What's More Important -- RAW or Wider Angle?

I'm perusing several different new cameras to "offset" my wife's purchase of a new HID light!

I want a camera that:

1. Doesn't cost an arm and a leg (i.e., I won't spring for a housing for my dSLR);

2. Has a factory specced housing;

3. Has good manual options/Ap priority/Shutter priority/WB control

4. Has 2.5 inch LCD that is visible in brighter (tropical) light

Those things are mandatory.

I'm looking at two new cameras -- Olympus S350 and Canon S80 -- and I'd like your thoughts regarding the two. Without having access to such information as focus speed/shutter lag, but believe (naively?) both will be acceptable.

Olympus S350 -- Plus (BIG Plus) -- Has RAW as an option -- Minus -- xD card (I have both CF and SD) -- Plus -- uses AA (same as strobe and older Olympus so have those) -- Minus -- wide angle 38mm

Canon S80 -- Big Minus -- No RAW (at the moment - firmware upgrade possible?) -- Plusses -- wide angle 28mm; SD (which I have 2 1gig); High def movie mode -- Minus -- yet another battery & charger to keep track of

So, if the final choice comes down to these two (total price just about the same), which would be the most important feature -- RAW or wider angle?

You will probably get many different answers.

I personally would go for the RAW. It is a great tool. MOST people shoot a small percentage of WA as compared to fish shots and macro.

What is YOUR shooting style?

Dave

I have to agree with Dave. If I had to choose between the two it would be to go with the RAW.

Peter Guy:

RAW or wider angle?

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RAW

dbh:

You will probably get many different answers.

I personally would go for the RAW. It is a great tool. MOST people shoot a small percentage of WA as compared to fish shots and macro.

What is YOUR shooting style?

Dave

Click to expand...

I think this really depends on the type of photography you plan on doing. If I were to have to choose between RAW and WA, I'd go with WA anyday. That's because of the type of photography that I mainly do. RAW mode rocks, there's no question about that. Much better latitude in developing images into JPGs. However, since I shoot primarily shipwrecks, I would give up RAW in a hearbeat if I had to choose between the two. An excellent WAL without RAW will give me much better image quality than a RAW image without a WAL. For the waters here locally, the visibility isn't typically as good as tropical waters, so the WAL allows me to get much closer to my subject, reduce the amount of water between the subject and the lens, resulting in less particulate matter, better light quality. I'd take that anyday over RAW ability.

But I'm spoiled since I have both.

RAW for sure.

For WA to be really effective, IMHO, you are going to need external strobes and probably a wide angle lens add-on.

I don't know anything about these two cameras so can't help there. Assume you have checked out www.dpreview.com and www.digideep.com to make sure there a housing already available..

Please keep the opinions coming in. Good question regarding "MY" style of shooting (answer, to date, close with as wide a lens as I have).

Alcina -- both camera's have OEM housings.

And I am certainly leaning towards RAW as being the determining factor.

I'd go with the camera that has RAW and purchase a WAL. You can do nice ambient light stuff until you fork out for an external strobe. Then you'll have it all!

RAW, you can add the wide angle lens after.

If you can add a WAL at a later date (if that is an option) then I would go for the setup that will allow you both, that's for sure. But if is a choice only between the two, one or the other and that's it, it would depend on what type of photography you're going for.