Fujifilm finepix S2950 A good first digiSLR?

RachelWaltham90

RachelWaltham90

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Hello all!

Have only just joined the forum, seeing the majority of posts in this section about Canon and Nikon cameras makes me embarassed to ask about a fujifilm haha!

One day I will save enough money for a top notch camera, but for now I am looking for a lower price ranged Digital SLR camera that I can start off with. Im not a pure novice when it comes to photography, I genuinely get to grips easily with any camera I try out, but I have never owned my own slr before.

The fujifilm finepix S2950 has caught my eye not just because of its good price at £120 on amazon, but because it doesn't have a bad rating overall with 4.5/5 stars.

Does anyone have any advice/tips on this camera? Any lens recommendations? My main photography interests are wildlife,nature and portraits.


Hope someone can help :$

Regards

Rachel

www.racheykins.deviantart.com
flickr.com/waltham90
 
The first thing you need to know is the S2950 isn't a digital slr, it's what's known as a "bridge camera" and whilst it's a fairly decent little camera it won't give you same level of image quality you'd get from a "proper" dslr.
 
It's not an DSLR, it's what called a bridge camera,you won't be able to change lens.
But it got an large lens range 18x zoom,and would make a good camera to start out with,till you could save up for a proper DSLR :)
 
simonblue said:
It's not an DSLR, it's what called a bridge camera,you won't be able to change lens.
But it got an large lens range 18x zoom,and would make a good camera to start out with,till you could save up for a proper DSLR :)
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This, if your budget is only just over 100 quid, even 2nd hand, you would struggle to buy a decent semi modern body and some basic lenses,

A bridge camera does what it says, it bridges the gap between simple point and shoots and a proper SLR imo, I'd stick with the fuji for the time being, using it often will get your hands and arms used to the extra weight a bigger camera brings, and you'll be able to learn quite a bit more about everything that actually makes a shot using it, then you would from a PaS :)
 
As has been said its not a dslr, but fujifilm do make IMO good bridge cameras. I have a fujifilm fine pix s9600 and s9500, which have both served me well.

It goes without saying that they aren't as good as a full dslr. I have recently got a canon 7d and it blows the bridge cameras out of the water, however they also cost around £800 less. So the value for money is there.

Personally I'd recommend getting a second hand bridge camera or entry level dslr, as you'll get more for your money. Try them out before you buy too, get down the camera shops and see how they feel.
 
RachelWaltham90 said:
Ahh right my mistake then! :bonk:
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Easy mistake to make ;) Like I said, it's still a good camera, but if you want a dslr in that sort of price range you'll really need to go secondhand - MPB (link at the top of the page) sometimes have older dslrs (with a warranty) that should just about be in budget :thumbs:
 
Seraph82 said:
This, if your budget is only just over 100 quid, even 2nd hand, you would struggle to buy a decent semi modern body and some basic lenses,

A bridge camera does what it says, it bridges the gap between simple point and shoots and a proper SLR imo, I'd stick with the fuji for the time being, using it often will get your hands and arms used to the extra weight a bigger camera brings, and you'll be able to learn quite a bit more about everything that actually makes a shot using it, then you would from a PaS :)
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ACW said:
As has been said its not a dslr, but fujifilm do make IMO good bridge cameras. I have a fujifilm fine pix s9600 and s9500, which have both served me well.

It goes without saying that they aren't as good as a full dslr. I have recently got a canon 7d and it blows the bridge cameras out of the water, however they also cost around £800 less. So the value for money is there.

Personally I'd recommend getting a second hand bridge camera or entry level dslr, as you'll get more for your money. Try them out before you buy too, get down the camera shops and see how they feel.
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Flash In The Pan said:
Easy mistake to make ;) Like I said, it's still a good camera, but if you want a dslr in that sort of price range you'll really need to go secondhand - MPB (link at the top of the page) sometimes have older dslrs (with a warranty) that should just about be in budget :thumbs:
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Thanks all, I had heard about bridge cameras before but I keep branding all cameras that look remotely SLR like with the same brush haha :bonk:

Second hand is something I would definetely consider, I mean I could probably save a bit more to get something second hand, but obviously the £500+ cameras that I can imagine are phenomenal will be out of my range for quite a while being a student and all.

Any suggestions for start off dslr cameras if I dont decide to get the fujifilm?
Say if I upped my budget to £300?

Would just like to have one in the next few months really, my fiance just got given a fujifilm S5500 for free with lenses etc and it's making me want my own better camera so much more!
 
Their quite a few s/h within your price range,the Nikon D40 or the Canon 20D.

But don't write of bridge cameras,a few years ago when the price of DSLR were :eek:,a lot of people used bridge cameras,till the price of DSLR stared to come down :)
 
simonblue said:
Their quite a few s/h within your price range,the Nikon D40 or the Canon 20D.

But don't write of bridge cameras,a few years ago when the price of DSLR were :eek:,a lot of people used bridge cameras,till the price of DSLR stared to come down :)
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Thanks Simon, I'm still considering all my options, I didnt realise second hand decent dslrs went down to such a reasonable price thats why I was so tempted by the bridge cameras, but I think i'll head to my local camera shops and have a look at what second hand deals they have and have a play around with some cameras :D
 
CEX in Cardiff have a Nikon D5000 with an 18-55 kit lens for £325.

Just an idea

Jason
 
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jasonhb said:
CEX in Cardiff have a Nikon D5000 with an 18-55 kit lens for £325.

Just an idea

Jason
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scottthehat said:
for £300 you could get a dslr and an 15-55mm kit lens, places to look are
canon 100d with lens here -http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/c/310/Used-Digital-SLR-Cameras.html?Page=1&sortby=
also try-http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/
and evil bay, look at nikon canon and also look at pentax for £300 you should be able to get a k100d super or k10d or k200d with a 18-55mm lens with the added bonus of built in body shake reduction,
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Thanks for the reccommendations :notworthy:
 
RachelWaltham90 said:
Thanks all, I had heard about bridge cameras before but I keep branding all cameras that look remotely SLR like with the same brush haha :bonk:

Second hand is something I would definetely consider, I mean I could probably save a bit more to get something second hand, but obviously the £500+ cameras that I can imagine are phenomenal will be out of my range for quite a while being a student and all.

Any suggestions for start off dslr cameras if I dont decide to get the fujifilm?
Say if I upped my budget to £300?

Would just like to have one in the next few months really, my fiance just got given a fujifilm S5500 for free with lenses etc and it's making me want my own better camera so much more!
Click to expand...
I started off with an S5500 a good few years ago as my first non P&S camera, loved it and I was convinced it was an SLR until I'd done some reading, despite having owned film SLR's before :bonk:

I'm nikon biased, but you should definitely be able to pick up a D40 and kit lens for around the £200 mark, and I think its replacement the D3000 kit was available new for around £300 from Argos, not sure if still available tho. If you go used, you'll pay more from a shop than privately, but you will get a warranty from the shop.

I went from the fuji to the D40 in 2008 and the difference was night and day, but DSLR's aren't the be all... Have a look on Flickr where you can search for pics taken with specific cameras, there are some very talented people out there who use bridge cameras :)
 
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That S2960 model looks as though it has electric zoom control. I’ve never used a Fuji, but electric zoom on other cameras tends to be slow and jerky, with a limited number of steps, and a total pain in the backside if the subject is moving. One of the other Fuji bridge cameras, with a manual zoom ring on the lens, might be more suitable unless all your subjects are static.
 
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