Nikkon P60 or Oly SP590 Panofz35 or...?

[UKmat71]

I think i am torn between the 3 above the P60 and the Oly SP590 and the Pano FZ35

i am still using my old pano FX01, gives great pictures but on a 3.6 zoom really is not enough also it only has 5 megapixels. and its getting on a bit since its visit to Shamu at seaworld lol (now i know why people dont sit at the front)

dont want to go down the DSLR route as its looking quite expensive as i would end up buying new lenses all the time (and i have to keep the wife happy )
i was reading the huge thread about the P60 (we all know what one) and got quite excited with the features. browsed the next and found more info but still not 100% certain.
does anyone know from experience how this camera compares with the likes of the other 2.

the other thing , not as important but i'm dabbling with HDR at the moment , but they reccomend Raw images for this , i know the FZ35 can do this , but would i really notice the difference if i was using just Jpeg?
dont want to resort to a certain one just because of this so just asking.

following on from this , my camera can do auto bracketing but only +/- 1EV , do any of these offer a +/- 2EV on auto (this is the lazy bit of me asking as i know they can manually , just be nice to click one and its done)

i know so many questions in one go
but thanks in advance to anyone who can help
Marcus

[mtclimber]

marcus-

On your "possible" list you show the Nikon P-60. There is no camera in the nikon line with that designator, do you perhaps mean the Nikon P-90, a 24X optical zoom digicam?

For the sake of my answer, I will assume that you mean the P-90 camera. Clearly, the Panosonic FZ 35/38 is the best choice of the three cameras. Next comes the SP-590, and IMO the P-90 brings up the rear.

The FZ-35, the successor to the brillant FZ-28 has an improved HD video clip and sound system, as well as a better OIS system. The first professional reviews of the FZ-35/38 have been very good indeed.

Have a great day.

Sarah Joyce

[UKmat71]

first of all thank you for the time to answer.
you are correct , yes the P90 with the 24x zoom
i think i am becoming dyslexic with numbers with all these camera models


you say the Panosonic FZ 35/38 is the best in your opinion , can be really rude and ask why.

the camera i want is purely for digital photos and not for video at all. sadly they all seem to come with this facility now-days.

i can see that it uses SD memory card , me for one dont like the slow XD cards that the 590 uses.
the FZ 35/38 can record in RAW too , that the P90 cannot.

are you saying this from experience ? i know you are a pro very much more than i am , i am still learning the basics , hence why i'm not going for a DSLR


lastly , i will be purchasing the camera when i go to my house in Florida , as it works out so so much cheaper than in the UK , do you know if the battery has to be charged in the camera or it is in a stand alone unit.I am assuming that it is multi voltage , not just 110v , it will be fine on 240v

i know more questions , but they really are appreciated , and you really do know your stuff.

thanks to you (and your husband for being so patient with you answering so many questions)

many regards
Marcus

just have to add , the zoom on the 590 really pushes the limits of the camera , does it not ,i cannot imagine carrying a lens for a slr that size.

[hiro1963]

Check out these threads too.


http://forums.steves-digicams.com/ni...ions-here.html


http://forums.steves-digicams.com/ol...m-gallery.html


- Hiro

[mtclimber]

Hi there Hiro-

As you might have noticed, I am very active on the Nikon P-90 forum and it was I who started the Olympus SP Long Zoom Gallery.

Sarah Joyce

[mtclimber]

UKmat-

Thank for your reply. Let handle your questions.

(1) Yes, I am answering from experience. I am an active FZ-28 user. The FZ-35 was just released for sale in the USA just this past week. So, no, I don't yet own a FZ-35. However, I have owned every FZ model ever produced, beginning with the 2.0mp FZ-1 camera.

(2) The battery charger is multi-voltage, but it will require the necessary plug adaptor to power the charger. The charger charges the battery outside of the camera.

(3) The appeal of any super zoom camera is that your kit size and weight remains quite small and very manageable. A DSLR kit is considerably larger and more weighty.

I am always happy to handle any of your questions.

Sarah Joyce

[UKmat71]

thank you , i think i may have narrowed it to the 2 camaras now

the P90 as it seems to fit my bill
and the FZ-35(8) which seems much the same but does the Raw format (and its probably the panasonic menu system thats keeping me here as its very easy to operate)

i think i will have to find a local supplier to have a good play with these 2 , my local GOOD camera store is a 60+mile round trip , so when the kids go back to school i may have a day out

i will let you know of my outcome next week , as i will have some free time then (hopefully , if the wife does not want me to paint the house again )

thanks to all

Marcus

[mtclimber]

Thanks, Marcus-

I will be awaiting next week and your decision.

Sarah Joyce

[Tullio]

Originally Posted by UKmat71

thank you , i think i may have narrowed it to the 2 camaras now

the P90 as it seems to fit my bill and the FZ-35(8) which seems much the same but does the Raw format

Her's my 2c... even though fitting the budget is always very important, in the end what really matters is how happy you are with your purchase. I can't tell you how many times in my life I took the budget consideration over quality and ended up spending more money in the long run. We are not talking thousands of $$$ here. We are talking $55 (based on Amazon prices) between the two cameras you are considering. Although Nikon makes great DSLRs, I think in the P&S department they fall behind many other less traditional camera brands (such as Panasonic, Sony and Fuji). They got into the long zoom market way after other manufacturers and even though the P90 is a decent product, the FZ35 is far better IMO. I've had the FZ20 (one of the best of the FZ series), the FZ18 and now the FZ28. They are all top notch. In any camera, the most important thing is the lens and you can't beat the Leica lens of the FZ28/FZ35. As for the RAW capability, I would not take that too much into consideration. I've used RAW in a few occasions and I must say the the FZ28 does an excellent job converting RAW into JPEG and in many cases, I could not process the RAW file to match the camera's JPEG. I assume the FZ35 does just as well. I (like you), do not care too much for video, so you should be more than happy with the FZ35 video capabilities, which apparently is one of the best out there.

[UKmat71]

oh no , just read this

http://forums.steves-digicams.com/sa...m-samsung.html


looks very similar and shoots Raw.... . .. .

got to wait till October though

is it me or are cameras like cell phones , you find the best you can afford , then they just bring one out that could be better for similar money ???

Marcus