My missus wants a smart compact camera to take some nice pics of the kids and scenery. We are both newbies and have no idea on what to buy. My missus wants to take some lessons so I want to get something pretty useful.

We have up to £400 to spend but the cheaper the better.

Can anyone point my in the direction of something descent.

Cheers

Mike

Is it actually an SLR you wanted or a compact? SLRs are usually bigger with switchable lenses and a complicated moving mirror inside the body, whereas compacts are all-in-one and work well by just pointing and shooting There's also an intermediate stage called bridge cameras, which have the tech of compacts in the shape of an SLR, and usually a slightly longer zoom.

Assuming it's a compact, for the upper end of your budget you're looking at things like the Panasonic Lumix LX5 and Canon Powershot S95. I rate Canon highly for this type of camera, as they're extremely flexible and a doddle to use.

Edited 10 December, 201015 yr by Interphase

Thanks for the advice, we were looking at the Olympus E-PL1 not sure how people rate these?

Another vote for the Canon G series cameras. relatively small, but can not only work in an automatic mode for beginners, but can also be set up like a grown-up DSLR once you get used to the controls and set up. A;though the Panasonic's are good too and Fuji do an interesting range of Bridge cameras with astonishing zoom lenses. The quality of these lenses isn't of a professional standard, but they are great fun. I alsways carry a Canon Powershot camera in my car and it take really nice photos, even though it is now a few years old.

Thanks for the advice, we were looking at the Olympus E-PL1 not sure how people rate these?

Not "technically" and SLR, but a Compact with Interchangeable lens'.

Use discount code CAN1000D at Jessops.com to get a Canon 1000D for £332 inc 18-55 Lens

Or

At Amason.com you can have a Nikon 3100 with 18-55 VR (Stabalised Lens) for £439.10

Al.

Nikon are currently doing a cashback offer, which will get you £30 back off the price of the 3100 before christmas.

Check out this thread as I still rate the Fuji HS10.

I actually returned mine because it didn't do certain specific things but it excelled in aspects that my present camera can't match. :S

The big plus point now is that the price has dropped substantially as it's about £240!

I think it suits what you're after exactly with bags in reserve to allow for more technical shots if you wanted to do that as well.

Check out this thread as I still rate the Fuji HS10.

I actually returned mine because it didn't do certain specific things but it excelled in aspects that my present camera can't match. :S

The big plus point now is that the price has dropped substantially as it's about £240!

I think it suits what you're after exactly with bags in reserve to allow for more technical shots if you wanted to do that as well.

Thanks for this, will do some research on this one price is defo a bonus.

Thanks for this, will do some research on this one price is defo a bonus.

Compact with interchangeable lenses? take a look at the Sony NEX3 and NEX5 . Sony have a vat refund offer on at the moment.

There are some awesome low light images taken with these without flash and as its a large APS sized sensor noise and depth of field are as good

as a DSLR. Make sure the reviews are of the latest firmware V3.

There are some awesome low light images taken with these

There are also some serious usability issues with them as regards their menu structures and general operation. It's generally accepted that they are the least user friendly of the 4 brands of EViL cameras on the market at the moment and their range of available lenses is small and being a Sony product they are liable to go down a proprietary route at any stage.

Having said that if the OP is a new user the usability issues may not be an issue because they will learn to do things the Sony way but don't buy one without doing some serious reading of reviews on reputable sites like DPReview or even looking at Thom Hogans well written mirrorless cameras review and make sure that you have a real good play with one in a shop and ask the salesperson lots and lots of questions about their operation.

I think the best camera £400 will buy you at the moment is the Nikon D3100. It's about £469 at most places but Nikon are doing £40 cashback. It looks a great camera with the 18-55mm VR lens.

Extremely good camera, agreed. Lovely to handle, solid feature set and basic but usable HD video if you're that way inclined. It's missing some subtle features like exposure bracketing and it won't focus older AF lenses, but I don't reckon there's a lot that can touch it for the money.

My missus wants a smart compact camera to take some nice pics of the kids and scenery. We are both newbies and have no idea on what to buy. My missus wants to take some lessons so I want to get something pretty useful.

We have up to £400 to spend but the cheaper the better.

Can anyone point my in the direction of something descent.

Cheers

Mike

Reading the OP I cant help but think a top drawer compact is the way to go as a few others have said. I have a fair amount of experience with the Canon camera range from the cheapest A400 line to the G series. I own a G11 myself and it sits in my EOS 50D kit bag... it gets taken out far more often than the EOS! Its so easy to use; stick it on auto before you really get into things and almost 100% of the photos will be spot on. Once you start learning about photography you can then put it one of the manual modes and get creative. I think they are exceptional and all too easily dismissed just because they are in a compact body!

So what camera did you eventually go for madmike?

I've just bought my In-Laws a Nikon P7000, which is a lovely bit of kit - managed to get it for £349, which wasn't bad - did try to talk him into a Sony NEX but the physical size, rather than the sensor size, won. - when i get my hands on it, i will take and post a few images for you all to view.

It came along with my new Nikon D3s, which will replace my aging D3 (iro 190,000 frames and counting, but i'll keep it for personal use) and live along side my D3x which gets used in the studio. (Dont worry, i'm a full-time pro wedding and studio photographer)

Al.

I picked up a Panasonic Lumix TZ-10 (which is technically a point and shoot compact), however, some of the photos I have took are cracking, the clarity is spot on for the price.

It won't be in the same league as all the SLR cameras, but I think it is certainly impressive nevertheless.

I picked up a Panasonic Lumix TZ-10 (which is technically a point and shoot compact), however, some of the photos I have took are cracking, the clarity is spot on for the price.

It won't be in the same league as all the SLR cameras, but I think it is certainly impressive nevertheless.

It is a cracking compact , I own a TZ7 in addition to a DSLR and its probably the best compact camera to take into a concert, the video and sound quality it records is stunning even at high concert volumes. Search you tube TZ7 concerts.