Newbie buying g/f camera for xmas!

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Slabsdidst

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Connah
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Its getting closer and closer to the 25th of this month and im looking for a gift for my girlfriend. She is keen on photography and im interested in buying her a camera to upgrade from her little sony digital camera she has now. Only problem i have is i dont know very much about cameras. Can anyone help me , i was sent to this forum by my friends over at talkford.com who tell me that a bridge camera may be my best option as she is more of a happy snapper who is interested in photography rather than someone who takes it very seriously, but its something that she enjoys. I have a budget of £200 or so, was looking at the canon 1000d but its maybe a bit far out on price and a bit much for her with being an SLR. Can anyone reccomend one for me? Thanks in advance!
 
Firstly, does she take the camera with her everywhere she goes - or does she go out to take photographs.

If it is the former she may actually find the bulk of a DSLR a bit of a problem as you can't just slip them in your pocket like a compact. The 1000D is pretty small but once you put the lens on you will need a more specialist bag to carry it with other 'stuff'

Couple of other options with interchangeable lenses
Panasonic G1 + 14-42mm - same price as 1000D (£329) but a bit smaller
Olympus E-PL1 + 14-42mm - £360 - but much smaller
Panasonic GF1 + 14-42mm - £375 and not much smaller than the G1 (unless you buy another lens)

Or you could look at high end compacts
Canon S95 - £275
Panasonic LX5 - £305

Sadly everything is over your £200 budget there, some by quite a way. Although I figured if you were considering the 1000D at £329 you didn't mind stretching a bit...
 
£200...?
You cheapskate - sell your kidneys (both of them!!!) immediately and show her Real Love with a Nikon D3s and Nikkor AF-24-70 f/2.8G...

You do Love your GF, don't you........:suspect:..........?
 
She just takes her camera with her everywhere she goes. She wouldnt go out especially to take photographs, i know that she was looking at some entry level dslrs, but again with the budget! Ive already bought her a necklace so cant go overboard too! Someone suggested the panasonic lumix fz35 and it looks like a good bit of kit so im looking at this sort of price range.
 
Your girlfriend would dump you for buying her the wrong camera?

Mine will love me no matter what camera i get her :)
 
Not quite as exciting on the day, but how about a voucher for jessops and you can go after Xmas and have a look together and see which she would prefer.
Or do what I did once and print your own "I owe You" voucher and then go shopping together in the boxing day sales.
 
Slabsdidst said:
She just takes her camera with her everywhere she goes. She wouldnt go out especially to take photographs, i know that she was looking at some entry level dslrs, but again with the budget! Ive already bought her a necklace so cant go overboard too! Someone suggested the panasonic lumix fz35 and it looks like a good bit of kit so im looking at this sort of price range.
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If she has already been looking IMO that is your 'green light'

Still consider the Panasonic G1 types though, they really are very good.
 
A bit of a stretch, but the FUji HS10 - less than £250 here.
http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/500...k&CodePromo=oui&mctag=ref_goog_1113&nopopup=1

Though she will need a bag, memory, takes AA batteries, so allow another £30 ish...

Instead of giving her a DSLR with the limits that it puts - you can't really do macro, and you won't get a long range zoom - this camera will let her explore photography without these limits, with a minimal drop in quality.

When she knows what she wants, she can then sell this and use the cash towards whatever DSLR setup she wants IF she wants to change from this more than capable camera.
 
String said:
And I'm guessing once you've bought the camera it's the last we shall hear of you, so pfffffft.
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Thats a bit uncalled for Dave, you've not been around forever and neither have I, but don't judge people, this is a friendly forum and the OP has been recomended by another member. STick around for longer than the 2 weeks you have been here and you will find that out!

Connah, ignore him, we are not all like that.
 
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String said:
And I'm guessing once you've bought the camera it's the last we shall hear of you, so pfffffft.
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Very uncalled for. Maybe you should start thinking about what you write on here before you write it. Or you'll end up being very disliked.

From a females point of view i think its a really lovely idea buying your girlfriend a camera. And im sure she'll be happy with which ever one you choose. But writing your own IOU would be equally as good. And it also gives her a day out with you where ever you choose to go.
 
Slabsdidst said:
Your girlfriend would dump you for buying her the wrong camera?

Mine will love me no matter what camera i get her :)
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Sorry for that. However I have been married for nearly 30 years and lessons on relationships fall way short of my interest.

Fair enough. slabsdist, you buy her whatever camera you believe is right. I'm sure it will be lovely :)
 
Canon S95 is a good shout, any of the Panasonic LX cameras would be good too. I'm not sure a DSLR is the way to go judging by what you've said.
 
Push the boat out and get her a 1000D, even if its a secondhand one, dealers will usually give a 6 month warranty on used camera's.
 
A secondhand Canon DSLR and 50mm f1.8. She will love you forever.
 
Thank you guys for all the advice, the main 3 contenders now are the canon s90, the panasonic lumix fz35 and the hs10. As i said, she is not a serious photographer, just someone who likes to take nice photos when the moment grabs her :) shes a singer too, the two of us would play in bars and clubs every weekend so it will need to cope with ambient light levels.

Budget concidered, which would you all recommend?
 
If you want to do bar/club stuff, then a compact or bridge may not always cut it. I'd second the Canon 1000d and a 50mm f/1.8. Not much bigger than a bridge camera and will serve a lot better in low light situations.
Or a Nikon D3000/D3100 and the Nikon 50mm f/1.8
 
The HS10 is OK in low light, but it also records video in HD, which could be handy.....
 
lawrie29 said:
A bit of a stretch, but the FUji HS10 - less than £250 here.
http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/500...k&CodePromo=oui&mctag=ref_goog_1113&nopopup=1

Though she will need a bag, memory, takes AA batteries, so allow another £30 ish...

Instead of giving her a DSLR with the limits that it puts - you can't really do macro, and you won't get a long range zoom - this camera will let her explore photography without these limits, with a minimal drop in quality.

When she knows what she wants, she can then sell this and use the cash towards whatever DSLR setup she wants IF she wants to change from this more than capable camera.
Click to expand...

lawrie29 said:
The HS10 is OK in low light, but it also records video in HD, which could be handy.....
Click to expand...

The Fujifilm FinePix HS10 has good reviews to and of course as its a bridge it has everything built in, macro, zoom without needed more lenses

If its anything like my Fuji bridge cameras it will be very good and a good choice :thumbs:
 
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