Canon S2 IS or Konica Minolta Z3

[dcwebman]

I have a refurbished Z3 which I haven't even used yet. From everybody requesting long zoom cameras, it seems the S2 IS is usually one of the ones recommended but never the Z3. I'm wondering if I should get rid of the Z3 and get the S2 IS. From comparing the specs and reading Steve's reviews here, it seems the Z3 has better specs except for startup time and shot to shot. Of course it's also a 4MP vs. 5MP.

I need to learn how to use the Z3 for this weekend when I go to Vegas. But since I haven't used it yet, I have no qualms about going out and getting an S2 IS and learning that instead.

So why should I get an S2 IS vs. the Z3?

Jeff

[JockScott]

Konica/ Minolta are apparently getting out of the camera business. I believe they're selling out to Sony.

[mtclimber]

Jeff-

There is a lot of things that are the same and a few different between the KM Z-3 and the Canon S-2 IS They both incorporate IS, they are both 12X optical zoom, because of its lighter weight, the Z-3 doesnot quitefeel as stable in hand when usingthe long zoom. The Canon S-2 is 14oz and feels more stablein hand when doing long zoom shots. Z-3 is 4mp while the S-2 is 5mp.

I owned a Z-3 in 2004 and it did a great job with daytime and flash shots if you respected the flash range.The Z-3 wasnot particularly good with low level light shooting, but neither is the S-2.

The added features that a lot of folks like on the S-2 are the fold out LCD, great video clip performance, and it super macro mode.

Using the Z-3 could save you a chunck money and that is surely a worthwhile consideration. Neither camera will be hard to learn. Take a look at Steve's review of the Z-3 and that might freshen your memory a bit if you used the camera before.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/z3.html

MT

[dcwebman]

Thanks for the replies. The extra money is certainly a factor. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on something great with the S2. Since I have the Canon SD600 which will be my primary camera, it would be nice with the S2 to be a "Canon family" but that's certainly not a big deal.

I'll be using the Z3 then at a concert this weekend and just hope that it gets as good results as I've seen someone else with an S2 have at the same concert.

Thanks again!
Jeff

[mtclimber]

jeff-

Neither the Canon S-2 or the KM Z-3 are cameras that are really adapted to a concert environment. Concerts either require the high ISO capable camera like the Fuji F-30, which is being released in May, on a dSLR camera.

MT