can anyone recommend a bridge camera....

[arielrocks]

hi all,

am looking for a new camera to buy, want a bridge one as less bulky then dslr and wont carry round extra lenses.

does anyone have one and can anyone recommend one for me?

have looked at Panasonic FZ45.......any thoughts?

 

[zackiedawg]

Check out dpreview.com website - and go to the 'news' section for info on the new slate of cameras coming soon, and the 'reviews' section for reviews of previous models. There are lots of new models coming out very soon, so it might be worth it to wait and see how they perform, or you may see the specs and decide better off getting a previous model at a closeout price. Canon, Fuji, Panasonic, Sony, and Olympus all have new superzoom/bridge models that might be worth a look...they vary from the travel zoom slim varieties to the thicker, fixed lens big zoom varieties. All are good manufacturers and all make fairly equally decent cameras in this market - none are likely to set the world ablaze with their brilliance, but are competent all-purpose consumer travel zoom cameras and some have interesting features or lens specifications.

 

[klmall]

zackiedawg is right and offers good advice. Spend some time digging around dpreview.com and getting familiar with the brands he mentions especially their strong points and their weaknesses. Then think about what you take pictures of most of the time. I'm big on outside shots and landscapes and take far fewer pics inside so flash is less important to me at this time.

Once you have read some, gone into camera stores to check the cameras out in your hand and figured out which features mean the most to you, go back and read some more, that's what I did.

I've ended up back at the Canon G series again and again but there are equally good cameras out there! I am totally prejudiced towards Canon and very happy with my Canon G12 which some consider to be a good bridge camera. It lets me play with different settings and takes outstanding pictures even on the Auto setting.

 

[disneychic]

I have the Olympus SP 600 UZ and I absolutely LOVE this camera! My husband got this for me this Christmas. We just returned from WDW and I cannot believe how the photos came out. Every one looks like a professional photographer took the photos. If you go onto the Olympus website, you can read reviews, and read the manual and learn about all of the options. I have never been more pleased with a camera purchase. The price for the camera was fantastic ($200) for a 12 MP, 15X optical zoom, HD video, etc. BTW -- even the photos using the 15X zoom came out crystal clear. We travelled with a large group (a family reunion at Disney) and by the time we left my mom, my cousin and my brother's fiance all wanted my camera! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

 

[topdog]

I have a Panasonic GF1 with a 20mm f/1.7 pancake style lens. It's a little thicker than normal P&S yet has most of the control DSLR has. You can even change the lens just like a DSLR. They sell adapters that can mount third party lens like Nikon, Canon or others. Picture quality is better than P&S. ISO performance is fairly decent also. It's also capable to capture HD video but I never try it.

Unfortunately the GF1 has been discontinue. GF2 will be release some time this month.

Here are two shots from my GF1 I posted recently.