Squeezed between a rock and a hard place .....N8 or S95 for day to day camera?

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

I have a sorta hard decision to take:

A year ago I bought a Canon Powershot G11 as being the smallest decent camara capable of shooting raw files.
The purpose was to have a small lightweight day-to-day camera.

After all I must say it was a fail.

The G11 is great within its class, but for the purpose it simply is still too big.
I didn't buy the S90 at that time because I wanted raw - The G11 was also my first digital camera
after running around with an old 3 MP Nikon for a couple of years.
I want to change that and have a camera which I'd really have with me every day.
Thats why I'm considering the Nokia N8, since I also need a new mobile, though its not raw capable.
For a mobile the IQ is superb, but still it is a mobile with very limited low light capabilities.
But this I would have with me for sure.
As an alternative today there is the S95 - slick, small, raw.

I feel very undecided and thought I'd post the "issue" here to get some input - maybe I'm not the only one who had to take such a decision.

- Sell the G11 and get an S95 + a simple mobile?
- Sell the G11 and get a N8 and buy a DSLR later?
- Keep the G11 get an intermediate mobile (maybe with a builtin 5 MP camera)

My "real" camera in any case is MF film, but thats a different game.
On the long run I think I want cameras at 3 scales:
- day to day cam
- "real cam" => tech with 6*9 back
- mobile, quick but more serious cam, e.g. M-system or DSLR

Ideas ?

[Wayne Fox]

I didn't buy the S90 at that time because I wanted raw -

So you didn't realize the s90 uses the exact same sensor and works exactly like a G11, including capturing RAW and full manual controls if you want?

The s90/95 are terrific pocket cameras ... probably the best choice for the size.  It will easily produce nice largish prints (17x22, maybe a little larger).  While you can take some interesting snaps with a phone (my iPhone 5mp is decent), it's still too limiting and not in the same ball park as the s95.

Sell the G11 and get a s95 ... think you'll like the quality considering the small size.

[Paul Sumi]

Sell the G11 and get a s95 ... think you'll like the quality considering the small size.

+1.  And I'm saying this as one who owns a G10 as my "everywhere" camera.  The S form factor is too small for my hands.

Paul

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

Yeah - seems I got misinformed at that time concerning the raw format.
Today I was in a shop and checked the form factor of the S95 again.
I think I'll get this little kitten and sell the G11 tiger.
A photo mobile is not (yet) really a good idea ..

[uaiomex]

Results like these makes me believe digital medium format is doomed.
Eduardo
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1010&message=36973207

[stever]

after the s60 finally died, i got an s90 with the aftermarket grip which makes a huge difference.  it only gets shot in RAW which gives excellent results combined with LR 3 processing - as long as there's decent light and lower ISO - and you're not trying to focus on action (focus speed and shutter lag are still pocket-camera class).  however, i'm so impressed with LR 3 noise reduction that i'm tempted to try ISO 800.  as i see it, the main advantage of G11 is viewfinder (no small thing given the difficulty of framing with the LCD in bright light

right now, i think the s90/95 best really small camera - probably need to jump to a Panasonic micro 4/3 to get a noticeable improvement in high ISO IQ and autofocus - the niche for the G-series is getting pretty narrow unless Canon decides to put a bigger sensor in it.

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

after the s60 finally died, i got an s90 with the aftermarket grip which makes a huge difference.  it only gets shot in RAW which gives excellent results combined with LR 3 processing - as long as there's decent light and lower ISO - and you're not trying to focus on action (focus speed and shutter lag are still pocket-camera class).  however, i'm so impressed with LR 3 noise reduction that i'm tempted to try ISO 800.  as i see it, the main advantage of G11 is viewfinder (no small thing given the difficulty of framing with the LCD in bright light

right now, i think the s90/95 best really small camera - probably need to jump to a Panasonic micro 4/3 to get a noticeable improvement in high ISO IQ and autofocus - the niche for the G-series is getting pretty narrow unless Canon decides to put a bigger sensor in it.

Another advantage of the G11 is the flash shoe ...

[SecondFocus]

I have the S90 and could not be happier with it.

But an after-market grip would be good, which ones do you guys have?

Thanks

[stever]

Franiec - just Google s90 grip, it's about $30

[AFairley]

+1 for the S90 here.  I've got 17x22s out of mine that amaze me.

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

Yesterday I got the S95.
Its the jpeg (I also have the raw), right out of the camera,
just shrunk it with bicubic sharper option and added frame:

I love to have f2.0 ...

The very first image with my new camera -"Tadaaa":

[teo.karp]

The problem with a phone camera is the optics and the sensor ,although the pinhole-like infinite DOF is a plus. Even the cheapest generic compact will outperform a cell-camera in speed and quality, not to mention the s95. Speaking of which they're having a fire sale on amazon.. only 229$ today amzn.to/u6J3Wf

[DaveL]

This is an old thread :-)
A lot can happen in a year. The s100 is out now (December '12) in select markets. By now the O.P. may be replacing his phone and his S95!
;-)