Which camera should I buy? Canon or Sony?

Which camera should I buy? Canon PowerShot SD850 IS (in EU Digital IXUS 950 IS) OR Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100.?

• Hi, I’m kind of in a dilemma. I can’t seem to make up my mind on which camera to buy. The Canon PowerShot SD850 IS (which is also known in Europe, Asia and Oceania as Digital IXUS 950 IS) or the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100. Both cameras are great and are pretty much the same price in Greece. About €370 from www.shop21.gr. Most of my photos are going to be outdoors scenery, beaches etc. I’ve also found the Fujifilm FinePix F40fd to be great and of better value too. What is your opinion? Which one would you prefer? Thank you, James. Side-by-Side Comparison http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_sd850is%2Csony_dsct100%2Cfuji_finepixf40fd&show=all

• Answer:

  Nice to see that you have done your homework... I would also choose the SD850 IS over the Sony and Fuji. The Sony does look nice (in red or black) and it has a couple of nice features, however, I don't think it's as good as the Canon, as far as image quality goes. The Canon will have much better high ISO ability, for sure. I would only choose the Fuji...strictly for low light photography (and I think it looks ugly, compared to the Canon or Sony).. My only concern is that you say some of your photos will be taken at the beach...I can't stress enough that you need to keep your camera away from sand, because if it gets into the zoom lens mechanism, your camera will suffer. Maybe the Sony would be a better option for the beach, as it has an internal zoom lens. Anyway, you need to go to a camera store and try these cameras in your hand...I'm confident that you will love the excellent build quality, features and feel of the Canon. Don't forget to buy a high speed SD card (Sandisk Extreme III) for super fast camera performance. good luck... .