Help picking new bridge camera

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Ryan95

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Ryan
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Hi all,

Basically I am looking to take the next step on from my galaxy s8 phone camera. I have been told bridge cameras are probably going to be the best option for the type of photography I enjoy (mainly take macros and outdoors images). I have a budget of around £250 max. I'd ideally like something with a manual mode or at least a manual focus/depth of field.

The 2 big questions are A) what would you suggest? and B) with phone cameras getting better and better am I really going to get a massive upgrade going from the camera on the s8 to a £250 bridge camera?

Edit: Bonus points if you can include links to sample images
 
I've had 3 bridge cameras over the years and the best (I still use it) has been the Panasonic Lumix FZ200, nice bright 2.8 aperture, not too ambitious a zoom (25-600) decent Leica lens. After your phone the zoom range will be your biggest difference, along with having a viewfinder which is a must for me in bright light.
 
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Hi Ryan:)!

A) Have a look at the Panasonic Lumix FZ72. Read the reviews. There are quite a few of them available on Ebay. There's now a Panasonic Lumix FZ82 and a friend bought one recently. It's over your budget. The thingy is, I really, really don't often need a x60 zoom!!

B) I don't know about this but Good Luck;)!
 
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You will definitely get better resolution from any proper camera over a smart phone cam. Though the Samsung phone cams are very impressive for what they are, the sensors are still tiny. They're fine for general shooting but when you start pixel peeping, or cropping down images you see their limitations. For macro this will be all the more noticeable.

The Panasonic Fz82 is only just above your budget https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-...qid=1501262771&sr=8-3&keywords=panasonic+fz82

Seems to have all the bells and whistles you'd want.
 
Thanks all! I have been looking at a few cameras and have narrowed it down to the FZ72 (thanks Eltheza for the suggestion), the Nikon B500, Sony DSCH400B and the sx430. How ever the FZ72 seems to be the best option as it has more manual control and the ability to shoot raw. If anyone has any other suggestions feel free to leave them below!
 
Let us know how you get on with whatever you decide on, Ryan, and Good Luck with your choice:)! If you do go for the FZ72, I'd be interested in your 'review';)!
 
The FZ200 is a good camera but from what I've read I think the FZ72 is the slightly better option. im going to research more into the FZ82 and see if it's really worth stretching myself and that £100 extra difference. Looking at sample images both produce great quality images for the money and I couldn't make out any huge differences. I'm fairly certain I'd be happy with either. I have around a week to decide but I will most likely end up with the FZ72 unless anyone has any other suggestions.
 
Unfortunately I only have a budget of around £250 (300 at a real stretch). The P900 even second hand is 360+. Thanks for the suggestion though.
 
Get a 2nd hand DSLR with a low shutter count (Sony alpha a100 a200 etc.) And buy some 2nd hand lenses off eBay. Like a Helios.

Should be able to get 2 lenses and the camera for your budget.
 
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mjmountain said:
Get a 2nd hand DSLR with a low shutter count (Sony alpha a100 a200 etc.) And buy some 2nd hand lenses off eBay. Like a Helios.

Should be able to get 2 lenses and the camera for your budget.
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I'm looking more for a bridge camera since you don't have to carry around different lenses and they are just "easier" thanks for your suggestion though.
 
Ryan95 said:
I'm looking more for a bridge camera since you don't have to carry around different lenses and they are just "easier" thanks for your suggestion though.
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Cool. I nearly went for the p900 but extensive reading put me off it as a one trick pony, great for moon shots and birds but not much else. And it's massive! So in the end I upgraded my DSLR body to a second hand a77 already having a bunch of Sony and Minolta lenses, but I was torn by the idea of having a "jack of all trades" too.
 
I first got interested in photography in the days of film, some 40 years ago - I loved it and still have all the gear from those days:

Yashica FR - beautiful camera.
Zenit E - 2X converter in place. Quirky but lovely.
Vivitar 35ES - rangefinder and still in mint condition with a fabulous lens.

Life interrupted my togging.

A few years ago, at work, one of my colleagues showed me some piccies which she had taken in her garden of the local squirrels and brought the camera in for me to "peruse." That was it; a few weeks later I bought a similar Fuji bridge. Nice camera but I never got on with it. However, my interest in togging was re-ignited and within the year I bought a Canon 20d from MPB and subsequently completed two night school courses.

Loved it.

The 20d takes superb photos and about £60-70 second hand.

Reading around I became aware of Micro 4/3 systems and after being let down on a purchase by the aforesaid MPB bought a Lumix G1 off the bay for £50. I love the camera, although the menus are hard work compared to Canon. I managed to snag a gorgeous 14-45 though for £50 and I love the set-up. M 4/3 IS truly light and portable and if you need convincing check out David Thorpe on 'youtube' because he is Brilliant.

Anyway, the point I am seeking to make is this - skip the Bridge but dip your toe in the water gently. A (used) Lumix G1 (it has a viewfinder) will cost £50 - 60. A Lumix 14-42 about £50. In old 35 mm money that's a zoom lens set up of 28-84 because of the sensor size. Forty years ago it was 50mm and that was it unless you had Lot's of Cash.

Skip the bridge because if you get in to photography you will regret that first Bridge purchase. Don't get me wrong Bridge cameras are useful - I recently bought a Canon SX150 for £25 off the bay but for a specific, outdoor, boozy gig.

Or you could go the DSLR route - check MPB or Camera Jungle, or WEX etc but £100 or not much more will give you a nice set-up and which you can expand. If you get bored you can always re-sell.

Best of luck.
 
Ryan95 said:
The FZ200 is a good camera but from what I've read I think the FZ72 is the slightly better option. im going to research more into the FZ82 and see if it's really worth stretching myself and that £100 extra difference. Looking at sample images both produce great quality images for the money and I couldn't make out any huge differences. I'm fairly certain I'd be happy with either. I have around a week to decide but I will most likely end up with the FZ72 unless anyone has any other suggestions.
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What makes you say the F72 is the better option over the FZ200? The FZ200 has a F2.8 wide aperture throughout the focal length range, making it a better low-light performer. All sensors are not equal and technology improves, but both cameras have the same size (relatively small) sensor and so the extra pixels in the FZ72 sensor might make for a noisier image in low light conditions; unless you are making severe crops, 12 megapixels should be plenty. The FZ200 has an articulated rear screen - handy for close-to-the-ground macro shots and also for video. It has a fastest shutter speed of 1/4000 compared to the FZ72 with 1/2000 (but you might not ever go that fast).

If you want to play with depth of field, then a bigger sensor will give you a smaller depth of field than a small sensor (but getting close and zooming in with a small sensor will make for blurred backgrounds too) - so 2nd hand DSLR or micro 4/3 might be the way to go.

If you really want the versatility and convenience of a single lens with a wide range of focal length, then the bridge camera might be the best bet.

For what it's worth, I recently purchased a FZ200 (I'm not biased ;)) and think it's a cracking camera. What particularly struck me was the ease of use in manual and semi-automatic modes - the EVF gives you an 'animation' (rather like the aperture ring on an old SLR lens) of aperture and shutter speed selection with metering/exposure limits and the wheel button allows you to click to select the parameter that you want to adjust with the wheel - much easier than my first DSLR (350D)
 
weybourne said:
What makes you say the F72 is the better option over the FZ200? The FZ200 has a F2.8 wide aperture throughout the focal length range, making it a better low-light performer. All sensors are not equal and technology improves, but both cameras have the same size (relatively small) sensor and so the extra pixels in the FZ72 sensor might make for a noisier image in low light conditions; unless you are making severe crops, 12 megapixels should be plenty. The FZ200 has an articulated rear screen - handy for close-to-the-ground macro shots and also for video. It has a fastest shutter speed of 1/4000 compared to the FZ72 with 1/2000 (but you might not ever go that fast).

If you want to play with depth of field, then a bigger sensor will give you a smaller depth of field than a small sensor (but getting close and zooming in with a small sensor will make for blurred backgrounds too) - so 2nd hand DSLR or micro 4/3 might be the way to go.

If you really want the versatility and convenience of a single lens with a wide range of focal length, then the bridge camera might be the best bet.

For what it's worth, I recently purchased a FZ200 (I'm not biased ;)) and think it's a cracking camera. What particularly struck me was the ease of use in manual and semi-automatic modes - the EVF gives you an 'animation' (rather like the aperture ring on an old SLR lens) of aperture and shutter speed selection with metering/exposure limits and the wheel button allows you to click to select the parameter that you want to adjust with the wheel - much easier than my first DSLR (350D)
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The FZ72 is a better camera for what I am going to be shooting is what I should have said. I have explained why I do not want a DSLR plus the fz200 is more expensive. I have ordered the fz72 thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
 
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