Compact Digital for taking to gigs

The_Yin

The_Yin

Messages
155
Name
Andy
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi folks.
I'm looking to buy a compact camera.
I had kind of settled on the Sony Dsc-hx20v
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Cyber-...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1352296508&sr=1-1

Which after cash back and a discount from my work I can get for £180 ish.

However I popped Into jessops to ask some questions and see what there recommendations were.
They suggested the Canon powershot sx220 hs. HS apparently is there low light special one.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-Power...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1352395114&sr=1-1
Which they currently have on offer for £129.95 down from £179.99

I want the camera to use when at gigs mainly. So really poor light conditions, flashing lights etc Will also be used for more general use like holidays track days etc.


I was a gig last week and seen a girl use the previous model of the Sony I am looking at. And it was taking amazing photos! So clear and crisp despite the lighting conditions. Even when zoomed into the lead singers face. Was very quick at taking pics as well. Had an anti stabilisation function as well. So if you were not holding it steady it stabilised it for you so it was clear!

So has anyone used either. Or own either.


If you were going to buy one, which would you get?
Or is there anything else you would recomend.
Max budget £200. But could prob go to £250
Guy in jessops reckons the canon will have the edge in poor light conditions.

.
 
Welcome aboard - and congatulations on a brave choice of user name - be prepared for lots of abuse and wookie-related mickey-taking, until everyone realises that we've now got two 'Yins :lol:
 
Haha. Cheers for the welcome TheBigYin.
Hmm. Name I automatically use everywhere. As no one ever seems to use it.
As for the abuse. I'll bear it well.
 
I have no direct comment about either but I have been looking very very hard at the hx20v, checking reviews, start and pools on flicker (such as this) and everything looks brilliant, until you take a look at an original shot and see the watercolour look on anything thats not sharp.

I'll give this one as an example - a strong macro (here), but on the original (here) it looks odd to me.

Now some will love that but I always seem to end up cropping so it would be a killer for me, but to you it may be fine - just a heads up I didn't spot for quite a while.
 
Last edited:
To throw another body into the mix, were I not getting a LX7 (may be no good for you not having the x20 zoom which you may need for gigs), I very nearly went for the Panasonic TZ30 (flickr stream here) - this could tick a lot of boxes for you and would be worth looking at, price wise its good too, I was playing with one at PC World today £199 plus a £35 cashback.

Edit: lol, just doing a bit more research on compacts for gigs and I saw your thread on sxoc :D
 
Last edited:
MWHCVT said:
Either I'm very drunk or and this is very worrying the hairy one is breading :eek: sorry no experience of modern compacts so cannot really offer any experienced or even um-experienced opinion :shrug:
Click to expand...
The worrying thing is I'm rather hairy as well! With a beard!

JohnN said:
To throw another body into the mix, were I not getting a LX7 (may be no good for you not having the x20 zoom which you may need for gigs), I very nearly went for the Panasonic TZ30 (flickr stream here) - this could tick a lot of boxes for you and would be worth looking at, price wise its good too, I was playing with one at PC World today £199 plus a £35 cashback.

Edit: lol, just doing a bit more research on compacts for gigs and I saw your thread on sxoc :D
Click to expand...

haha. Yeah I asked n the sxoc as well as there is a massive range of knowledge over on the forum!
You a member?

Hmm. The lx7 ony has a 3.8 optical zoom. Don't think this would be enough.

I've never really cropped photos. So don't think it would really be t much of a problem for me.

I've been looking for a big camera shop to go play with some. But no luck. All I have locally is a small jessops or comet/currys.
 
No, not a sxoc member, just found you on a random internet search :D

I didn't think the lx7 would be much use to you, as you said not a massive zoom, if you don't crop then the hx20v could be the one, all the images I've seen (without pixel peeping) and up to full screen have been really nice, so much so I keep looking despite the fact I know I'd hate it if I got one!

EDIT: Dug up the SX20V group I saw - http://www.flickr.com/groups/hx20v/pool/with/8139851494/#photo_8139851494 - scroll down a bit and there are a few gig shots which look pretty good.
 
Last edited:
Nice find and as always never one answer :)

I'm surprised to see the X10 in there for the same reason as the LX would be excluded (well apart from it coming out after the article was written :)) that being only x4 zoom which I would have thought might be a problem.

I don't know the SX230 at all so can't comment, but I note the TZ30 in there, not surprising really given the range plus as they pointed out the touch screen would be very handy I would imagine, hold aloft and tap where the target is, shot taken.
 
Couple of comments at the end of the review all day the tz30 is poor in low light conditions.

The sx230 is a new model of the sx220 in my OP.
 
That could be a killer for gigs, a shame though as now £199 at Amazon too - here

Re the Sony, just the same but with wifi added, told you I was considering one of these ;)
 
Last edited:
If you could get away with a bridge, it might be worth looking at the SX50, I just heard aboutr this and saw this zoom demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTR-4lF4SBs

Don;t know much else about it, but if its no good perhaps you could get celeb shots, sell them to the Sun and get whoever it is you planned to see to do a private gig :)
 
I can't comment on the merits of different cameras, but I did a fair bit of research recently for a new compact for my other half and settled on the Canon SX230 HS, not to be confused with the IXUS 230. I understand this is identical to the SX220, but with GPS added.

Anyway, here's some shots I took of Muse at the O2 a couple of weeks ago. I don't now if you know the 02, but I was in block 105 which is a fair distance from the stage. There's obviously been a bit of zooming and cropping, but you get the idea.

I hope this helps. Bear in mind that if you are closer to the stage, you won't need to zoom so much, so you get the benefit of a wider aperture, so lower ISO.


Muse_27_10_12_010.jpg


Muse_27_10_12_018.jpg


Muse_27_10_12_002.jpg


Muse_27_10_12_006.jpg


Muse_27_10_12_008.jpg


Muse_27_10_12_004.jpg
 
Thats rare to get such an easy compare, should help you make you mind up.

Are you 100% sure they were taken with HX20, its just I don't see anything in the tags or comments plus theres no exif to confirm - plus at 100% I'm not seeing the watercolour look I mentioned.
 
Last edited:
Those photos came from the Flickr feed you posted above.
If you scroll down you come to them.
 
Last edited:
Went back into jessops today and had a play with the hx20v and the canon sx240 hs.
Also had a look at a Nikon.

Think I've decided I'm going to get the Sony.
Think I knew that anyway but wanted to see what else was out there. For similar money.

So cheers everyone for your tips!
Will buy it in a few days. Only problem is I won't be able to play with it till Xmas haha. Present from my parents.
 
I have the HX9v - which I think shares much of the same characteristics of the HX20v.

Don't pixel peep with the HX range, like the jpeg engine in a lot of Sonys there's quite a lot of noise reduction going on even at low ISO. I wouldn't say the images are 'soft' as such, but they can lack contrast which is easily adjusted through 'Shop/GIMP.

The usual positives for any Sony, including the HX range, are the Sweep Panoramic, Handheld Twilight mode, built in HDR, Superior Auto mode, fantastic video quality, good auto focusing and good image quality.

It's a great all round camera/video camera in one, it doesn't have a single selling point like a fast lens or 1" sensor but it packs a lot into a tiny camera. To me it doesn't compete against the LX5/7s, EX1/2 or S100, they're more about pure image quality, the HXs about giving you as many tools and options with a long zoom, sacrificing some of the image quality that the more specialist compacts give you.

Enjoy your new camera!
 
Hmm. Amazon have put the camera back up to £249.99. Means I'm paying £199.99 via them now.

Plan b. buy direct from Sony. Cost £299. Discount code of 15% makes it £254.14. 10% cash back from my work is another £25 off and the cash back direct from Sony is £40. So it's costing £190 lol.

Oh and I get a free case for the camera as well lol.
 
Hi micehorns. Thanks for that. Some good points there.
Makes me think I'm making the right choice.
 
Might be worth going through topcashback too, you might not get it using other codes but always worth trying for the extra 10% too :)

If you're not a member PM me and I'll send an invite.
 
I need to go through my works website to get my work discount.
Works the same as quidco. Tracks it when you click the link.

I've bought it anyway.
Seems the cash back from Sony is in the form of a pre loaded visa card. Would of preferred a cheque. But that'll do.

I'll send a pm in a minute. Another cashback site could always be useful.
 
lol, was about to log off so sent the link :)
 
Last edited:
Great pics there, looks like you made the right choice for you :)
 
Yep. I'm happy with my choice!
getting some good photos when I'm out and about as well. Love having a decent camera.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top