£200 budget camera?

[Mauri3205]

A friend asked for some help in upgrading from his phone to a budget camera in the £200 range. I know very little about that end of the market but I’m inclined to tell him to get a better phone instead of a camera based on what I have seen but thought it better to confirm here.

He is mainly using it for portraits of his kids and the odd photos when they are all on some outing.

Recommendations?

 

[Sangoma]

A friend asked for some help in upgrading from his phone to a budget camera in the £200 range. I know very little about that end of the market but I’m inclined to tell him to get a better phone instead of a camera based on what I have seen but thought it better to confirm here.

He is mainly using it for portraits of his kids and the odd photos when they are all on some outing.

Recommendations?

Something like a Lumix G3.
If he decides to improve, the lens/s will be useable on another Panasonic Lumix M43 camera, and for what they cost, full of features, conveniently small and light but good quality.

 

[woof woof]

Three hundred would be better but assuming the budget doesn't increase I'd agree with Steve. An earlier MFT camera and lens might be worth a look. You may be able to find a 20mm f1.7, 25mm f1.7 or 14mm f2.5 for around £100 or slightly less leaving about £100 for the camera and a memory card which should be possible.

 

[Mauri3205]

Thank you both very much! I have to admit I’m intrigued to consider one for myself at that price.

 

[Sangoma]

Thank you both very much! I have to admit I’m intrigued to consider one for myself at that price.

I bought several G3s early this year, all with shutter counts of less than 1000, and all under £80 including a 14-42 lens.
You can nearly always find one with lens for under £150.

However, prices of nearly all cameras I have looked at is crazy at the moment, seems to go like that through the year with lows and highs, a few months ago G80s were going for just over £200, at the moment they are very nearly double.

There is one here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174488722097?hash=item28a0569ab1:g:Q-MAAOSwrPZi6ASB and I can thoroughly recommend this seller, I have bought from him, and so have several friends, and all deals have been good, and conditions better than expected.


One big difference between a camera (proper one !) and a phone is the viewfinder, which to me takes a phone out of the reckoning. Check any camera that you might like the look of, for instance the GF series Panasonic Lumix do not have viewfinders (though there is an add on option that will cost more than the camera now)

 

[delb0y]

A quick look at Buy It Now on eBay reflects what @Sangoma wrote, that prices have gone a bit silly at the moment. You can't even get a Lumix G6 and a lens for £200 at the moment. That said, if one went back to a DSLR then there are some nice deals. I just found a D5100 with a Nikon 18-55 lens and just 6000 actuations on eBay for £190. I have this camera and lens tucked away in a case and still often use it - absolutely nothing wrong with it for a beginner, It's small, great optical viewfinder, fully articulating screen, great battery life, and so many lenses to choose from. I bought a 35mm prime for mine for a steal - and what a lovely combination.

 

[swanseamale47]

I've seen a few of the entry level canons and nikons in places like CEX for around £200, even though they are a few years old they are still decent cameras.

 

[Nebulous]

I bought several G3s early this year, all with shutter counts of less than 1000, and all under £80 including a 14-42 lens.
You can nearly always find one with lens for under £150.

However, prices of nearly all cameras I have looked at is crazy at the moment, seems to go like that through the year with lows and highs, a few months ago G80s were going for just over £200, at the moment they are very nearly double.

There is one here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174488722097?hash=item28a0569ab1:g:Q-MAAOSwrPZi6ASB and I can thoroughly recommend this seller, I have bought from him, and so have several friends, and all deals have been good, and conditions better than expected.


One big difference between a camera (proper one !) and a phone is the viewfinder, which to me takes a phone out of the reckoning. Check any camera that you might like the look of, for instance the GF series Panasonic Lumix do not have viewfinders (though there is an add on option that will cost more than the camera now)

This really chimes with me, Had an SLR in the 80s, then with children and busy life stuck to bridge cameras, point and shoots etc. In my mid- 50s my eyesight began to deteriorate and I couldn't see the rear screen on my camera. Got myself a cheap DSLR a Nikon 3200 and that wee dioptre knob next to the viewfinder was a revelation. Suddenly I could see what I was trying to photograph again.

 

[juggler]

Three hundred would be better but assuming the budget doesn't increase I'd agree with Steve. An earlier MFT camera and lens might be worth a look. You may be able to find a 20mm f1.7, 25mm f1.7 or 14mm f2.5 for around £100 or slightly less leaving about £100 for the camera and a memory card which should be possible.

^^^ I still use my OMD EM5 mk1, highly recommended

 

[Mauri3205]

So many options! Very grateful to all of you. Instead of relaying the information I will just send the link to this thread and he can decide for himself.