Camera help

[cloggie]

Right today I'm planning on buying a camera today.
Ive been using a little G10 for the past year and its time for a change.
Im not really sure what to buy yet I was thinking of a hybrid like the NX10 but Im not sure this is going to give me any better results?
The other option is dslr, I have seen a couple of used ones for sub £300 like Nikon D40 and canon 1000d.
Has anyone any experience with any of these?
Is there any I should be looking at?
I dont want to spend crazy money on my 1st dslr until I actually work out how to use them properly but I am looking for something to give me better shots than my current camera!

[Ferg]

If you decide against a DSLR then the Panny TZ10 is fantastic!

[smee]

The G10 is a superb camera so you're probably going to have to bite the bullet and go DSLR if you want to progress. When I bought my first SLR is was certain I was going to get a 450d but I'm glad I spent the extra for the 40d otherwise I would have upgrded fairly quickly, unfortunately for me a 5d is financially well out of reach so I'm stuck with what I've got for now.
I only know canon and have no idea about nikon but the 1000d is the entry canon, I'd probably go for a 500d or 550d as its a big jump in perfomance for not a lot more money. The 60d for me doesn't seem worth the money. It's all money though and even the cheaper or second hand bodies need lenses, flases, filters, tripods etc bla bla bla. A bridge camera would get you more options for less money but they are pretty steep as well and not any better than your G10.

[smee]

by the way that was your 666th post

[Rusty]

i'll be agreeing with Smee on this,

i went from bridge camera Fuji s7000 to canon 30D just when it was released, at first you can get lost in the options but once you get your head around it, its brilliant.

I'm in the same postition with smee as well, 5D or 7D are outwith my budget just now, and the money to upgrade to 40D 50D or 60D isn't worth it for the slight improvemnt.

I'd agree going for the 550D would be better than going for the 1000D, you'll have more progression in that camera before you feel the upgrade urge.

[tut]

by the way that was your 666th post

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

The Pope hath gone, the Devil cometh amongst us.............

tut

[gorrie]

If you decide against a DSLR then the Panny TZ10 is fantastic!

I looked at the TZ10, but opted for the TZ8. Practically the same camera... same lens/zoom/HD video/pixel count etc. I really like it
Only real differences I could see between TZ8 & TZ10 were GPS tagging & a different video file format ... and I'd never use the tagging... so was able to get the TZ8 for about £80 less than the TZ10.

[cloggie]

Haha im a bit gutted to break the devil number but got to do it sometime i suppose
I spoke to someone selling a second hand 1000d for £250 ,
I know what people are saying but I cant see me losing much on it in 6 months time when I decide its not enough of a camera but by then i will have got to grips with using a slr and it hasnt cost me an arm and a leg!
I cant see me finding anything else for that sort of money ? am i wrong?

[flat-planedCrank]

I spoke to someone selling a second hand 1000d for £250 ,
I know what people are saying but I cant see me losing much on it in 6 months time when I decide its not enough of a camera but by then i will have got to grips with using a slr and it hasnt cost me an arm and a leg!
I cant see me finding anything else for that sort of money ? am i wrong?

Is that £250 for the body and kit lens or just the body?

Camera Price Buster is reporting:
New 1000D body for £289 - http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod661.html (that's from Warehouse Express, not some untrustworthy trader)


It'll all depends on what you actually want from a camera. For some the ****D / ***D range are a perfect blend lightness and compact build - you can easily take it on holiday and wear it round your neck.
The **D cameras have metal bodies (excluding the new 60D) so tend to be larger and heavier. Some are used as backup cameras for professional photographers - if you want to do lots of track day photography then this is probably a good place to look. Check the price of used 30D/40D/50D...

Either way, if you get the photography bug then any lenses (normally EF or EF-S mount) you have bought will work with an upgraded camera body.
(as long as you don't upgrade to the pro-level 1D / 5D cameras - they won't work with EF-S)

I would go to a local camera store and have a look at the options, you may prefer Nikon to Canon or vice versa. I would stay with one of the 'big two' though as you will have access to the greatest range of lenses and accessories from themselves and other manufacturers.


Hope this helps,

Cheers.

[cloggie]

Thats the body , a brand new 18-55 kit lens, bag and 16gb card!
How does that sound?
I would probably prefer to stick with a canon for now as its what Im used to.

[smee]

Offer him £225 as a try, the 17-55mm is dirt cheap 2nd hand as everyone upgrades. If you do get it and decide you like DSLR pphotography then you can collect a few lenses then upgrade your body as suggested by others.
1000d new is only about £80 more and would have warranty etc http://www.camerapricebuster.com/Canon_ ... 55_pc.html

[cloggie]

I decided not to bother as the guy was wanting to meet me in a carpark in the dark
I think I might start over again tomo and see what that brings!
Just about to start trawling through ebay
The thing is I dont really know what im looking for !
here are a couple of pics ive taken with the G10 , what would give me better results without spending mega bucks?
I am looking for something with more control and better at handling low light as the g10 really struggles with this.
I am open to suggestions now

[flat-planedCrank]

(I've never used a G10 so I can't compare directly....(nice pics btw ))

An SLR can give you a lot more choice - wider lenses for landscapes, longer zooms for wildlife and motorsport. Buying an SLR enables you to spend even more than you intended to on a variety of other gear (it can be an expensive hobby if you start looking at pro-level gear)

In general an SLR will give you more options with regards to things like depth of field and better handling of noise in low light conditions. The larger sensor means that with a relatively cheap lens (about £80-£90 for a 50mm f1.8 lens) you can achieve shots that compact cameras simply can't replicate.


Imo it doesn't always replace a compact camera though, if you need a camera to throw in your pocket then an SLR + accessories is perhaps not the best tool for the job.


One initial choice to make is whether video is important to you - only the newer raft of SLRs support it, and even then its implementation in terms of autofocus (it can't use the normal autofocus systems while the video is recording) is not ideal. That said the larger sensor and ability to use other lenses can lead to some very professional results.

I'd decide on a budget and then go look in a local camera shop Some of the bigger high-street retailers might even price-match well known online stores like Warehouse Express.

What is it about your G10 that you would like to have improved in a new camera?



Cheers.

[cloggie]

The reason i bought the G10 in the 1st place was for doing the underwater stuff as it is absolutely amazing once set up right.
I never intended it to be my only camera but once I started using it I realised how good it actually was.
I feel the photos just seem to be missing something though, whether it be depth of field , sharpness or my own ability Im not sure but I look at everyone else's photos and mine always seem to look quite amateurish , I just cant put my finger on why and i only seem to be able to blame the camera
I think using something with a manual focus might add another element to my photos as The G10 always seems to focus on everything at once unless in macro mode.
Do you think Im going to get any different quality of pics buying a "budget " entry level dslr with a kit lens?

[Skyenet]

Your Photos are really cool

I had an entry level Nikon D40 and although it could do a lot I found that some of the things I wanted to do were quite awkward to set on it, though to be fair it could do them. I got a D90 and it was far easier to set the controls the way I wanted to. Still liked the D40 very much though and only recently sold it with the kit lens for £200. Nikons and Canons keep their prices very well so if you do go for something secondhand and find you want to upgarde further you won't loose much at all. The G10 is also sought after but you would probably be best keeping it for occasions when a compact is more convenient, and for your underwater stuff.

The new Nikon entry level camera will be the Nikon D3100 which has a load of new features including full HD video, many features are better than more expensive cameras in the range. However it will be retailing around the £500 mark when released in a few weeks. However that means that there may be some bargains to be had on older stock such as the Nikon D3000 and D5000.