Steve'sDigicams

hag · Nov 23, 2008, 4:45 PM

Hi there.

I'm fairly new to photography but I've decided to dip my toe in a bit. At the moment, I don't see it becoming a serious hobby, but I would like to do a bit more than just point and shoot. There have been so many lovely scenes this Autumn that I'm inspired to do something about it - and what with Christmas coming...

I'm therefore looking for a fairly compact camera that I can start to experiment with. It also needs to have an automatic mode so that my wife can take shots without being confused. In summary, my requirements are these:

Fairly small (though not necessarily pocket size);
Manual and automatic modes;
Good for a wide range of situations, including family shots, landscapes and low light conditions (sunsets etc);
Solid and hard wearing;
Easy to use menus;
A reasonable zoom (although having a huge zoom isn't important)

I tried out a few recently and each have features I like. I really liked the Canon G9 as it was a good size, felt very solid and seemed intuative to use (it felt more like a camera as opposed to a computer). However, it's a little out of my price range. I also tried the Panasonic FZ28, Sony H50 and Nikon P80 but these were also expensive and I preferred the solid feel of the G9.

I then tried the Canon SX100 which seemed good except that it is plastic and I worry that it wouldn't be too rugged. The price was right through so I guess you get what you pay for.

Does anyone have any ideas for me to look at?

My budget is £200 or less. I don't expect miracles for that price so I'll leave it to you more experienced people to point me in the right direction...

Many thanks

Simon.

AndyfromVA · Nov 23, 2008, 9:33 PM

If you think you may become serious about photography, purchase a camera with the option of full manual exposure controls. The Canon SX110is would do the job, even though it is plastic. Lower cost alternatives are the Canon A590is and the Panasonic LZ10.

deterpawson · Nov 27, 2008, 5:37 PM

test shoot the panasonic TZ series like the TZ 5, TZ10 etc
i believe they are quite compact and have 10x zoom
has a good Leica Lens
read the reviews at steves they are informative
also lotsa guys in here are very experienced and will have some good info to provide
good luck

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Nov 23, 2008, 4:45 PM	#1
hag Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1	Hi there. I'm fairly new to photography but I've decided to dip my toe in a bit. At the moment, I don't see it becoming a serious hobby, but I would like to do a bit more than just point and shoot. There have been so many lovely scenes this Autumn that I'm inspired to do something about it - and what with Christmas coming... I'm therefore looking for a fairly compact camera that I can start to experiment with. It also needs to have an automatic mode so that my wife can take shots without being confused. In summary, my requirements are these: Fairly small (though not necessarily pocket size); Manual and automatic modes; Good for a wide range of situations, including family shots, landscapes and low light conditions (sunsets etc); Solid and hard wearing; Easy to use menus; A reasonable zoom (although having a huge zoom isn't important) I tried out a few recently and each have features I like. I really liked the Canon G9 as it was a good size, felt very solid and seemed intuative to use (it felt more like a camera as opposed to a computer). However, it's a little out of my price range. I also tried the Panasonic FZ28, Sony H50 and Nikon P80 but these were also expensive and I preferred the solid feel of the G9. I then tried the Canon SX100 which seemed good except that it is plastic and I worry that it wouldn't be too rugged. The price was right through so I guess you get what you pay for. Does anyone have any ideas for me to look at? My budget is £200 or less. I don't expect miracles for that price so I'll leave it to you more experienced people to point me in the right direction... Many thanks Simon.

Nov 23, 2008, 9:33 PM	#2
AndyfromVA Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 618	If you think you may become serious about photography, purchase a camera with the option of full manual exposure controls. The Canon SX110is would do the job, even though it is plastic. Lower cost alternatives are the Canon A590is and the Panasonic LZ10.

Nov 27, 2008, 5:37 PM	#3
deterpawson Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 276	test shoot the panasonic TZ series like the TZ 5, TZ10 etc i believe they are quite compact and have 10x zoom has a good Leica Lens read the reviews at steves they are informative also lotsa guys in here are very experienced and will have some good info to provide good luck