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Looking for an upgrade

Peanutsy
Apprentice

I have the Canon Powershot SD850 IS. I broke my old on a while ago (ran over it, it still worked but the LCD was broken). I bought another one to replace that one and now I am looking to upgrade.

 

I love the quality of the photos that the 850 gave me. I liked the manual controls and being able to focus in by pressing the shutter button. What I'm looking for is something that gives amazing photos for a good price. I'll mainly be using it for baby pictures, macro and maybe lower light photos. I don't see a need for high optical zoom but it never hurts having it.

 

I'm currently thinking of the Elph 340 due to the price. From what I've read there was some noise involved now since they upgraded it to 16 MP. I have heard that the 330 is a better option but it's really hard to find one now at a decent price.

 

I was also considering going to the S95. I can get a used one for about 160 USD which is a good price and as long as it works and nothing is broken then I don't mind getting used.

 

I am open to all suggestions for a camera, my maximum comfortable price is 200 USD but I will go up to 250 USD if it's worth it.

 

Thanks in advance

1 REPLY 1

smack53
Mentor

Hi Peanutsy,

 

The S95 is a terrific camera choice for several reasons, but it depends on how you want to use the camera. The ELPH cameras all shoot in JPEG, the standard photo format. While the ELPHs do a good job for the money, the S95 and its successors shoot in both RAW and JPEG. RAW files have the capability of having a lot more detail being saved for extraordinary photos. Of course, you will need to process the RAW photo with some software such as Photoshop Elements to get the optimal results. The JPEG images are also much nicer than the ELPH series because the sensor is larger on the S95 and gives a little better resolution, especially under less than ideal lighting conditions. Plus the lens is much brighter on the S95 allowing for higher shutter speeds, giving clearer pictures.

 

If you aren't interested in going too deep with photography, then the ELPH 330 is a little better noise wise than the 340. Since the ELPH 340 camera is the new equivalent of your old camera, there is not a large learning curve to get accustomed to. The S95 is an enthusiast level camera, which means there are a host of new controls and menus to learn, and a lot of manual control that allows you to get precisely the photo as you would like it. Like all the PowerShot cameras, the Auto Mode works really well on both of these, but the ELPH has more scene modes that it works with. The S95 really shines when you use it more manually than automatic.

 

I would check out KEH Camera for some good used equipment if you decide to go that route. They are a reputable dealer and have a decent selection and nice pricing. Good luck on your purchase.

 

Steve.

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