 1.6x factor of the 20D but did not state that
the lens are now e.g. not 400mm but 400x1.6=640mm.
So you could have chosen the kit 17-85mm lens and 70-200, and at
most a 300mm (which is effectively 300x1.6=480mm) for a slightly
cheaper package.
Otherwise it was a fun read.
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#73
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Anonymous at 08:23am 10/18/2005
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I thought it was a nice article. Keep one thing in mind though. Most
digital slr cameras have a lower sharpness on purpose. This is
because most people who use them are going to post process their
photos in something like photoshop. The makers believe that the user
would like to control the amount of sharpness.
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#72
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GX-Alan at 11:01am 10/17/2005
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The choice of lenses reflects what I really own.
With regard to the sunset picture, I agree 100%. The point of the
comparison is that I had the wrong lens mounted at the time. But
that's Murphy's Law -- you're always finding yourself with the wrong
lens at the wrong time :)
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#71
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Author:
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Anonymous at 10:59am 10/17/2005
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Ive been trying to justify buying an fz10 -fz20-fz30 for 1.5 years
now. But it seems the only thing worthwhile investing in them
instead of a entry level dslr is the 12xzoom lens. also adapters are
available to make them 24zoom and the new one (fz30) can go 19zoom
by going down to 5megapxel. add another adpater mulplier and thats
close to 40xzoom. The problem is the qulity wont be decent if the
object is moving or there si low light.
so whadyah want an ultra zoom camera that can go 30x or 40x zoom for
$550-$625 (adapter lens) that takes decent pictures optimal settigns
or an entry level dslr 2x/4xzoom for 950.00 that takes awesome
pictures at almost any settings but cant zoom unless you add another
$400-1100? up to you.
If your serious about sports photography or nature (liek I am) I
would buy the dslr...no sense in wasting 1/3 f a purchase price that
you will outgrow, but if your takign family trip pictures and
holidays...the fz30 is a great camera.
just pinions....
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#70
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Anonymous at 08:31am 10/17/2005
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Nicely written article, thanks.
I'm a little surprised by your choice of lenses for this
comparison.
In particular, given that the Lumix has image stabilization, I would
have expected at least one IS lens for the Canon (i.e., you can have
image stabilization with the Canon, but you'll pay for it on each
lens). The Canon EF-S USM IS 17-85 would have been a really nice
aspect of the comparison.
The 400mm lens is also a little surprising in that set. It's a nice
lens for sure, but it moves the overall price point considerably to
the right with only very few situations calling for it.
Finally, I'm surprised by the sunset pictures. I've taken pictures
like that with a Canon Digital Rebel and a cheaper lens and gotten
much nicer results. The choice of lens seems unfortunate here, but
that's IMO the big downside of the SLR: Having to change lenses for
optimal shooting. It sometimes makes the otherwise great
responsiveness of the camera irrelevant.
Thanks again.
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