panasonic fs-15 or canon a1100 is

[madzientist]

hi,

i have been browsing this forum for the last two days and have learnt a LOT from the regular posters, thank you so much !!

i am buying 4 different cameras as gifts at the moment, for people with different needs.

one camera i am looking for is something in the 100 to 150 dollar range (approx.), with decent specifications, and good auto performance. and i have come down to the a1100 versus the fs-15. i am eager to hear some opinions on the pros and cons of these 2 cameras relative to each other.

thanks much, suresh

[mtclimber]

suresh-

Welcome to the Forum. Thanks for dropping by.

Just a personal opinion, but Canon is better in this case. Either the A-1100 or if you want to save some money, the A-480 is also a very good camera in this range.

The Panasonic cameras in the FS and ZS-series have been made less than really desirable due to their very small, and less powerful built-in flash units.

Have a great day.

Sarah Joyce

[madzientist]

thank you very much, sarah (clear, helpful opinion as usual).

for someone who is unlikely to learn too much about the controls, is it better to have the canon a-1100 rather than the nikon coolpix L20 ? i realize that the canon has optical IS, but the reviews say that the nikon somehow makes up for all its feature deficiencies in terms of the final picture (at least in well lit environments). perhaps its deficiencies will show up indoors, with or without flash ?

what do you think ?

thanks again !!!!

[madzientist]

and i would like to add the Kodak EasyShare Z1485 to the mix: it has HD video. so if i compare the nikon L20 to the canon a1100 is and the kodak Z1485: right now, i am leaning towards the kodak... mainly because of the hd video and larger zoom. is there anything else i should keep in mind ?

thanks SO much !!!

[mtclimber]

mad...-

I would stay away from the Nikon L-20. It needs way too much light to successfully focus. Many times it just will not focus. That is why I recommended the Canon A-1100 and the Canon A-480.

The Kodak Z-1485 is a fun little camera, but unfortunately it is not perfect. As long as you stay at ISO settings of ISO 400 and below it does a good job. Also keep in mind that it works best with the Kodak Klic 8000 battery, that does not come with the camera. Generic KLIC-8000 bateries are easily and cheaply available on E-Bay, but I thought you should know that upfront. I actually like the camera and I own one. It is excellent if you stay within its limitations. I have attached a Z-1485 photo sample.

Sarah Joyce

[madzientist]

thanks so much, sarah. canon a1100is at amazon for 129 dollars, it is !!!

now to my next camera: a compact ultra-zoom, but that is another thread zr1 or zs3 or sx200is or something else...

best, suresh