SUGGEST CAMERA PLEASE

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Kahn

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Hiya. Please advise which camera I should buy.

From the advanced compacts I have shortlisted

Cannon S95
Nikon p500
Cannon SX30 IS
Fujifilm HS20 EX

I am also looking at Sony's A290 as the option for DSLR. Most other DSLRs are beyond the limits my budget for now.


I have seen reviews that S95 has the best quality among the others, however it has small zoom as compared to the rest.

I like slightly bulky camera and am interested in SX30 IS but if its image quality is not good (for a 300+ quid camera) then I shan't buy it.

Other reviews suggest HS20 EX has good image but really poor video quality.



Please provide your opinions, especially if you have used any of these.

Any other that you would suggest?
 
welcome :)

what are you most likely wanting to photograph as that has a strong bearing on which type of camera is best for you.
A DSLR potentially gives the best quality & is most flexible but is larger, dearer & may well involve additional cost/bulk for additional lenses.
btw Sony & Panasonic also make some very good compact/bridge cameras.
 
Thanks Scott.

In recent future I will be using the camera as a tourist. Photographing historical monuments, landscapes as I visit the countryside.

But I would want to hone my skills at photographing landscapes.


This is way I wanted to go for a bridge camera before I move on to a DSLR which currently I cannot afford and do not know how to use.

I am a hobbyist and will probably only remain one.


Would you recommend any particular sony or panasonic bridge? or would prefer any one from the ones I have mentioned?
 
Sony "bridge" type would be the DSC-HX100V but it sounds like you don't need the extended zoom of this so the Sony compact style DSC-HX9V may suit you better.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

There are also the micro 4/3 & NEX interchangeable lens compact cameras which benefit from a larger sensor than most compacts.
 
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Thanks.

I am able to get S95 for £310 while LX5 is available for £364

Meanwhile, it has been suggested on websites that S95 is the best camera compact camera until G12 is considered, which is more than £400+


You are right that I do not really need an extended zoom. It is going to distort the quality anyway. Maybe not on a DSLR but I think it will affect the quality on a compact.

Secondly, people seem to prefer a CMOS lens over a CCD lens. Reading a bit from wikipedia, I find both have their merits and demerits. Would you not buy a camera just because it has a CCD lens?

Scott, would you recommend S95?

Following is the reference I use to compare S95 with HX9V you suggested.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon_PowerShot_S95-vs-Sony-HX9v
 
I think that you need to define your needs & then go to a shop & handle them to see what suits you best (don't let the salesperson guide you to something that you don't need/want).
Do you need RAW image format as that would narrow your options drastically?

CMOS & CCD are sensor types not lenses.
CCDs imo give better image quality at low ISO but images get noisier quicker at high ISO than with CMOS. The S95 counters this by using a larger sensor than the HX9V.

& you can of course read reviews on sites like DPReview, Imaging Resource, PopPhoto etc.

You should also be able to get a micro 4/3 or a Nex for ~£300 & quality wise they should be better than a compact - they are a kind of half-way house to a DSLR.
 
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It sounds like you have a budget of £300-400 (perhaps a bit under that).

Have you considered a s/h DLSR? - for that sort on cash you have a reasonable degree of choice - you could then upgrade as your interest and funds increased, rather than having to later abandon a fixed lens camera to move into DSLR.
 
You're right Jonathan. I'm looking for a camera around £320 (max)

Guys, please provide some specific suggestions. I'm overwhelmed in my research for the best camera for me.


Which one would be the best for this purpose...

"Photographing historical monuments, landscapes as I visit the countryside"


Currently I am a beginner so photography skills will be bad (I understand), but I want the camera to be quite good so that once my skills get better I do not have to change it.
 
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if you don't mind the fact that you can't just put it in a pocket then something like the Sony A290 has the potential to provide the best images for your budget & can be added to in the future as you feel necessary.
after that something like the Olympus E-PL1+14-42 or Sony NEX-3+18-55, still not really pocketable though.

If you need it pocketable then as above (in no particular order) S95/HX9V/LX-5 - all slightly different.
Only you can decide your needs/priorities though.
 
From the Sony A290 looks good. I lack video mode though.

Thank you all.
 
Kahn said:
You're right Jonathan. I'm looking for a camera around £320 (max)

Guys, please provide some specific suggestions. I'm overwhelmed in my research for the best camera for me.

Which one would be the best for this purpose...

"Photographing historical monuments, landscapes as I visit the countryside"

Currently I am a beginner so photography skills will be bad (I understand), but I want the camera to be quite good so that once my skills get better I do not have to change it.
Click to expand...

It's really hard for people to give hard recommendations because buying a camera is such a person thing. I was at a similar stage as you a year ago. I would strongly suggest you get a DSLR over a bridge as the image quality and future expandability (not sure that's a word) are far greater.

I know all the settings and buttons are overwhelming but you will learn to understand them very rapidly with a bit of practice. At the beginning however there's always the auto mode.

I also appreciate your budget might be stretched but a second hand entry level DSLR can be had for 320 quid(ish) perhaps a D3000 from Nikon or an equivalent from Sony, Canon.

The only obvious spanners threatening the works are if you don't want the bulk of a DSLR or are possibly put off by second hand.

I hope this helps,
Alex
 
The only downside with the DSLR is that I would not want to carry it with me unless I plan to take pictures.


Something like a really high-end compact like LX-5/S95/HX9V will be able to provide a seriously good quality picture at times when I do not have a DSLR.


I also think that one should have both types of cameras to cater for planned and un-planned events.



I wonder if you feel the same way or is it just me.
 
Yeah I can understand that thinking. I have a similar scenario except instead of having an occasional camera I can stick in my pocket I have a girlfriend! Haha
 
The way I see it is if the camera is too big for a pocket it is more likely to get left at home, be it m4/3rds or full size DSLR. So if you want a camera for all the time the S95 is good. Image quality isn't too bad at all.
 
Kahn,I had a Canon 550d and a Fuji x100.Ive sold the canon and shall have the s95 delivered tomorrow,i scanned lots of sites until eventually deciding,nearly went for the S100 but it seems that image is soft unless you shoot raw and pp and the GPS doesn't interest me.Ive had a canon ixus 115 before and that wasn't bad at all so I'm hoping the s95 will be even better,got it to put in my pocket,will use it more than the x100 simply because it will be with me 24/7. Go for it :)
 
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