Brdige or DSLR?

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I want to move away from a compact but can't decide either a bridge or a 2nd hand DSLR. I cannot afford a new DSLR.

I would be using the camera for all types of pics, mainly family, holidays, lanscapes buildings etc.

Should i go the DSLR route or would a Bridge be better?

I have looked at the FZ38 bridge but do quite fancy a DSLR!

My budget is a max of £250.
 
A bridge camera is a compact. Well, a jumped up one.

Don't be fooled by the 'faux DSLR' look; a bridge camera is a bit like a Ford Capri - if you squint, close one eye, and tilt your head, they sort of look like a Porsche 911, but in reality it's a banger with a pooey engine in it. That's all bridge cameras are, jumped up compacts with the same tiny sensor and a very mediocre quality lens on the front. The Canon S90 is probably better than any bridge camera out there, has a better sensor, and is actually 'compact'.

Clearly you're after quality, so go for a DSLR. (or maybe something like a GF-1, but I think they're ridiculously expensive for what is essentially again a jumped up compact). You have flexibility of different lenses, and even 'small sensor' DSLRs will wipe the floor with any bridge offering, on paper and in practise. You can get a second hand DSLR kit for roughly the same price as a bridge... I know which I'd rather take ;)
 
trencheel303 said:
A bridge camera is a compact. Well, a jumped up one.

Don't be fooled by the 'faux DSLR' look; a bridge camera is a bit like a Ford Capri - if you squint, close one eye, and tilt your head, they sort of look like a Porsche 911, but in reality it's a banger with a pooey engine in it. That's all bridge cameras are, jumped up compacts with the same tiny sensor and a very mediocre quality lens on the front. The Canon S90 is probably better than any bridge camera out there, has a better sensor, and is actually 'compact'.

Clearly you're after quality, so go for a DSLR. (or maybe something like a GF-1, but I think they're ridiculously expensive for what is essentially again a jumped up compact). You have flexibility of different lenses, and even 'small sensor' DSLRs will wipe the floor with any bridge offering, on paper and in practise. You can get a second hand DSLR kit for roughly the same price as a bridge... I know which I'd rather take ;)
Click to expand...


Bit harsh that, err Gayboy.

A bridge is a little better than a jumped up compact. Mine can be picked up for £120 used, with newer ones well within your budget.

What a bridge will do is give you more range and features than a budget dslr.

Yes you can get the entry level nikon/canon/sony, but it will come with a short lens, and not too many features.

A bridge, like the fuji s9600 I have will do Macro, zoom to 300mm, shoot video, has live view, full manual control, takes a flashgun, has a tilting screen, can shoot in RAW etc. etc. It even has a proper twisty zoom, and takes 58mm filters.

THe latest Fuji goes to 700mm and is less than £400. (362 on amazon today)

An entry level DSLR will not do this.

What a bridge will let you do is get used to the features and controls of a dslr, as well as letting you work out what type of photography you like - macro, landscapes, motorsports etc.

This will then influence you into what DSLR you may want to buy going on what budget you may have.

£250 starts with a budget DSLR, then £100 for the Nifty fifty, and then a longer zoom, then a macro lens, then a flashgun, then a tripod and then...... and the spending doesn't seem to stop.

At least with a bridge there are not too many things you can spend your money on, and then you can save for a better DSLR body, which you will probably want if you get the bug big time.

A bridge is not going to give you the same quality as a dslr, but what do you what to use the shots for? I have had one of my shots blown up to 75cm by 75cm, and it looked great. Have a look in my gallery. I will not pretend to be the best tog in the world, but I am getting there, and you can see the quality of the camera in them.

Get a used S9600, £120 quid, then start saving for a better DSLR than an entry level, and you can then use the bridge as a backup, or sell it on. I have had mine for 2 years and have lost £60 on it.

Just noticed that you want the camera for general family use, which makes a bridge Ideal. You don't need to spend a fortune to take good pics, it is the photographer not the camera that makes a photo.
 
lawrie29 said:
Bit harsh that, err Gayboy.

A bridge is a little better than a jumped up compact. Mine can be picked up for £120 used, with newer ones well within your budget.

What a bridge will do is give you more range and features than a budget dslr.

Yes you can get the entry level nikon/canon/sony, but it will come with a short lens, and not too many features.

A bridge, like the fuji s9600 I have will do Macro, zoom to 300mm, shoot video, has live view, full manual control, takes a flashgun, has a tilting screen, can shoot in RAW etc. etc. It even has a proper twisty zoom, and takes 58mm filters.

THe latest Fuji goes to 700mm and is less than £400. (362 on amazon today)

An entry level DSLR will not do this.

What a bridge will let you do is get used to the features and controls of a dslr, as well as letting you work out what type of photography you like - macro, landscapes, motorsports etc.

This will then influence you into what DSLR you may want to buy going on what budget you may have.

£250 starts with a budget DSLR, then £100 for the Nifty fifty, and then a longer zoom, then a macro lens, then a flashgun, then a tripod and then...... and the spending doesn't seem to stop.

At least with a bridge there are not too many things you can spend your money on, and then you can save for a better DSLR body, which you will probably want if you get the bug big time.

A bridge is not going to give you the same quality as a dslr, but what do you what to use the shots for? I have had one of my shots blown up to 75cm by 75cm, and it looked great. Have a look in my gallery. I will not pretend to be the best tog in the world, but I am getting there, and you can see the quality of the camera in them.

Get a used S9600, £120 quid, then start saving for a better DSLR than an entry level, and you can then use the bridge as a backup, or sell it on. I have had mine for 2 years and have lost £60 on it.

Just noticed that you want the camera for general family use, which makes a bridge Ideal. You don't need to spend a fortune to take good pics, it is the photographer not the camera that makes a photo.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Where is you gallery?
 
Staff Edit: ALL trading must be done in the classified area, as per the classified rules
 
Staff Edit: ALL trading must be done in the classified area, as per the classified rules
 
Think carefully about what your going to use it for and whether you're likely to want to be taking it with you all the time.

A DSLR will ultimately give you more flexibility and the potential for better results, but I for one have found that due to the size and weight I am just not taking it with me and therefore missing opportunities. I am therefore planning to downsize and I know some others have done the same.

Don't get drawn in by the "It must be a DSLR. Nothing else is any good" brigade. At the end of the day it is what will best suit your needs.

Decide what you need it to do. Set your budget (keeping in mind all the extras). Get to a shop and try a few for size - this alone may change your view.
 
trencheel303 said:
(or maybe something like a GF-1, but I think they're ridiculously expensive for what is essentially again a jumped up compact).
Click to expand...

In what sense is it a jumped up SLR? Critically the sensor is pretty much an order of magnitude bigger so that's got to help to some degree at least.
 
I have traded up from a Fuji S9600 bridge to a Panasonic G1 and the quality of images is like night and day. That's not saying I didn't get some very good shots with my Fuji (I think I did), but it was more miss than hit.

I got the Panasonic because I wanted DSLR features and quality but in a smaller, lighter body. The IQ is sooo much better than the bridge camera.
 
I started out with a Fuij S100fs bridge camera, before moving onto a DSLR as I wanted faster/longer lenses.

I've still kept hold of it, as an all round shooter it is very versatile. To be honest I dont think the image quality is all that bad, even compared to non-pro DSLR's.

I am a complete amateur when it comes to photography and have only recently moved to a DSLR and am still trying to master it.

For examples of pics from my s100fs I've put a few in a gallery on here (please bear in mind my skill level!!!)...

S100fs pictures

Regards

Neil
 
I quite like the FZ38 or the Fuji S200 EXR. Both have rave reviews!
 
You can get a 2nd hand DSLR + 2 lenses to cover 18 to 300mm for just over £200 if you spend some time looking at the classifieds and even a 5 year old DSLR will be better than any bridge camera you can get for that amount of money. Just my humble opinion.


The photo below I took last year with a Canon 300D + a Tamron 70-300mm telephoto/macro lens. You cannot get that kind of depth of field with a bridge (I had my share of those before I got my first DSLR). You can get the 300D (or even better a 10D) for just over £100 and the Tamron for around £60. Add a 18-55 kit lens and you are still at the £200 level. For £250 you can get either a 350D or 20D + the 2 lenses.

3785038584_db3f2e4a08.jpg
 
micloi said:
You can get a 2nd hand DSLR + 2 lenses to cover 18 to 300mm for just over £200 if you spend some time looking at the classifieds and even a 5 year old DSLR will be better than any bridge camera you can get for that amount of money. Just my humble opinion.
Click to expand...

Word to that. I really fail to see why people spend hundreds of pounds on bridge cameras when you can get used SLRs+cheap superzoom which are about the same price, around the same size, and offer far better quality. It's a no brainer.
 
lawrie29 said:
Bit harsh that, err Gayboy.

A bridge is a little better than a jumped up compact. Mine can be picked up for £120 used, with newer ones well within your budget.

What a bridge will do is give you more range and features than a budget dslr.

Yes you can get the entry level nikon/canon/sony, but it will come with a short lens, and not too many features.

A bridge, like the fuji s9600 I have will do Macro, zoom to 300mm, shoot video, has live view, full manual control, takes a flashgun, has a tilting screen, can shoot in RAW etc. etc. It even has a proper twisty zoom, and takes 58mm filters.

THe latest Fuji goes to 700mm and is less than £400. (362 on amazon today)

An entry level DSLR will not do this.

What a bridge will let you do is get used to the features and controls of a dslr, as well as letting you work out what type of photography you like - macro, landscapes, motorsports etc.

This will then influence you into what DSLR you may want to buy going on what budget you may have.

£250 starts with a budget DSLR, then £100 for the Nifty fifty, and then a longer zoom, then a macro lens, then a flashgun, then a tripod and then...... and the spending doesn't seem to stop.

At least with a bridge there are not too many things you can spend your money on, and then you can save for a better DSLR body, which you will probably want if you get the bug big time.

A bridge is not going to give you the same quality as a dslr, but what do you what to use the shots for? I have had one of my shots blown up to 75cm by 75cm, and it looked great. Have a look in my gallery. I will not pretend to be the best tog in the world, but I am getting there, and you can see the quality of the camera in them.

Get a used S9600, £120 quid, then start saving for a better DSLR than an entry level, and you can then use the bridge as a backup, or sell it on. I have had mine for 2 years and have lost £60 on it.

Just noticed that you want the camera for general family use, which makes a bridge Ideal. You don't need to spend a fortune to take good pics, it is the photographer not the camera that makes a photo.
Click to expand...

Totally agree, awesome post! :thumbs:
Fuji is a great entry into photography.
 
trencheel303 said:
Word to that. I really fail to see why people spend hundreds of pounds on bridge cameras when you can get used SLRs+cheap superzoom which are about the same price, around the same size, and offer far better quality. It's a no brainer.
Click to expand...

I agree with this, if the OP wants to move away from a compact, a 'bridge' (Superzoom compact..) is likely to leave him wanting too, buying one will just be a waste of money if he's going to want to upgrade again soon.

That is unless all he wants is a massive zoom and a ton of noise! :shrug:
 
Well I got some cracking shots from the fuji s200 exr. Very capable camera indeed. :cool:
 
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