Choices choices, help needed.

Lunaticsamurai

Lunaticsamurai

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Keith
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Hey everyone.

New to the site but not new to photography.

Used to have a DSLR but gave it up a while back, was a great hobby of mine until i just didn't have the time to do it anymore.

I'm getting back into it but this time i am looking for a decent point and shoot.

I have been especially interested in macro photography but my interest is larger than that in general, landscapes, cars, people, animals, sports, you name it.

I have been looking at a few compacts and some that boast they are DSLR's like the Pen series, E-PL1 and EP2, but i have also looked at the Ricoh GR3.

I need some help on this as i seriously cannot make my mind up.

Specific features that are a must are;

Good Macro 1cm being a 10/10

Possible interchangeable lenses

Good ISO range

Fast shutter speed

Low noise levels (maybe asking too much, lol)

Decent battery life


I dont want to buy another DSLR they are too bulky and at this time in my life, with new family life, i need something that is rugged and easy to carry with a decent MP size so a compact is a better choice for me, i have a degree in CG Arts and Animation too so software like CS4 is section nature to me.

Price range is around the £400 mark £500 being the max i would pay for a kit.


Help me out people this is melting my brain. :bang: :thumbs:
 
£500 might be a problem given what you are looking for. You could get a gf1 with a 14-45mm lens (28-90mm equivalent for 35mm) for about £500 (maybe a fraction more, especially allowing for a memory card?). But would this leave you wanting more reach? The 45-200mm lens would be another £250 or so.

With the G2 now replacing the G1 you might be able to get a deal on the G1. For example Warehouse express have the G1 with both kit lenses, an 8GB card and case for £700 with £50 cashback, but that is of course more than you are planning to spend.

Another alternative would be to use something like I use, a Canon SX20 (I use the SX10) or one of the similar bridge cameras from other manufacturers. These are less able when it comes to capturing rapid action or in low light, and the IQ is inferior to something like the Panasonic G series. I find that the IQ is adequate for my purposes, especially with some post processing, but your needs might be different.

Bridge cameras are ok for macro with relatively inexpensive add-on lenses like the Raynox DCR-150 and 250 and the Canon 500D (lens, not camera!). You won't get the quality of a dedicated macro lens, and they are more difficult to use than a dedicated macro lens, but I do a lot of macros using them and get a lot of enjoyment from it. Here too, post processing makes a big difference.

I suspect you are going to have to make some compromises, either with the money or with the capability of the camera or the quality of the outputs.
 
Ok, so i have re-evaluted my price range to accomodate a little more, over last night and a few more hours of research i think i am going to settle on the E-PL1, this seems like a good choice for what i want, my only reservation is the price of lenses, this seriously bumps up the money which is what i didn't want.

Are there any options for lenses without spending a serious amount of money? E-PL1 kit plus a decent lens sends it almost into entry level DSLR range.
 
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