Which Camera? **Please read OP first**

Splinters

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

Hi, I'm just wondering what is a good camera to get started into photography? I'm not looking for anything mad price wise, preferferably in the 100s price range, but I want to get value for money, so what would be a good camera to get for christmas?

Thanks

Honestly a 100 or there abouts is not going to get you anything more then a functional point and shoot. It'll be fine for nights out, holiday snaps etc which is enough for a lot of people, but the unfortunate reality is it wont get you anything that will help you "get into photography".

If you're serious about it, just save up for an entry level DSLR. You could have a reasonable starter kit for 250 - 300 if you look second hand that would be ten times the standard of a bog standard 100 euro point and shoot.

thewheel2.0

johnr1 wrote: »

Hi all, I know feck all about photography, but I'm considering getting a better camera for my gf for Christmas.
She currently has a Nikon coolpix or something cheapy with a busted zoom.
She likes taking pics of small stuff in nature, but also of people, weddings, - general stuff.
She bemoans how crap her camera is, but doesn't have any courses done or anything, so I wonder if a dslr is too much of a jump for her, or on the other hand if anything less won't allow her to do what she wants.
My budget for this is about 200 ideally but if that's unrealistic to get something worthwhile then I'd reconsider.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to reply.

Eta. Digital obviously.

Hi I'm in a similar boat. I thinking of getting a bridge camera for my girlfriend partly because she has never been able to afford anything more than a crap point and shoot and partly cause I want to spoil her and not get some point and shoot that looks cheap. I also will be using it too so it would be nice if it had good video and a stepping stone to learning photography.

I have arround €200 (maybe more if its worth the upgrade) to spend.

Any thoughts on this list?:
Nikon Coolpix L310
Nikon Coolpix L120
Panasonic-DMC-SZ7EB
Lot of recomendations for this one but it would want to be worth the money over the other cameras listed:
Olympus XZ-1

Or maybe something like this?
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ48EB-K

Edit: Something like this if its actually good would be the sweet spot:
Panasonic Lumix LZ20

Thanks.

glorified g

Hi guys. Any help would be great. I am looking for a camera for taking high quality pictures at concerts. At the moment I am stuck using my i-phone. This means I need to be up close to the front, which is not always possible.

Ideally I am looking for a small camera with high-specs. A lot of DSLR's are to bulky and would be destroyed at a gig. Also a lot of venues are very strict on bringing in pro cameras as I'm sure a lot of you are aware.

I am in the middle of a Digital Media course in college so the camera would be used for other things. The ability to record HD footage would be a huge bonus as would basic interchangeable lenses. My budget would be €300-€400 (can push slightly higher if needs be).

I have done courses in Photography in the past so I am comfortable that I know my way around cameras but I am a rookie so any help from you lot here would be fantastic. If you know of any cameras that would fit my requirements could you please let me know.
Thanks a million,
glorified g

WoollyRedHat

Splinters wrote: »

Honestly a 100 or there abouts is not going to get you anything more then a functional point and shoot. It'll be fine for nights out, holiday snaps etc which is enough for a lot of people, but the unfortunate reality is it wont get you anything that will help you "get into photography".

If you're serious about it, just save up for an entry level DSLR. You could have a reasonable starter kit for 250 - 300 if you look second hand that would be ten times the standard of a bog standard 100 euro point and shoot.

Ok thanks for reply, what exactly is a n entry level DSLR. Apologies in advance for the ignorance.

cnocbui

glorified g wrote: »

Hi guys. Any help would be great. I am looking for a camera for taking high quality pictures at concerts. At the moment I am stuck using my i-phone. This means I need to be up close to the front, which is not always possible.

Ideally I am looking for a small camera with high-specs. A lot of DSLR's are to bulky and would be destroyed at a gig. Also a lot of venues are very strict on bringing in pro cameras as I'm sure a lot of you are aware.

I am in the middle of a Digital Media course in college so the camera would be used for other things. The ability to record HD footage would be a huge bonus as would basic interchangeable lenses. My budget would be €300-€400 (can push slightly higher if needs be).

I have done courses in Photography in the past so I am comfortable that I know my way around cameras but I am a rookie so any help from you lot here would be fantastic. If you know of any cameras that would fit my requirements could you please let me know.
Thanks a million,
glorified g

What you 'need' is an Olympus OM-D EM-5 plus a Zuiko 75mm f1.8. Body in one coat pocket and lens in the other. Only €2,123.38

You could try an Olympus XZ-1, for a ninth the cost: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=+olympus+xz-1+concert&m=text

bubsicle

Hi everyone.

I have a few family occasions coming up and also a friends wedding. My friend has asked me to do their photos. It is going to be my present to the couple. As they couldn't afford a photographer. (They arent expecting a professional finish or anything but all the same i would like the pictures to be the best quality I can afford.

I am looking for a good camera. A SLR if possible. Would buy second hand if i new what were good cameras. Or at least if i knew which model was newest! Nikon D3000, D3100, D90, D5000. (I dont care what brand)
I would like to be able to record video also and budget is around 350 mark. I know its not alot or would a bridge camera be easier?

Thanks.

sebphoto

bubsicle wrote: »

Hi everyone.

I have a few family occasions coming up and also a friends wedding. My friend has asked me to do their photos. It is going to be my present to the couple. As they couldn't afford a photographer. (They arent expecting a professional finish or anything but all the same i would like the pictures to be the best quality I can afford.

I am looking for a good camera. A SLR if possible. Would buy second hand if i new what were good cameras. Or at least if i knew which model was newest! Nikon D3000, D3100, D90, D5000. (I dont care what brand)
I would like to be able to record video also and budget is around 350 mark. I know its not alot or would a bridge camera be easier?

Thanks.

First things first, do you have any lenses?
Get best lens you can afford and backup kit just in case.
Don't get me wrong, but I'm confused a bit that you don't know what camera you need (also don't care what brand), but still you are going to shoot the wedding

bubsicle

sebphoto wrote: »

First things first, do you have any lenses?
Get best lens you can afford and backup kit just in case.
Don't get me wrong, but I'm confused a bit that you don't know what camera you need (also don't care what brand), but still you are going to shoot the wedding

Hi, Thanks for your reply.
Im not a professional or anything. My friends would be happy for me to take pictures on my normal digital camera. Thats what they are expecting. it is a civil ceremony with very few guests. They are young and on a very tight budget. But i would like to get beter quality pictures than my normal camera. I dont have lenses and have never done a course or anything in photography.

Basically, I would like a good camera with good picture quality but do not need all the bells and whistles that professionals do.
Would i be better getting a good bridge camera or spend a bit more on a DSLR.
I only know about compact cameras. Just lookin for advice. I dont want to buy a SLR if a high end bridge camera will do the job.

Thanks

sebphoto

bubsicle wrote: »

Hi, Thanks for your reply.
Im not a professional or anything. My friends would be happy for me to take pictures on my normal digital camera. Thats what they are expecting. it is a civil ceremony with very few guests. They are young and on a very tight budget. But i would like to get beter quality pictures than my normal camera. I dont have lenses and have never done a course or anything in photography.

Basically, I would like a good camera with good picture quality but do not need all the bells and whistles that professionals do.
Would i be better getting a good bridge camera or spend a bit more on a DSLR.
I only know about compact cameras. Just lookin for advice. I dont want to buy a SLR if a high end bridge camera will do the job.

Thanks

Very tight budget is a huge obstacle, but try one of these:
G11
G10
X100

To be honest you'll save a lot of struggle (and i'm sure it'll be cheaper) to hire professional photographer to cover such small civil ceremony.

arbitrage

I am looking for a good quality camera that is waterproof to at least 5 meters and shockproof to at least 1.5m and will take a high quality picture.




The camera that is jumping out at me at the moment is the Nikon Coolpix AW100. Is there a better option?



Key Features:
Waterproof to 10m, Shock-proof to 1.5m, freeze-proof to -10°C; 1/2.3inch 16MP backlit CMOS sensor; 5x optical zoom (28-140mm in 35mm terms); ISO 125 - 3200; 1080/30p Full HD Movie recording









Amazon Link


Thanks.

deckycoop

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuji-Finepix-S3380-14MP-HD-Digital-Camera-26X-Zoom-720p-Video-3-LCD-RED-BLU-BLK-/290781488192?var=

JUST wondering if this would be a good buy..

thewheel2.0

Hey everyone, Just asking again whats a good bridge camera for €200-250 its for my girlfriend but we are both into photography so its important we get good value.

dharn

good value is a subjective thing if you are both in to photography could you pool your resources and stretch to something like a nikon 3100 or the entry lever dslr canon i have the nikon and they are brilliant it will stretch you abilities unless you are a professional who gets alot of photos enlarged and printed i cannot se why you would ever need a better camera i had a fuji finepix 5500 bridge but you will soon find the limitations on bridge with small sensor, lack of lens change capability etc

thewheel2.0

dharn wrote: »

good value is a subjective thing if you are both in to photography could you pool your resources and stretch to something like a nikon 3100 or the entry lever dslr canon i have the nikon and they are brilliant it will stretch you abilities unless you are a professional who gets alot of photos enlarged and printed i cannot se why you would ever need a better camera i had a fuji finepix 5500 bridge but you will soon find the limitations on bridge with small sensor, lack of lens change capability etc

Managed to pick up a Olympus XZ-1 for £188 in an Amazon lightning sale. I'm happy but wish it had 1080p and more optical zoom. Anyway hopefully the missus is delighted Christmas morning! Thanks for your suggestions, great thread.

Innervision

Hoping someone might be able to share their wisdom with me on this one. Myself and my boyfriend are heading on a tour of Africa in April, it'll involve safaris etc so think it'd be a crime to do it without a good camera!

Neither of us has any real camera knowledge so not quite sure where to start looking for something suitable. I really don't think we want to be getting anything that requires us to change lenses etc so would a bridge camera be our best option? Our budget will be around the €300/€400 mark.

We're going to pop in to Bermingham's on the quays in Dublin at the weekend since they're having a sale and see what advice they can offer but thought I'd see if anyone here had any tips or suggestions! Cheers

sebphoto

Innervision wrote: »

Hoping someone might be able to share their wisdom with me on this one. Myself and my boyfriend are heading on a tour of Africa in April, it'll involve safaris etc so think it'd be a crime to do it without a good camera!

Neither of us has any real camera knowledge so not quite sure where to start looking for something suitable. I really don't think we want to be getting anything that requires us to change lenses etc so would a bridge camera be our best option? Our budget will be around the €300/€400 mark.

We're going to pop in to Bermingham's on the quays in Dublin at the weekend since they're having a sale and see what advice they can offer but thought I'd see if anyone here had any tips or suggestions! Cheers

hi, take a look here or here or here.
Share your thoughts with us once you come back from Bermingham's.
I'm wondering what they'll offer you.
By the way, their sale pricelist is here.

Innervision

Thanks sebphoto, some handy links there. We dropped into Birminghams yesterday and the guy recommended that we look at an entry level SLR. The one he showed us was the Canon EOS D1100, obviously we don't know much about cameras but thought it was pretty impressive! Going to do a bit of research because it would be spending a fair bit more than what we'd planned (490 for the camera and 235 for an extra lens that he reckoned we'd need for a safari).

5uspect

I would consider a second hand SLR like an older 40D or similar. The 1100D is really entry level; it's made of plastic and not as robust as a metal 40D. Performance wise the 1100D has moar pixels but the 40D will handle better in almost every environment in terms of autofocus/frames per second/image quality/noise. There are plenty of good 40Ds on adverts.ie.

OctavarIan

When is the best time to pick up a cheap camera on sale or second hand?

Specifically I'm looking at Canon S95/S100. I've seen an S90 on adverts.ie for €190 but the VGA video is a killer. The S100 is actually cheaper than the S95 in most places I've looked, but still starting at around €350 it's way too much. Need to be between €200-€250.

I've seen Olympus XZ-1 in that price range (new) which is a better camera, it's just not quite as small as the Canon

Issac

Hi everyone.

I'm new to photography and need a bit of advice. Basically I'm looking for a camera that is small (easily portable) and has a high IQ. My search has led me to discount P&S due to image quality and dslr due to their size, so I have settled on a mirrorless camera and the nex line seems like the most attractive to me. This is where I get stuck...which one of the nex cameras is right for me in terms of value and future-proofing.

I've narrowed it down to the:

Nex 6 - with its EVF, advanced hybrid AF system and new 16-50mm power zoom lens. This comes bundles with a memory card and bag for around €929 and is really pushing the boat out budget wise.

Then there's the 5r with touch screen and the same advanced hybrid AF system but lacks the EVF and comes with the old (bulky) 18-55mm lens. It also includes a bag, memory card and a half days worth of classes for use. I can pick this up for €730 (after Sony cash-back offer)

Finally the F3 which appears to use an older (CDAF) AF system again lacks the EVF and comes with the 18-55mm lens, memory card, bag and half days tuition for €440 (after cash back).

If I buy the 5r or F3 I could also get the sigma 30mm prime to make the system more pocketable but I can't afford that if I go with the nex 6. The tuition day would also be be valuable as I haven't used a camera like this before.

Any advice on what to do? At the moment I'm thinking of picking up the F3 as well as the prime lens and if I get by the photography bug go and upgrade the body to the nex 6 (or whatever) next year. Thanks in advance.

Issac

Issac wrote: »

Hi everyone.

I'm new to photography and need a bit of advice. Basically I'm looking for a camera that is small (easily portable) and has a high IQ. My search has led me to discount P&S due to image quality and dslr due to their size, so I have settled on a mirrorless camera and the nex line seems like the most attractive to me. This is where I get stuck...which one of the nex cameras is right for me in terms of value and future-proofing.

I've narrowed it down to the:

Nex 6 - with its EVF, advanced hybrid AF system and new 16-50mm power zoom lens. This comes bundles with a memory card and bag for around €929 and is really pushing the boat out budget wise.

Then there's the 5r with touch screen and the same advanced hybrid AF system but lacks the EVF and comes with the old (bulky) 18-55mm lens. It also includes a bag, memory card and a half days worth of classes for use. I can pick this up for €730 (after Sony cash-back offer)

Finally the F3 which appears to use an older (CDAF) AF system again lacks the EVF and comes with the 18-55mm lens, memory card, bag and half days tuition for €440 (after cash back).

If I buy the 5r or F3 I could also get the sigma 30mm prime to make the system more pocketable but I can't afford that if I go with the nex 6. The tuition day would also be be valuable as I haven't used a camera like this before.

Any advice on what to do? At the moment I'm thinking of picking up the F3 as well as the prime lens and if I get by the photography bug go and upgrade the body to the nex 6 (or whatever) next year. Thanks in advance.

Bump!

doddly

There's a 650d with lens on simply electronics for 579 is that a good price

Issac

doddly wrote: »

There's a 650d with lens on simply electronics for 579 is that a good price

That is a very good price but dslr are just too bulky to carry around for me. With the mirror less cameras I can pop on a pancake lens and they become ultra-portable.
Having a look at them in conns and the camera centre today.

Edit: simply electronics appear to have quite a bad rep as a supplier. I'd think twice before dealing with them.

5uspect

Are you sure you want to spend so much money on a camera if you're only getting into it?
It sounds like you're somewhat enthralled with some of the technical propaganda.

You could get a decent workhorse like a Canon G12 or a Nikon P7100 (or their older variants) for around €300ish.

cnocbui

Issac wrote: »

That is a very good price but dslr are just too bulky to carry around for me. With the mirror less cameras I can pop on a pancake lens and they become ultra-portable.
Having a look at them in conns and the camera centre today.

Edit: simply electronics appear to have quite a bad rep as a supplier. I'd think twice before dealing with them.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B0057LZHBE/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1354377179&sr=8-1&condition=new

+

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-M-ZUIKO-DIGITAL-45mm-Lens/dp/B0058G40O8/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1354377254&sr=1-1

and have fun.

123 LC

I'm going to buy a camera and my budget is €300. I am looking for one that takes sharp high resolution photos, can anyone lead me in the right direction? Thanks!

Bluefoam

123 LC wrote: »

I'm going to buy a camera and my budget is €300. I am looking for one that takes sharp high resolution photos, can anyone lead me in the right direction? Thanks!

what do you mean by super high resoluton. more megapixels doesnt necessarily mean better quality... but bigger print size. what are your requirements?

123 LC

Bluefoam wrote: »

what do you mean by super high resoluton. more megapixels doesnt necessarily mean better quality... but bigger print size. what are your requirements?

i think i said sharp and high resolution. I'm not an expert with cameras so i don't really understand the difference, but i want the photos to be able to be uploaded to a computer whilst still being sharp and clear.

5uspect

123 LC wrote: »

i think i said sharp and high resolution. I'm not an expert with cameras so i don't really understand the difference, but i want the photos to be able to be uploaded to a computer whilst still being sharp and clear.

You're not really making much sense here.
Any modern digital camera can take high resolution images.
Any modern digital camera can upload image files to a computer.
Any modern digital camera can take sharp images... in most situations.

It's that old chestnut of people asking for recommendations for a camera, specifically a 'good' one. :rolleyes:

Any camera above ten million pixels will have sufficient resolution. The problem is noise. Very high resolution cameras have small photosites and capture less light per unit area. This can make images look fuzzy. Coupled with low light in an environment like a pud you're going to get blurry, fuzzy images as the camera tries to balance noise and exposure.

So what do you want the camera for? Is for nights out, or walks in bright daylight?

Bluefoam

123 LC wrote: »

i think i said sharp and high resolution. I'm not an expert with cameras so i don't really understand the difference, but i want the photos to be able to be uploaded to a computer whilst still being sharp and clear.

BTW computer screens show images in low resolution...