Suggestions please for an amateur

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Cherokeerose

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hi everyone I'm new to this site. I wanted some suggestions on a new camera please. I currently have a Sony a200 dlsr but it's rather long in the tooth now and doesn't function so well. I'd like to buy myself a new camera. I mainly use my camera to take photos of my horses and dogs so fast moving subjects which the sports mode on the Sony is excellent for. However I have a basic lens and only 10mp so it's a bit mediocre.

I am looking at bridge cameras. I would like something with a high mp and high zoom capacity. Something that is simple to use with no different lens attachments (I have had my Sony for around 8yrs now and still not got to grips with how to use it to its full capabilities as I simply don't use it often enough). It must have a fast shooting mode or some sort of sports mode. I found the press and hold button on my Sony easy to use. Sorry I'm not good with technical terms.

Nothing too expensive please. And preferably not another dlsr. I was looking at the Nikon p610 as it has high mp and zoom but not sure if it has the fast shooting I want. I am open to any suggestions but I can't continue using my Sony a200 as it quickly dying :(

Thank you all in advance. X
 
As a generalisation (and staying away from techie terms), the way bridge cameras focus is slower than DSLRs so you may struggle to find one fast enough for your needs. One of the best for this is probably the Panasonic DMC-FZ1000 but you may find it too expensive at about £500.

With respect, I wouldn't recommend too long a focal length lens on a small bridge camera as it's likely to have a small maximum aperture which will lead to slow shutter speeds, camera shake and blurred subjects. The FZ1000's 400mm f4 (equivalent) is a decent compromise. You should try to visit a retailer to handle any cameras you short-list as you won't work well with a camera you don't find comfortable to use.
 
Cherokeerose said:
hi everyone I'm new to this site. I wanted some suggestions on a new camera please. I currently have a Sony a200 dlsr but it's rather long in the tooth now and doesn't function so well. I'd like to buy myself a new camera. I mainly use my camera to take photos of my horses and dogs so fast moving subjects which the sports mode on the Sony is excellent for. However I have a basic lens and only 10mp so it's a bit mediocre.

I am looking at bridge cameras. I would like something with a high mp and high zoom capacity. Something that is simple to use with no different lens attachments (I have had my Sony for around 8yrs now and still not got to grips with how to use it to its full capabilities as I simply don't use it often enough). It must have a fast shooting mode or some sort of sports mode. I found the press and hold button on my Sony easy to use. Sorry I'm not good with technical terms.

Nothing too expensive please. And preferably not another dlsr. I was looking at the Nikon p610 as it has high mp and zoom but not sure if it has the fast shooting I want. I am open to any suggestions but I can't continue using my Sony a200 as it quickly dying :(

Thank you all in advance. X
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A couple. Of years ago I had a Canon sx 50 hs which was a superb camera for the price. I then decided to try the Nikon and sent it back after a day! The Canon blew it out of the water both on AF and IQ. The thing about the long zoom bridge cameras is that camera shake at long zoom length is pretty much inevitable so you find your having to use support to get anything half decent.
There are some really good bridge cameras with good but not overlong zooms as has been said so I would look at the FZ 100 that has already been mentioned or look out for a Canon SX50 as they are still one of the best bridge cameras and can be customised really well. Just my ten pence worth.
 
wardy07 said:
A couple. Of years ago I had a Canon sx 50 hs which was a superb camera for the price. I then decided to try the Nikon and sent it back after a day! The Canon blew it out of the water both on AF and IQ. The thing about the long zoom bridge cameras is that camera shake at long zoom length is pretty much inevitable so you find your having to use support to get anything half decent.
There are some really good bridge cameras with good but not overlong zooms as has been said so I would look at the FZ 100 that has already been mentioned or look out for a Canon SX50 as they are still one of the best bridge cameras and can be customised really well. Just my ten pence worth.
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Canon v Nikon.....flawed argument.

DSLR v Bridge....... usually the bridge will have inferior shutter lag and depending on how much you spend, poorer lens quality.

Like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

The DSLR has more flexibility and if you drop it, you are not necessarily looking for a complete new camera which is usually the case with a bridge.
 
shreds said:
Canon v Nikon.....flawed argument.

DSLR v Bridge....... usually the bridge will have inferior shutter lag and depending on how much you spend, poorer lens quality.

Like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

The DSLR has more flexibility and if you drop it, you are not necessarily looking for a complete new camera which is usually the case with a bridge.
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I agree that DSLR is a much better option but the OP seemed to imply that they wanted a Bridge camera hence my comments.
Also, you may disagree with my comparison on the Canon vs Nikon bridge's but from my own personal experience with both, I stand by what I said in that the Canon was far superior to the Nikon that I had simultaneously, therefore my argument isn't flawed, it's realistic from my experience of both.
You do to some extent get what you pay for, but when items are similarly priced, a direct comparison is relevant.
I also think if you drop any camera it will more than likely be costly but a DSLR generally would cost much more to replace than a Bridge!
These are only my opinions but to dismiss one as 'flawed' without any justification or other comment to back the statement up isn't that helpful imo.
 
plamen_gb said:
Sony RX10 seems like a nice camera that might fit your requirements
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It's a very nice camera but, as an owner, I know it won't handle fast moving subjects as required which is why I suggested the FZ1000 which uses the same sensor but has better AF technology.
 
Ulfric M Douglas said:
10 megapickles is fine.
But I guess you want a shiny new thing,
instead of what you should be buying : a great lens.
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As already stated, the camera I currently own doesn't work anymore. So purchasing a new lens for it would be completely pointless.
 
Cherokeerose said:
hi everyone I'm new to this site. I wanted some suggestions on a new camera please. I currently have a Sony a200 dlsr but it's rather long in the tooth now and doesn't function so well. I'd like to buy myself a new camera. I mainly use my camera to take photos of my horses and dogs so fast moving subjects which the sports mode on the Sony is excellent for. However I have a basic lens and only 10mp so it's a bit mediocre.

I am looking at bridge cameras. I would like something with a high mp and high zoom capacity. Something that is simple to use with no different lens attachments (I have had my Sony for around 8yrs now and still not got to grips with how to use it to its full capabilities as I simply don't use it often enough). It must have a fast shooting mode or some sort of sports mode. I found the press and hold button on my Sony easy to use. Sorry I'm not good with technical terms.

Nothing too expensive please. And preferably not another dlsr. I was looking at the Nikon p610 as it has high mp and zoom but not sure if it has the fast shooting I want. I am open to any suggestions but I can't continue using my Sony a200 as it quickly dying :(

Thank you all in advance. X
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Generally speaking, a bridge will have slow AF and very poor tracking ability.

And a Nikon d610 doesn't have a zoom range! It'll be whatever lens you put on it :)

I'd avoid bridge cameras personally. IMO they don't really serve a purpose these days, and are outclassed by pretty much all the high end compacts at one end of the scale and blown away by DSLRs and mirror less at the other end.
 
odd jim said:
Generally speaking, a bridge will have slow AF and very poor tracking ability.

And a Nikon d610 doesn't have a zoom range! It'll be whatever lens you put on it :)

I'd avoid bridge cameras personally. IMO they don't really serve a purpose these days, and are outclassed by pretty much all the high end compacts at one end of the scale and blown away by DSLRs and mirror less at the other end.
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Sorry to be picky but it was a Nikon P610 not D610 that was quoted and that does have zoom, 60x and it is a Bridge camera.
 
wardy07 said:
Sorry to be picky but it was a Nikon P610 not D610 that was quoted and that does have zoom, 60x and it is a Bridge camera.
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My mistake, thought it said d610.
 
wardy07 said:
A couple. Of years ago I had a Canon sx 50 hs which was a superb camera for the price. I then decided to try the Nikon and sent it back after a day! The Canon blew it out of the water both on AF and IQ. The thing about the long zoom bridge cameras is that camera shake at long zoom length is pretty much inevitable so you find your having to use support to get anything half decent.
There are some really good bridge cameras with good but not overlong zooms as has been said so I would look at the FZ 100 that has already been mentioned or look out for a Canon SX50 as they are still one of the best bridge cameras and can be customised really well. Just my ten pence worth.
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I'm not doubting that you found the Canon better but I would suggest you either had a duff P610 or knew how to use the Canon better as there's no way the Canon will blow the Nikon out of the water in terms of IQ normally. Both use a similar 1/2.3" sensor and comparable lens quality.
 
snerkler said:
I'm not doubting that you found the Canon better but I would suggest you either had a duff P610 or knew how to use the Canon better as there's no way the Canon will blow the Nikon out of the water in terms of IQ normally. Both use a similar 1/2.3" sensor and comparable lens quality.
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It is possible that the Nikon I had was a poor copy, I found it hunted for focus a lot where as the Canon locked on much quicker and the images were a lot sharper. Having said that, neither could compare to dslr in either capacity.
I guess it's all about whichever suits the individuals needs really, I wouldn't go back to a Bridge camera personally now as there are better options for anyone not wanting to carry body and big lenses.
 
wardy07 said:
It is possible that the Nikon I had was a poor copy, I found it hunted for focus a lot where as the Canon locked on much quicker and the images were a lot sharper. Having said that, neither could compare to dslr in either capacity.
I guess it's all about whichever suits the individuals needs really, I wouldn't go back to a Bridge camera personally now as there are better options for anyone not wanting to carry body and big lenses.
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Agreed, a 1/2.3" sensor can' compete with an APS-C sized sensor. That being said, in absolute perfect light I did get some really good shots with my Sony HX300
 
Ulfric M Douglas said:
No you didn't.
"Long in the tooth and doesn't function too well".
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And then it says at the very end of my original post that I cannot continue using the camera as it is dying.
I'm only on here for advice, not snarky comments and argueing about what is better - Nikon or canon. Maybe I'll do my research elsewhere.!
 
Cherokeerose said:
And then it says at the very end of my original post that I cannot continue using the camera as it is dying.
I'm only on here for advice, not snarky comments and argueing about what is better - Nikon or canon. Maybe I'll do my research elsewhere.!
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May I offer my apologies if I've offended you here, generally you will get good advice.
My comments began by offering an option I took a few years ago before I got into DSLR cameras in that the Canon SX50 was better than the NikonP610 that I tried. Other opinions may differ which is natural and fine.
There are a lot of very helpful people here who have extensive knowledge in their field and I'm sure you would get the help you need if you perservere.
So long as your expectations are realistic, bridge cameras are a good option if you don't want to be changing lenses all the time but still want decent reach. There are good M43 systems available now too if you did want body and lenses but a lot lighter and more compact.
It's worth going through the threads relating to each make and judging comments made there.
I know a lot of people rate the Fuji systems very highly and some of the Panasonics too.
Good luck with whatever you decide and please don't be put off by a few exchanges here as you will get the help you're looking for in the end.
 
I like my dlsr (when it decides to work) but I don't have the time nor patience to spend ages using it/working with it and the idea that I have to buy different lenses puts me off greatly. The photos it can take are fine as long as weather conditions are good and reasonably bright (I don't have photoshop to edit images, I have no idea how to work it and wouldn't know where to begin) so I leave my images just natural. Hence why I liked the idea of a bridge as I don't need different attachments and the high zoom was a huge attraction as sometimes horses are running around in a large field so it would be helpful if I could get up close images without having to run after them all the time!
But maybe I am being unrealistic as fast shooting is what I use my camera for and its my main priority so would probably be willing to look at dlsrs as long as they are relatively easy to use and lenses are reasonably priced. I looked at lenses for the Sony a long time ago and they were so expensive so that put me off slightly :/
 
Cherokeerose said:
I like my dlsr (when it decides to work) but I don't have the time nor patience to spend ages using it/working with it and the idea that I have to buy different lenses puts me off greatly. The photos it can take are fine as long as weather conditions are good and reasonably bright (I don't have photoshop to edit images, I have no idea how to work it and wouldn't know where to begin) so I leave my images just natural. Hence why I liked the idea of a bridge as I don't need different attachments and the high zoom was a huge attraction as sometimes horses are running around in a large field so it would be helpful if I could get up close images without having to run after them all the time!
But maybe I am being unrealistic as fast shooting is what I use my camera for and its my main priority so would probably be willing to look at dlsrs as long as they are relatively easy to use and lenses are reasonably priced. I looked at lenses for the Sony a long time ago and they were so expensive so that put me off slightly :/
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Bridge camera and moving subjects are not a good combination. Slow lenses, small sensors and slow AF .

You'd be better off adding a 70-200 (a used Sigma?) to your existing kit. You don't need loads of lenses.
 
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Cherokeerose said:
And then it says at the very end of my original post that I cannot continue using the camera as it is dying.
I'm only on here for advice, not snarky comments and argueing about what is better - Nikon or canon. Maybe I'll do my research elsewhere.!
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Unfortunately, one or two people in this thread seem more interested in scoring points rather than actually offering constructive suggestions.
However, the general opinion is that a bridge camera is probably not good enough for your needs. If you're prepared to accept that then this DSLR twin lens kit would probably suit your needs.
 
I have the camera and both the lenses in the recommendation above. I have great fun with them. A very versatile setup that you can set to sport mode and just click away with good results, or go much deeper if you decide you want to learn more later on.

There are plenty pics of animals at my page (in my sig), including some of horses, using exactly the set up recommended if you're curious. (I'm no pro either, though I do use manual settings mostly.)
 
Snapsh0t said:
Unfortunately, one or two people in this thread seem more interested in scoring points rather than actually offering constructive suggestions.
However, the general opinion is that a bridge camera is probably not good enough for your needs. If you're prepared to accept that then this DSLR twin lens kit would probably suit your needs.
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Thank you. I have done more research and think that a dlsr would probably be better. Canon seem to be above my budget but I was looking at the Nikon d3300 on Jessops that is also in a twin lens kit that seems like a good deal and a bit cheaper!
 
Cherokeerose said:
Thank you. I have done more research and think that a dlsr would probably be better. Canon seem to be above my budget but I was looking at the Nikon d3300 on Jessops that is also in a twin lens kit that seems like a good deal and a bit cheaper!
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You can get similarly priced Canon packages, but as far as bodies go Nikon are ahead at the moment in terms of performance. However it's important to try out the controls and ergonomics etc as you may significantly prefer one over the other.
 
Cherokeerose said:
Thank you. I have done more research and think that a dlsr would probably be better. Canon seem to be above my budget but I was looking at the Nikon d3300 on Jessops that is also in a twin lens kit that seems like a good deal and a bit cheaper!
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Showing my biases, I would rather recommend Nikon than Canon but I wasn't happy about the Tamron lens included in that package. The difference in price has to come from somewhere......
 
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