~ Critique & Analysis: Key Reasons Favoring Canon Powershot ELPH 300 HS (IXUS 220 HS)

[laptopcamera]

the question is why Canon Powershot ELPH 300 HS (IXUS 220 HS) is better than the best camera for laptop/tablet/phone for regular usage.

reviews.photographyreview.com/best-digital-camera-holiday-guide/2 says Canon Powershot ELPH 300 HS (IXUS 220 HS) is the best

price: 150-200
Aperture f/2.7 (W) - f/5.9 (T)
Focal Length 24 - 120 mm
1080p HD video
5x optical zoom
12-megapixel CMOS sensor with Canon HS system
2.7 in LCD

more nonimportant?? specs on imaging-resource.com/PRODS/300HS/300HSDAT.HTM
only a 4/5 from digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=4680&review=canon+powershot+300 +hs

no idea what's the best camera for laptop tablet phones though for comparison --

iPad 3
Aperture f2.4
Focal length 35
1920x1080 (1080p HD) (30 fps)
9.7 in lcd

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aperture#In_photography -- so lower is better and the aperture for the tablet is about 11% better than the digi cam

or is it the case that there isn't any good reasons why the best value camera is not better than cameras on other mobile devices?

[laptopcamera]

having the understanding that you just need a regular camera to make great shots -- kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm

and kenrockwell.com/tech/great-camera.htm is about a "great" camera and for regular usage, you don't need a great one,

the question between a digi cam like the above compared with a camera on a laptop tablet etc. still is unsolved.

[Manfred M]

First of all; the Canon you are asking about has a 12 MP sensor and the iPad3 has a 5MP sensor rear facing and a 0.3 MP front facing sensor.

Lower aperture is indeed better; it provides faster exposures and shallower depth of field; but the difference between f/2.4 and f/2.7 is between 1/3 and 1/2 stop, so not that nuch of a deal. Just looking at f-stops misses something very important; lens resolution (measured in lines/mm) and lens defects known as aberations and distortion. The specs of the iPad lens look okay (5 elements and stabilized) 35mm equiv versus the Canon which is an image stabilized 6 element design. The main difference is that the Canon has a zoom lens (5x optical; 24 - 120mm equiv).

The Canon covers ISO speeds from 100 - 3200; shutter speeds from 15 sec to 1/2000 sec and +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments. iPad specs don't detail anything here, so it's hard to guess at how it performs. In marketing literature one can usually assume that if it isn't listed, it isn't a feature of the product.

All that being said, you can take reasonable pictures with the iPad, but you have a lot more picture taking control in a dedicated camera. Spec wise, the Canon blows the iPad out of the water.

[Dave Humphries]

Not to mention sensor size and the effect that has on aperture for Depth of Field control and noise in low light!

This means you cannot directly compare the f/2.7 and f/2.4 figures of the two cameras and say the iPad is 11% better. To be honest, it would be meaningless figure anyway, even if the sensors were the same size (and I bet they're not).

May I suggest you read and understand the basic principles from tutorials here rather than adopt this high speed scattergun approach, take them one at a time, read them thoroughly (not a quick scan and quote) it is a more effective way to learn!

[laptopcamera]

Where do you find the MTF for Canon Powershot ELPH 300 HS (IXUS 220 HS)???

[laptopcamera]

The specs of the iPad lens look okay (5 elements and stabilized) 35mm equiv versus the Canon which is an image stabilized 6 element design...

1) where did you find specs on this?? it's so difficult to find camera/camcorder specs for mobile devices

All that being said, you can take reasonable pictures with the iPad, but you have a lot more picture taking control in a dedicated camera. Spec wise, the Canon blows the iPad out of the water.

2) okay, though none of these details say anything about how it's better than the tablet when it come to regular usage. it sounds like the main reason is that the digi cam just offers more versatility (in case you needed it). the details aren't being related to practical use. and how does the details even translate into a better photo when using it regularly, if it even does?

[laptopcamera]

Not to mention sensor size and the effect that has on aperture for Depth of Field control and noise in low light!

my understanding of sensor size is that it's not really relevant or important for good photos and it's mainly about taking differnt shots -- cambridgeincolour.com/forums/thread20015.htm

[Manfred M]

Where do you find the MTF for Canon Powershot ELPH 300 HS (IXUS 220 HS)???

http://www.canon.ca/inetCA/products?m=gp&pid=8868#_030 Look on the specification tab.

[Manfred M]

1) where did you find specs on this?? it's so difficult to find camera/camcorder specs for mobile devices

The Apple website

http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/

http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/

2) okay, though none of these details say anything about how it's better than the tablet when it come to regular usage. it sounds like the main reason is that the digi cam just offers more versatility (in case you needed it).

I think you've already made up your mind that the tablet will do anything as well as a purpose built camera. That is simply not true. Yes, you can take reasonable imags with the iPad (or Android or camera phone), so long as you work within its limitations. These devices have replaced the cheap film cameras of the past as the entry-level, casual snapshot tool. They are primarily designed for web images, and if all you want to do is take the occasional picture with a semi-wide angle lens camera, go right ahead. If you want to turn out a decent size picture to frame, you will be pushing your luck. If you want to have a poster sized print, the results will not be very good.

You could get some decent landscape and groups shots, and if you are lucky, even an event shot or two. In the hands of an expert user, you will get some compelling images because the expert will shoot subject matter that can be handled within the constraints of the tool. If you want to do action shots, portraits or wildlife shots, you will be out of luck, as the camera are not suited to this type of photography.

Nicely said, if you are willing to work within the limitations of the tablet or laptop camera, go ahead. If you want to get into serious photography, you will find yourself rather limited...

[Manfred M]

my understanding of sensor size is that it's not really relevant or important for good photos and it's mainly about taking differnt shots -- cambridgeincolour.com/forums/thread20015.htm

As Dave has already pointed out, you should read and understand the relevent articles.

While there is a grain of truth in what you write, you really should understand there are signifcant limitations to what small sensors are capable of delivering. A larger sensor will allow you to take pictures that you simply cannot get with a small sensor. Ultrawide angle shots are not possible with a small sensor, you can't crop the image very much and maintain image quality and of course, if you are looking at print media, you do need a large sensor if you want to print large images.

[Dave Humphries]

my understanding of sensor size is that it's not really relevant or important for good photos and it's mainly about taking differnt shots

You are correct when you say this first bit "my understanding of sensor size is that it's not really relevant or important for good photos", but after that you go astray, what is important, above all else, is the skill of the photographer.

Bear in mind that CiC tutorials are mainly discussing real cameras, not those add-on features found in laptops and mobile phones, even if we do include those tiny sensor sizes in the diagrams.

The sensor in an iPhone 4S is 1/3.2" size; this is apparently 4.6 x 3.5mm (and that's being generous and rounding up), that's about 16 sq-mm, which is a little over half the area a P&S has and a third what a bridge camera has. See here for more data.

Many serious photographers are looking for ways to minimise Depth of Field in their pictures by use of wide apertures and larger sensor cameras, so your assertion that sensor size doesn't matter much and (elsewhere) always using the smallest diameter (= highest f/number) aperture may lead you to a false conclusion. However, it does depend upon what you're trying to photograph and what you consider to be a good picture.

[rpcrowe]

If you are happy with the quality of your cell-phone or I-pad photography/video, more power to you! You have saved yourself a grunch of money and have one fewer tool to worry about becoming obsolete.

I have tried my smart phone (2012 phone) for photos and while they are recognizeable images, they are certainly not the quality that I would want to display as an example of my photographic talents. The images produced by my smart phone do not have the quality of the cardboard throw away film cameras sold at supermarket check out stands.

However, it was not too far in the distant past that the most expensive digital cameras suffered from poor quality imagery. They have come a long way in the past 15 or 20 years and I would expect that phone and I-pad type photography will also improve in the next twenty or so years.

[jcuknz]

Back in the days of film one could buy a Box Brownie for a few pounds and a Leica for quite a few pounds.[ Canon was just a cheap Japanese copy] On a sunny day both would give you good results but when the sun went away you needed the Leica. This is less obvious with the modern cellphone since they seem to work well in almost any reasonable light but the principle remains .... you pay for versatility. Though with another modern twist I guess the I pad costs more than the IXUS GRRRUR! Still the I-pad talks to other machines that the IXUS doesn't