# Cameras



## Cherry Tree (Apr 8, 2007)

Hi everyone

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but I was wondering if anyone could offer any advice on buying a new digital camera?

With the impending arrival of our little one we would like to buy a new camera. I am not very technically minded when it comes to specifications so I'm a bit baffled.

I know I want a good shutter speed as our current one takes forever to take the picture and by time it does I have a totally different subject to what I want (ie taking a pic of my dog, I end up with grass and trees instead   ) 

I also don't want it to be too difficult to use as dp is pants with technology bless him.

We have up to about £250 to spend.

Thanks guys

xxxx


----------



## pabboo (Sep 29, 2007)

So much choice out there these days for that amount of money. A compact or an SLR? A compact will generally be easier to use, but an SLR, on the whole, takes much better pictures.

Quick rundown of the technical bits:

*Optical Zoom* - This is how close you can get from a distance (zooming in) and keep a sharp image. Digital Zoom doesn't really mean much to be honest (using the digital zoom you can continue to get closer, but the image will lose sharpness).

*Megapixels *- The higher the better (if you want to blow a photo up to a huge size, you want lots of megapixels). You can also focus in on details once you get the photos onto the computer without losing the fine detail.

*Shutter speed* - How quickly your camera will take the photo - this is where you've been having trouble as, with a slow shutter speed, you will click to take a shot and the camera won't actually take the photo for a while, leaving you with blurring or photo of your feet! Sometimes you want to alter the shutter speed, as a slower shutter takes in more light, so in low light conditions you need to keep it slow - but you need to keep the camera very still! This is why some folks find their shots using a night setting often come out blurry

The one I would recommend right now is a *Panasonic Lumix TZ2* which you can get for £166 or so. Leaving spare change for extra batteries and memory etc. It's got a 10 optical zoom (wow!) and has 6 megapixels
Or, if you want to go for an SLR, the *Nikon D40* can be bought for £249. It also only has 6 megapixels, but will take really good photos - your shutter speed problem just won't be, with this camera. It has a very good shutter speed.

For a few extra pounds, the Gadget show recommend the *Canon Powershot G9* - it's between a compact and and SLR, it has a focus check, so no blurry shots - but it does have lots of controls, so can be confusing to use. Its priced at around £282 on Amazon

Finally, personally, I have an old Fuji Finepix and can vouch for their ease of use. For £140 you can pick up the *Fujifilm FinePix F50fd *- a massive 12 megapixels, but only 3x optical zoom.

Hope this has helped a little!

Good luck and happy snapping 

PabBoo x


----------



## LizzyB (Mar 25, 2003)

My nephew has the Panasonic Lumix....he got it for his birthday and it's really good. I was playing with it for ages and no shutter delay at all.

I even though of getting one for snaps and I hate digital 

Lots of luck for the new arrival 

Lizzy xxx


----------



## Cherry Tree (Apr 8, 2007)

Thanks for replying girls.

pabboo I'm just looking online at the panasonic you suggested and all I can see is a panasonic DMC TZ2 is this the same?

I just don't feel there is anywhere to go to get advice etc but you've helped heaps. I did go into Jessops and they showed us the Rocoh R8 but that was it.

Oh its all so confusing   especially with a pregnancy brain  

xx


----------



## pabboo (Sep 29, 2007)

Hmmmm Don't know, but I expect so, yes.

The one I told you about can be found at 
http://www.buyacamera.co.uk/xsearch.asp?RecId=PANCA274&pt=f

have a quick compare. I expect they are the same camera.

Jessops are normally much better than that, such a shame they didn't help you more. Private camera shops are often quite good, if you can find one....

Glad to have helped. Let me know if I can help again at all.

PabBoo
/links


----------



## Cherry Tree (Apr 8, 2007)

Hi Pabboo

Was just wondering if you would recommend getting the TZ3 (is this the next one up) does it offer anything important for the extra £££'s

Sorry to bother you again

xx


----------



## *Scooby* (Sep 16, 2006)

Hi

We have got the Panasonic Lumix and also the Nikon Coolpix and they are both really good camera's.  Would definately buy either one of these again.

 

x x x x


----------



## pabboo (Sep 29, 2007)

kiki2u said:


> Hi Pabboo
> 
> Was just wondering if you would recommend getting the TZ3 (is this the next one up) does it offer anything important for the extra £££'s
> 
> ...


No problem - sorry it took me so long to get back to you (I contracted Labyrinthitis on Friday!)

First, I looked at the specifications. The Tz2 is 15 grams lighter (whoop!) and it has almost 0.2 more megapixels (can't see that making a world of difference!) This seems odd, if it is the next one up.....

So, I looked into it more. They were released at the same time. According to one review, the TZ3 has 1.2 megapixel more than the Tz2. 
The Tz3 can give you more zoom (optical plus digital combined because, I assume, there is a little more digital zoom. That is of neglible usefulness)
You could shoot up to 30 more photos on a single charge on the Tz3 than the Tz2
The TZ3 also offers an function that lets you select and display thumbnails of nine sequential frames from a motion image. That's just an image thing, and may or may not be helpful (I'm guessing, on the whole, not). 
The LCD screen is a little bigger on the Tz3 (0.5 inches bigger than the Tz2)

All in all, the spec is really only slightly lower on the Tz2. Personally, I wouldn't spend a great deal more on it. Having said that, it may be that you can find the Tz3 cheaper anyway (it is only £135 at
http://www.buyacamera.co.uk/xsearch.asp?RecId=PANCA277&pt=f 
and £140 at 
http://www.digitalrev.com/en/panasonic-lumix-dmc-tz3-1853.html )

Hope this helps

Pabboo xxx 
/links


----------



## Greeneyed (Apr 12, 2006)

I have just ordered the fuji Finepix S8000 fd, as I want a big zoom  

I hope it is okay, I've seen mixed reviews, it has a hell of a lot of features though for £150 and an 18 x Optical Zoom! - Not one to put in your pocket however. 

I have a canon Ixus - which is my pocket camera, this has always been great however it only has a 4x zoom. 

Love Greeneyed x


----------



## Cherry Tree (Apr 8, 2007)

Hello ladies,

Thank you again for you replies. 

So on your advice I went to look at the Panasonic TZ5 (only because it is pretty much the same in size shape etc and they didn't have the TZ2/3) at Jessops and liked the look of it. So then went home and ordered the TZ3. I managed to get it for £133 which is £13 more then the TZ2 so thought it was worth getting the next one up.  

It arrived this morning so will have fun playing with it over the bank holiday weekend.

Thank you Pabboo you were a great help and I don't think I would have ordered one still without your help  

Hope you have a great weekend xx


----------

