nick8saff

Just come back from disney Florida with my 1 yr old daughter and partner and really wished id took a decent camera as most the pictures iv took are shit quality. Iv got no more than £500 for a camera but have no idea what im looking at so after some advice. Do i really need to spend this amount if im not going to get the best out the camera, i just dont know so any help appreciated.

ontheway

I'm sure Which will have a guide thats worth looking at mate

foreigneRS

it doesn't take a good camera to make good pictures - just a good photographer.

if you had a full on slr, would you know how to use it? better to practice on something more basic until you really know your onions than just get a complicated slr and leave it on auto and end up no better off.

twinkle_2k86

If you have not owned a DSLR before, start with a bridge camera. you can get stunning photos from one and there a much better price to.

MannheimAlex

If you only want to take good quality pics and are not really into photography go ahead with one of those Bridge cams. A friend of mine bought the nikon P500, and I would say it does really nice pics!

But if you have no prolblem with a bigger cam, get a small dslr like the nikonD3100 or similar. way better low light performance and has also all the programms to make shoot pics easy.

I myself started with the D5000 and after a fit of reading and trying, some nice shots came out

Fast Guy

You might even end up taking worse pictures with a dslr as there's so many settings to screw up.
What camera do you have as any compact should take half decent pictures in the daylight.

nick8saff

Only got a samsung that cost about £150 about 2 year ok. The pictures on a night were really poor all blurred and fuzzy. Messed with a few setting but still come out rubbish.
I also don't really wanna buy a camera to learn on then have to buy something better 12
months down the line.

Fast Guy

If it's night pictures your worried about then a dslr will be much better, but you need to learn how to use it or you'll still end up with the same problem. If you take alot of night pictures a 'fast' lens will help, ie one with an F-stop of below 3 at least, below 2 even. Worry about that later though.
I agree with you about just buying a camera now to do the job and not having to upgrade later on.

oibren85

Got myself a Canon 500d, Brilliant camera and can still shoot in full auto and get the basic shots while your learning. Then when you know a bit more go to manual and really start to take photos. Good thing about the Canon that made me buy it was the 1080p video, its good but you always get the auto focus noise if you use it on your videos and best to use manual. Went on the bay and got mine with the normal lense and the 70-250mm lense for under £500. cant really fault it and looking at accessories for it now to upgrade the camera.

foreigneRS

think about when you'd really want to carry an slr around with you. not very often i'd wager.

nick8saff

Have been looking at the canon 500d with the 18-55 lense. Looks a nice bit of kit and in my price range. Has anyone used SLRhut before or anyone recommend where i should get one from.

olliep

They take good photos but are annoying to carry around all day

foreigneRS

i got a 550D with 50mm lens last week.

mcst

SLR's are great if you set out to take a shed load of good quality pics, special occasions, shows etc.. For days out though as others have said you'll get sick of carrying it. You can get some great stuff on a good compact point and click that you can stick in your pocket. The key to good pics is to take your time, practice a little on days out down the park with the kids. I'm hoping to get an SLR after using my mates, he asked me to take pics at a winch challenge. I got some fantastic shots and i've never used one before but i was sick of carrying it after just half a day.

bobster1982

I have 3 cameras that I use.

I have a Fuji Finepix HS20 bridge camera that is brilliant for day to day use and learning to use the functions of an SLR. Has a 30x optical zoom as well so very versatile. Cost £260

I have a Nikon D40 that I have used for a good few years now. A good all round DSLR

I have just upgraded the Nikon for a Sony SLT-A35 which are on offer in Jessops at the minute for £500 with two lenses. An astonishing bit of kit.

Jumby

Get a canon eos 400d. Brand new i gave something like 350 for mine in about 2008/9? the price is sure to have fell. But, the quality is good, simple to use and is a dslr, lenses are also cheap for the camera too. Definitely reccomend it

foreigneRS

agreed. I have a panasonic TZ10 superzoom manual compact, Fuji HS10 superzoom bridge, and now a canon eos 550d but currently only with a 50mm fixed lens (so lighter than the HS10).

hs10 and tz10 were great for learning the craft as they are go anywhere, and now the 550d is for those occassions where i am going out specifically for photography

Mk1-stu

I just bought the Finepix S3380 from Argos, purely because i was looking at an SLR and realised i had no idea how to use it properly.

Seems pointless paying 300+ for a camera that will only get used as a point and shoot. I've made plans to visit a few local 'scenic' spots over the weekend to play with the exposure settings etc to get used to the other settings and how they work, then maybe next year i'll look at buying a SLR - if i actually find a need for it.

The cam i just bought seems to be pretty decent, 14mp, 26x zoom and all sorts of other stuff that i have no fuckin idea of at the moment

nichol4s

iTrader: (2)

This was the situation I was in 18 months ago I trawled the web for a good beginners dslr, I tried wife's cousins high end Sony dslr and then bought one myself it's an entry level camera but has good reviews. And all the settings you'd expect and the quality of a dslr!!

How ever it is no longer used as I have upgraded (this doesn't mean I've mastered it yet lol) going on eBay soon camera kit lens and genuine Sony case.

adam151082

DSLR's are only any good if you learn how to use them in Manual mode (and with decent lenses) other wise stick with your point and shot. Bridge camera's are a waste of time IMO, takes to long to change settings.

Wish id kept my nikon D7000 but i bought a house

foreigneRS

why does it take any longer than a dslr?

bridge cameras have benefits in terms of being lighter and more compact for a long lenses and are more suitable to go anywhere as the lens does not have to be removed, so in my opinion they are good for what they are designed for and are an ideal way to build skills as you bridge between a point and shoot camera and a dslr, or indeed one of the new breed of mirrorless cameras.

by the way, not all compacts are point and shoot. a lot these days have full manual settings just as a dslr does, so i think they're also a great way to learn as you can take one anywhere and everywhere and make the most of every opportuninty.

ClevoCapri

iTrader: (1)

Buy an entry level dslr. If you want to take pics of anything moving, kids, cars ect. There well worth it. You dont need to go from full auto to manual. There are other settings to help you get the efects you want without needing to change everything.
I do have a compact but its water proof for taking into pools ect. Still travel with my dslr aswell for good pics. If you think a camera is heavy to carry around your just bloody soft.

mjonathan24

iTrader: (1)

Every year I say that I'm going to buy myself a decent digital SLR, I start looking and then give up because I don't exactly know what I'm looking for. I want to be able to take stunning pictures with real depth of colour and I want some of those fun lenses.

I don't want to look like a chief with a massive camera... Bloody tourist.

What are the compact system cameras like? like those sony nex ones?

djmillsy

im the same as you mate want to get in to it but start looking at cameras and just think fuck that its to confusing

Ben26

hi mate , im not going to tell u that i know everything but i got the canon 550 highly recommend to me ny a guy who i work with that does alot a photo shoots , from cars to weddings, great camera for a beginner

foreigneRS

depends what you want to do with them. they have their plus and minuses, as with any other type. do your research on the net and try a few different things out to decide what's best for you

mjonathan24

iTrader: (1)

Thanks I will have a proper look