Best budget bridge camera for video and photos for Hyrox indoors

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Norton

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After some advice please

Son is into Hyrox and finds iPhone too restrictive capturing video and photos due to distance from subject and low light levels. Digital crops give poor image quality

He has no experience of cameras so is after something simple to use that can :-

  1. Take video and photos from distance range of 2m - 10m , allowing tight crops on contestant.
  2. Shoot indoors with no flash, so possibly poor light levels
  3. Auto setting for sports
  4. Fast focusing
  5. Can be handheld vs need for tripod
  6. Decent image quality for web shots only
  7. Simple to transfer images to phone - WiFi and phone app ?
  8. Budget of £300 max
  9. Happy to consider used cameras if they offer more bang for buck
On this basis is a bridge camera the best option. If so which ones please ?

All advice appreciated (y)
 
Norton said:
All advice appreciated (y)
Click to expand...
Perhaps the Panasonic FZ82 would do the job. I;ve been using one for a couple of years and it seems to tick all your boxes...

Panasonic FZ82 camera GX7 P1140753.JPG

If he wants something more compact , Panasonic's TZ70 or later models might be appropriate, although you trade convenience of use for size...

Camera Panasonic TZ70 HX90 DSC00050.JPG

I've found Panasonic kit very reliable.
 
The FZ82 is quite noisy at low light levels, but it has the zoom to reduce the need for cropping, which would make the noise more noticeable.
Might not be an issue on small "prints"
 
Hopefully ok as only sharing images on social media / web. Also 7 days distance selling rule means he can try it out and get money back if not suitable.
 
The FZ82 is like any other camera, it has both good and bad points.

At maximum zoom, it needs a solid support to control camera shake but it makes up for that with a wider maximum angle of view than any comparable camera, so far as I know..

Clouds over the River Clyst at Clyst St Mary FZ82 P1000869.JPG

At the other end of the scale, if you can hold it steady enough, it will get you nice and close...

Crow on grass by road FZ82 P1010541.jpeg

and speaking of close, it can manage that as well...

Card reader and USB-C adapter FZ82 P1010679.jpg
 
Welll first proper outing the camera had black screen and message to power down and back on , 4 times. Going back for full refund :(
 
Norton said:
Welll first proper outing the camera had black screen and message to power down and back on , 4 times. Going back for full refund :(
Click to expand...
That's a nuisance.

If you don't already know: the button to the right of the screen, marked "VF", has to be pressed to toggle back and forth between back screen and the viewfinder.
 
Norton said:
After some advice please

Son is into Hyrox and finds iPhone too restrictive capturing video and photos due to distance from subject and low light levels. Digital crops give poor image quality

He has no experience of cameras so is after something simple to use that can :-

  1. Take video and photos from distance range of 2m - 10m , allowing tight crops on contestant.
  2. Shoot indoors with no flash, so possibly poor light levels
  3. Auto setting for sports
  4. Fast focusing
  5. Can be handheld vs need for tripod
  6. Decent image quality for web shots only
  7. Simple to transfer images to phone - WiFi and phone app ?
  8. Budget of £300 max
  9. Happy to consider used cameras if they offer more bang for buck
On this basis is a bridge camera the best option. If so which ones please ?

All advice appreciated (y)
Click to expand...
This is a difficult one, let me tell you, as someone who works on the official Sportograf photography team for the Hyrox events, it's difficult.
I use the best Canon camera for sports (R1) and the best lens money can buy (100-300mm 2.8) and even with this kit it's challenging, the lighting in the arenas is ridiculous.
At times my ISO can be at 12,800, there's just no way around it.

For the obstacles that we can get close, Ski Erg, Sled Push, Sled Pull and Rowing, we attach an LED light to the hot shoe which helps but for the rest you just work with the light you have.

So I'd say as a spectator it's going to be even harder.

You can see a few examples of my Hyrox pictures here, just as a reference point
www.paulhanleyphotos.com

Paul Hanley Photos Sports Photography

Specialist sports photography throughout the North-West of England
www.paulhanleyphotos.com www.paulhanleyphotos.com
 
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Even harder when the current generation is used to simplicity of an iPhone, not understanding complexities of lack of light, vs focal length, vs shutter speed etc
 
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