you are comparing a US$500 camera with a US$1500 camera..... color saturation can be adjusted quickly in the Optio and the ist-D by using the cameras' presets. On my Optio 330 "high" saturation is like using Velvia (very red skin-tones, highly saturated color), "normal" gives good skin tones. I have never used "low".
The real advantage of the ist-D is that you are not stuck with a 5x zoom. Lens choices from 15mm to 1200mm are possible (yeah, yeah, multiply everything by 1.5). The optio 550 gives you a 37-187mm zoom. I think the consensus is that you can print really good 8x10s with 6MP, some have suggested that 11x14s look good too. I'm sure 5MP will give you a good 8x10 as well. Christian ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dowell,Jackie [Burlington]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 1:18 PM Subject: *istD vs. Optio 550 > I am trying to decide which of these 2 digitals would be most > cost-effective to buy since I feel that a digital would be > useful for my picture taking. > > I normally do 3 types of pictures. (I currently have a MZ5n) > 1- nature - (usually floral) using Velvia (50 but trying 100f now) > 2- portrait - if skin tones are important, I use Portra 160NC > 3- other - I usually use Royal Gold 400 > > I have 2 questions that that will influence my decision. > 1- What type of film does a digital picture from the *istD most > resemble. And the same question for the Optio 550 > 2- If the same picture were taken with optimal settings by the > *istD and the Optio 550, how big can the picture be printed > without noticing that it was a digital rather than a film. > > If I can use the digital for type 3 only, than I will get the Optio, > however, if I can match the colour of the Portra and/or the Velvia > and can print 8x10 or larger, then I will bite the bullet and go > into hock for the *istD. > > Thanks in advance. > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >
