All Purpose P&S for U/W Use - Any ideas?

[undefined]

After going through noise hell with the Panasonic, I decided to go the other route - I just ordered a Fuji F31fd + underwater housing. The following two images are one of the main reasons I made this decision (or, more accurately, why my wife said "BUY THE FUJI")

Fuji F30 @ ISO 800

Canon SD800 IS @ ISO 800

I'm planning on buying an external strobe for diving, but I won't always be taking one down with me. The inability of the Canon's to capture fine detail (compare the hair in the above shots) at anything over ISO 200 is a deal breaker for me. The TZ1 produced pure rubbish over ISO 100 and had noticeable noise at all ISO levels - the Fuji is usable up to ISO 800. Fish don't always pose for me, sometimes they swim by and I want to capture a shot. Image stabilization won't make any difference when the subject is moving.

The last issue, and this is just a personal one, is build quality. I have used a Canon S200 (old ELPH) for years as my favorite P&S camera. 2.1MP and don't dare go over ISO 100, but a darned good camera. The new Ixus / Elph models from Canon have lost much of the build quality that I grew to love on my old one. The I/O cover on the SD800 nearly broke when I tried to open it in the store, and I can't see it surviving any real use. Canon makes good cameras, but they have cut a lot of corners on construction quality over the years...

I'll have some photos to share in about a month.

 

[CompuDude]

It's your call and Fuji makes some fine cameras. I find it odd, however, that you would base your decision on two very different pictures of two different subjects and two different lighting conditions. And unless I'm reading your post wrong, the Fuji shot is from the F30 and you bought an F31fd? Huh? Different cameras from the same manufacturer cannot be assumed to produce comparable photos. Different chips, etc. make this a rarity.

 

[Taxgeek]

Compudude, he may have linked the wrong pics. If you compare dpreview's test shots of the two cameras (same setup, same lighting), the difference is HUGE. And the f31d is only slightly different from the f39- I forget what the difference is, but I seem to remember from when I was researching it that folks on the dpreview canon forums treating them as more or less the same camera. I'm not positive on this, and couldn't recite the changes, but it's my understanding that it isn't a completely different camera, so the Undefined's reliance on the f30's test shots doesn't seem out of line to me.

 

[undefined]

The F31fd is the same camera as an F30 with the addition of face detection, Auto-800 setting, and a new grip on the right hand side. Fuji claims no other changes were made, although many users report significantly less CA with the F31fd.

 

[CompuDude]

Cool.

If only they'd make a camera that takes SD cards, I'd look into one myself.

 

[undefined]

Cool.

If only they'd make a camera that takes SD cards, I'd look into one myself.

Like this one?

 

[DesertEagle]

The F40 is a step backward from the F30. At least with the F30 you can keep the aprerture set at F8.

xD cards are cheap now. 1GB type H is under $30. If only the cards were faster...

 

[DesertEagle]

I'am looking for a used unit just to have for land use. Maybe buy a G7 housing from Canon before the run out and wait for a deal on the G7, I hear that the G6 housing are already harder to find these days.

The Canon housing as is looks pretty good because what looks to be a built in dome port.

The Canon housing for the G7 does NOT have a dome port. It would be a serious waste to put such a capable camera into a housing with no expandability. If you get the G7, definitely go Ikelite.

 

[CompuDude]

The F40 is a step backward from the F30. At least with the F30 you can keep the aprerture set at F8.

xD cards are cheap now. 1GB type H is under $30. If only the cards were faster...

Bingo. Gimme fast, gimme cheap, gimme high capacity!

Gimme SD.

(In the good camera, please!)

Oh, I'm also pretty addicted to the 28mm wide angle lenses the Canon's have...

 

[undefined]

CompuDude,

You sound like me. I did not purchase the F30 last year because I refused to buy xd cards. Now, one year later, I finally submit.

As far as I am concerned my collection of SD cards can sit and collect dust (or slip into my SD pen drive adapter) while I wait for a good SD camera to come along. My DSLR takes CF, and my new Fuji takes xd.

In fact, I'm about to pull the trigger on buying a backup F20 to give to my wife. I think she'd enjoy snapping some shots while diving, and she is a P&S kind of gal (although she does take great photos with my DSLR)....

As for the 28mm.... I love having wide angle, but I have wide glass for my DSLR so I can live with not having it on a P&S.