Compact trio- Canon Ixus 870, Panasonic Lumix TZ5 and Fuji F100fd

[Doctor27]

I have been researching for a compact for about three weeks now, and the choices, quality, and prices are overwhelming.
I have a bridge camera (Panasonic FZ30), but want a quality compact which I can take anywhere. Manual controls, movie modes and long zoom ranges aren't essential. But image quality is! I'd like to get decent prints at A4 size. My preferred choice was the TZ5, but every review (despite being very positive) has made a big deal about noise, so I'm a little put off now.

Any guidance on the above cameras would be great!

 

[tdodd]

I don't really like compact cameras much, much prefering the speed and IQ of DSLRs, but obviously compacts have their place. Last month I bought the top of the range Canon G10 compact. I found the IQ to be good but concluded that in practice I would not make use of the features for manual control etc and I'd be better off with a simpler, cheaper camera that still delivered decent IQ, so I returned it for a refund.

My shortlist after that came down to the Canon Ixus 870 IS and the Fuji F100fd. In the end I plumped for the Fuji, simply for the supposed superior performance at higher ISOs, compared to other compacts, but also because it was a lot cheaper than the Ixus, and since I hate compacts in any case I was happier spending £112 on a refurb Fuji than £190 on the Canon.

I think that for my needs, as a pocket snapshot camera, the Fuji is adequate. I don't know whether the Canon would be any better. I dismissed Panasonic for reasons of noise and bulk. Here's a shot with the Fuji on full auto at 1600 ISO and no flash. No edits other than resizing in Lightroom....

[IMGLINK]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4_R8TkwT74w/SXjnUkLGvFI/AAAAAAAA9-g/bwOKtc-JLRg/s800/20090117_085150_0148_LR.jpg[/IMGLINK]

Here's a 100% crop, with no edits....

[IMGLINK]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4_R8TkwT74w/SXjq6prnuJI/AAAAAAAA9_I/iUHBOq-8rB4/s800/20090117_085150_0148_LR-3.jpg[/IMGLINK]

Here's a shot at 200 ISO with some editing in Lightroom including an exposure boost and a crop to 2804 x 2103 before resizing to 800 x 600. The angle is odd, and deliberately so, and the eyes are looking towards another photographer, so ignore the photographer's efforts and just judge the IQ from the camera. For a P&S I'm quite pleased with the outcome.

[IMGLINK]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4_R8TkwT74w/SXjs5ol1bUI/AAAAAAAA9_Q/XJh6foDtsZU/s800/20090117_091113_0197_LR.jpg[/IMGLINK]

 

[Doctor27]

Thanks!
The noise at ISO 1600 is clear but the second image at ISo 200 looks great.
I also didn't want to spend a fortune, so the Fuji may be the way to go.

 

[tdodd]

I got mine from the Fuji shop, as a refurb with 6 months warranty. I also used a 15% off voucher (now expired) to get the price down to £112 delivered....

https://secure.fujifilm.co.uk/shop/...ameras/advanced-compact/finepix-f100fd-119591

It looks like you'll have to spend over £150 if you want a brand new one.

 

[Doctor27]

I'm now torn again. I can get the Canon for £169 or the Panasonic for £119 using a gift card I was given or the Fuji for £150ish. Am I correct in thinking that the Canon has a larger sensor and should deliver better images?

 

[tdodd]

Have you seen the "Premium Compact" group test on DPReview....

Premium Camera Group Test (Q4 2008) Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review

The Canon and Fuji are included in that test. According to the data sheet at the bottom of the first page the Fuji has a *much* larger sensor - 1/1.6" vs 1/2.3" for the Canon.

Both cameras come top of the class in the test in good light, low light and with flash. The Fuji just edges out the Canon at the finishing post. I'm sure either camera delivers great results (for a compact) so you're unlikey to go wrong, whichever you choose.

The Panasonic is a different beast completely, giving you that extra zoom range, but perhaps at the expense of ultimate image quality at mid to high ISOs. The TZ5 is part of another recent group test on DPReview....

Prosumer Camera Group Test Q4 2008 Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review

where it earns itself a "Highly Recommended" award, beaten to first post by the far more expensive LX3.

If low light/high ISO performance is important to you then I think the results in these test report pages are very telling - the Fuji trounces the competition in the "Under £200" price bracket.

Fuji F100fd & Canon SD870 IS....
Premium Camera Group Test (Q4 2008) Review: 11. Real world comparison: Digital Photography Review

Panasonic TZ5
Prosumer Camera Group Test Q4 2008 Review: 12. Real world comparison: Digital Photography Review

Now I'm a big fan of Canon, having four of their DSLRs and a whole bunch of lenses, flash guns etc.. As I said earlier, I did initially buy the G10, but realised I would not make he most of its features and I was really going to be throwing money away. The F100fd and SD870 IS were top of my list and, for me, the Fuji edged it on price and overall IQ. If you're a fashion victim you may struggle to resist the Canon.

One neat feature of the Fuji is the option to take pictures in pairs, one without flash and one with, and then decide which turned out better. Here is an example, not great by any means, but just to show how different shots can be with/without flash....

This was taken using available light only. I've increased exposure by +1 in Lightroom but there are no other edits. EXIF for this is 20mm, 1/25, f/4.5, 1600 ISO. Note how the ambient light from the background has been included in the exposure.

[IMGLINK]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4_R8TkwT74w/SXm4eMKrmfI/AAAAAAAA9_w/dyX1Ly6T-t4/s800/20090117_082900_0054_LR.jpg[/IMGLINK]

Here's the matched photo, taken less than a second later, with flash. See how the flash has illuminated the subject but the background is lost. Personally I prefer the first image, which needs some colour tweaking, but has better overall appeal. EXIF for the second shot is 20mm, 1/100, f/4.5, 800 ISO. This has also had +1 added to the exposure in Lightroom.

[IMGLINK]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4_R8TkwT74w/SXm4e48oLdI/AAAAAAAA9_4/L9-GHUBRuLo/s800/20090117_082901_0055_LR.jpg[/IMGLINK]

 

[Keiron]

I've had a couple of Panasonics - a bridge camera and the new LX3. I got rid of both of them rather quickly, I just could not stand the noise.

I've got an SLR now which is of course a completely different kettle of fish but I still have my trusty Fuji F10. I think the Fujis trounce the compact competition.

 

[Doctor27]

Just to update, I bought the Panasonic TZ5 at the weekend. I'd handled both the TZ5 and the Canon, finding the former more comfortable to use. The 10 x zoom helped, and I wasn't keen on Canon's scroll wheel.
I got it at a bargain price with a Lowepro leather case aswell.

 

[Loobar]

Doctor, is the Panasonic noisy?

 

[Doctor27]

Doctor, is the Panasonic noisy?

I haven't given it a full test drive yet, but I wouldn't say it is at the moment. It isn't supposed to be the best in low light, and reviews advise to stay at ISO 100/200. However, most reviews highlight noise at 100% viewing, whilst I print at A4, which isn't even 40%. I don't think there can be absolute perfection with a compact.

I find the images to be sharp, with good colour. The camera handles wonderfully for me, and feels like a quality product. The 10 optical zoom is very handy aswell. For me, all the positives easily outweigh a little bit of noise, which I honestly don't think would be much of a problem at A4 and below.

Take a look at some images on my Flickr page.

 

[naani1]

DOCTOR, like you, I am also leaning towards the Panansonic, I think you get more bang for your buck at the expense of noise, but in prints this is probably not that apparent - please comment on if you have printed any images yet.

The kind of pictures i usually take are indoors with natural light during the day and artificial light in the evenings and usually include my son, who doesnt sit still ... could you comment on how the pansonic would cope in this scenario i.e how well does the camera handle moving objects + image stabalisation + low light. Lastly, even in these conditions I do try to avoid using the flash when possible. Your help would be grately appreciated. Thanks for posting a link to your Flickr account, these pics are impressive.

Thanks.