As a newbie to all this, I thought the Canon PowerShot G9 would be a great step up from the Nikon S1 compact I've been using this last couple of years. And it's certainly true that on features and overall performance, it would have been a big improvement.
However...
The first one I ordered (from Amazon) had a faulty screen - when looking at dark images, there were two or three areas at the edge of the screen with a noticeable green glow. Canon said this wasn't right, so I returned it and asked for a replacement...
... which arrived today, and the screen is fine!
BUT - it seems there is a stuck bright pixel (or cluster of pixels) on the viewfinder sensor only, such that there's always a bright and infuriating dot near the middle of the screen when previewing a shot (though not there on image playback)! :bang: In bright lighting you can't see it, but in dimmer scenes, it's obvious (my son noticed it straight away). I've read a couple of other posts on forums where people have experienced this same problem
So... my second G9 is going back to Amazon tomorrow - this time for a refund. I can't keep waiting for yet another replacement until I finally get one that works as it should. It's a pity - what a beautifully constructed piece of gear, but I can't live with a brand new camera having this fault, however minor.
The good news is, it has prompted me to spend a little more and upgrade to a DSLR!
After lots of research, I was torn between the Canon EOS 400D and the Nikon D40X. Both seemed to offer very good features for the price, with the Canon perhaps having the edge on functionality. In the end, though, I went for the Nikon!
Why?
- perhaps unfairly, I'm feeling anti-Canon on Quality Control issues just now (I know, it *is* unfair)
- allegedly, the bundled lens in D40X kit is a little superior to that shipped with the EOS 400D
- battery capacity and life is much greater
- SD and SDHC compatibility, so I can use my existing cards
- Nikon's £40 cash-back deal made it fifty quid cheaper than the Canon!!
I realise there are down-sides to the D40X, particularly the lack of a motor in the camera body, limiting the choices of lens for auto-focus use. But for a mere (mature) student like me, it seems to fit the bill nicely.
In preparation, I also bought a Sigma 55-200mm F4-5.6 DC HSM lens which *is* auto-focus compatible. Got a great deal on that, with a big £50 off when bundled with the already-discounted D40X
I'm sure there'll be many who think I should have gone for the EOS 400D, or that for some other reason I've made a poor or rash choice - but right now I can't stop grinning! This D40X is *really* nice, and I think it'll be a good introduction to DSLR photography
I've checked the camera over, and I can't find any stuck or dead pixels on the sensor or monitor - I guess it will develop some over time, but at least it's 100% out of the box
Cheers
Mike
However...
The first one I ordered (from Amazon) had a faulty screen - when looking at dark images, there were two or three areas at the edge of the screen with a noticeable green glow. Canon said this wasn't right, so I returned it and asked for a replacement...
... which arrived today, and the screen is fine!
BUT - it seems there is a stuck bright pixel (or cluster of pixels) on the viewfinder sensor only, such that there's always a bright and infuriating dot near the middle of the screen when previewing a shot (though not there on image playback)! :bang: In bright lighting you can't see it, but in dimmer scenes, it's obvious (my son noticed it straight away). I've read a couple of other posts on forums where people have experienced this same problem So... my second G9 is going back to Amazon tomorrow - this time for a refund. I can't keep waiting for yet another replacement until I finally get one that works as it should. It's a pity - what a beautifully constructed piece of gear, but I can't live with a brand new camera having this fault, however minor.
The good news is, it has prompted me to spend a little more and upgrade to a DSLR!
After lots of research, I was torn between the Canon EOS 400D and the Nikon D40X. Both seemed to offer very good features for the price, with the Canon perhaps having the edge on functionality. In the end, though, I went for the Nikon!
Why?
- perhaps unfairly, I'm feeling anti-Canon on Quality Control issues just now (I know, it *is* unfair)
- allegedly, the bundled lens in D40X kit is a little superior to that shipped with the EOS 400D
- battery capacity and life is much greater
- SD and SDHC compatibility, so I can use my existing cards
- Nikon's £40 cash-back deal made it fifty quid cheaper than the Canon!!
I realise there are down-sides to the D40X, particularly the lack of a motor in the camera body, limiting the choices of lens for auto-focus use. But for a mere (mature) student like me, it seems to fit the bill nicely.
In preparation, I also bought a Sigma 55-200mm F4-5.6 DC HSM lens which *is* auto-focus compatible. Got a great deal on that, with a big £50 off when bundled with the already-discounted D40X
I'm sure there'll be many who think I should have gone for the EOS 400D, or that for some other reason I've made a poor or rash choice - but right now I can't stop grinning!
This D40X is *really* nice, and I think it'll be a good introduction to DSLR photography I've checked the camera over, and I can't find any stuck or dead pixels on the sensor or monitor - I guess it will develop some over time, but at least it's 100% out of the box
Cheers
Mike
