Camera advice

[dantheman6106]

Hi ,

Haven't been on the forum for a while but I know a few of you on here a clued up on cameras and I am after a bit of advice on what camera to get

My Fiancé wants a new camera for her birthday and she likes the SLR type , she doesn't want anything too fancy and she's not a technical whizz so also needs to be fairly easy to operate. It will be mainly used for Pictures of the Kids, Holiday and maybe Fat Zuke if I can get out in it this year !

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Dan

[windsor]

Sony alpha range i use em on auto mode takes fantastic piks

[turbo-tom]

Watching this thread closely as im still looking to get a camera.

[Tramp]

I have a Panasonic Lumix which has been really good through my ownership, its finally given up the ghost after 4/5 years, in fact it was in my pocket when I had my motorbikes accident, my good lady wife cleaned blood off it for me! I'll be looking for another as it was a great point & shoot, without being complicated, I turn it on & push the button! It doesn't have all the extra bits that bigger cameras have, but as an SLR goes I thought it was good. I should also mention when I bought it I didn't realise it was AA battery powered & was disappointed, I bought an AA battery charger and batteries and its easily as good as a camera with self contained batteries!

[windsor]

Av got a lumix digi cam just point and shoot gets really good pix love my son slr tho for imag quality its fantastix been haveing a go with my gaffers cannon 1100d seam to be a good easy to use well made slr and on sale atm apprently

[dan_2k_uk]

As a SLR user.... The Mrs has a decent bridge camera which is the best of all worlds. If you want a bit of everything get a bridge camera!

[dan_2k_uk]

I was drunk when I wrote that last night so thought maybe I should give my reasoning rather than just shout "BRIDGE CAMERA!!!"

Bought my Mrs a Panasonic FZ-48 off the back of having a play with a friends bridge camera.

For under £200 these cameras come with all the niceties of a DSLR but without the cost, the weight, or having to carry all the stuff about.

Its feather light and comes with a re-chargable lithium ion battery and charger. You only have one lens which is equivalent to carrying quite a few with a SLR and because its fixed you dont end up with dust and crap on the sensor when changing.

With that one lens one minute you can be taking a photo of some tiny insect eating a leaf and the next something in outer space.

I'm not saying buy this exact camera but it really makes me think when I am lugging round a big bag with my SLR and lenses in it how easy life could be. (I wouldn't swap my mechanical mirror noise and feel for anything though!)

Here are a few sample images from said camera to show off its true diversity.








This sunset taken through a car window at 70mph on the motorway!










It even has long exposures. Admittedly only 8 secs but its enough for some cool effects.





So who needs a DSLR anyway!

[Rhinoman]

I've got a bridge as well, a Canon. This is my second bridge, it takes a good pic and I'm not tempted to spend a fortune on additional lenses.

[Tramp]

You have set me off looking now, I've seen one I fancy which isnt too expensive (panasonic lumix DMC-lz20). I spoke to the Mrs about it and it looks like we won't be getting one any time soon! I think my argument of 'i want to take the best POTM photo for SCUK' probably wasn't the most convincing argument I could have made!

[dan_2k_uk]

I would have gone for "I want to take some nice photos of the kids" if I was you.