The Camera Thread

[Peter Crisp]

The Fujifilm Finepix F100 FD looks like it could be a great little camera. While it doesn't have such a massive zoom it's still much better at 5x than the 3x I have now and it has great reviews.

[KK]

Cnet weren't too enamoured with the 'inexplicable interface issues' as they put it, or with the 'fiddly controls' though, however it does seem to have a good picture.

They really liked the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS5, which weighs in with a hefty 8.1/10 & is a good £100 under your budget.



Has a 4x zoom.

Big selection of Panasonic reviews here to check out:

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/camera ... =Panasonic

Sony's CyberShot W170 has a 5x zoom

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/camera ... 320/review


Samsung's latest camera sounds like a bit of a write off:

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/camera ... 568/review

[Peter Crisp]

Right after a bit of looking and I may have this as a contender.



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fujifilm-FinePi ... 235&sr=8-2

Thoughts?

My reason for choosing it were I don't like having to buy special batteries the long zoom and that it's a fuji.
Are superzoom cameras any cop as I really want massive zoom while still having a capable camera that's not super expensive.

[Poser]

I don't think you can go far wrong with that. I love mine (though the specs aren't as good as yours there - mine is 8mp, 10x zoom). It sounds like you're looking for something similar to me - big zoom, simple camera, not too expensive, etc. For that price, it's not going to be DSLR quality, and it's not going to be professional, but it'll do everything you want.

I say go for it - and as you can't have an opinion on here without backing it up with reviews, I believe Fuji's are pretty highly thought of.

[Exxy]

Get a Canon Ixus

[Super Dragon 64]

I think I need to clean the lens on my camera, it got a bit 'messy' yesterday - any tips on what to use or if there's a special kit I should get?

[KK]

I think I need to clean the lens on my camera, it got a bit 'messy' yesterday - any tips on what to use or if there's a special kit I should get?

Pop into Jessops, Kodak do cleaning kits for about a fiver.

[$ilva $hadow]

Yep, total gooseberry fool...

You should take pictures from Sony cameras and compare them to the big boys. No review is going to convince me otherwise that a sony camera produces good results. They use the same shitty cheap sensors and cheap lenses. Even if I haven't tried out that particular Sony camera, I already know it's gooseberry fool. No major overhauls and they're still trying to get better results from the cheap poor quality parts they use on the inside. Unlike Fuji and Canon, Sony don't use premium or quality parts, they appeal to the 'cool' customers.

Good reviews for Sony cameras are a dime a dozen. Working in a camera shop and having first hand experience what the Sony cameras are like is much better than any of the reviews you've posted.


Sony cameras traditionally have a lot of noise, lot more shuter lag in low light conditions, poor colouration, a lot of yellow all over the place and Sonys don't pick up the fine detail that Fuji and Canons do.




Peter that Fuji you've looked up has good quality pictures, they also use a different type of sensor to the cheap CMOS sensors seen in every other camera. You seem to want the whole package, an awesome camera that has everything and I'd probably go for the Canon G7 that you posted earlier. It's a solid camera. Both are good and fit what you want though. It's just your choice now.


The Panasonics are awesome. They are amazing in fact. They don't match up to Fuji and Canon on picture quality, but they're very close. They use lovely leica lenses but their pictures just have a slight amount of noise when zoomed in, it's not noticeable at all like the Sonys though and you have to look for it. Best optical image stabilisation by miles. The Panasonic is way better than any Sony camera. The cameras are also very feature packed to make it as easy or as fiddly as you'd want it.


If you want the zoom go for the fuji you've pictured up there, or check out the TZ5: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-DMC-T ... 833&sr=8-1



Much more compact with a gooseberry fool load of zoom for that size. The picture quality is great. Get a small tripod though. When using a lot of zoom you should place the camera somewhere stable as handshake will be amplified in the picture. The reason why the Panasonic and he 10x zoom go so well together is the optical image stabiliser. Seriously is an awesome feature.

[Peter Crisp]

I think I'm going to go with the Fuji just because I'm a cheap git at heart. Will it be fine with a mini stand as this one
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hama-4024-Mini- ... 689&sr=1-4
Seems like a good deal?

[$ilva $hadow]

It'll be fine on any of those sort of stands. You might use it or you might not so think about whether or not you want to waste the cash on the tripod. To be honest, I'd say don't get the tripod with the camera. Try out the camera and the zoom, test your pictures out and see how bad your handshake is, versus putting the camera on a steady surface to take long distance shots and see if you would be comfortable with even using a tripod. If you're fine to use the camera without a tripod and you don't see yourself needing a tripod then don't get one, it'll be relegated to a dusty cabinet somewhere and you'll never use it.

[Super Dragon 64]

I think I need to clean the lens on my camera, it got a bit 'messy' yesterday - any tips on what to use or if there's a special kit I should get?

Pop into Jessops, Kodak do cleaning kits for about a fiver.

Thanks KKlein, I'll look into them.

[Peter Crisp]

It'll be fine on any of those sort of stands. You might use it or you might not so think about whether or not you want to waste the cash on the tripod. To be honest, I'd say don't get the tripod with the camera. Try out the camera and the zoom, test your pictures out and see how bad your handshake is, versus putting the camera on a steady surface to take long distance shots and see if you would be comfortable with even using a tripod. If you're fine to use the camera without a tripod and you don't see yourself needing a tripod then don't get one, it'll be relegated to a dusty cabinet somewhere and you'll never use it.

I have the hands of a crazy man I'm afraid and I find it hard to keep them steady so I will more than likely need a tripod .

[$ilva $hadow]

With super saver delivery it's no hassle for you to order it after. It really is a cheap add on that we sell to customers and most of them never use it. There's very few people who end up using a tripod on these smaller cameras. If you feel you need it, just get free delivery with it. Just a money saving tip as I really don't think you'll use it, despite the advantages it has, I just don't think the average person ever uses the mini-tripods.


Put that 15 quid on a good quality SD card. A high speed one to take advantage of the continuous shot feature and also to minimise the delay between capturing shots.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Extreme ... 902&sr=1-1

[Carlos]

The Panasonics are awesome. They are amazing in fact. They don't match up to Fuji and Canon on picture quality, but they're very close. They use lovely leica lenses but their pictures just have a slight amount of noise when zoomed in, it's not noticeable at all like the Sonys though and you have to look for it. Best optical image stabilisation by miles. The Panasonic is way better than any Sony camera. The cameras are also very feature packed to make it as easy or as fiddly as you'd want it.

The Panasonics are great cameras, although they dont use 'Proper' Leica lenses (otherwise there would be a zero at the end of the prices) but Leica designed lenses that are actually manufactured by Panasonic themselves. Its like Ford saying they have Porsche engines in their cars, but all the engines are made by Ford themselves.
This is what makes the Canons much better, because at this level Canon's lens quality is far superior to Panasonic.

[$ilva $hadow]

Aye, I know that, they're very nice lenses and I've seen the Leica cameras. They're RIDICULOUSLY expensive Jessops had some left in the back where I worked, must have been remnants as they were 3 megapixel cameras which we were selling for an absolutely ridiculous amount like four hundred quid. They must have failed to have sold in the early days and even discounted, they were stupidly priced. O and this was at the time Canon and all the others had released their seven and eight megapixel cameras and were moving on to ten.


It's just easier not going into such detail when the end consumer don't even know of the companies like Leica.

Sony most definitely do not use high quality Carl Zeiss lenses. They use some dirt cheap lenses with that name tacked on.

[KK]

Sony most definitely do not use high quality Carl Zeiss lenses. They use some dirt cheap lenses with that name tacked on.

Bit of clarification on that. The lenses for Sony's cameras (& theirs alone) are developed at the Carl Zeiss plant in Oberkochen, Germany. The lenses are then made in a production facility in Japan jointly chosen by Sony and Carl Zeiss. Carl Zeiss then audits the production areas every few months.

[$ilva $hadow]

Crap quality lenses for cheap cameras are still crap quality.

[KK]

I think you're generalising far too much. The way you're speaking you'd think Sony only made one digital camera, for one purpose, & only used the one lens.

[$ilva $hadow]

Sony are not worth recommending at all. They've been in the market for a long time yet they can't make great cameras. What a shame. They're terrible at cameras except on their phones.

[Peter Crisp]

Right, I sent the Samsung back and have the Fuji on the way to me (it should be delivered tomorrow). I will test it out at Wembley when Luton play in the Trophy Final so I will post those when I have them .