Canon A40 vs CoolPix 775

[JFK]

Would like to seek opinions on which DC is better in terms of value for money:

a. Canon A40 ($580), or
b. Coolpix 775 ($510, extra 32mb cf, extra lithium ion battery)

personally, i would like to get 775, but the stock with Nikon Showroom under UOB promo only comes in mid April.

As i'm a newbie, wouldn't want to spend too much at this stage.

any comment pls. Thank you.

 

[YSLee]

2500!! Coolpix 2500!

 

[Bluestrike]

Well

there are two DC to consider!
1) Canon A40
2) Nikon 2500

Both are great DC at a very affordable price
(Abt 550-600 correct mi if I'm not wrong here)

One thing good abt the 2500 is that it has a sivel len as compared to the A40.

Not sure abt pic quality as I've not seen it.

 

[copland]

Originally posted by JFK
Would like to seek opinions on which DC is better in terms of value for money:

a. Canon A40 ($580), or
b. Coolpix 775 ($510, extra 32mb cf, extra lithium ion battery)

personally, i would like to get 775, but the stock with Nikon Showroom under UOB promo only comes in mid April.

As i'm a newbie, wouldn't want to spend too much at this stage.

any comment pls. Thank you.

Nikon 775 only wins in the area of portability. All things else, I think A40 offers better value for money.

BTW, coolpix 2500 is selling at $520 at Alan Photo (I checked last Sat).

 

[Jayan]

The Canon A40 wins overall....

But the Nikon Coolpx 2500 looks kinda cute. It's more of a lifestyle product rather than a DC...gals will like it (and guys too...). But it doesn;'t have vuewfinder.

 

[JFK]

Thanks, may go for A40 afterall. will probably drop by CP or AP after work to check out the DC.
cheers.

 

[Bluestrike]

Originally posted by JFK
Thanks, may go for A40 afterall. will probably drop by CP or AP after work to check out the DC.
cheers.

Happying Shopping....

Now, to stick to the tradition..............

Buy Buy Buy

Buy Buy Buy!!!!


Buy Buy Buy ! ! !

 

[Jayan]

Originally posted by JFK
Thanks, may go for A40 afterall. will probably drop by CP or AP after work to check out the DC.
cheers.

Or go for the trusty Olymopus C-2040z...full range of manual controls leh!!!

 

[xdivider]

Originally posted by Bluestrike


Happying Shopping....

Now, to stick to the tradition..............

Buy Buy Buy

Buy Buy Buy!!!!


Buy Buy Buy ! ! !

where's the picture?

 

[JFK]

Yep, have read lots of good review on oly c2040z. Will be exploring with salesperson on this. understand model is discontinued. not sure whether can press down the price to below $600, if not, will get the newer A40. cheers!

 

[kylelam77]

i faced the same dilemma as u. wanted to get either the 775, oly 2040 or the canon A40. I am a newbie but would like to explore more abt digital photography so the use of manuals would be impt. I left out the coolpix 775 becos many users overseas had problems with it and its nite pics arent that gd. I liked the canon becos of its excellent lens and gd nite shots but to me, i felt the canon A40's build quality wasn't as gd as the oly 2040. U can feel the plastic and the way the buttons are constructed. It feels too plastic and there's this light feeling abt the build. Not as hardy as the oly. I also understand that the canon A40 had alignment problems in the dpreview forums. So i bot the oly in the end. It was slightly more ex and it sure didnt feel gd that its discontinued but at least i know it was a champion in its own right. If u are more a point and shoot guy, i think the Canon is a value buy.

 

[copland]

Originally posted by kylelam77
i faced the same dilemma as u. wanted to get either the 775, oly 2040 or the canon A40. I am a newbie but would like to explore more abt digital photography so the use of manuals would be impt. I left out the coolpix 775 becos many users overseas had problems with it and its nite pics arent that gd. I liked the canon becos of its excellent lens and gd nite shots but to me, i felt the canon A40's build quality wasn't as gd as the oly 2040. U can feel the plastic and the way the buttons are constructed. It feels too plastic and there's this light feeling abt the build. Not as hardy as the oly. I also understand that the canon A40 had alignment problems in the dpreview forums. So i bot the oly in the end. It was slightly more ex and it sure didnt feel gd that its discontinued but at least i know it was a champion in its own right. If u are more a point and shoot guy, i think the Canon is a value buy.

SO how much you got the Oly? the C2040? How much?

Sigh... I am still in dilemma.

 

[fcpga]

Originally posted by kylelam77
i faced the same dilemma as u. wanted to get either the 775, oly 2040 or the canon A40. I am a newbie but would like to explore more abt digital photography so the use of manuals would be impt. I left out the coolpix 775 becos many users overseas had problems with it and its nite pics arent that gd. I liked the canon becos of its excellent lens and gd nite shots but to me, i felt the canon A40's build quality wasn't as gd as the oly 2040. U can feel the plastic and the way the buttons are constructed. It feels too plastic and there's this light feeling abt the build. Not as hardy as the oly. I also understand that the canon A40 had alignment problems in the dpreview forums. So i bot the oly in the end. It was slightly more ex and it sure didnt feel gd that its discontinued but at least i know it was a champion in its own right. If u are more a point and shoot guy, i think the Canon is a value buy.

if you wanted complete manual control, A40 doesn't have Shutter Priority, no Aperture Priotity, and in manual mode, only 2 aperture settings available.

if all these are also required, then the choice is clear.

 

[kylelam77]

got the oly for 700 with 64MB smartmedia card incl gst.

 

[Jayan]

Originally posted by kylelam77
got the oly for 700 with 64MB smartmedia card incl gst.

Confirmed??? then welcome to the Olympus family, Olympian.

 

[Jango]

Originally posted by fcpga


if you wanted complete manual control, A40 doesn't have Shutter Priority, no Aperture Priotity, and in manual mode, only 2 aperture settings available.

I've been wanting to clarify this. The A40 allows fully manual aperture and shutter control, but without aperture priority and shutter priority mode. Correct me if I'm wrong, but AP and SP only provides extra convenience. With A40, in manual mode, there is an exposure indicator telling u if the image will be over or under expose with the current A and S settings. For example, if you want to control Shutter, simply set Shutter to your desired speed, then adjust Aperture until the indicator gives a good exposure reading (not - nor +). With SP, the Aperture will change automaticall when you change S speed to maintain that good exposure read. So in the end, its really the same thing. Only a bit more troublesome. Right?

 

[copland]

Originally posted by Jango


I've been wanting to clarify this. The A40 allows fully manual aperture and shutter control, but without aperture priority and shutter priority mode. Correct me if I'm wrong, but AP and SP only provides extra convenience. With A40, in manual mode, there is an exposure indicator telling u if the image will be over or under expose with the current A and S settings. For example, if you want to control Shutter, simply set Shutter to your desired speed, then adjust Aperture until the indicator gives a good exposure reading (not - nor +). With SP, the Aperture will change automaticall when you change S speed to maintain that good exposure read. So in the end, its really the same thing. Only a bit more troublesome. Right?

The A40 allows you to play with the shutter settings up to 15 secs. In terms of aperture settings, there are only 2 F settings available to you at any time e.g. at 0 zoom the F settings available is 2.8 and 8.0 and at 3x zoom, the F settings available is 4.8 and 14.0.

There is no "+" or "-" indicator to tell you to increase or reduce shutter speed (if there is, please let me know how to activate it). The LCD, however, will sort of give you an idea whether it is under or overexposed as it adjusts when you change the shutter setting.

So it is true that it is not fully manual as far as playing with F settings is concern. To get the right exposure you have to "trial and error". Not a problem for digital camera , just (as you said) more troublesome.

 

[kylelam77]

Originally posted by Jayan


Confirmed??? then welcome to the Olympus family, Olympian.

Thanks! Olympian.....Hmmm, sounds like an athlete....

 

[fcpga]

Originally posted by copland


There is no "+" or "-" indicator to tell you to increase or reduce shutter speed (if there is, please let me know how to activate it). The LCD, however, will sort of give you an idea whether it is under or overexposed as it adjusts when you change the shutter setting.

in most camera, there will be a reading indicator, in my S40 and C2040.

In C2040, if your aperture is too small, it will be indicated in red with a down or up arrow indiciating you need to increase the aperture or decrease it.

Same as for C2040, the LCD will adjust according to whatever you set.

But hey, you A40 is cheap, at least slightly cheaper than C2040 and it comes with sound recording for movie clip.

So hard to find cheap and Green at the same time.

any by the way, no point comparing the lousy coolpix775 with a A40. its way behind it. (my personal opinion)

 

[fcpga]

Originally posted by Jango


but AP and SP only provides extra convenience.

I think its more than that isn't it, its about getting the correct shutter speed setting for a particular aperture

or a particular shutter speed for a given Aperture. It based on a a mathematical forumula calculation.

this proper match will give the correct exposure. Of course, you can do your own calculation/adjustment/measurement/judgement in Manual mode,

provided there is proper mix of aperture to play with.