Topic: Camera Geeks (Read 20077 times)

Martin (Admin) · « **on:** February 01, 2013, 08:18:27 pm »

Calling all you camera geeks on here!

I think my wonderful but venerable Fujifilm FinePix S5700 has about reached it's retirement age.....

What do I invest in, another Bridge FinePix or Nikon d5100 or Nikon D3200 or Canon SX50 or Panasonic FZ200?

I like the look of the;
Nikon d5100 but I don't think I'm ever going to use all the features.... and the price of lenses!!
Nikon D3200, brand new on the market, pricey and an unknown quantity
Canon SX50 HUGE x50 zoom rang, great features but poor aperture - f/3.4-6.5
Panasonic FZ200, I really like but for the same money, I may as well buy a full DSLR.....

What do you guys and gals fink?

Martin

Edit: I would like a swivel / articulated LCD screen thing! My kness ain't what they used to be...

DavieTait · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2013, 08:53:56 pm »

Best advice I can give you is to look at the lens specs MORE than the Mp count. Look for a lens that gives you the highest optical zoom compared to digital zoom , thats regardless of if its a compact or a DSLR

I've got a Nikon D40 which is 6mp and got a couple of good Nikon lens' for it and when I decide to retire it in a few years I'll buy another Nikon as I feel they're the best for the money ( used Nikon's for 20+ years , used to have a Nikon 35mm and that was the best film camera I had compared to the Canon EOS500 I had )

Brian Roberts · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2013, 08:57:58 pm »

Hi Martin
As a recently retired professional photographer I'm in the process of selling all my Canon equipment, and good as it is I just want a point and shoot camera to satisfy my photographic needs in retirement.
So for about £200 I've bought myself a Lumix DMC-TZ30, and what a super little camera it is:
f3.3-6.4 Leica lens, 20x optical zoom, GPS facility if needed, movie mode (no fiddling with buttons, just press a dedicated button), good battery life and about 14m pixels.
It's dead easy to use and I've printed A3 prints with ease.
Brian

RMH · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2013, 09:00:19 pm »

Canon's G series are worth a look at. When not carrying my bulky SLR I use my G12. Superb results from a high end compact and you can get one for around £250

john44 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2013, 09:16:52 pm »

Hi Martin I have a Cannon Powershot S3 15 which has been a brilliant camera for my
needs. But I purchased a fujifilm finepix JZ 12 mega pixel 10X plus wide angle.
Its about the same size as a mobile phone and its very good.
I started off years ago with a Zeneth E, followed by a Yashica SLR, a Panasonic,
then a fugi finepix digital SLR size using wide angle,standard & zoom lenzes
I now prefer my point and shoot. It all depends on the type of photography
you want to do.

john

derekwarner · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2013, 09:43:04 pm »

Hullo Martin...certainly not a camera geek

but I need a simple camera for industrial reporting on failed mechanical components
My current choice is a Panasonic DMC-TZ11...it is brilliantly simple for the application with super micro facility
I have also used the newer & larger Panasonic FZ200..... it naturally has additional features but is bigger...............
I also receive a far greater positave response by embedding digital images in the body of Outlook emails rather than simply providing attachments ......one of the beauties our instant digital age ....Derek

Tombsy · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2013, 11:10:21 pm »

Hi Martin, I had a Canon S5 IS that fried its motor drive last year and I looked around for a replacement.
At that time the Panasonic FZ150 looked the best for me, great for action shots and its been working very well. It does have the swivel LCD and I use it all the time.
It will get the big test in March in Costa Rica.

dougal99 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2013, 03:09:33 pm »

Quote from: Brian Roberts on February 01, 2013, 08:57:58 pm

Hi Martin
As a recently retired professional photographer I'm in the process of selling all my Canon equipment, and good as it is I just want a point and shoot camera to satisfy my photographic needs in retirement.
So for about £200 I've bought myself a Lumix DMC-TZ30, and what a super little camera it is:
f3.3-6.4 Leica lens, 20x optical zoom, GPS facility if needed, movie mode (no fiddling with buttons, just press a dedicated button), good battery life and about 14m pixels.
It's dead easy to use and I've printed A3 prints with ease.
Brian

See Martin I told you so! Ye of little faith

Danny · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2013, 05:43:54 pm »

I bought a Panasonic FZ150 just over a year ago, mainly for racing action shots. The manager of Jessops (R.I.P) would not believe it would do 4.4 fps bursts until she looked the spec up. It really will take them!!
Great camera, great lens, but ...

Quote from: Tombsy on February 01, 2013, 11:10:21 pm

It will get the big test in March in Costa Rica.

I think Calgary to Costa Rica might also need a touch of digital zoom as well

Tombsy · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2013, 06:59:16 pm »

It was kind of funny, well not really but on our last trip my wife was official photographer on our fishing day miles out in the Pacific near Panama.
I had the fish of a lifetime dancing all over the ocean and when we looked at the photos because of the shutter lag all we had were lots of pictures of the rings in the water where the fish was seconds before. Of course neither one of us remembered that the camera actually could shoot video as well.
Not this time, I'll strap the GoPro to my head for backup

But of course I probably won't hook one this time.

tobyker · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2013, 12:08:23 am »

I'm in roughly the same place.My Fuji Finepix bridge S5600 is getting a bit creaky and I'm looking at DSLRs too -I'm torn between the Nikon3200 and the Canon 600.(Canon 1100 loses out because of it's smaller screen). I think the Canon is a better bet because of the lenses available. But how can an online shop (Procamera) do either for £70 les than Amazon? Grey import?

tmbc · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2013, 11:55:14 am »

the lumix are good but dont forget the pentax range ! i still use a p50 slr for some photos but i have a k200 dlsr that i use a lot ,i also have a little pocket jobby one of the pentax optio range too thats is good quality

supose im just a pentax fan ! but i have owned canon nikon minolta's hassleblad leica's all very good but always returned to pentax

its all down to your preference, pocket and how serious your into your photography !

Netleyned · « **Reply #12 on:** February 03, 2013, 02:16:40 pm »

Just looking at Dannys post.
Got this new phone this week
10 fps burst 8 megapixies obviously
no optical zoom but less than a second
from selecting camera to shooting
HD video and both front and rear cameras
are video.
Still like my Nikons though.

Ned

mike_victoriabc · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2013, 03:37:08 pm »

I've been using a Nikon D50 for a number of years - great photos for not reading how all the bells and whistles work but wanted a small camera that travels in the truck - both for work and general photos. Bought a Nikon Coolpix S9200 during the Xmas sales (good reviews both on-line and from the camera store) but finding it hard to get used to the aiming without a viewfinder. Took quite a few at the pond the other day - detail ones OK. So far only had it on Auto but will play with the video next.

rmaddock · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2013, 03:50:06 pm »

Martin,
I bought myself a Nikon D5100 for my Birthday last year. I love it! All the reviews I read said the picture quality was better than the 3200. The only reason you'd need all those pixels is if you're blowing pictures up to poster size.
Below are a couple of piccies I've taken with it. I replaced a Fuji bridge camera too and I haven't looked back. I got the twin lens kit with the Nikon.
The Lion was taken with the longest lens and the vibration reduction turned on. The gate post was just on auto. Neither are brilliant but give an idea of what the camera can do without trying.
Cheers!
Robert.

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2013, 06:45:22 pm »

A few things..... went to PC world yesterday and had a fondle of a few cameras;

Bridge cameras;
Panasonic FZ200: has a nice feel, quite intuitive and by far the best 'Bridge' camera.... my miles!
Canon SX50: incredible zoom but looses out quality to the FZ200 but about £100 cheaper.

DSLR's;
Canon 1100D £400 with two 'kit' zoom lens in PC World. No articulated LCD. Good entry DSLD but if gong that maybe I should really invest.
Canon 650D.... hmmmmmm
Nikon D3100, no articulated LCD.
Nikon D3200 nice but overpriced and no articulated LCD.
Nikon D5100 .... hmmmmmm.

Not had a look at the Pentax' yet

.... are there any good camera shops around any more?

Argosy42 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2013, 03:47:29 pm »

Hi Martin

I have had the Panasonic FZ200 since October and am more than pleased. I love the fixed aperture (2.

and zoom. I am also a longstanding fan of the Panasonic image stabilisation.

I need to have a silent camera for much of my photography and, as you said, this is the best "bridge camera" so far!

Go on ... you know you want one!!

Best wishes

Argosy42

sailorboy61 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2013, 04:12:20 pm »

I started with compacts, moved to intermediate and then onto SLRs.
Intermediates are very good these days, and I enjoyed my Canon with all it's SLR facilities, but was always left wishing I had gone that extra little step to the full SLR.
I know its all down to the depth of your pocket, but I now have a couple of SLRs and a couple of compacts - just have to think what my aim for the day is photo wise. Compacts are very advanced, I use Canon, but I know the Panasonics are pretty high fliers too.
If I take my SLR on a chance day, I'm always disappointed lugging it about - for me a compact can grab a decent image, you may be able to go back another time to get the SLR shot. Something like a boat show I'll likely take both, and dump the SLR back in the car after a wander around - good images, but a right bu**er to carry around.

There are too many choices out ther now to make life easy - but you can get very decent compacts going for a song on Ebay if you keep looking - the last one I got for £10 - spares or repairs - all it needed was the battery charging - instant saving of £90......

Danny · « **Reply #18 on:** February 04, 2013, 08:45:21 pm »

Having used everything from a Kodak Brownie to a 10 x 8 Sinar, I wanted one thing above all others - to have the right lens on the camera (how is it that when you have a choice, you always have the wrong one on??). I know that a lens change only takes a few seconds, but in a lot of cases the shot is gone!
The bridge cameras now have lenses that I would have died for 20 years ago, I had to pay an arm and a leg for a tele zoom lens (I even had to buy a monopod to compensate

)

I looked at the specs for many, but given the fact that I wouldn't be blowing up all the results to 20" x 30", decided that the bridge lens and the CCD (?) quality would give me what I needed.
For me, its the only sensible choice

Danny
PS Ned - I can't even get my phone to make a call, never mind take pictures!

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #19 on:** February 04, 2013, 08:49:47 pm »

"(I even had to buy a monopod to compensate )"

Guy Bagley · « **Reply #20 on:** February 04, 2013, 08:53:55 pm »

i 've got a nikon cool pix bridge camera, - very very good, well worth a look.... even after a dip into the boat club lake it sort of worked for awhile.....

sent it away for repair and now on its way back all fixed !!!

Peter Fitness · « **Reply #21 on:** February 04, 2013, 08:57:14 pm »

Quote from: Brian Roberts on February 01, 2013, 08:57:58 pm

Hi Martin
As a recently retired professional photographer I'm in the process of selling all my Canon equipment, and good as it is I just want a point and shoot camera to satisfy my photographic needs in retirement.
So for about £200 I've bought myself a Lumix DMC-TZ30, and what a super little camera it is:
f3.3-6.4 Leica lens, 20x optical zoom, GPS facility if needed, movie mode (no fiddling with buttons, just press a dedicated button), good battery life and about 14m pixels.
It's dead easy to use and I've printed A3 prints with ease.
Brian

This is a later version of my DMC ZS3, which is a great little camera. It also has a Leica lens and, with a class 10 SD card takes brilliant HD movies, as well as crystal clear photos.

Peter.

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #22 on:** February 04, 2013, 08:57:45 pm »

Still looking at the Panasonic FZ200 but for not "much" more I can get a real DSLR,
but as you say;
a, always will have the wrong lens on,
b, worried about damaging the sensor,
c, damn things are bulky and heavy,
d, will need 2 lens 18-55 & 55-200 etc. expensive,

.... but DSLR are much more future proof...

Peter Fitness · « **Reply #23 on:** February 04, 2013, 09:08:15 pm »

I know Australian prices are not much use to you Martin, but as a guide the FZ200 ranges in price from A$390 to A$780, (about 250 to 500 pounds) depending on which shop you choose. The price difference from lowest to highest is staggering, on what appear to be exactly the same items. It makes you wonder if the shops at the top end of the price range actually sell any.

Peter.

Stavros · « **Reply #24 on:** February 04, 2013, 11:26:05 pm »

Martin if you are going DSLR Plaes dont waste your Money on a Canon 650 or the 1100d cameras WASTE of money you would be far BETTER off with a canon 50d BUT you will have to invest in a 2.8L lens.The lenses that come with the KIT bundle are a total waste of time far to SLOW believe you me ....Been there had the tee shirt

Dave

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Author Topic: Camera Geeks (Read 20077 times)

Stavros