Hi Paul,

    Thanks for your sincere reply. Regarding Sony DSC-R1. What I say weird
about the picture is this... I was inside this shop and they allow me to
view it. Maybe the shop is not very bright. So when I look at the view and
also at the rotating lcd, the colour is felt like dots been squeeze
together. Something like looking at negative of a film. When I look at the
picture form when viewing, I felt that it won't produce the nice picture as
shown in the magazine etc. That's my first dislike.

        I ever have this Samsung film camera and when I view with it,
picture is like shiny and nice. Somemore I can zoom in. Is it all these raw
picture, mega pixels and so on only happen with digital camera?


        You know, when I saw the booklet and spec hand over to me, the
pictures are all so nice. So I thought T30 Sony will be nice as TV show them
so good with steady anti shake features. But you say the picture will not be
good. I am so confused and stress. When I visit the shop, they will say
their brand is good. When I ask which will they consider I take since this
will be my one and only camera for a lifetime. They can not decide. They
only say if I want small, eg T30. Else SLR type.

        I believe... that I will not get Sony DSC-R1 as the LCD view is
really not cool for preview. I know the LCD can rotate but it is really too
small to allow me to see much. The feel of it is bad. I felt it might break
easily. I try zooming and it wasn't very impressing at all. But the sales
price now in Singapore is $1400 only with lots of free gifts due to the
great Singapore sales. I only have 20 more days to decide.

        Pity my friends don't own a SLR and neither do many of my colleagues
that I knew. Do you know of anyone from Singapore who is in Singapore who
knew where I can get the best deal for a very good camera? I believe you
that a good camera must have raw features and that large LCD screen won't
impact the picture been taken. But I want to be able to view the pictures
been taken immediately to decide whether to keep or delete, and then later
for quick preview. So, a large clear shinning lcd is necessary. In booklet
Sony T30 has a very nice BIG 3" LCD screen. But you mention about the poor
picture. I do not know how to express my stress here. I can't decide.

    I wonder how others make the decision so fast. You must be lucky to go
and get a camera which you like. It must feel right when you hold it I
believe. Sony DSC-R1 did not feel right for me. Are most camera plastic
like? It has a rubber like handle which feel grip is good but in long term,
I afraid it might ... melt. But I won't worry about that as I will get a so
called dry box for it.

        Thanks for your advises. I will try to go to the shops and check out
other SLR. Many salesman not very happy when I just ask and not buy.
Singaporean style. So wish me luck to see if I can find the right feel for a
SLR camera. If only my choice are limited to one type of SLR or compact
camera. Life will be so simple.

        And then who knows, I might even want to get a handcam... I dare not
even think of it. Where is God when I need it. lol..






"Paul Saunders" <pvs1@wildwales.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:e6e4jo$9k2$1@news.freedom2surf.net...
aNdY wrote:

> Heart pain. Today finally I found a camera shop and look at their
> display. I play around with model SONY DSC-R1. Despite having 10.3
> Mega Pixel, the picture looks rather weird. I held it and ... I can't
> feel the connection with it. The view is just 2".
>
>    SO is it normal for picture to look weird in the 10.3 mega Pixel
> LCD screen?

Weird in what way?  I don't know what you mean.  I know dpreview said that
it felt strange to have the LCD on the top of the camera, is that what you
mean?  You can also tilt it so that it's on top of the camera so you can
look down on it.  I actually like that because it's like using a TLR camera,
and it's great for taking low shots without having to crouch down.

>    Instead, I notice the new model Sony T30 Cyber Steady Shot. It has
> a large 3" LCD plus screen. I have no time to explore that.

I wouldn't go near that camera personally.  It won't give the best quality
results that you said you wanted.  It doesn't have RAW mode, it doesn't have
any manual controls and it has a tiny lens that suffers from chromatic
aberration, corner softness and distortion.  It's a simple snap camera,
nothing more.  It looks pretty decent for a snap camera in fact, but it
won't give you top quality pictures, if that's what you really want.  It
only has a 3x zoom too, so it won't zoom in very far.  I think your
obsession with a big LCD and image stabilisation is affecting your
judgement.  A big LCD won't give you better pictures, a better lens, sensor,
RAW mode and manual controls will.  If you really want the best picture
quality, but a DSLR, simple as that.  Stop worrying about the LCD.

> Important question need to check with you. The storeman says SONY
> produce the best digital camera as compared with otehr brand as they
> are always the first with ideas and all local TV Crew uses SONY cam
> recorder and camera.

He's obviously trying to sell Sony cameras then!  Canon produce the best
quality sensors, Nikon usually have the best features, maybe Sony have the
most novelty gimmicks!  ;-)

> So, brand wise, Should I ignore Canon, Olypmic
> etc?

Of course not!  Don't listen to him.  They all produce good cameras.  But if
you want the best quality, then ignore compact digicams and get a DSLR.  If
you must have a smaller camera look at the Canon G6 or the Panasonic models.

And don't be too obsessed with Image Stabilisation either, it's helpful but
it's not essential.  Photographers have been taking photos for 150 years
without it and they've managed fine.  I've never used it and I have no
trouble taking sharp photos.

> I am so confused and Great Singapore sales is going to be over
> by end of month. Could you advise me more? Shoudl I still go for SLR
> or SLR like .. or just normal?

If I was me, I'd buy a DSLR.  Hey, that's what I did!  :-)

If I was you, I'd do whatever you decide to do.  The question you have to
ask yourself is this, what's the most important thing?  Image quality?  Or a
tiny camera with a big LCD and Image Stabilisation?

If it's image quality, buy the Canon 350D, or *any* other DSLR for that
matter.

If it's tiny with Image Stabilisation you want, buy the Panasonic LX1.

But if you really have to have that 3" LCD, buy the T30, but don't expect
great quality.  It may be good enough for what you want though.  Read this
review
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/sony/dsc_t30-review/
And take a close look at the quality of these pictures (the full size
images)
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/sony/dsc_t30-review/gallery.shtml
especially the "purple-fringing horror tunnel" shot
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/sony/dsc_t30-review/DSC00003.JPG
Notice how the pillars on the right have overexposed?  Without manual
controls you wouldn't be able to do anything about that.  Without RAW mode
you wouldn't be able to get some detail back.

> I need one which allow me to easily take a picture, best if can zoom
> in clearly, and can preview it on the lcd immediately and also veiw
> all taken pictures and then pick the unwanted away and keep the
> wanted etc...

You can do that with all digital cameras.

> With high mega pixel... and zoom with steady shot..

Get a DSLR and a good zoom lens with IS.

> Do
> U think I should just get Cony Cyber Shot T30 with super steady shot
> and forget about my quest for a betetr camera?

If you were me, NO!  But if I were you, I don't know.  What do you want to
do?  You started off saying that you wanted the best camera possible, so I
don't think you'd be happy with the T30.  You might at first, until you
learn a bit more about digital photography, then you might regret it.

If you don't fancy a DSLR because they're too big and heavy, get a good
digicam.  I'd recommend the Canon Pro1, G6, or the Panasonic LX1, in order
of heavy to light.  The Pro1 would give you the longest zoom range, which
you said you wanted.

There's no such thing as a perfect camera, they all have different
advantages and disadvantages.  If you want a really small light camera with
Image Stabilisation, then I think the Panasonic LX1 may be the best for you,
since it has a really good quality lens and RAW mode.

Others may recommend different cameras, but those would be my choices for
you.  Don't believe the salesman's hype that Sony are the best at
everything, they're good, but video is what they're best at, Canon and Nikon
are best for still cameras.

Paul