Digi: Nikon Coolpix SQ or Minolta Dimage Xt???

[chaoliang]

Has anyone expierences with one or both of these cameras? I can't decide.

[HedsSpaz]

https://www.dpreview.com

Personally, as a long time photography hobbyist/enthusiast I tend to lean towards the long standing reputable names. Nikon and Canon have always been the best in the biz and so I'd be inclined to lean towards the Nikon between you're two choices. By the same token, Minolta also has a good name, but it's not Nikon. Both the dimage and the coolpix series' of personal digital camera's are very popular. Chances are you'd be happy with either one. See if you can find reviews on dpreview of them or ask in the forums there.

Hope that helps,
Ian

[chaoliang]

Thanks Ian. I chose the Nikon, just like my analog camras. Pleased to read your opinions on the brands.

Regards,
Chaoliang

[Greebe]

I agree with Ian on Nikon's analog film cameras (have both M&N brands), but this is digital and Minolta has a very good showing, better at this level IMHO

Minolta is one of the very few that still design and make their own optics/lenses.

[az]

I'd choose the Minolta - with this kind of camera, it's all (ok, not all, but a lot) about style, and the Nikon is just butt ugly

I like the Dimage X series' design of the non-extending lenses - fast startup times, and makes using marine cases much easier (which is a big plus, IMHO). And they look better. And my Dimage 7i is clearly superior to the CP5700 (but that one was a dud).

AZ

[chaoliang]

Originally posted by Greebe


Minolta is one of the very few that still design and make their own optics/lenses.

So Nikon. Minolta is surely one of the best in the digital world. But it's so hard to tell which specific model is better than one of the other brands.

@AZ: I agree with you that the design of former Nikon digital camras are not so chic. But you must see the SQ. IMO it's as cool as Dimage X (I think the design of the newest Dimage Xt is less good than its elder brothers X and Xi). And the SQ has swing object. Macro of SQ (4cm!!) is a way better than Xt (over 10cm).

[az]

Yes, Minolta, Nikon, Canon, Pentax all design their own lenses. Maybe not for all cameras, but they all do. Many manufacturers use Canon lenses BTW (the standard digicam 3x zoom is a canon lens, stuff like "Carl Zeiss", manufacturer's badges etc. are often only there because of different coating, different binning grade, and/or marketing).

Chaoliang: I have seen the SQ (only on hi-res pictures I must admit) and the Xt, and I like the Xt better. I don't like Nikon's swiveling lens design, don't know why. And I like about the X series that they are one solid (and smaller than the SQ by a not insignificant margin!) block, without any moving parts on the outside. One of the great benefits about this design is, as I've written above, that you can most easily use a marine case (and there is a special one by Minolta just for this camera), which makes the cam much more rugged, would give me much more piece of mind when shooting in the rain, and would even allow you to take your cam diving! This is the one thing I don't like about my Dimage 7i - it'd be impossible to use all its controls with a marine case, especially the zoom and manual focus.

That said, I am sure the SQ is a very good camera, and I'm sure it's lots of fun to shoot with it

AZ

[chaoliang]

AZ: I agree. If Dimage Xt were less good, I should not have such headache to compare the two. I finally decided to take SQ mostly because of the good macro performance, which is very important to me. As for the swiveling lens, it's a just a fun to sometimes take pictures without letting others' notice. A bit childish, I admit.

[az]

No, it can be useful

In a concert, when you need to aim above everyones' heads, and you don't happen to be a professional basketballer, for instance

AZ