techno-think-again

[danaeris]

So I got the Exilim S3 for $350, and then realized shortly afterwards that the Z3, while 0.9" thick instead of 0.46", and $400, has 3x optical zoom.

Ack! Should I return what I got and get the Z3? Opinions? I could have unseelie drive to MountainView after work and do the trade before he heads home; nytemuse will still be there.

In other news, I seem to have skipped breakfast. I just didn't feel like fruit salad, and paying $2 for JUST a bagel seemed kinda ridiculous. I'm really hungry, but there will be lunch in only 45 minutes.

Comments

[sproutchk.livejournal.com]

You should totally exchange... it may seem small and not important now.. but later on done the line when you're packing for that trip and you only have so much space.. the smaller does come in handy... and it's a lot lighter to so it's not as much to lug around if you're like walking around for long amounts of time..

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

No, you appear to be confused. I own the S3, which is thinner by about half an inch, $50 cheaper, but does not have optical zoom.

[sproutchk.livejournal.com]

Ohhhhhh! Yah. I read that wrong... hmm... stick with the smaller/cheaper one.... is it worth it to go with one more feature and lose two and pay the extra 50?

[tsgeisel.livejournal.com]

Buying something creates a relationship with it. If you discovered what you consider to be a fatal flaw in a person you're interested in didn't really exist, you'd think nothing of going after them. The same thing applies here.

Ok...that's a crappy analogy - they all are. But you know what I mean. Return it, get something you're really happy with. If optical zoom is important enough for you to be even stressing a bit about it, it's obviously worth it.

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

Well, that's the thing. I DON'T know what's important to me. I've never owned a nice camera in my life, have hardly played with other people's digital cameras, etc.

Ignoring the money, its a question of whether I consider having 3x optical zoom worth an increase in size of about half an inch. Bah. I think I may have to walk to a local camera shop AGAIN and look at them physically. If it doesn't look like any real difference to me in thickness, then it might be worthwhile to shell out the extra $50 for 3x. But if the thickness seems like a lot to me, then it probably isn't worth the extra money.

I'm just not so sure that optical zoom will be useful to me.

[tsgeisel.livejournal.com]

Speaking as someone who owns a nice (non-digital) camera and whose backup point and shoot is still a pretty darned good non-zoom camera, a couple of notes:

1) Optical zoom is highly useful. It will help you to take much more precise pictures, especially in situations where you can't use the "manual zoom" that is your legs. This is really useful at parties and gatherings where you really can't get in close, either for fear of spooking your subject (awww...they're being really cute) or because of physical objects (who put that couch there?).

2) Consider how you'll be carrying your camera around. I wear slacks rather than jeans, because I like having real pockets, and will frequently put that camera at 1.5" thick in my back pocket, and have no issues with that at all. For something you're describing, I rather suspect the extra 1/2 inch will make very little, if any, difference.

But, you're right - the best way to find out if it means anything is by manhandling (so to speak) them.

[auros]

I'd go for the one that has the optical zoom. It's useful.