Stretch the Horizon

I’m currently in-between cameras and by luck – and a massive dent in my credit card – I happen to have three different models at my disposal to mess about with: an older Sony a300 dSLR, plus two of the newest Canon camera models, the G12 compact and the entry-level 600d dSLR.

All of them take superb pictures and each has its strengths and weaknesses next to one another: the Sony has in-body image stabilisation via the sensor, the G12 has lens image stabilisation, but the Canon 600d has neither and opts to include it into every lens (and thus breaking the bank each time you want to upgrade). However, the Sony is coming on five years old now and as such, its CCD can only match the mega-pixel count of the half-the-size compact G12’s 10MP sensor; compared to the 18MP wonderment of the 600d’s backlit CMOS sensor, age is catching the a300 or so it would seem in the land of pixel-counting…

One benefit of all three cameras though are their moveable LCD screens: the Sony’s tilts vertically up and down to help garner the best possible viewpoint, whilst the two Canons’ have this year’s Vario-Angle screens that pivot 180 degree on a hinge for extra framing power. It may seem like a moot point but I’ve found this additional mobility invaluable now I’ve used it and would be rather miffed if I had to return to a fixed LCD screen in the future (something I’m sure is just around the corner when I have to sell all the cameras to pay my credit card off)!

Anyway, this isn’t a review of the three cameras, rather an appreciation of their individual picture-taking abilities, so without further to do let’s start.

Sony a300

First, ten pictures from the Sony a300:

Canon G12

Now here are the Canon G12’s photos:

Canon 600d

Finally, it’s the Canon 600d’s turn:

So, three different cameras with many a year between their releases, but all capable of excellent results. The fact that the Sony can hold its head up high with the two Canon cameras is a testiment to its Minolta heritage and although lacking nearly half the MP count to the 600d, the A300 still produces stunning images five years on.

Now, just to work out which one to keep….