junktin wrote:
Does anyone have practical experience using a consumer grade digital
camera with high zoom and Image Stabilization on a sailboat (taking
shots of distant scenery or other boats)?

I am considering purchase of a newer camera with 10x or 12x zoom to
replace my 3x capable camera. It occurred to me that Image
Stabilization
might be a good thing at these high zooms.

I am considering cameras like the Canon S1 IS, Konica-Minolta Z3/Z5
or
Panasonic Lumix series.

While I read reviews that I.S. really helps remove a bit of "shakey
hand", I am now wondering if the movement on a boat would be way too
much for it and it might over-react giving a worse picture than
without
it. (Of course I could turn the I.S. off in this case but if I can't
use
it I wouldn't want to pay for it and add that complexity to the
camera, as it is one more point of failure.)

If anyone has used such a camera on a boat, I would love to hear your

comments.

Dave

Dave, I'm a power boater, and I've always enjoyed taking photo's from a
boat, their's just so many opertunities for great shots as you know.
When I was using my old film camera I would get about one or two good
shots out of a whole roll, not good. So I bought a Cannon 5MP camera
about two years ago to replace it. I've found that if I use a high
speed setting I can get consistantly great shots on the boat, and power
boats really shake a lot. And, if the shot doesn't come out the way I
want it to, you can see it on the spot, and shoot it again. You might
want to try a non-stabilized digital camera first, you may be very
satisfied with the results, and save the money you would have spent for
an I.S. model. By the way, a 4 MP camera is just fine, I always use
mine at a lower setting.

Good luck!

John