Bridge Camera Advice

[tndisneyfan]

A friend of mine is wanting a new camera. She doesn't really want a DSLR(she doesn't want to fool with lenses) but she wants something more advanced than a regular point and shoot. I thought a bridge camera would be a good solution. So I was wondering if anyone could recommend one. Is it like entry level DSLR, there's not much difference between the brands? She said she is willing to spend up to $500 for a decent camera, just to give you a price range to go by, but I'm sure she would rather have one just a little cheaper.

 

[VVFF]

A friend of mine is wanting a new camera. She doesn't really want a DSLR(she doesn't want to fool with lenses) but she wants something more advanced than a regular point and shoot. I thought a bridge camera would be a good solution. So I was wondering if anyone could recommend one. Is it like entry level DSLR, there's not much difference between the brands? She said she is willing to spend up to $500 for a decent camera, just to give you a price range to go by, but I'm sure she would rather have one just a little cheaper.

The real question here is why did she even think about getting a DSLR in the first place. What does her current camera or camera she used in the past not do?

 

[boBQuincy]

The hottest bridge cameras right now are Canon's G11 and S90, mostly because they are new but partly because they break some new ground. Both share the 10 same mp sensor and processor so image quality is expected to be very similar. The G11 is larger, has an optical viewfinder, and more zoom range. The S90 is pocket size, has a faster lens (at the wide end only) and a novel ring around the lens to adjust settings. Luminous Landscape has short reviews of these models.

I have a G11 and although it is no SLR it seems like the best of the bridge cameras. ISO 400 is very acceptable and even 800 is good enough for web and small prints, so the camera is ok for low-light. The price is right about there with a Rebel Xs so the only real reason I can see for the G11 is the smaller size, which is what we bought it for.

 

[tndisneyfan]

The real question here is why did she even think about getting a DSLR in the first place. What does her current camera or camera she used in the past not do?

Her camera just takes bad pictures. I don't know if it's older or what but her pictures are very grainy and just not good quality. She didn't want to fool with a DSLR because of the lenses and she didn't want something her husband couldn't use. She was thinking of a bridge camera just because they have more optical zoom than most point and shoots and because you can go in there and make adjustments if she wanted to do something more advanced.

 

[VVFF]

Her camera just takes bad pictures. I don't know if it's older or what but her pictures are very grainy and just not good quality. She didn't want to fool with a DSLR because of the lenses and she didn't want something her husband couldn't use. She was thinking of a bridge camera just because they have more optical zoom than most point and shoots and because you can go in there and make adjustments if she wanted to do something more advanced.

A bridge camera doesn't necessarily have more zoom than a standard P&S. A camera can be a "bridge" camera for different reasons. The SX20 is a bridge camera because it has manual controls and for its SLR shape. It just happens to have more zoom. The G11 is a bridge camera because it is a more "pro" camera and has quicker access to many important settings.

Keep in mind that all P&S will have somewhat grainy pictures indoors when taken in low light. That's just the way they are. If you want a camera with quick access to manual controls, go with the G11. If you want a better pocket sized camera that will shoot better indoors, try the Panasonic LX3 or Canon S90.

 

[Frantasmic]

I've looked at some of the photography that has been posted on the canon forums http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=15 for the S90 and it takes some pretty good pictures, well the people behind the button do anyway.