S90 vs. Sony WX1

[cardog]

I've been looking at the S90 for a couple of weeks now but just noticed Sony's new entry that it due out on the 16th. Very similar features (2.4 24mm wa lens) with the addition of HD.
Any thoughts on which might be the better bet?

 

[Puffer Fish]

I like the concept of that Sony sensor... and that it does HD.. but as a camera, it is missing a ton of features the S90 has... My choice would be the S90.

 

[gert7to3]

The Sony doesn't offer full manual control.

I compare cameras at: Digital Cameras, Digital Camera Reviews - The Imaging Resource!

They have a "still life" photo set which they photograph with each camera they review. I have always found this to be a good guage of each camera's optical system. Since the lighting and subject are the same you can really compare the details of each lens system's performance. I particularly look for color fringing in the lower right corner where black and white cloths are stacked . The upper left shows a spread of fine silks which let you see resolution and color fidelity. The fine, subtle details on the bottle labels are another good place to look for strengths and weaknesses of the camera.

 

[Nemrod]

S90 would be my choice but please also take a look at the Micro 4:3 Panasonic GH1. It really depends which get's the cooler housing. The new lower MP Canon sensor is a huge step ahead for this format.

I have to get something for a potential upcoming Africa trip, probably just grab an S90. I guess if there are no housing I would like then I will just have to bust out the money(when my keeper is not looking close) and get an SLR and aluminum housing, as much as I really hate the thought. I have to have ultra wide angle, it is a fetish of mine.

N

 

[jands]

The S90 has just been re-listed on Amazon as a pre-order, and I was about to click on "buy now", when I read some stuff about external flash.

The S90 spec sheet lists the 'Canon High Power Flash HF-DC1', as the external flash ( http://www.canon-europe.com/Images/PowerShot S90_Specification Sheet_tcm13-668660.pdf ).

On Amazon there is something about how this flash connects to the camera's zoom lens?

So, can 3rd party strobes also be connected/synchronized, or is this a limited feature?

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

The S90 has just been re-listed on Amazon as a pre-order, and I was about to click on "buy now", when I read some stuff about external flash.

The S90 spec sheet lists the 'Canon High Power Flash HF-DC1', as the external flash ( http://www.canon-europe.com/Images/PowerShot S90_Specification Sheet_tcm13-668660.pdf ).

On Amazon there is something about how this flash connects to the camera's zoom lens?

So, can 3rd party strobes also be connected/synchronized, or is this a limited feature?

The HF-DC1 is a land strobe, evidently communicating wirelessly with the camera to know the amount of zoom and automatically narrows the beam to increase flash range as zoom increases.

Most underwater p&s photography is done with the lens at full wide, so narrowing the beam is not an issue. Also, most (all) underwater strobes do not have a narrow beam option.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

For the best long term purchase I recommend cameras that can shoot in raw and have manual control!