ADVICE NEEDED PLEASE!!

norvic-boy

norvic-boy

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Toby
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Hey everyone,

I friend of mine is starting to enjoy photography, and she has asked me to find a DSLR for her, <£350, easy to use, with a buttoned zoom (Not one with interchangable lenses!) I'm really not sure what to suggest! I've scrowled the internet looking for answer and am just not sure!!!

I was thinking a Sony Alpha 200. But it has an interchangable lens option. (She actually wasn't fussed about the type of zooming/lens options yet said "one with a buttoned zoom..." :bang:

I perosnally thought it would be a good starting point as far as cameras go?

Any and all suggestion very much appreciated! :thumbs:
 
Have a look at the Fuji Finepix S-5800 or similar.

She will get plenty of change for £350 if she must have button zoom.

Im sure others will have different suggestions :thumbs:
 
Perhaps she is suggesting a DSLR because they are currently fashionable. The zoom button is a fixture of the compact which can be an excellent camera for the serious photographer depending of course what they plan to photograph.

I suggest perhaps the Canon G10 which we have used very successfully as an alternative training camera might fit the bill. It lacks the flexibility of the DSLR but for general outdoor and close up pictures in good light it's an ever-ready winner.
 
You need to clarify what you want a little more.

A DSLR will have interchangeable lenses.
A Bridge camera that looks a bit like a DSLR will not and will have a zoom controlled by buttons.
 
It sounds like she is after a bridge camera - if that is the case then I'd suggest one of the panasonic FZ range or one of the Fuji's like snoop69 mentioned.

To be completely honest I don't really understand why your friend has asked you to find a camera for her - surely she'd be better off understanding all the options and then picking one herself?

Also - I used a panasonic FZ8 bridge camera for a year and had no complaints, it's a great camera for what it is and I knew what I was getting when I bought it (and was happy with the idea of upgrading in the near future to a DSLR) BUT I only paid £150 for it. I wouldn't spend £300+ on a bridge camera when you can get a good quality DSLR for the same amount of money :shrug:

Hope that helped ;)
 
The main difference between compacts and DSLRs is not so much interchangeable lenses or 'button zoom' controls but the size of the sensor. Compacts (and bridge cameras) all have tiny sensors which will, if she's keen, frustrate with lack of depth of field control and lack of high image quality in enlargements. There are lots of other differences, but those are the two things that compacts can't do and DSLRs can.

I think she should try a few different models and then come back with some thoughts and the kind of pictures she'd like to take. If all she wants is something to take high quality snaps, if you'll forgive the description, then compacts are great and very capable. But if she wants to learn about 'photography' and/or has some more specialised picture requirements - macro maybe, or wildlife, or action photography - then that's DSLR territory.
 
I can highly recommend the Sony DSC-R1.

I had one for some time and it took stunning quality pics. In fact better than my 450D I'm currently using. The only reason I sold it on was that the zoom wasn't 'long' enough for the aviation pics I was taking at the time...wish I'd kept it now:(

It's a bridge camera and a bit heavy, but with a tilt and swing screen and 10MP, oh and a 24-120(if I remember correctly) lens, it's a cracking piece of work.

Review here:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Sony/sony_dscr1.asp (Read the reviews on here as well!)

It's a bit of an unsung hero if you ask me!

Andy
 
As others have said, it sounds like what your friend is asking for is a bridge camera, rather than a DSLR.

Before I bought my alpha, I used a fujifilm finepix s5700 bridge camera I got some great pics and It was great to learn on as it has can go more or less fully manual... and has the properties (zoom, no lens changing) you described. While the models have since moved on I can fully recomend this series of cameras.

Can I ask why your friend doesn't want to go full SLR? With her budget she could afford an entry level Sony alpha, canon or nikon...

despite what I said above re the fuji, after I began to get to grips with photography I quickly began to regret my decision to save a hundred pounds and go for a bridge rather than slr...
 
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