£500 budget - what camera? (doesn't need to be dslr)

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Matt.

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A friend has asked me which camera they should buy. Obviously i know everything, because i take photos :bang:

Anyway, i don't know everything, and definitely don't know about cameras that aren't big and complicated!

- £500 budget
- Quality of photos is number 1 priority
- Video not required
- Decent build quality
- Easy to use, but manual features an advantage
- Not huge


Ideas are welcome, as i've already had the 'you can never answer my questions!' line... :wacky:


Thanks
 
I know you said, 'not huge', but does it have to be pocketable? What will they be shooting (will they need biggish zoom range)?
 
It does not necessarily need to be one of the tiny pocket cameras.

I don't know exactly what they'll be shooting, but i would assume a huge zoom is not required. It will most likely just be travel + family photos. No sports.
 
Have a look at the Fuji x10.

It's just out, so price is high, coming in at the upper end of the budget.

Otherwise, some of the micro four thirds cameras might be an option.
 
The Nikon P7100 rates highly on picture quality. I'll let you know what I think when mine arrives. :)
 
K-r with kit lens - just under £400 new. Small (not pocketable), very capable, excellent image quality and a decent array of lenses if they want to add some later on. The kit lens is adequate though not great. They will want to upgrade that to make the most out of the camera.

One of the Micro 4/3 should do fine too like the GF3/G3/EPL-3. Even smaller yet still not quite pocketable but very good image quality and enough manual control to keep you going. If they can wait the GX-1 is also out though at the moment this kinda goes way overbudget but give it a couple months and it looks like a winner for £500.

If you want to go even smaller there are a few very good pieces of kit around lately, including the aforementioned X10 and also the XZ-1 from Olympus the LX3 (LX-5 has not impressed many) and the IXUS 100.

BTW I have a D40 still (despite getting rid of all my Nikon gear and switching to Pentax stuff just six months ago). The camera is brilliant still kicking after 6 years and with the 35mm 1.8 stuck on it still produces some absolutely cracking images while weighing next to nothing. Having said that the world has moved on and the K-r is just as small light and portable provides plenty more features (image stabilisation, some weather sealing, much newer and improved image sensor more external controls, video...) and does so while costing only £150-180 more new as opposed to £200 D40 with kit s/h.
 
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Are there any other features that are must have? Do you even want interchangeable lenses? Viewfinder?

I agree with the post above, the K-r system gets very good reviews.

I have a mFT G3 and it would definitely meet your needs. The GX1 has a better build quality (apparently) but essentially the same without swivel screen and EVF.

Or what about a NEX 5N if you want to keep the size down?
 
vrapan said:
BTW I have a D40 still (despite getting rid of all my Nikon gear and switching to Pentax stuff just six months ago). The camera is brilliant still kicking after 6 years and with the 35mm 1.8 stuck on it still produces some absolutely cracking images while weighing next to nothing.
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:agree: I love my D40 too.

I bought a Samsung EX1 recently to replace my Canon G9 which died and I am very pleased with it. Samsung isn't really a make I would have thought of before but it's a great camera, has a big clear tiltable screen (handy to angle it away from the sun if you've no VF) and is pocket sized. Plus it has proper dials :) I do like dials... Nice metal body and f1.8. Lots of manual control. Only thing is the zoom isn't that great and you can't review pictures with the lens cap on - which is just plain weird. It would come in way under budget so your friend may want something a bit snazzier for the money they've got.
 
Thanks for all the ideas. I think he's decided to ignore everything and buy a 400D.

I just hope it doesn't stay on auto forever (it probably will).
 
If you can live with a prime instead of a zoom the Ricoh GRD III or IV might be an option. I have never liked zooms (hate them in fact ;)) so am considering one of these to use when I don't want to carry my D700. It's one of the few compacts that seems to not be geared towards the "consumer" buyer.
 
boliston said:
If you can live with a prime instead of a zoom the Ricoh GRD III or IV might be an option. I have never liked zooms (hate them in fact ;)) so am considering one of these to use when I don't want to carry my D700. It's one of the few compacts that seems to not be geared towards the "consumer" buyer.
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If you dont like zooms, what primes do you use? Ta
 
Ricoh GRD III or IV - Superb IQ, Images look like they were from a 5D!!!

X10 - About £489 at the moment and a really nice camera, good IQ plus lots of manual control.

Olympus XZ-1 - Superb compact with manual control, good IQ and f1.8-2.5 lens!

Lumix LX5 - Again superb compact with manual control, good IQ and f2 lens
 
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