Any camera boffins out there?

[Ciorsdah]

Hi everyone!!

I'm thinking of upgrading my small point and press digital camera for something with better picture quality. Problem is I know nothing about cameras and don't want to spend £300 plus on something I don't really need.

What types of cameras do you take around the parks with you?

 

[jtlover]

My daughter bought a canon slr 1100 camera for her birthday
and the photos are amazing. I think it cost around 340

 

[london75]

I'm a dslr person and have no qualms carrying a mega camera around with me but really need to know what you need and are prepared to lug around.

The Olympus Pen is a well thought of versatile camera and the last generation is a very good price at the moment as new models are released every 9 months.

If video quality is important then there are specific models I'd suggest such as the Panasonic GF2 which has a "hack" (actually an extra bit of software that enhances the modes available) that makes it into almost a professional level video camera.

The Canon S95 and subsequent S100 were very well thought of at the time they were out and are great all rounders.

Another option is the Olympus Tough range, I also have the TG601 alongside my big camera, it's great on a number of fronts, it's water, drop and sand proof. The lens does not protude from the camera so I have no fear at all handing it to the kids to use. It takes full HD video at respectable quality and being waterproof it goes on all the rides and in the pool with us. Again there is a new generation so it should be cheap. I got mine from Jessops using Tesco clubcard vouchers which are exchangable 4 to the pound.

The Olympus Tough isn't quite so good inside so I consider it a holiday camera really but for free courtesy of Tesco I really wouldn't complain.

Edit: Avoid the Fuji waterproof camera as the image quality is shocking, ok for kids but will not please as the main shooter.

 

[Disney Princesses LW]

I am the same need a new camera for next time we go, would love to hear of some good suggestions dont want them too big and heavy carried around the parks all day

 

[mrferret]

Have used various different cameras around the parks over the years from a 35mm slr to a Canon 350d and a a fujifilm point and squirt.
They all have their pro's and con's

The digital slr (canon eos 350d) produces some stunning pictures and with the right lenses had telephoto and fisheye capabilities.However it does take up quite a lot of room in a backpack and you can find yourself with the wrong lens on and missing a spontanious shot.

The fujufilm point and squirt is fantastic in respect it has decent zoom and fires up very quickly ( dont use too large a memory card as that slows down startup time) the zoom is pretty good and it is waterproof (rain rather than swimming)
It lacks the full options that an SLR has.

I am probably going to get rid of the SLR and stick with my fuji as it makes for an easier option and will take pretty much any picture that the other one will.
In my opinion the most important thing with whatever camera you choose is that is feels comfortable to use and you are fully clued up with how it works before you go as there is nothing more frustrating than being stuck with a camera that you cant use when you want to take "memories"

Go to Jessops or a local camera shop and handle and try various different cameras .
Good Hunting

The equivalent camera to mine now would be a fujifilm finepix xp series

 

[Ciorsdah]

The thought of changing lens' etc scares me to be honest. I don't mind lugging around a slightly larger camera but I would rather not have to swap out bits of it, mainly because I'm a clutz and by not having to change expensive lens things minimises the risk of me dropping things!!

 

[Vixster]

One good camera is a Panasonic tz10 about £150-180 good zoom small camera
I also have a canon Slr but prefer my smaller camera as easier to carry

 

[mrferret]

don't discount any camera based on one opinion

Personally i found the fuji to have a good quality of picture and haven't any complaints on it .A pp has obviously got a differing (and no less valid) opinion.
Go check out the camera's physically and form your own ideas as whats good for one isn't always right for another.

 

[2Tiggies]

The thought of changing lens' etc scares me to be honest. I don't mind lugging around a slightly larger camera but I would rather not have to swap out bits of it, mainly because I'm a clutz and by not having to change expensive lens things minimises the risk of me dropping things!!

You don't have to swap lenses. I take my DSLR with me and I carry around a 10kg camera bag all day in the parks with no problems because I HAVE to know I have what I need if I need it

But most of the time I have a "walk about" lens on and so it doesn't need to be changed. One that gives you a decent zoom range is fine. You don't need as much zoom as what you may be led to believe for those general park shots.

Once you get comfortable with a camera you won't think twice about the 5 seconds it takes to switch lenses if need be, but until then, you wouldn't really have a need to do it until you expand your interests in photography substantially.

You may want to look at a bridge camera for something in between Point & Shoot and DSLR. I had a fantastic one and loved it!

 

[2Tiggies]

Oh one more thing: I firmly believe that you have much less chance of dropping or damaging a £1000 camera than a £80 one. With a big camera you are always very aware of it, especially when it cost you a lot of money, lol.

 

[wayneg]

One good camera is a Panasonic tz10 about £150-180 good zoom small camera
I also have a canon Slr but prefer my smaller camera as easier to carry

We have had 3 cameras in the TZ range and all were very good but recently changed to a Sony http://www.jessops.com/online.store...ops.com/online.store/products/80208/show.html
I thought the TZ's were good but the Sony is better, HD movies, Sweep Panarama, 3D, GPS tagging, 16.2MP just about everything you could want in a camera.

I have a Canon Digi SLR but the quality now from the compacts like above are improving constantly, they are almost as good as an SLR. I will probably take my SLR again next trip but one of these trips I will switch to compact only.

 

[Vixster]

We have had 3 cameras in the TZ range and all were very good but recently changed to a Sony http://www.jessops.com/online.store...ops.com/online.store/products/80208/show.html
I thought the TZ's were good but the Sony is better, HD movies, Sweep Panarama, 3D, GPS tagging, 16.2MP just about everything you could want in a camera.

I have a Canon Digi SLR but the quality now from the compacts like above are improving constantly, they are almost as good as an SLR. I will probably take my SLR again next trip but one of these trips I will switch to compact only.

Sounds good I have had a few other TZ too but will look at Sony when get another

 

[anthony2k7]

what kind of pictures do you want to be taking? Even today, there still isnt really a camera out there that can do everything, for a decent price and doesnt weigh too much.

With any camera that isnt a DSLR you're going to struggle to take pics of fireworks or dark ride pics because they simply cant do low light pictures well enough. Plus, you still really need a DSLR if you want more artistic pictures with blured backgrounds/foregrounds.

With that in mind, If you want the flexibility to cover most other scenarios in the parks then a bridge camera is probably what you want. Fujifilm make several, and I think they're all pretty good.

If you're not so worried about a good zoom and want to attempt (you're really not going to have a good success rate though!) lower light shots, then maybe look towards something like the Canon Gxx cameras.

 

[starrysky]

I have a small point and shoot Traveller camera that I bought at aldi a few years ago and it was a 10mgp camera with some good functions like anti shake and smile recognitian etc. I think at the time it was around £49.99. For a cheap camera it took great photos.

This year I have upgraded to a slightly higher quality Traveller one which was around £35 but i got it on ebay. This one is a 14 mgp camera with a good didgital zoom and various shooting options including a panoramic setting. Its small light weight and its also a lithium re chargable battery. Ok so its not a well know brand but I have found that my first one lasted longer than my more expensive sony one.

Plus as its cheap I don't have to worry so much about if I loose it apart from the photos obviously.

I do have a very nice fuji slr but its not so easy to carry around as it certainly won't fit in your pocket.

 

[beautifullily]

You may want to look at a bridge camera for something in between Point & Shoot and DSLR. I had a fantastic one and loved it!

I have a bridge camera - Panasonic fz38. It had good reviews when I bought it a couple of years ago. I downgraded from a dslr due to weight and size. It has 18x optical zoom which it pretty reasonable but does have a bit of noise at that level (fuzziness). Ranges get updated so often I'm sure there would be a better model now.

 

[2Tiggies]

I have a bridge camera - Panasonic fz38. It had good reviews when I bought it a couple of years ago. I downgraded from a dslr due to weight and size. It has 18x optical zoom which it pretty reasonable but does have a bit of noise at that level (fuzziness). Ranges get updated so often I'm sure there would be a better model now.

Having had a DSLR, you will know that even the best telephoto lenses have some compromises, especially at the far range; the drawbacks just show up differently in them than they do in compact/bridge cameras. I loved my one. I don't like a small camera as I like to feel I have a good grip on something. As someone already said though, it just depends what sort of photos you are wanting

 

[Ciorsdah]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies guys and gals.

I have found this camera that looks interesting

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-D3100...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1336995144&sr=1-1

its billed as an "entry level DSLR" and claims to have simple functionality.

I like the idea of a bridge camera, so I'll have a hunt for those.

 

[2Tiggies]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies guys and gals.

I have found this camera that looks interesting

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-D3100...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1336995144&sr=1-1

its billed as an "entry level DSLR" and claims to have simple functionality.

I like the idea of a bridge camera, so I'll have a hunt for those.

That is a really nice entry level DSLR. I believe it replaced the D40 which is the camera I had before this one, only the D3100 has so much more on it, including (I believe) an on screen guide option on the camera. It comes with a standard 18-55 mm zoom lens, which isn't much so at some point you may want to consider a telephoto to add to your kit, but it is really perfectly adequate for Disney. However the kit lens with this one does have VR (image stabilisation) which the earlier ones did not have as standard and that is an added bonus as there is no image stabilisation in the camera body itself - it's all in the lens. I got by the first year with the kit lens and there were very few times when I wanted something more than that.

And, it's even better ... because it's a Nikon

 

[Ciorsdah]

That is a really nice entry level DSLR. I believe it replaced the D40 which is the camera I had before this one, only the D3100 has so much more on it, including (I believe) an on screen guide option on the camera. It comes with a standard 18-55 mm zoom lens, which isn't much so at some point you may want to consider a telephoto to add to your kit, but it is really perfectly adequate for Disney. However the kit lens with this one does have VR (image stabilisation) which the earlier ones did not have as standard and that is an added bonus as there is no image stabilisation in the camera body itself - it's all in the lens. I got by the first year with the kit lens and there were very few times when I wanted something more than that.

And, it's even better ... because it's a Nikon

Thanks 2Tiggies, you really know your stuff!!

Now... to find the pennies to buy it....

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks 2Tiggies, you really know your stuff!!

Now... to find the pennies to buy it....

I would never encourage someone who wasn't planning to do so to make a purchase on a credit card. I have them, but don't buy on credit except in temporary emergencies. However, odd that you posted this today, but I have been hankering after a particular lens for my camera. Looked into hiring one for our trip and to take it for 3 weeks would cost half as much as the actual lens

So I did a search and some of these camera dealers offer the option to purchase over a period of time and pay it off, but at a lower interest rate than you would pay on a credit card. Just thought that might be an option for you. Also, if you are willing to be flexible, I was standing in Argos waiting (and waiting and waiting ) for my DD on Saturday and saw that they have a really good deal on the D3000, which is similar to the one you are looking at, for about £100 cheaper at the moment. It comes with the same lens. The beauty of DSLR's is that if you want to sell them, you don't lose too much on the resale for a few years and these are relatively recent models. You would need to sit and do a comparison and decide if there are any features you really can't live without. If something is important to you, I believe it is usually worth waiting for and paying for it. But sometimes these things just look good but are no use to you. It is very likely with a camera like this that you are going to get more interested in photography so remember that you will probably want to trade in and upgrade within 2-3 years, if not sooner.

Here is a link to the D3000 at Argos:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5593189/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CPhotography%7C14419436/c_2/2%7C14419436%7CDigital+SLR+cameras%7C25417975/c_3/3%7Ccat_25417975%7CDigital+SLR+cameras%7C25417988.htm

Another option is to look for a refurbished one. Manufacturer refurbished cameras come with a full warranty and are as good as new. I have bought a refurbished camera and a refurbished lens in the past and had no regrets about it. Don't rule eBay out either