Help choosing a system for someone else

cats_five · 01-23-2011, 07:24 AM

OK, grainy is probably digital noise and a DSLR should be better. Blurry could be all sorts of things including the child moving or being too close, and washed out face / dark background is because of using the flash, and I don't think a DSLR will help unless she can get a result she is happy with from a high ISO and no flash.

Suggest she tries for some outdoor ones to see if they are any better.

What Canon model is she using right now? And what is she wanting to do with the photos? View on monitor? Digital photo frame? Small print? Medium print (A4)? Huge print?

Last edited by cats_five; 01-23-2011 at 08:12 AM.

epqwerty · 01-23-2011, 07:55 AM

I had the same dillemma just recently. However after playing with the kx and the xs from canon the 260 difference is definitely worth it. The grain from the xs at high iso is too much. Thus a fast lens is needed for low light situations. Whereas the kx can be bumped to 1600 no problem. Also the kx has video and live mode whereas the xs has live view but only af if you turn off the live view. Between the two I'd take the kx every time. To put it in perspective the xs came out when the k2000 was out and it wasn't much better than the k2000 only thing it had was live view whereas the k2000 did not.

GerryL · 01-23-2011, 10:39 AM

Let her use your K-x with a cranked up ISO.
High enough ISO settings being one that would not give too much grain.
This would address the grainy photos and she wouldn't have the need to use flash either to wash out her photos and this prevents movement blur too!

GerryL · 01-23-2011, 10:41 AM

Don't forget to change the viewfinder diopter settings according to her eye specs so that she can see clearly through the viewfinder, not unless she would only use the "live view" most of the time.

clockwork247 · 01-23-2011, 12:43 PM

buy a sony like me, the A500 is a mare 400 bucks now with kitlens + a 50mm f/1.7 for 100 bucks....

the A500 is way better than my A330, i tried it out, no video though haha.

cats_five · 01-23-2011, 02:07 PM

Originally posted by GerryL

Don't forget to change the viewfinder diopter settings according to her eye specs so that she can see clearly through the viewfinder, not unless she would only use the "live view" most of the time.

I've always worn my specs and get on fine with the Pentax viewfinder. But if she is holding a camera with no viewfinder at arm's length that could be where some (or most) of the blurryness is coming from.

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01-23-2011, 07:24 AM	#16
cats_five Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 835	OK, grainy is probably digital noise and a DSLR should be better. Blurry could be all sorts of things including the child moving or being too close, and washed out face / dark background is because of using the flash, and I don't think a DSLR will help unless she can get a result she is happy with from a high ISO and no flash. Suggest she tries for some outdoor ones to see if they are any better. What Canon model is she using right now? And what is she wanting to do with the photos? View on monitor? Digital photo frame? Small print? Medium print (A4)? Huge print? Last edited by cats_five; 01-23-2011 at 08:12 AM.

01-23-2011, 07:55 AM	#17
epqwerty Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ontario Posts: 550	I had the same dillemma just recently. However after playing with the kx and the xs from canon the 260 difference is definitely worth it. The grain from the xs at high iso is too much. Thus a fast lens is needed for low light situations. Whereas the kx can be bumped to 1600 no problem. Also the kx has video and live mode whereas the xs has live view but only af if you turn off the live view. Between the two I'd take the kx every time. To put it in perspective the xs came out when the k2000 was out and it wasn't much better than the k2000 only thing it had was live view whereas the k2000 did not.

01-23-2011, 10:39 AM	#18
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Let her use your K-x with a cranked up ISO. High enough ISO settings being one that would not give too much grain. This would address the grainy photos and she wouldn't have the need to use flash either to wash out her photos and this prevents movement blur too!

01-23-2011, 10:41 AM	#19
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Don't forget to change the viewfinder diopter settings according to her eye specs so that she can see clearly through the viewfinder, not unless she would only use the "live view" most of the time.

01-23-2011, 12:43 PM	#20
clockwork247 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 360	buy a sony like me, the A500 is a mare 400 bucks now with kitlens + a 50mm f/1.7 for 100 bucks.... the A500 is way better than my A330, i tried it out, no video though haha.

01-23-2011, 02:07 PM	#21
cats_five Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 835	Originally posted by GerryL Don't forget to change the viewfinder diopter settings according to her eye specs so that she can see clearly through the viewfinder, not unless she would only use the "live view" most of the time. I've always worn my specs and get on fine with the Pentax viewfinder. But if she is holding a camera with no viewfinder at arm's length that could be where some (or most) of the blurryness is coming from.