Steve'sDigicams

Tullio · Apr 2, 2008, 12:21 PM

I only have the H1 but from what I've seen, the H2 appears to be one of the best of the entire H series. I have never been that impressed with the H7/H9, reason why I ended up buying the Pana FZ18.I find somecamera reviewsites to be very biased toward Canon (primarily) and Nikon. If youcompare the H3 and SX100reviews, you'll understand what I mean. So, I always take their commentsand opinions with a grain ofsalt. I do take into account some of the technical results but I don't drive my decisions based on them.I prefer to guide my decisions based on people like Alan Katz (author of the Sony H White Paper for those unfamiliar with him) and such.Not only they focus on the brand, their tests seem to be more realistic in terms of the environment (less lab controlled), which results in a more accurate view of the camera's real pros and cons. As always, that's my personalopinion.

mtclimber · Apr 2, 2008, 5:57 PM

Thanks for your post, Tullio-

I for one appreciate your opinion. BTW I am still using those same H-2 cameras in my classes, and while many different students have used them this past year the are still taking excellent photos.

Yes, the H-3 is a compromise camera, but it fills the bill nicely for me.

Have a great day!

Sarah Joyce

Tullio · Apr 2, 2008, 11:31 PM

Today I went to Costco andhad the opportunity to hold the H3. It is one tiny camera consideringit has a 10x zoom lens. The build quality is on the poor side. Unfortunately, the camera did not have any battery so I could not check it in action. Some reviews pointed out that low light focusing is a problem. Do you agree, Sarah? Does the H3 take a long time to focus or misses focus in low light conditions?

mtclimber · Apr 3, 2008, 10:23 AM

Good Morning, Tullio-

Actually I have not had it in any serious low light situation as yet. In the evening at home it is very quick to focus, and I had no complaints thus far. No, W/A, but it is afun camera for family events and snapshots.

Have a great day.

Sarah Joyce

Mercurycu · Apr 3, 2008, 12:53 PM

mtclimber wrote:

Quote:

but it is afun camera for family events and snapshots.

Have a great day.

Sarah Joyce

Exactly!!!! :-)That's how feel about all my H series, V seriescameras and my Sony T1 and T200. The dayI stop having fun with my picture taking is the day i take up a new hobby. For me my love affair with photography stated with a Kodak Brownie whenI was seven and hit a new height when my first daughter was born. My husband had the first of it's kind autofocusing Minolta Maxxum in the delivery room. When I got my first Olympus digital camera in 1998, I never wanted to pick up my film SLR again. It's a relief not to have to hassle through 2 or more iterations to get slap happy film processors to print your pictures correctly. Don't miss those days at all. I have three Brookstone digital picture frames in my office --each cycling through a four GB USB stic filles with my digital photos and scanned in older photos. God bless digital photo frames! I love 'em.

Chrystie

mtclimber · Apr 3, 2008, 4:16 PM

Yay, Chrystie-

We are on the same page together! Cameras are to have fun with day in and day out. I confess willingly and truthfully: I just like taking photos with my cameras and sharing them with family and friends.

Have a great day!

Sarah Joyce

Tullio · Apr 3, 2008, 7:10 PM

Well, in one hand, I agree with both of you. On the other, having fun is very subjective. I have lots of fun going out with my cameras, taking pictures of people, landscape, flowers, etc. However, the fun is complete only after I download the images to my computer and enjoy them. If on the other hand I get mad because the IQ is poor due to camera limitations, then the fun is gone (and so is the camera at that point). I read one in one of the H3 reviews that "you will find yourself backing up against the wall more often than you'd like to" (or something to that respect), talking about the limited WA due to its 38mm lens. So, if I take lots of indoor shots of my kid, getting such a camera would simply aggravate the heck out of me. On the other hand, if I'll use the camera primarily outdoors shooting landscape and/or architecture, thenthe H3 may bea perfect, very capable little camera.

Anyway, Sarah, do you know if the H2 lens adapter fits on the H3? I have a RaynoxWA converter I use with the H1 and I wonder if it would fit on the H3. That would be a way to increase the WA. Just curious.

mtclimber · Apr 3, 2008, 7:53 PM

I am very sorry, Tullio, but I do not know the answer to that question.

Have a great day!

Sarah Joyce

Tullio · Apr 3, 2008, 11:58 PM

No worries, Sarah. BTW, I just sold my FZ18 on Craigslist (snif, snif). The buyer will pick it up tomorrow. It's a nice camera but I was just not using it that much. Now I'm down to the Oly E510, The R1 and the H1 (next to go).

mtclimber · Apr 4, 2008, 5:47 AM

Congratulations, Tullio-

That is great, and you are staying right on track with your plan.

Have a great day.

Sarah Joyce

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Apr 2, 2008, 12:21 PM	#741
Tullio Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 7,370	I only have the H1 but from what I've seen, the H2 appears to be one of the best of the entire H series. I have never been that impressed with the H7/H9, reason why I ended up buying the Pana FZ18.I find somecamera reviewsites to be very biased toward Canon (primarily) and Nikon. If youcompare the H3 and SX100reviews, you'll understand what I mean. So, I always take their commentsand opinions with a grain ofsalt. I do take into account some of the technical results but I don't drive my decisions based on them.I prefer to guide my decisions based on people like Alan Katz (author of the Sony H White Paper for those unfamiliar with him) and such.Not only they focus on the brand, their tests seem to be more realistic in terms of the environment (less lab controlled), which results in a more accurate view of the camera's real pros and cons. As always, that's my personalopinion.

Apr 2, 2008, 5:57 PM	#742
mtclimber Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 18,143	Thanks for your post, Tullio- I for one appreciate your opinion. BTW I am still using those same H-2 cameras in my classes, and while many different students have used them this past year the are still taking excellent photos. Yes, the H-3 is a compromise camera, but it fills the bill nicely for me. Have a great day! Sarah Joyce

Apr 2, 2008, 11:31 PM	#743
Tullio Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 7,370	Today I went to Costco andhad the opportunity to hold the H3. It is one tiny camera consideringit has a 10x zoom lens. The build quality is on the poor side. Unfortunately, the camera did not have any battery so I could not check it in action. Some reviews pointed out that low light focusing is a problem. Do you agree, Sarah? Does the H3 take a long time to focus or misses focus in low light conditions?

Apr 3, 2008, 10:23 AM	#744
mtclimber Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 18,143	Good Morning, Tullio- Actually I have not had it in any serious low light situation as yet. In the evening at home it is very quick to focus, and I had no complaints thus far. No, W/A, but it is afun camera for family events and snapshots. Have a great day. Sarah Joyce

Apr 3, 2008, 4:16 PM	#746
mtclimber Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 18,143	Yay, Chrystie- We are on the same page together! Cameras are to have fun with day in and day out. I confess willingly and truthfully: I just like taking photos with my cameras and sharing them with family and friends. Have a great day! Sarah Joyce

Apr 3, 2008, 7:10 PM	#747
Tullio Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 7,370	Well, in one hand, I agree with both of you. On the other, having fun is very subjective. I have lots of fun going out with my cameras, taking pictures of people, landscape, flowers, etc. However, the fun is complete only after I download the images to my computer and enjoy them. If on the other hand I get mad because the IQ is poor due to camera limitations, then the fun is gone (and so is the camera at that point). I read one in one of the H3 reviews that "you will find yourself backing up against the wall more often than you'd like to" (or something to that respect), talking about the limited WA due to its 38mm lens. So, if I take lots of indoor shots of my kid, getting such a camera would simply aggravate the heck out of me. On the other hand, if I'll use the camera primarily outdoors shooting landscape and/or architecture, thenthe H3 may bea perfect, very capable little camera. Anyway, Sarah, do you know if the H2 lens adapter fits on the H3? I have a RaynoxWA converter I use with the H1 and I wonder if it would fit on the H3. That would be a way to increase the WA. Just curious.

Apr 3, 2008, 7:53 PM	#748
mtclimber Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 18,143	I am very sorry, Tullio, but I do not know the answer to that question. Have a great day! Sarah Joyce

Apr 3, 2008, 11:58 PM	#749
Tullio Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 7,370	No worries, Sarah. BTW, I just sold my FZ18 on Craigslist (snif, snif). The buyer will pick it up tomorrow. It's a nice camera but I was just not using it that much. Now I'm down to the Oly E510, The R1 and the H1 (next to go).

Apr 4, 2008, 5:47 AM	#750
mtclimber Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 18,143	Congratulations, Tullio- That is great, and you are staying right on track with your plan. Have a great day. Sarah Joyce