Is there an adequate PnS or go to DSLR?

[Dawg]

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am thinking of upgrading my Canon SD980. The SD980 makes great pictures most of the time, but I get frustrated with certain performance. I generally stay on Auto with that camera or on Kids and Pets because other settings are too slow in responding and the moment is gone or the image is blurred or noisy. Some examples are photographing dance recitals, photographing nighttime Disney parades, anything in a gym (not even sports).

I feel like I need to upgrade the zoom, but I don't know if the Canon superzooms such as the SX40 will be sufficient for speed and low light performance. I read that sensor size has a lot to do with the low light performance and the sensor on the SX40 is the same size as the SD980.

I have been considering the Canon T2i with the 18-55 lens and 55-250 lens bundled.

I am terribly spoiled by having a Point and Shoot that goes in my pocket. Do I want to go to DSLR size? Is there a PnS that would give me sufficiently better performance without sacrificing the image quality to bother investing in a new camera?

I would love to stick with Canon since I've owned 3 already.

Any advice is appreciated!

[RichardTaylor]

Low light "action" shooting means a DSLR with good low light performance and a fast lens.

I do have a good P&S (Canon G11) however it is almost totally useless when shooting in scenarios above.

If you are not using a flash the kit lenses will not cut it - They are not fast enough (too small maximum aperture).

I sometimes shoot events in low light and now days mostly use F2 lenses.

[Dawg]

Thank you Richard. I have been looking at the G12 or possibly the new G1X.

If you were going to skip the kit lenses, can you recommend something in a reasonable price range? I know that is subjective, but I suppose you can keep in mind I love my kids but don't plan to spend a vacation's worth of money on a lens to make better pictures of them??

[dlambert]

Low light capabilities come (very generally) from sensor size & performance and optical speed (ability to gather lots of light). This chart will give you a good idea how sensor sizes differ among cameras -- cameras that have larger sensors will gather more light and will, all else being equal, perform better in low light than cameras with smaller sensors. Cameras like the G12 and S95 have larger sensors than you typically find in compact cameras, but they're still quite a bit smaller than typical DSLR sensors, which are still smaller than full-frame DSLR's.

Similarly, the kit lens you'll get with most DSLR's will have a maximum aperture of (maybe) f/4, whereas the S95 has an f/2.0 lens -- not bad at all for a compact.

Rather than think of the difference between a P&S and a DSLR as a quantum jump, it might be better to think of it as more of a continuum. A high-end P&S might very well have a zoom range or fast lens that you won't see in an entry-level DSLR kit, but the DSLR gives you a larger sensor and the ability to upgrade to better glass. Recently, mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras (4/3 cameras, for instance), have begun blurring those lines even more -- they typically have a sensor size between compacts & DSLR's with the option to change lenses, too.

The other thing that might be worth bearing in mind is that low-light shooting can be challenging even with good equipment. It'll be really helpful for you to understand ISO settings, apertures, and so on so you can get the best performance out of whatever equipment you purchase.

[Jelly]

SO I am new here and am in no way a photographer, just love photography. I just upgraded tot he t2i from a P&S. Here is my input

Pros: Much much better Image quality, faster shutter speeds for action shots, more control over settings, better zoom, better color

Cons: Price (lenses are expensive and addictive, its like tattoos), weight, size, price, learning curve, price

I love my dslr and am thinking of selling my P&S bc I dont think I will ever be pleased with quality again

I hope that helpss!

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Dawg

... I feel like I need to upgrade the zoom, but I don't know if the Canon superzooms such as the SX40 will be sufficient for speed and low light performance.

Yup. That's pretty much the tradeoff. Reach for speed. Superzooms are typically going to have smaller 1/2.3" sensors (vs. 1/1.7" sensors in the top-end Canon G and S series), and be limited to f/2.8 at the wide end of the lens.

I read that sensor size has a lot to do with the low light performance and the sensor on the SX40 is the same size as the SD980.

Yup. It's mostly to do with pixel density. The lower the density, the better the high iso noise performance generally gets.

I have been considering the Canon T2i with the 18-55 lens and 55-250 lens bundled.

I am terribly spoiled by having a Point and Shoot that goes in my pocket. Do I want to go to DSLR size? Is there a PnS that would give me sufficiently better performance without sacrificing the image quality to bother investing in a new camera?

There are a few, but they're generally as expensive as entry-level dSLRs. The Fuji X100, the Canon G1X, etc. Just me, but in that price range, I'd rather go for the flexibility of an interchangeable lens system, which gives me the option of swapping out an f/1.8 lens for low light and a slower telephoto zoom for reach in the daytime.

But. I'm used to dSLR sensor performance. For you, a G12 or S95/S100 might actually make you happy. I'd say play with one in a store, bring along your own memory card, and see if they can do what you want.

And (I know I'm sounding like a broken record these days, since I'm still in the honeymoon period with my recently purchased Panasonic G3), you may want to contemplate one of the mirrorless compact cameras. They're quite a bit heftier than a digital IXUS/ELPH camera would be, but they're substantially more compact than a dSLR system. And while they may cost about the same as a dSLR system with a few more restrictions, the image-quality is quite a bit nicer than you can get out of small 1/2.3" sensor cameras.

I still use a camera bag with my G3, but it's a lot lighter than the one I haul about with my 5Dii. Some folks are able to stuff two lenses and their camera into a fanny pack or coat pockets. This simulator is a good way to judge the size/heft of cameras side-by-side.

To me, there are reasons to have both a P&S and an interchangeable lens camera system. I tend to think of P&S cameras like swiss army knives: small, do-a-lot convenient tools, but possibly not the best tool for heavy jobs. An interchangeable lens camera system is more like a big red toolbox: bigger, heavier, expensive, and you still have to buy the tools, but overall better tools for specific tasks.

For me, micro four-thirds is turning out to be a nice happy medium point: small enough to be convenient, flexible and responsive enough to do some actual heavy lifting.

[RichardTaylor]

For a very good all round lens, although it is not cheap, I would be looking at this.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens Review

The other alternative it to go with the standard kit lens, which is fine for general purpose photography in good light, or longer exposures in poor light.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens Review

For the low light "event" pics where you will be hand holding I would consider a fast, f2, prime in addition to the kit lens.
Canon make 35mm, 50mm & 85mm primes for reasonable prices (actually the 50mm F1.8 is very cheap).
I own 4 Canon fast primes.

[Dawg]

Wow! Thanks for all of the information! I will have to study for a few days and hopefully I'll have more to say!

I absolutely do need to learn more about aperture. ISO I am somewhat familiar with, but not really in how it works in conjunction with aperture.

Inkista, thanks for the comparison tool - very helpful! And in reading other posts, I have noticed your fondness for the mirrorless micro four-thirds!

The other thing that might be worth bearing in mind is that low-light shooting can be challenging even with good equipment. It'll be really helpful for you to understand ISO settings, apertures, and so on so you can get the best performance out of whatever equipment you purchase.

dlambert, this is what I'm afraid of - that I'll invest in the DSLR with at least 2-3 lens and still be frustrated with the results. Or that I'll leave it at home in favor of the smaller camera.

Here's a question, probably silly sounding to the more techy camera folk, but anyway: with a DSLR, if I was taking one lens to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World, what would it be? Thinking of pictures of the family with characters, not necessarily landscape type pictures. Would it be a prime such as 50mm F1.8 for the fast speed?

[RichardTaylor]

In day time a standard zoom.

At night for very slow moving subjects the standard zoom would probably be ok, especially wit IS turned on.

Otherwise a 35mm F2 (the 50mm would be too long).

You may find these tutorials of interest.

Exposure:

Exposure (1) A balancing act

and intro to lenses.

Lenses #1 - Introduction to DSLR lenses.

and light.

Light #1 - Introduction.

[Pasq]

first off, i think selling a P&S is a mistake. those cameras are fine for getting captures when you just don't have your DSLR.

here's my honest opinion. nothing takes the place of a single reflex lens camera for creativity. there's nothing like the rush I get by pushing the edges on shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. AS we know, it's that formula that gets creative exposure.

so here's where I turn the tables and ask you what is it YOU want? what is it you desire? I think you have known the answers all along. Trust me, you don't a forum of strangers to answer.