I will start by saying I am fairly clueless when it comes to cameras… at the moment I have a okay digital camera which is coming to the end of it's life.

I often travel with colleagues with SLRs who take (probably not suprisingly) much better photos than me – especially when it comes to landscape shots. I know that realistically I will never carry around a large SLR with me, but was wondering if there is anything sort of inbetween the two extremes. Or should I go for a more expensive standard digital camera. I had a bit of an internet search but wasn't very succesful, maybe I'm looking in the wrong place?

You could try something like the Canon G10.

If you particularly want landscapes then look out for cameras that offer a nice wide angle when zoomed right out.

You don't need a high end camera to take good pics.

Panasonic Lumix EZ38?

I've been very happy with mine – yet to take it anywhere to get the shots it's capable of taking yet but have got some *great* family portraits

Panasonic LX3? Lots of options to play with and a very good quality sensor and lens. Small enough to take anywhere.

They're called bridge cameras, however, there is no comparison against a DSLR, none of them have good enough sensors. I've got a Panasonic Lumix FZ18 which got rave reviews 2 years ago, really excellent, but still doesn't take pictures of DSLR quality. If I did the same thing again, I'd buy a smaller camera that stuffs in a pocket ie Lumix ZS7 or smaller. With the FZ18, all too often I can't be arsed getting it out of my pack.

98% of the goodness of a photo is in the photographer and where you are when you take it. Don't get seduced by kit. A DSLR will NOT take great pictures for you, you have to take them.

I've got great pictures taken on a compact, but it was a fully featured compact not a 'take pictures of your pissed mates' compact.

Plus, wide angle for landscapes? I almost never use wide angle, I zoom in – wide angle makes everything look too damn small.

Thanks for all the suggestions! Good to have some ideas for where to start to have a look… I used to do quite a lot of photography with a film SLR but stopped when I went to uni. Since then my main criteria for buying a camera was long battery life (I often am away for a couple of weeks without electricity for work), the image quality wasn't so important.

And I know it's not all about the kit but since I need to get a new camera anyway I thought I might ask what people recommend!

I bought the Canon G11 for £ 347.00p plus £10 quid next
day delivery from digi-good off of e-bay uk
Brilliant high end compact camera with DSLR features.

Lumix TZ8? About £200, slightly bigger than a normal compact but not much more so. I've got a TZ65 which seems pretty good.

I use a G10 – its great. I haven't picked up my D80 since.

If I were to buy now, I would get a G11 due to its noise reduction (the G10 is poor above ISO 200).

another rec for the FZ38 – by far the best balance between size / quality and features.

canon S90, very good, pretty small, G11, etc are a little too large IMHO (I had a G9, sold it – too large and a little too noisy, the G11 is bigger again) . . . recently bought an S90 as a go everywhere camera when my SLR is too much hassle to carry. S90 has the same sensor as the G11 and is certainly a step up from the G9 I had in sensor noise, all the manual modes you need, decent zoom range, raw output that is properly supported in general RAW processing tools (unlike many of the panasonics).

I shoot a lot of images on my D3, but I still have a place for a back of the jeans pocket compact . . .

Wreckommended

Fd

The new Sony NEX-5

Crossbreed of compact and SLR

It's hard to justify a DSLR I think. I am going to do some great biking on holiday but I am not sure how I'm gonna fit my DSLR into my camelbak…

Plus, wide angle for landscapes? I almost
never use wide angle

Depends on your style I guess but I don't think it is particularly unusual to want to fit a goid bit of the landscape in. That Colin Prior blokey doesn't zoom in on individual rocks for instance 🙂

But yeah I know what you mean, but remember most compacts don't go any wider than around 35mm so "wide" is a relative term.

Panasonic GF1? I've had a quick go on one, easy to use and seems to get good results. Doesn't take up much space either.

The new Sony NEX-5 Crossbreed of compact and SLR

sadly pig ugly: