Canon G3 or Olympus C-5050?

[Boss Gobbler]

I am looking at buying either the Canon G3 or Olympus C-5050 and would like some opinions from users that may have used either one. I have been browsing around various sites reading reviews and they both seem pretty decent although a few seem to say the 5050 has more noticeable color aberrations.
I only plan on using the cam for everyday general use and not for portraits or professional use. Is one cam more user friendly as I will probably use the cam set to auto. everything until I learn all the bells and whistles available. They both seem to have very good battery life, I kind of like the option of being able to use alkaline batts in the 5050 but it's not a big deal.
Any opinions would be appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[WildBird]

Both are generally comparable. Either is far more than the average user needs. Both will produce professional results IF the operator has the skills and a long zoom range is not needed. The battery issue IS significant, as all digital cameras use lots of juice. The AA rechargeables are the only way to go. You will need a back up battery for the Canon and that goes for about $80. The NIMH AAs at Walmart go for about $10 for 4. An older battery charger works fine on them. Going for a camera with more than 2mp is not really needed unless you plan on printing larger than 8x10. You might take a look at the HP line carried by Office Depot. I have one of the older ones and it works great. Very simple to operate. IMO smaller size is better for general use because that one will most likely be there when needed. I would stay away from the pocket sized models though. The HP goes in the fannypack when I hunt with a gun. My more advanced camera (Oly C-730) goes on the camera hunts because it has a 10x zoom and advanced control features I am learning to use. Happy shooting. Henry

 

[Jim Thompson]

I am partial to OLY cams. I have seen some absolutely wonderful shots from both cameras, I would purchse the OLY. I like the feel of this camera more than the Canon.

Go to http://www.dpreview.com/ and dig very deep in teh reviews. You will find very, very indepth info on both cams.

Jim

 

[AnnieAK]

I have an Olympus, the C3000, and I really like it. If you've had Canon camera before, you might prefer their arrangement, otherwise, Oly's are easy to use. On the battery issue, I see you're from Minnesota. In cold weather, I use lithium batteries, as they work really well in cold temps while the rechargeables give out REALLY fast when it's cold. I agree that the battery issue is a major one. I take LOTS of pictures, and I'm really glad I can use off-the-shelf batteries.

 

[WildBird]

Check out this thread for comparing the G-3 to the C-5050, with links to pics using both cams posted by a very good photographer. He switched back to Olympus for the sharper image quality. WB

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp...message=4836129