Help Best Bridge camera please.

Briony

Briony

Messages
3,869
Name
Nicki.
Edit My Images
Yes
A friend of mine wants to buy a Bridge camera and is looking at the Canon Power shot SX3014.1 MP or the Powershot SX30 IS 14.4 MP.

Looking to spend under £400.00

Does anyone have one of these and can advise me please or have any other suggestions what to look for in these.

Does not want an SLR just one with good zoom, a step up from a little compact she has.

Thank you for any advice in advance. (y)
 
They should also look at the fuji hs20 and panasonic one (fz100??). Photography blog site has reviews of most of them with sample photos.

I've had a panasonic bridge for several years and it is has been great. Choice of full on auto or full manual everything including focussing and exposure. I assume the hs20 will do that too.
 
Can you post me a link please as to where I can find it. (y)
 
My wife has just gotten the Panasonic FZ100 and she loves it. Great zoom range, plenty of controls, and an articulated screen. I've not played about with it much myself but it seems a pretty good camera, if not a touch expensive (we paid £325 for it).
 
+1 for the Panasonic FZ's. It (fz35) got me off to a great start and still think it was a fantastic camera.
 
Panasonic FZ38 is a great camera. My Dad has one and bought the FZ100 as well. He sold the FZ100 saying it wasnt as sharp as the other. If you can get the FZ38 you wont be disappointed.
There was one for sale in the classifieds a short while ago, might still be there. If I had the cash I would have bought it.
Allan
 
FZ38 has been replaced by the FZ 45 and that's a great bridge camera!
 
I recently tried all the main contenders for a few hours... SX30IS, HX100V, HS10, HS20, FZ45, FZ100 and P500, and for serious long lens stuff, the Sony HX was easily the fastest to focus and the best screen/EVF. If you're looking at one of these for wildlife, then of the 800mm+ choices, it's easily the number one. So much so I ordered one.

The HS10/20 have a very annoying focus whereby the screen freezes, ruining composition; the SX30 has an annoying method of going from EVF to screen [although the IS is very good] and the FZ's are great but not quite long enough, as you can't crop much with a compact sensor.

However, the HX only shoots JPEG, the Sony JPEG engine is a love'n'hate thing, and it only has 27mm equivalent at the wide end. None of these cameras is anywhere near as good as an SLR with an 800mm equivalent lens, but then you can't even pick up a 600mm autofocus lens on a crop for less than ten times the price of these.

So, it very much depends what you intend to use it for. I wanted something I could walkaround with my family in tow [i.e. no tripods, hides or patient waiting] and bring out for a snap'n'grab shot of wildlife, now the 100-400L's gone. For everything below 400mm equivalent, I just use a fast fifty on a crop, which right now is a NEX-5, and soon will be a Leica M, when I've decided what glass I prefer.
 
danbroad said:
I recently tried all the main contenders for a few hours... SX30IS, HX100V, HS10, HS20, FZ45, FZ100 and P500, and for serious long lens stuff, the Sony HX was easily the fastest to focus and the best screen/EVF. If you're looking at one of these for wildlife, then of the 800mm+ choices, it's easily the number one. So much so I ordered one.

The HS10/20 have a very annoying focus whereby the screen freezes, ruining composition; the SX30 has an annoying method of going from EVF to screen [although the IS is very good] and the FZ's are great but not quite long enough, as you can't crop much with a compact sensor.

However, the HX only shoots JPEG, the Sony JPEG engine is a love'n'hate thing, and it only has 27mm equivalent at the wide end. None of these cameras is anywhere near as good as an SLR with an 800mm equivalent lens, but then you can't even pick up a 600mm autofocus lens on a crop for less than ten times the price of these.

So, it very much depends what you intend to use it for. I wanted something I could walkaround with my family in tow [i.e. no tripods, hides or patient waiting] and bring out for a snap'n'grab shot of wildlife, now the 100-400L's gone. For everything below 400mm equivalent, I just use a fast fifty on a crop, which right now is a NEX-5, and soon will be a Leica M, when I've decided what glass I prefer.
Click to expand...

Intended for all round use but wants good zoom and ease of use as going on safari in Sept. so wanted it to be used for that and I will be taking my long lens.

Does not want to get into interchangable lens. As I said a step up from compact.
 
On paper, the longest zoom should get it. In reality, the user responsiveness wins, because no matter how good the lens, the camera should feel good to use - and the Sony just plain throws more processor power at the HX100V than the competition do.

Focus really is as quick as they say, at least in the light of Jessops in Norwich, whcih appears to be the only place in the known universe with one of these on show...
 
Recently got the HS20. The strong point for me was the dslr manual type zoom ring on the lens. Better control and feel than the other button zoomers. As mentioned though it depends what it's gonna be used for and to a certain extent the skill and patience if the user. I've been getting into photography for about a year and this is my seconds cam. My next will be a proper dslr but the fuji has been a great help in learning on a budget. You can point and shoot with it but it's soo much more. I live the hs20 but have no experience of the others to compare.
I note some said the AF was slow, again I have no point of comparison but with the zoom on Lens rather than button I would expect the zoom speed on hs20 would make up for any lag in AF to get the shot as quick if not quicker.
 
Also recently got an HX100V and am liking it so far. I am not an experienced user though. I got it for the zoom for gliding shots. Also there are a fair few comments on dpreview about its softness. I have been experimenting and finding the 2 controls for "Sharpness" and "Noise Reduction" need playing with to get the look you want. I can understand why the jpeg engine would be a love-hate thing. Not sure where I am at the moment.

The automatic modes I love are auto-stitch pano and the HDR (3 shots into one) all on camera.
 
Briony said:
A friend of mine wants to buy a Bridge camera and is looking at the Canon Power shot SX3014.1 MP or the Powershot SX30 IS 14.4 MP.

Looking to spend under £400.00

Does anyone have one of these and can advise me please or have any other suggestions what to look for in these.

Does not want an SLR just one with good zoom, a step up from a little compact she has.

Thank you for any advice in advance. (y)
Click to expand...

My wife has had a SX30 IS for about three weeks now. She's getting more pleased with it every time she takes it out. I wasn't aware there was another 35x zoom so the alternative was the Fuji HS20 which has no powered zoom and is only 30x. If the canon did Raw it would have been my choice too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top