Cameras

[dellzeqq]

I've got to buy somebody a camera. It has to produce digital pics, although if there are cameras that can tado digital and film in the same body then I'd consider that.

That nugget aside I KNOW NOTHING about cameras. So all advice, however basic, is very welcome.

 

[bikepete]

What they will use it for?
Have they any photographic experience before?
Budget?

 

[summerdays]

Do they know anything about cameras? Are they just wanting a point and shoot to record things parties, holidays etc, or do they want to do more than that? Do they want to control the way the picture is taken? or are they happy to let the camera get on with it most of the time.

 

[marinyork]

What size do they want, a 'credit card' sized camera that can fit in a pocket easily, something a bit larger or is size not an issue at all?

 

[dellzeqq]

Bikepete
- taking family type photographs, holiday photographs
- other than happysnaps and a phone camera, no
- I'm sort of open minded - if you can get a good 'un for £100 that's fantastic, but if you have to spend £500 for anything decent thent that's .........not such good news

Summersdays
- no, no knowledge, but it would be nice to be able to do some clever stuff with the camera - bear in mind that the recipient hires and fires film directors and camera operators, so she knows a decent product when she sees it


Marin
- I think the key thing is stability. Some mini cameras are difficult to hold steady, but, then again, having something that weighs a lot isn't much fun either

Thankyou for all these questions - I should have had the wit to ask them myself, but, as I say, I know nothing about cameras

 

[upsidedown]

In my admittedly limited experience anything made by Sony will be well made and produce decent shots.
Son has a Fuji that looks like an SLR which is also very good.

I have an Olympus which is very bad.

When shopping for digital cameras i realised that the major difference in price comes down to the battery. Lithium Ion being the best and most expensive, AA the worst and cheapest.

paul

 

[Aperitif]

I have an Ixus 120 - superseeded by the 130 I think. It is tiny (like me) and I can carry it in a case, in my front pocket, or round my neck etc and it is hardly noticeable...Reasonably good pics and Camerabox has deals I think (case, card spare battery etc for about £150). I have used it for work stuff too! 8Mb memory card is good enough, unless there is a desire to carry every image around with one. It is an ideal notebook!
I have always used Canon digital, for some reason...Dave (T/cat) and Ian regularly take some fair shots with their gear.
Just looking on the A list and the 105 gets a reasonable review too.

 

[Aperitif]

I add that, although tiny (like me ) I can manipulate the controls with ease (until about midday in The Seagull, then I struggle...)

 

[summerdays]

Bikepete
- taking family type photographs, holiday photographs
- other than happysnaps and a phone camera, no
- I'm sort of open minded - if you can get a good 'un for £100 that's fantastic, but if you have to spend £500 for anything decent thent that's .........not such good news

Summersdays
- no, no knowledge, but it would be nice to be able to do some clever stuff with the camera - bear in mind that the recipient hires and fires film directors and camera operators, so she knows a decent product when she sees it


Marin
- I think the key thing is stability. Some mini cameras are difficult to hold steady, but, then again, having something that weighs a lot isn't much fun either

Thankyou for all these questions - I should have had the wit to ask them myself, but, as I say, I know nothing about cameras

I would say that you can rule out the really basic point and shoots then ... wasn't certain whether you wanted it for a teenager... one of mine is just into pressing the button ... the other likes trying to take arty ones... but without understanding how to use the camera in the first place... Your recipient probably would like to be able to have the choice of whether to just press the button and let the camera do it all, or change mode and be able to control the speed etc.

Whatever makes it onto your short list ... My link is a good web-site to go and have a look if they have reviewed it. (You don't have to read all the pages of the review ... you can always skip to the last page and read the Pro's, Cons and Conclusion of the camera review ... I don't completely understand all the bits in between). DPreview also comments on how easy the controls are/ease of holding the camera ... though nothing can make up for the shop touching/holding experience.

Also any card (for storing the photos) that comes with the camera won't be big enough so you will need to get one of those as well.

Do you think they want to be able to zoom in and out ... to frame the shot ... over a medium range or a very wide range (though I'm not sure that they can do that without loosing a bit in the image quality over the really big ranges)

 

[asterix]

Panasonic TZ8. Bought one in November to replace a slightly cheaper Samsung that I had lost. Just wanted an auto camera that did the job and am very pleased with it. The TZ10 is a little more popular and expensive but not worth the extra for my purposes. They are similar to much more expensive Leicas which Panasonic make for Leica. Quite a large compact but that's fine for me as the small ones are too fiddly.

 

[tyred]

I would look at a Fujifilm FinePix S5700 (or whatever they've replaced it with). I prefer to use film generally but the Fujifilm FinePix S5700 I have is decent camera by normal standards, more compact and easier to use than a proper DSLR, yet a better lens and more control over the photo than any of the compact cameras. Does an excellent job on automatic as well, I have no complaints.

 

[dellzeqq]

thankyou for all your help.

I've been pointed in this direction... http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/77965/show.html

what do we think?

 

[Fiona N]

I decided to buy a good digital camera in 2009 having previously only had digital experience with a tiny point-and-shoot Casio that I bought secondhand on Ebay. As a longterm user of SLRs - and Olympus (OM-1 and OM4-Ti) in particular, I was really looking to get a camera with the control of an SLR but as small and light as compatible with that - and with a range of lenses available.

I bought a copy of 'What camera' magazine which had huge amounts of info, comparisons and reviews and, even where it wasn't totally useful (because it mostly assumed a pretty high level of knowledge), did direct me to some good websites. Friends recommended their makes /models of camera but they all seemed far larger (and heavier) than what I was hoping for - not to mention way over my budget - so I really relied much more on the websites and forums to define what I really needed, what would be nice to have and what was just a glorified marketing stunt and then some cameras to meet these specifications.

If you've got the time, I suggest a similar approach as people here will just recommend cameras that they like or don't without necessarily filfilling your (or your friend's) requirements. I ended up with a camera that no one had recommended, in fact, none of my friends had even heard of the model. but which fits my specs perfectly and came in a couple of hundred pounds under budget. I'm just not sure it will ever replace my beloved OM-1

 

[asterix]

thankyou for all your help.

I've been pointed in this direction... http://www.jessops.c...77965/show.html

what do we think?

At the risk of being sexist, IME women like a camera that fits easily in a handbag for

taking family type photographs, holiday photographs

..or if they are a cyclist, putting in the back pocket of a jersey!

Otherwise it sounds a very good deal.

 

[Aperitif]

Big zoom! Nice camera. £320 from Camerabox, with 16Gb card and case. Out of stock until 29th though, so will not be available for all the snow scenes... John Lewis(or Peter Jones for the toffs) have it a bit cheaper!