S80 or A620?

[scubaju]

Dear all
I have finally decided to buy a digital UW camera!
I previously only had a entry level film Sea and Sea one which was terrible in terms of picture quality
Recently, I borrowed my friend's cybershot and was amazed that even just point and shoot could have such good results!

I've been reading most of the threads in the underwater photography section, but I must admit most the the technical terms have left me scratching my head!

I am just a fun diver and fun photographer, I just like to piont and shoot and impress my non-diving friends with my lovely pictures! Ahem!
I may be wrong, but for that, I have concluded that a Canon may be my answer,
I can't decide between an A620 or a S80

For me , I think the only practical difference would be the size since the A620 is larger and takes normal alkaline batteries, but it does mean that I don't have to worry about a charger!

Any advice from my expert and learned friends in Scuaboard as to which is probably easier for a fun shooter to take 'friends impressing' photos?

 

[alcina]

Pretty sure you can't go wrong with either of these two cameras.

If you have a peek, there is a long thread about a very happy 620 user. I think many have not put the 80 on their list as Canon decided against putting a RAW option on this model (the S70 has it). Since you are comparing two that don't offer it, that shouldn't be an issue.

Whatever you decide on, jump in, get wet and show us the photos!

 

[scubaju]

Thanks Alcina,
I'm not sure about this RAW function as i really don't know what it is! Ahem!
You know how it is when one is just too spoilt by choice!
I probably won't use it even if i had it.... but ... hm... well....just in case!
One doesn't want to lose out.... Damn, i'm such a housewife!
=)

 

[midwestdvr]

If Canon had kept the RAW option on the s80, then the s80 would be a better option than the a620. Unfortunately they did not (I might have pawned off my a620 if they had kept the RAW option). RAW is very useful when you do a lot of photo editing. As it is, i think the s80 has a wider angle lens than the a620 thus allowing you to take wider angle shots underwater without the use of an external WAL. Other than that, I think they're pretty much the same.

midwestdvr

 

[scubaju]

Thanks Midwestdvr,
I gather the focusing of the A620 is faster than the S80. If that is so, i will definately be more inclined to get the A620.
Is RAW that good? I would need to get pc softwear to start deiting my photos i gather! Is it easy to pick up? (btw I use a Mac if that makes any difference)
New toy , new toy! I would be intrested in starting on some editing too if it isn't too difficult to learn!

hm... now i'm thinking about the S70!

 

[Peter Guy]

RAW vs. WAL is something I've been tossing back and forth for several months -- the Oly SP350 vs. the S80. I think I've finally come down on the WAL over RAW side -- in part because of my experience with RAW on the top side with my dSLR (don't use it very often and when I have, can't really come up with a difference!) and in part because of DPReview of the S80.

The reviewer wrote he was going to downgrade his recommendation because of a lack of RAW but because the JPEG was so good, he couldn't. And having taken a few shots uw with my little Xg in JPEG, I'm satisfied with the color correction I'm getting by identifying a black spot on the image and correcting to it with the eye dropper in levels (PS Elements3).

I think the macro and the WAL of the S80 wins out (not to mention the 2.5 inch LCD) for me. But I'm NOT a pro and want my pics for me.

(some pics using JPEG on 3meg Xg and correcting in PSE at www.tsandm.com/byronbay)

 

[Tom Winters]

Ikelite is making a housing for the S80 and not the A620 so if going deeper than 130' is a consideration, there's another variable to weigh.

 

[midwestdvr]

Thanks Midwestdvr,
I gather the focusing of the A620 is faster than the S80. If that is so, i will definately be more inclined to get the A620.
Is RAW that good? I would need to get pc softwear to start deiting my photos i gather! Is it easy to pick up? (btw I use a Mac if that makes any difference)
New toy , new toy! I would be intrested in starting on some editing too if it isn't too difficult to learn!

hm... now i'm thinking about the S70!

I haven't really played around with the s80 but since the s80 and a620 both have the digicII processor, I would imagine the focusing speed should be about the same.

midwestdvr

 

[scubaju]

Thanks Tom
I don't think i will be diving deeper than 130' much!
I'm the leisurely warm water diver, which translates to 'lazy'!
Infact i think i have only been about that deep once, and that was many many years ago in Malpelo! THOUSANDS of hammerheads! That was GREAT! Pity none of us were photographers then!

 

[scubaju]

Peter, thanks for the input!
I was going to ask you what WAL was, but decided that's far too lazy even for me!
I will let my fingers do the working and try to do some 'research' into that!
Can you please tell me where I can find the DPReview you mentioned?
thanks!

RAW vs. WAL is something I've been tossing back and forth for several months -- the Oly SP350 vs. the S80. I think I've finally come down on the WAL over RAW side -- in part because of my experience with RAW on the top side with my dSLR (don't use it very often and when I have, can't really come up with a difference!) and in part because of DPReview of the S80.

The reviewer wrote he was going to downgrade his recommendation because of a lack of RAW but because the JPEG was so good, he couldn't. And having taken a few shots uw with my little Xg in JPEG, I'm satisfied with the color correction I'm getting by identifying a black spot on the image and correcting to it with the eye dropper in levels (PS Elements3).

I think the macro and the WAL of the S80 wins out (not to mention the 2.5 inch LCD) for me. But I'm NOT a pro and want my pics for me.

(some pics using JPEG on 3meg Xg and correcting in PSE at www.tsandm.com/byronbay)