Summit, Spats, and DigiCam Peeps

[Chris Knight]

I'm choosing between an A570 IS and an A630 at the same price point.

As far as I can tell, very similar cameras, both great value for my relatively simplistic skiing and travel P&S needs.
Here's the rundown I came up with, can you help/add anything else to steer me?

Smaller: 570 (2 bats vs. 4 bats on 630)
IS: 570 only (until we look at 710 IS, etc)
Zoom: same, 4o x 4d
FPS: 630 slightly faster at ~1.8 vs. ~1.7 for 570. Not sure that's a sig difference?
LCD: 2.5 for both, but 630 has the rotating/movable one. How useful is this really? Summit says very in prior threads..
Movie: 1G on 630, 4G on 570. That's pretty big diff I guess, although I don't do many movies, and have an old MiniDV camcorder. Still...
Custom Mode: 630 only? I have to set the 570 to burst mode each time? A little annoying if true...
Mpx: 630 with 8.0 vs. the 570 with 7.1. But either way, this is already such a big step up from my last camera, do I really care?

So far as I can see, it's IS and smaller size (570) vs. rotating LCD and Custom Mode (630)?
I'm basically weighing whether I value image stabilization and a slightly smaller model over the convenience of saving settings and the movable LCD?
Is that right? Thoughts? Am I underestimating the 8.0 vs. 7.1 Mp diff and 1.8 vs. 1.7 fps diff? Price point is about $200.

Read through a lot of the old threads to get to this point, you guys fucking rule.
Throwing down know-ledge like crazy.

Thanks in advance.
-Peter

[Chris Knight]

So, it's a toss up then?

[Huck_Schmuck]

So, it's a toss up then?

Not sure. It looks pretty close to me.

[mwthomsen]

I recently got the 570 and I have been very pleased with it so far. I thaught the IS might be a nice feature to have, however the only info I got was researching off the web so other than that I know nothing.

[Chris Knight]

well, at least you're not unhappy with it. :)
The A610 has gotten rave reviews here, and as the A630 is the similar follow on, I'm comfortable just snapping it up.
Except that I stumbled on the A570 IS with the image stabilization, smaller size (which I was hoping for), and better movie capabilities (which I'm not sure I care about)...so, I'm just looking for a little push in one direction or another.
I guess the real question is the IS - how much difference does it really make?

[mwthomsen]

If you have browsed this site you know you are obligated to post pics or better yet a little movie of Adrianne, nakkid. Then you will surely get the proper information that you seek.

[MakersTeleMark]

Size/weight and the importance of IS is your big difference, not much else. The flip lcd is very very helpful, but it adds quite a bit to the whole camera. Have you fondled both? The 570 will eat batteries, so carry spares.

[Chris Knight]

MTM, I read and appreciated some of your comments in the prior threads, thanks.
What'd you shoot on your recent SA trip? The 570 IS?

I have fondled both. I definitely like the smaller size.
But I just don't know how to value the IS.
The flip LCD I get, but I've also always done fine without.

mwt, I'm not actually new here - if I had naked pics of Adrianne, trust me, I'd friggen post em! :D

[MakersTeleMark]

I shot the a630:

http://www.pbase.com/praeesse/image/84872871/large.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/praeesse/image/84872879/large.jpg

Sarah shot the smaller one with IS:

http://www.pbase.com/praeesse/image/85162447/large.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/praeesse/image/85162437/large.jpg

No real appreciable difference to me.

[lemon boy]

mtm that's 630 v 710is right?

I think the thing making the 710/720 more attractive to me is the 6x zoom. bigger zoom for skiing is IMVHO a good thing. or at least 3x just isn't near enough.

oh and IS = great for shakey fuckers like me who like getting up really early and take a lot of sunrise/low light pictures....I'm thinking.

[Chris Knight]

570IS has 4x.

Better than 3x, less than 6x. *Shrug?*
I had already kind of ruled out the 7xx on price, so that said, I'm leaning towards the 570IS right now.
I guess I'll go back to the store and fondle some more, and just pick one.

Thanks all!
-peter

[MakersTeleMark]

^^ what he said. The flip out LCD allows me some good faux tripod scenarios, and makes it easier to takes self pics. The IS with that zoom would seem to be mandatory.

[Chris Knight]

The 710 with the 6x zoom would definitely demand IS, you mean?
I can see that...

But both the 570 and 710 have 4x zoom...
So...at full 4x zoom, I wonder how much difference the IS makes...

[Summit]

Major advantages:

A630 $200
Larger sensor size
Faster lens on the long end
Flip out and twist LCD
Custom mode

A570IS $170
optical IS
DIGIC III
smaller/lighter

[TyWebb]

I've got the 630, couldn't be happier. The flip LCD is nice and the battery life has been great (350-450 shots on average). The manual features have worked very well, rapid fire, manual focus etc.. I'd certainly endorse it.

All taken with the 630:

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k53/kaufenjm/IMG_0754b.jpg

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k53/kaufenjm/Seattle2051.jpg

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k53/kaufenjm/Greece/IMG_2069.jpg

[Chris Knight]

Sweet. Thanks guys!

I'll digest as I handle them.

Sounds like I can't really go wrong between the two, particularly for a relative camera luddite such as myself.

Really appreciate the help. Out the door I go!

[lemon boy]

A720 s/b ~250 when released (B&Hs price now for sept deliver), quick interweb price check on the A710 (which is 6x btw) show ~270. :shrug:

[Summit]

A710 IS vs A570IS
6X DIGIC II vs 4x DIGIC III
$270 vs $170
I think the A570IS wins that one

The A570IS is very much the successor of sorts to the A710IS... they are identical except for the processor and the lens.

The A650IS and the A720IS are going to have continuous FPS of 1.2 and 1.3 respectively as Canon plays the MP race at the cost of IQ and speed.

[lemon boy]

summit- is it possible to add a teleconverter to the 570? IIRC the 710 you can. And if you can, is there some huge reason not to?

[Chris Knight]

LB, I think (??) the answer is yes, according to some lit I read somewhere - but you have to buy a coverter ring dealie that goes on first, then other lenses screw into that? Only costs another $25 or something, and the tele lens costs around $100 or so?

As for why you should/shouldn't do this with a 570 IS, I know nothing. Interested to hear comments on that, as the thought had occurred to me as well...

EDIT: scroll down to just below the picture of the camera being held in hand at DCResource (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_a570-review/index.shtml)

[PappaG]

Below is a sampling of some pictures with the A630:



http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/7465/img0023fv9.th.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0023fv9.jpg)



http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/690/img0031fj4.th.jpg (http://img206.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0031fj4.jpg)



http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4741/img0055ez2.th.jpg (http://img206.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0055ez2.jpg)



http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/7243/img0194id1.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0194id1.jpg)



http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/1791/img0196vi4.th.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0196vi4.jpg)



http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/3034/img0197ff8.th.jpg (http://img512.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0197ff8.jpg)



http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/5517/img0201rt0.th.jpg (http://img512.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0201rt0.jpg)



http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4558/img0234pj5.th.jpg (http://img521.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0234pj5.jpg)



http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3776/img0235ns8.th.jpg (http://img338.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0235ns8.jpg)



http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/4639/img0239vy0.th.jpg (http://img442.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0239vy0.jpg)



http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/8425/img0253pt9.th.jpg (http://img442.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0253pt9.jpg)



http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/8686/img0355jf6.th.jpg (http://img255.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0355jf6.jpg)



http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/5213/img0446bt2.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0446bt2.jpg)



http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7521/img0727uh8.th.jpg (http://img401.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0727uh8.jpg)