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Help with digital camera options please

bcburrows

bcburrows

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 25, 2009
427
7
Bristol
Hi everyone

Thanks for looking at this topic and for any help you can provide....

So essentially I had a panasonic TZ5 that recently seems to have broken on a recent working trip to the desert. I therefore need to think about replacing it....

Until this point in time I have been a complete point and shoot photographer, and have been very impressed with my Lumix.. Now that I need to replace it, I was wondering whether to assess the DSLR world so that I have more options or whether to stick with the P&S - such as the TZ20?

Camera desires
Compact design
Good optical zoom range
auto/semi/manual modes
Ideally an SD format for use with the MBP - not essential
Underwater case - scuba diving and to keep sand etc out

Camera undesirables
Large / Bulky
Cost - ideally at this time max £400/£500 - later lens purchases later

The camera will really only be used for holidays, work - both of which will occasionally involve sand and water.

Essentially I want something versatile and something I can play around with a little - to see if I enjoy photography and manipulation on the mac e.g. aperture - possibly print off some of my pictures for framing at home..

Very vague set of question. The cameras I have been looking at so far really are the TZ20 and the GF2 (the compact DSLR would be preferable), although I am not going to limit myself to only panasonic lumix - these are just the cameras I know a little bit about.

As I said thanks for any help you can provide.
Ben
 
Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (iPhone; Opera Mini/5.0.019802/24.816; U; en) Presto/2.5.25 Version/10.54)

Have a play around with a Canon PowerShot G12. Its fairly compact and has dials for Africa or you can just throw it into Auto. They make a underwater case for it too.

I have G11- the previous model I like it for being pretty small but not so small theres nothing to hold on to. You can print A4 sized prints fine.

Oh and i can just slid the SD card into my MacBook which is great.

Anyway thats my suggestion for a camera to check out.

Cheers
Joel
 
bcburrows said:
Hi everyone

Thanks for looking at this topic and for any help you can provide....
Click to expand...

For most people, he way to decide between an SLR and a P&S is when you go out are you going to shootsome photos or are you going to do something else andjust want a camera along. In other words is photography the main activity? Or is it "mostly" the main activity.

If it is not, buy a P&S. It is is then you'd want a "serious" camera. It is still to be determined if that "serious" camera is an SLR or not. Buy an SLR if you are serious" and either (1) your subjects move quickly and capering action is important. But if shots are setups or posed, then not. (2) Do you need a good, fast lens or more then one lens for example is there a physical barrier that prevents you from getting close to the subject, then you've want a telephoto lens and likely a tripod too.. Or maybe you are shooting building interiors and you can't back up though a wall to "get it all in" so you ned and ultra wide lens. Or maybe you like the shallow depth an low light abilty of a fast f/1.4 prime. If you need any of those lenses then buy the SLR. The oposite is true. If you only see yourself buying the $150 "kit lens" an d no others then you don't need an SLR. Something like the G11 would be as good.

If you are "serious" and the goal is fine art then maybe look into some non-SLR speciality cameras. Anything from a flim spr with black and white film loaded to a Holga or even 4x5.

One other thing if you do own an SLR you almost certainly also need a small P&S that is pocketable as you will not take the SLR every place you go.
 
I see that you mentioned the Panny GF2. I have a GF1 with the "pancake" lens and I think it's a fine camera. The u43 mirrorless system cameras straddle the line between P&S and DSLR, I think.

It's not like you can stuff it into your pants pocket, but it is certainly smaller than an SLR with lens. It think that the image quality is excellent, considering how small the sensor is (2x crop factor).

I think there's another kit lens that's a zoom. It can either run full auto or full manual, and some steps in between. Not sure about availability of an underwater housing, though.

Personally, the one I have is my P&S and go to camera for ebay picture.

Good luck with your fun search!
 
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