I am looking for a camera that takes good pictures at 5 megapixels, has manual controls and is relatively compact. The smallest cameras out there right now are almost too small. I have seen increased camera shake and poorer quality results as cameras get smaller. I do want a small camera, but most digitals are smaller than my usual travel companion, a Nikon N60 35mm SLR. After hiking in Peru with it I decided I needed something smaller, lighter and more discrete. However, I like controlling my camera and have high standards when it comes to photography so not just any digital camera will do.
After over a month of reading reviews and testing cameras I’ve narrowed the search down to the Canon s60 and Sony DSC-V1. Unfortunately I have not found any stores that have both cameras in stock at the same time. The Sony is an older camera, but Sonys are not as widely carried in camera stores as other brands. The Canon was only released in June so there’s is not a lot of stock on shelves yet.
I tested the Canon first, but was very disappointed with the size and weight of it. Compared to the cute digital Elphs it sat next to it looked like a giant. The store was very busy so I was not able to spend much time with it. Later that week I found the Sony and was much happier with it. The design and size really appealed to me. I also liked the way the buttons and menus worked. At this point I was leaning toward the Sony but was upset over the additional cost. Although I could buy both cameras for similar prices, I would need to invest in more than one additional battery, an external battery charger and memory sticks for the Sony. I found a store with the Canon s60 in stock so I tested it again yesterday. It didn’t seem nearly as large and it originally seemed. The Sony is a less wide, but also taller. They weight about the same. I am now leaning toward the Canon because I will need to buy less additional accessories for it. There are some features that I’m not interested that seem to be important to other people, namely large LCDs and subcompact size.
Canon s60 Pros
Wide angle lens (28 – 100mm)
Programable Manual Mode
Canon has good reputation
Uses cheaper Compact Flash memory
Good battery life
External travel charger included
Canon s60 Cons
Stubborn on/off door operation
Unattractive design
Sony DSC-V1 Pros
Longer zoom lens (34 – 136mm)
Night shot modes
Unlimited video length
Compact size
Add on lenses and flash available
Nice design
Sony DSC-V1 Cons
Very poor battery life
Expensive accessories
Uses more expensive Memory Stick memory
Sony is not a camera company
*Camera images taken from canon.com and sony.com