S80 or A620????

[OSUscubagirl]

So I think I finally have it narrowed down to two cameras, either the S80 or A620. I was wondering if anyone had any opinions on why purchase one over the other. It doesn't seem like there's that much difference. From what I read on www.dpreview.com and here on the board, it seems like the main difference is the S80 has a WAL and 8MP instead of 7. I've read good things about both cameras. Any opinions? Either way I'm going to get the Ikelite housing. Thanks!

 

[CompuDude]

WAL is a Good Thing (tm). Seriously. People pay big bucks for WAL lenses, this comes with it. Not that you won't ever pay more for lenses anyway if you want to go wider, but still. The WAL is a lot handier than you'd think, especially underwater.

The big screen is also a Good Thing (tm). Especially underwater.

The extra megapixel is fairly meaningless. The write speeds of the two cameras are very different... I seem to recall the S80 is roughly twice as fast as the A series cameras. Use the camera compare function on dpreview and I think you'll see some more differences. You should also read the reviews at Steve's Digicams, the other really good camera review site.

The S80 does cost more. And it uses rechargeable batteries, which some people (like me) prefer, and others prefer AAs. But you'll definitely want two (one to charge, one to use) so consider that cost... vs. an unending supply of AAs. There are rechargeable AAs, true, but I think battery packs are just a heckuva lot more convenient.

The S80 is the higher end camera, once you really start looking at the differences. And it costs more. It's entirely up to you whether the extra cost is a problem for you, or if the added features make the extra cost worthwhile.

 

[tkring]

If you have the money, I would recommend the S80 because of the WAL, the larger screen and faster focusing. I had the opportunity to use both at a party last weekend. Both took great shots but the A620 focused slower than the S80. Not much but enough for me to tell the difference. A plus for A620 is that it fits better in my hand and is lighter than the S80. IMO, you cannot lose with either camera but the S80 may take you farther.

 

[CompuDude]

If you have the money, I would recommend the S80 because of the WAL, the larger screen and faster focusing. I had the opportunity to use both at a party last weekend. Both took great shots but the A620 focused slower than the S80. Not much but enough for me to tell the difference. A plus for A620 is that it fits better in my hand and is lighter than the S80. IMO, you cannot lose with either camera but the S80 may take you farther.

I agree with you, but I do note that the A620 fitting better in your hand (and being lighter) is truly a moot point once you put either camera into an underwater housing. Then they're both about the same. Weigh about the same, too... underwater.