Beginner

Nonoperational

Hi guys,

Always had an interest in photography and was looking into getting a camera recently. Paid €219 for a finepix 2500HD the other day with rechargable batterys and charger, 2gb card and a nice case.

I decided against a DSLR as I didn't think it was worth an extra €300 when I have no idea if it's for me.

However after messing around with the fuji I wonder have I made a mistake. I know very little about photography but I'm a bit disappointed with the shots, particularly the low light without flash.

Now there is a huge possibility this is because I'm such an amateur but basically I am looking for some opinions: should I give it a longer go and stick with it for a few months and build up my skills or is it a case that this camera isn't good enough and I should bite the bullet and try sell it and go for the Pentax KX kit in Argos for around €540...At least I'd know then I have a decent kit and no excuses!

Thanks

keps

gpf101 wrote: »

Hi guys,



Thanks

A bit like a golfer thinking that if s/he changes clubs their score will get better.:)

Stay with the camera you have -but get to know it and to like it.
Get to know its strengths and weaknesses.

That camera is fine -but you need to improve to exploit its potential.

I recommend joining a photo club- it's a great idea:)

Nonoperational

Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear!

Mountainsandh

gpf101 wrote: »

Thanks

I think you did good to buy a finepix. That's what I had (much older model, 5mp) before I moved on to the K-x, and it was really good for learning.

There's no denying it : it has its limits, but really, if you know how to use the thing, you can get good results, and have great fun.
Then when you move on you will appreciate it so much.

Learn to use the scope you have with the Fuji, if I hadn't handled the fuji like that for a good while, I wouldn't have had a clue how to use the Pentax, and what's the point in getting a dslr and leaving it on the Auto setting ?

Mine was a Fujifilm Finepix S5600, and this is one of the pics I was really happy with, experimenting with it in low light :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38994151@N03/4059141312/

I switched to Pentax a few pages after that pic, all before the pic is Fujifilm.

edit : the exif for that pic >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/38994151@N03/4059141312/meta/in/photostream/
and check out Flickr groups with fujifilm finepix, and try and reproduce some of the pics, good practice, something to aim for and you'll know the camera can do it so no excuse

forgot something else : if you are likely to shoot a lot in low light situations, get yourself a tripod, so you can use longer shutter speeds ! Fujifilms are nice and light, so even a cheap tripod will do the trick, that's the beauty of them.

Heebie

Fuji makes mighty fine bridge cameras. My first digital was a Fuji Finepix S7000, and that camera still works as far as I know... I took some really awesome photos with it.

Get to know the camera, and it'll do well for you.

Nonoperational

Thanks for the replies. Appreciate it. I'll get shooting this weekend!

CabanSail

Shooting in Low Light is a challenge for ANY camera.

Moving to an Entry Level DSLR will give some performance improvement, but not lots with a Kit Lens.

There will be problems with;

High ISO - Noisy images especially is still undersexposed.
Slow Shutter Speeds - Camera shake without a camera support & blurring of moving subjects.
Large Apertures - Gives a shallow Depth of Field so objects outside the focal plane will be soft.

If left on Auto then you have no control over these things are the results are normally dire. If you learn about exposure then you can at least try to make the most of a challenging situation or know when it's a lost cause.