Good Morning All,

 

I recently destroyed my Olympus digital camera in snow (only a £75 16mp job) and I'll be looking to replace it with something better in the near future (next month or two) and would like your views and recommendations please. I'm not at all knowledgeable in this area so any help will be very much appreciated.

 

I'd like something better than before, which was essentially a point and shoot job but produced decent images. I mainly used it for before and after shots of cars I detail. Future usage will be similar but I'd like something versatile enough to capture other types of image (landscape shots, wildlife etc). I'd like something relatively easy and fuss free to use and upload images with, according to what I've read a digital SLR might be suitable. Budget wise, I'm not entirely sure, but for guidance I suppose £250 tops would be about right. Hopefully something decent can be had within that price range.

 

So, for those of you in the know with these things, please suggest any recommendations of makes and models that would be suitable. Any links or retailers would be appreciated too. Sheffield is the easiest place for me, or thereabouts. I'm not fussy about it being the latest and greatest (good job with my budget!) so I'm more than happy to buy an older model at a good price- I don't mind a bargain! Equally, a second hand item at a good price would suit me.

 

Hopefully that is enough information for you to go by, but if there is anything I've missed please let me know.

 

Thanks in advance for your help folks.

 

Clarkey.

Ive hade this one for a while, great camera,although not an SLR if that's what you really want, easy to upload photos to phone or iPad wirelessly, great photos, 30x zoom all in all a great point n shoot camera, with options to do your own thing as well and a compact size that's easy to carry about..

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1080043.htm

The thing to be aware with buying a DSLR is that the body isn't really that important, you're buying into a lens system.

Good glass will move with you when you upgrade the camera body, so once you've started spending money on Nikon lenses for example, you're stuck with your next camera being a Nikon.

 

Any of the entry level cameras from Nikon/Canon/Sony will do what you're after, so your best bet is to go into a shop and actually get your hands on them. Some will feel better in your hands than others, the menus more intuitive etc. It's a personal choice, but the second hand market is flooded with barely used entry level bodies, as people either upgrade quickly, or decide it's not for them. I'd happily buy a low shutter count used model from any of the big boys. 

Have a think about what you want from the camera before going for a DSLR. It is a big step and quite often the wrong one for a lot of people. A few comments on your thoughts:

 

Good Morning All,

 

I recently destroyed my Olympus digital camera in snow (only a £75 16mp job) and I'll be looking to replace it with something better in the near future (next month or two) and would like your views and recommendations please. I'm not at all knowledgeable in this area so any help will be very much appreciated.

 

I'd like something better than before, which was essentially a point and shoot job but produced decent images.Picture quality is pretty good from point and shoots these days

 

I mainly used it for before and after shots of cars I detail. Future usage will be similar but I'd like something versatile enough to capture other types of image (landscape shots, wildlife etc). You are  looking at different lenses for those types of shoots. Lenses are not cheap (if you want good quality) and you will probably find you will need a few. I shoot landscape, wildlife, motor racing and family photos and I have 3 lenses which cost me about £1800 in total (wide angle 10-20mm  =£400, "normal" range 18-50mm f2.8 =£400, telephoto zoom for  50-500mm =£1000). The need for the three is down to reach and the ability to fit stuff in.

 

For landscapes, you want to fit more in the photo than the standard lens allows so you need a "shorter" focal length, for wildlife you generally can't get near enough for the kit lens to work so you need longer focal length - think wide= closer subjects and wider view, telephoto=distant subjects brought closer but narrower view.

 

I'd like something relatively easy and fuss free to use and upload images with according to what I've read a digital SLR might be suitable.DSLR can actually be more fuss with greater options for adjusting settings but once learned can be brilliant. Budget wise, I'm not entirely sure, but for guidance I suppose £250 tops would be about right. Hopefully something decent can be had within that price range. You are looking at second hand at £250 with a kit lens (something like an 18-50mm which should give reasonable results for your detailing shots ). New models will start at around  £350 and go skyward from there

 

So, for those of you in the know with these things, please suggest any recommendations of makes and models that would be suitable. Any links or retailers would be appreciated too. Sheffield is the easiest place for me, or thereabouts. I'm not fussy about it being the latest and greatest (good job with my budget!) so I'm more than happy to buy an older model at a good price- I don't mind a bargain! Equally, a second hand item at a good price would suit me.

 

Hopefully that is enough information for you to go by, but if there is anything I've missed please let me know.

 

Thanks in advance for your help folks.

 

Clarkey.

A good quality bridge camera such as Kenny R has suggested can be a good intermediate step.

 

As Zukabak says the market is littered with entry level second hand DSLR bodies because people have bought one and realised it wasn't right for them or upgraded from it.

Thanks for the replies so far. Blimey, there is clearly rather a lot to all this. A point and shoot will be great, I'd just like better quality than my old camera.

With my lack of knowledge I'm unsure as to what to go for, so any specific model recommendations will be superb please. I'd like to get value for money, so again it needn't be expensive as such, this just seems like an ideal chance for an upgrade of sorts.

Best camera you can get is the one you actually take with you - I've had numerous dslrs and around £5k of gear at one time but to be honest 99% of had time you font needs thousands of pounds of gear.

Go for a good bridge camera with 'MASP' (manual, aperature priority, shutter priority, programme) and you'll get some creative abilities with it. I'm not up to speed with cameras any more but Fuji bridge camera were always pretty good back in the day. One thing to watch out for is too many mega pixels - my best small camera had 4mp and produced fab pictures. The issue with higher mega pixels in a compact or bridge camera, is that the size of the sensor doesn't change (approx 1/4 size of a finger nail) - hence the relative photo sites (light receptors) are smaller so their light gathering capability is worse (and photography is all about light), which means the camera then employs post capture noise reduction methods (unless you shot raw).

Also unless you really need a mega zoom bridge, I'd go for something with reasonable sensible zoom - a bit like mega pixels, the longer zooms are headline selling features but anything like this is often a compromise of quality at the normal standard zoom lengths - and you'll probably get something a bit 'faster' in terms of f stops at this kind of range.

You really should go and try a few cameras, there's not too many independents out there now but you maybe be able to find a Jessops (going into Sainsburys now) as you want something that feels right.

I'll have a scan on the net, see what's about.

The panasonic lumx fz200 may be a little over budget, but a full 'fast' f2.8 throughout the zoom range and a sensible 12mp imho is a better deal than a super telephoto bridge which may go long but you'll need a very steady hand to get a decent shot off at full zoom. Also the mega pixels are more manageable than those around the 20mp mark.

The other thing with the fast f stop is that your more likely to get that good shot of your dog or kids running around as the shutter speed with be faster. Also likely to give a more pleasing shallow depth of field (out of focus isolation).

http://www.trustedreviews.com/panasonic-lumix-dmc-fz200-review

Finally if you do get a new camera, whatever it is, always worth reading the instructions fully but also a book called 'understanding exposure' is one of the good starters

If you're near Sheffield I'd call into Harrison's for a chat / advice. http://www.harrisoncameras.co.uk/Used/

 

They are true camera experts and offer an excellent second hand service (including 1 year warranty / 30 day exchange etc). 

 

I have an FZ200 and it is very flexible, but ultimately lacks a little low light ability, as a consequence of its relatively small sensor. It can be had for <£200 now (second hand).

 

As mentioned above - the best camera is the one you use / carry around with you. 

 

I attended a lecture by Charlie Waite a couple of years ago and he was expounding the virtues of using cheaper / compact cameras, rather than full-on semi professional (SLR type kit). A number of his "how to" videos are on Youtube. I got the distinct impression he was probably sponsored by Panasonic, given the number of mentions he gave to the TZ / LX range, but I've had a TZ25 for several years and found it a robust camera capable of good results. This is worth a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLjLo-XjmyE

I should have added to my earlier post (but didn't as I felt it was already reading like War & Peace) that although I have a DSLR (Canon 50D) which I use for a lot of shooting, I also have a Canon G12 for when I don't want the bulk and hassle of the DSLR.

 

Something in that sort of range might suit better - great picture quality (not quite DSLR but pretty near), controllable (has the MASP mentioned above) and relatively compact. Only slight issue is lack of zoom (gives the equivalent zoom of 28-150 as opposed to the 10-500 range of the DSLR with all the lenses).

Thanks for the detailed and informative replies folks, really appreciate your help. Your recommendations of a 'bridge' camera sound appropriate to my requirements, the idea of having to have different lenses and so on doesn't appeal to me- I'm after an all in one package. I understand the implied pros and cons of this but for what I require the bridge style unit sounds perfect.

 

I will indeed pop into Harrison's then pinkpanther, thanks for that.

 

In the meantime, if anyone else stumbles upon this thread and has any specific model recommendations I'm all ears.

 

Thanks again everyone.

If you want a camera, well within your budget which fits in your shirt breast pocket, I can recommend the Canon HS265.

A comment was made above that the best camera is the one you have with you.... I have had many cameras over the years alternating between SLRs   DSLrs  and Compact Digital.

I have to say the DSLR results are excellent but so are the ones from my current Canon 265 HS...... I always have the little Canon with me, so miss very few opportunities.

I can print an A4 photo and it's beautifully crisp.. I have had people making the comment "A fantastic photo but you must have a good camera"! They get a shock when I show them the camera I now use. I would say it works superbly in 95% of the situations I find myself in. The only thing I miss is a viewfinder, which helps you hold the camera still and see what you are taking in bright sunlight... But that adds alot to the price.

 

  http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=canon+265+ixus&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=43348081837&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15579594781488646279&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_1xrndp03sl_b

Thanks GeoffH, looks like a great little unit that does after a quick glance.

 

I'm leaning towards the Bridge Cameras, but that is an interesting find.

 

Models I've been considering are:

 

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 (£275)- a little over my prospective budget but reviews are amazing

Fujifilm Finepix X-S1 (£249)- an older model, but very well regarded

Canon Powershot SX 510 HS (£165)- again an older model but has excellent reviews and had a RRP of £289 originally

 

Plus the IXUS that GeoffH suggests. The less I spend the better really, but I'd happily spend a little more to get something a lot better if that makes sense. The Powershot seems excellent value and is at the moment the top of the list. The Lumix has amazing reviews but I'm not sure the extra £110 is necessary.

 

Again, opinions and advice welcome folks. I appreciate your help.

Thanks GeoffH, looks like a great little unit that does after a quick glance.

 

I'm leaning towards the Bridge Cameras, but that is an interesting find.

 

Models I've been considering are:

 

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 (£275)- a little over my prospective budget but reviews are amazing

Fujifilm Finepix X-S1 (£249)- an older model, but very well regarded

Canon Powershot SX 510 HS (£165)- again an older model but has excellent reviews and had a RRP of £289 originally

 

Plus the IXUS that GeoffH suggests. The less I spend the better really, but I'd happily spend a little more to get something a lot better if that makes sense. The Powershot seems excellent value and is at the moment the top of the list. The Lumix has amazing reviews but I'm not sure the extra £110 is necessary.

 

Again, opinions and advice welcome folks. I appreciate your help.

 

I had an XS-1 several years ago. The  whole system certainly offers a lot of "bang for the buck", but the image quality and low light performance left me a little cold.

 

I actually replaced it with an Lumix FZ200 and, despite a smaller sensor (8.8x6.6mm vs 6.2x4.6mm), the faster lens of the Lumix (constant f2.8 25 - 600 mm) more than makes up for it. More here: http://snapsort.com/compare/Fujifilm-X-S1-vs-Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FZ200

 

I bagged a considerable "HotUKdeals" bargain late last year - a Canon EOS M (complete with 18-55 mm) kit lens for £150 from Currys. This camera was ~£600 on it's initial release, but was slated for poor focusing speed in early reviews. This lead to it being quickly replaced and the price point plummeting. Canon then released a firmware update, which largely solved the focusing issues. This offers an SLR sensor (same 18MP APS-C Hybrid CMOS sensor as EOS 650D) in a compact body and offers the flexibility of interchangeable lenses. I tend to use it with a 22mm f2 pancake lens, which is available new on eBay around £70 (split from a kit). These still occasionally come up for sale at bargain prices (Argos / Amazon / eBay etc).

 

I also carry a small compact camera and have found the Nikon p300 series flexible, whilst offering reasonable image quality and full manual controls. I currently have a p310, but am looking to upgrade to a p340.

 

We also have a family TZ25, which has proved fantastically robust, whilst offering a degree of manual control. You need to be careful with the TZ series though, as some of the higher numbered options don't have a Leica lens.

From that I take it you'd recommend a FZ200 then? It's that or the Canon SX 510 HS at the moment I think. It's strikes me that the former is by far the better of the two, but I really wouldn't know from reading the specs.

From that I take it you'd recommend a FZ200 then? It's that or the Canon SX 510 HS at the moment I think. It's strikes me that the former is by far the better of the two, but I really wouldn't know from reading the specs.

 

This could be worth a look - http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/panasonic-dmc-tz70eb-s-superzoom-digital-camera-silver-227-currys-2194119

 

Seems odd the black version remains £327, whereas the silver version currently has a ~30% discount.

 

Also includes 5 year manufacturers warranty (Panasonic promotion).

Look carefully at how any anti-shake facility works on the cameras you are looking at. Some simply change the (notional) film speed or aperture to get a faster shutter speed. Many of the Pentax range (I have a digital compact and a DSLR from them) actually move the sensor to compensate for camera movement without changing any other settings. Seems to work reasonably well.

 

On the DSLR's the same movement is also used to shake dust off the sensor!

I chose the FZ200 after much research and humming and arring.  I have not used it much at the moment but it certainly suits my needs.  If you go that direction there is a guy called Graham Houghton  who has looked at the camera in great detail, has produced an extended user manual for it along with Youtube tutorials which can be accessed from this link.

 

http://www.grahamhoughton.com/download-section/

 

Certainly worth a look 'if' you do  buy the FZ200 and very helpful with all of the different settings and far more so than the Panasonic manual which is on the disc that comes with the camera.

I must admit I have been on this track for over a year now... still not upgraded.

My old DSLR still performs well but at 8MP - I was looking to update and add HD recording too.

 

Very useful thread... and interested to see how you go Clarkey.

As a matter of interest has anyone tried the Sony RX100 iii ? I know it's expensive but i thought it would be a nice 40th birthday pressie for me... OK I'm 63 but I've been saving hard for it!!

Thanks again for all your advice and opinions folks. I thought I'd update this as it might help anyone in a similar situation who wants something better but relatively easy to operate whilst within a modest budget.

 

So I went for the Canon Powershot SX 510 HS after mulling over reviews of that and the FZ200, deciding that the former was perfect for what I require at the moment in terms of functions and budget. In future if time and finances allow, I might get myself on a photography course and consider what to get next.

 

For now, I'm very pleased. For under £200 I got the camera, a class 10 32GB SD card and a decent little carry case, all from Amazon.

 

I detailed my car and took loads of before/after shots recently and also visited Chester Zoo with the lady and took plenty of shots there too. I had a few printed off at Jessops and am very pleased indeed with the results. When I get time I plan to upload the car shots to my Members Car thread on here and pop a few in the Car Care section. If anyone is interested I'll post a few up on this thread of the animals etc, personally I was rather pleasantly surprised with the detail captured. That said, I'm no expert of course. 

 

I haven't had a proper run through all the features of the SX 510 HS yet, but from the images it has produced so far I'm really happy. I'll download the instruction manual and have a tinker when I can. Essentially I'd recommend this unit from what I've seen so far to anyone who has similar requirements and budget as me.

Edited 23 June, 201511 yr by Clarkey666

As a matter of interest has anyone tried the Sony RX100 iii ? I know it's expensive but i thought it would be a nice 40th birthday pressie for me... OK I'm 63 but I've been saving hard for it!!

 

I have the RX100 mk 1 and I think it's a remarkable camera, I have a range of cameras including compacts, mirrorless and full frame DSLRs  but always struggled to find a camera I could carry with me that offered a decent balance of size and performance.  I bought the RX100 on release and always been pleased with it, although its sensor isn't quite DSLR sized it's still far bigger than most compacts and bridge cameras plus the lens is very bright at the wide end.  It's small enough to fit in a jacket pocket without noticing, it's quite responsive and batterylife is reasonable.

 

There is always a trade off, with the RX100 you sacrifice zoom range so it's a relatively small 3xish zoom (28-100mm) for the mk1.  The mk2 keeps the same lens but has a newer sensor which is improved for low light while the price jumps a bit for the RX100 mk 3 as it squeezes in an electronic viewfinder plus a new lens which shrinks from 28-100mm to 24-70mm but it's brighter at the long end.  The mk 4 has recently been announced which uses a new sensor type which offers very high speeds allowing 4k video, 16fps continuous shooting and 960fps slow motion, it keeps the same 24-70mm lens and EVF on the mk 3.  Even if you're not interested in the mk 4 features it may be worth holding off a little as the mk4 will likely push prices down on the existing RX100's.

 

John

I have the RX100 mk 1 and I think it's a remarkable camera, I have a range of cameras including compacts, mirrorless and full frame DSLRs  but always struggled to find a camera I could carry with me that offered a decent balance of size and performance.  I bought the RX100 on release and always been pleased with it, although its sensor isn't quite DSLR sized it's still far bigger than most compacts and bridge cameras plus the lens is very bright at the wide end.  It's small enough to fit in a jacket pocket without noticing, it's quite responsive and batterylife is reasonable.

 

There is always a trade off, with the RX100 you sacrifice zoom range so it's a relatively small 3xish zoom (28-100mm) for the mk1.  The mk2 keeps the same lens but has a newer sensor which is improved for low light while the price jumps a bit for the RX100 mk 3 as it squeezes in an electronic viewfinder plus a new lens which shrinks from 28-100mm to 24-70mm but it's brighter at the long end.  The mk 4 has recently been announced which uses a new sensor type which offers very high speeds allowing 4k video, 16fps continuous shooting and 960fps slow motion, it keeps the same 24-70mm lens and EVF on the mk 3.  Even if you're not interested in the mk 4 features it may be worth holding off a little as the mk4 will likely push prices down on the existing RX100's.

 

John

Thanks for the advice John... In fact I am now the proud owner of a Sony RX100 iii and have to say the results are amazing. I have tried most of the features and love the Aperture Priority with f1.8 / 2.8 for differential focussing.

The double hinged screen helps me get a better angle for taking shots as at 6'7" I found it a problem with a "static" screen. The popup viewfinder is small but far better than the Lumix I tested.

I was bored waiting for SWMBO to come out of the shops and looked out through the open sunroof at the sun glinting through the tree above me. I left it on auto to see how it coped and have to say I scarcely believed the result... It was just as I saw it with my own eye... Perfect exposure.

OK it's cost more than some DSLRs but have to say it's worth every penny.

Thanks for the advice John... In fact I am now the proud owner of a Sony RX100 iii and have to say the results are amazing. I have tried most of the features and love the Aperture Priority with f1.8 / 2.8 for differential focussing.

The double hinged screen helps me get a better angle for taking shots as at 6'7" I found it a problem with a "static" screen. The popup viewfinder is small but far better than the Lumix I tested.

I was bored waiting for SWMBO to come out of the shops and looked out through the open sunroof at the sun glinting through the tree above me. I left it on auto to see how it coped and have to say I scarcely believed the result... It was just as I saw it with my own eye... Perfect exposure.

OK it's cost more than some DSLRs but have to say it's worth every penny.

As the old saying goes, the best camera to use is the one you have with you. If you buy any camera and leave it at home and never use it, then it is a waste of money.

 

Buying a DSLR isn't the best solution for people and I would criticise anyone that says so. Some are best suited to a compact, others a viewfinder and others to a DSLR/mirrorless - picking one different to someone else does not make it wrong.

As the old saying goes, the best camera to use is the one you have with you. If you buy any camera and leave it at home and never use it, then it is a waste of money.

 

Buying a DSLR isn't the best solution for people and I would criticise anyone that says so. Some are best suited to a compact, others a viewfinder and others to a DSLR/mirrorless - picking one different to someone else does not make it wrong.

I have to agree with this.  In fact so much so that I realise that we only need the new camera that we (I) bought the other week and have out the DSLR up for sale as I know if I don't it will just sit in the cupboard and not be used.  There is no point in that and whatever I get for it will offset the cost of the new one.

Buying a DSLR isn't the best solution for SOME people and I would criticise anyone that says so.

amended