We are planning a safari for Tanzania in 09. I have been reading alot in the forums for the best choice for a camera. I am thinking the Canon Powershot S5. I am a novice photag, want a point and shoot camera and best bang for the buck. Any thoughts or alternatives?

I just returned from Tanzania with a group and one of the travelers was using an S5. She got some great shots and was able to zoom in closer than I could with my 300mm lens. I'm seriously thinking of trading in my 2 Rebel XTs for an S5! It's certainly lighter than all my gear and I think I could get equally good shots, at least for my once-a-year vacation shots. Serious photographers may note differences, but I think you'd be fine with the S5.

S5 or similar should produce excellent results for you. I'd urge you to go to a place where you can physically try out the S5 and similar cameras before buying.

I did not buy the P&S I thought I would when I actually tried it out. I got a different one that worked better for me and still does.

The Canon S5 is a good choice. Sony, Panasonic, Fuji all make good cameras with the lens zoom range you need for safari. That is about 36mm to 400mm, 35mm film equivalent. A little wider angle than 36mm is nice, 28mm is good.

I like the Canon S5 best of the bunch because of its movie/video mode. Excellent DVD quality video and you can zoom while videoing. Most others can not zoom in video. (But no, not HD quality).

And remember memory cards and spare batteries. Probably 8 gig of memory cards, say 4 cards at 2 gig each. Should cost about $40 total. Unless - you find you really like the video mode, then double that.

Your question comes up occasionally here, try a search for many other comments.

regards - tom
ps - don't be talked into a Canon or Nikon DSLR. You don't need nor want one.

Canon S5 is no longer available. Canon just released a new model S10.

You can probably still find the S5 online, unless you like the S10 better.

Canon S5 is replaced by not the S10 but by SX10 or SX1. Happened Sep 17 while I was on safari, so I'd missed it until now.

The SX10 has a 20X zoom lens, 28mm-560mm 35mm equiv. Also now has HD quality video while retaining stereo sound (two mics) and optical zoom during video.

More mega pixels of course, but, wish they would work on better ISO and image quality before the mega pixel marketing game. Same said for all the super zoom P&Ss. I've not seen any reviews yet.

regards - tom

After much research, I bought the Canon Powershot S5 IS in Feb. to take on our June safari. I have been very pleased with the camera's ease of use & the photos taken with it. I am a "vacation amateur" photographer.

This is a comparison between the S5 & the SX10: http://tinyurl.com/66yppe

Had the SX10 been for sale when I bought SX5, I would have bought it because of the extended zoom range.

Hi,

I'm very pleased with my P&S Panasonic FZ18 and with the photos I took on safari this year. It has a 28mm-504mm zoom and is light to carry.

I believe it has been superceded by the FZ28. Good luck with your camera shopping, I found buying my first digital camera (a Panasonic FZ5) a very challenging exercise.

Cheers,


Pol

I am not a point and shoot man myself, but have just found this taken with a Canon S3.

http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/forum/...p?photo=146221

This is pretty impressive!!

Most cameras are better than most photographers. Or one of my favorites - it's the Indian not the arrows that counts.

regards - tom

I shopped around for a camera to take on safari and ended up with the Powershot S5. I climbed Kili, so I just couldn't pack all the lenses I would need for an SLR, but I needed the zoom range for my safari shots.
I am pleased with my pictures, and especially love the super macro function, which is amazing for taking photos of textures, plants, and insects. The zoom was definitely neccessary, and was sufficient in almost all situations on the safari. The only drawbacks were that it didn't have much of a wide angle for large landscapes and it was difficult to take sharp pictures in low light. But these things can be difficulties with all mega zoom type cameras.

I think it's a versatile camera for a safari, and I'm happy I bought it to take with me.

I suggest looking at images in the Canon S5 groups on Flickr to get an idea of what the camera is capable of. There are some impressive shots there.

http:luminous-landscape.com

A good article to read is one by Michael Reichmann in Luminous Landscape. Go to the above site and read what he has to say about the new Canon G10. He is a Real Photographer with impeccable credentials. The newest Canon offerening seems to bridge the gap between SLR and Point and Shoot cameras. As Tom points out nothing replaces practice and experience with a particular camera so get it well in advance. If Reichmann gives it such high marks you can be assured it will do the job.
Ted

Sorry, to read this review you will need to click on "What's New" in the lefthand column.
Ted

On the Canon G10, I like the wide end of the lens 28mm (35mm equiv) but I think the long end at 140mm will be too short for most safaris. 400mm (or more) would be good.

regards - tom

Tom, I think you are right on that. 140mm is a little short. As a second camera it would sure be helpful though. It beats having to tie up an SLR with a wide lens and all of the smaller, popular SLRs are crop frame so you need a 17mm lens to get the equivalent 28mm of the G10. Reichmann's test results were just so impressive I thought it worth the mention.
Ted

I'm a "point and shoot" person. So, I took the Pansonic Lumix FZ20 on our safari back in 2005. This model has been obsoleted by many others, but worked wonderfully for me, with its 12x optical zoom and image stabilizer.

Here are the photos:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLan...share&Ux=0

Hi Linjudy

Just had a look at your photos, and some great shots. I am also a fan of those panasonic FZ 18/20/30 cameras, even though I have now gone to my first SLR.

Your first bird photo that you didn't remember was the Hadeda Ibis, then a Red-billed Hornbill. Then the one you called a Burchell's Starling is not as they have black eyes, but it may be a Greater Blue-eared Starling.

Kind regards

Kaye

I used my Canon S2 on the last 2 Africa trips and have been happy with it and REALLY like being able to use the video mode too. The sounds are wonderful.

http://www.pbase.com/carlam/mala_mal...rica_july_2008

If I could afford it, I would add a DSL and lenses like Sundowner's to my bag.