[Recovered Thread: 103256]

[seusa]

I am wanting to purchase a better digital camera than what I now have. I mostly use a camera for family events and vacations. Many times I will go a few months without taking a single picture. I have read a good bit about these two cameras and was hoping some of the more experienced folks on here could guide me toward the right purchase. Or perhaps I should look at a different camera. I will be traveling to a larger city this weekend and plan on looking there. No stores in our town have either of these cameras. Any and allinformation and guidance would be appreciated. Thank you.

[seusa]

Is there anyone here who could give me some advice about these cameras? I would be so appreciative!

[zygh]

no contest: r1.

[hercules]

zygh wrote:

no contest: r1.

True.. but the r1 is one ugly camera.

[BenjaminXYZ]

N.T.

[BenjaminXYZ]

N.T.

[BenjaminXYZ]

I agree that the R1 is too good to be in here...

As much as I feel like explaining, I need to control myself. I can go on a pageful about the R1.

Just to make it simple, the R1 should be competing to a good dSLR with a better quality (fast) zoom lens instead of the kit lens.

To be direct, not even a dSLR can have one lens that can cover the range of the R1's lens with that kind of quality. Usually thepeople who are looking at the R1 are also looking at dSLRs.

The R1 cannot be compared to any other fix lens, it is a one of akind with a large APS-C live preview CMOS sensor.

Some quotes from dpreview;

Here's where things start to get complicated. The DSC-R1 has cleared a space for itself in the market, there's no other fixed lens digital camera which is anywhere near it, thanks to its unique design. Its price puts it squarely in the affordable digital SLR market but its pixel count nudges it ahead of several of those. The only cameras on hand which we can use for comparison therefore are the eight megapixel Canon EOS 350D (Digital Rebel XT) and the eight megapixel Olympus E-500 EVOLT.

It's fair to say that on a value comparison the DSC-R1 wins straight off the line, there isn't a single digital SLR kit available right now for $1,000 which will provide you with a lens as good as that found on the DSC-R1. The standard kit lenses sold with the EOS 350D and the E-500 provide a three times zoom range but start around 28 mm at F3.5 compared to the DSC-R1's 24 mm at F2.8. The $200 saving you would make buying a digital SLR kit could be put towards another lens but that still wouldn't get you near.

So we move on to designing our own kits, the EOS 350D can be combined with the EF-S 17-85 mm IS lens, you get image stabilization and a 5x optical zoom range (although not as wide as the R1), on the downside you're getting a slower lens which isn't as good as the R1's lens and having to pay a $320 premium.

To get the same kind of lens quality and approximate zoom range on the EOS 350D our best choice were two Sigma EX DG lenses, a bundle which comes in around $730 more than the DSC-R1. If you prefer Canon lenses expect to pay more than twice the price of the R1. With the E-500 the options are limited by available lenses, the excellent 14-54 mm lens is easily as good as the R1 lens but would provide only a 3.5x zoom range and the total bundle price would be around $200 more.

As you can see the R1 is very well priced, a fair comment would be that the lens alone is worth a large chunk of the $1000 asking price and that if you don't need the flexibility of separate lenses then on price alone its very attractive.

• Excellent wide angle zoom lens much better than any D-SLR kit lens [/*]
• All-in-one design, no need to carry other lenses [/*]
• No dust issues (as sensor is sealed) [/*]
• No mirror vibration issues (no need for mirror lock-up) [/*]
• Quiet shutter release [/*]
• 1/2000 flash x-sync (electronic shutter) [/*]
• LCD monitor live view / preview [/*]
  • Manual focus magnification
  [/*]
• Value for money (taking lens into account)

[/*]

As you can see, the R1 is already so good compared to dSLRs not to mentioned comparing to any other fix lens.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydscr1/page27.asp

[kenbalbari]

R1 is also $400 more. You could buy 2 S3s and have enough change for a memory card. Good only if you want DSLR quality at a DSLR price and are willing to give up the possibility of ever putting a big zoom lens on therefor the convenience of a fixed lens.

H2 is a better comparison for the S3.

[zygh]

hercules wrote:

zygh wrote:

True.. but the r1 is one ugly camera.

I personally find it nice. My opinion is that the S2 and the S3s are really ugly cams. So opinions differ.
However, that does not mean much because you are looking for a camera that delivers the goods, not for an accessory that goes well with your shoes or something.

[zygh]

double post: shitty internet connection. sorry.