New arrival on the way means I want a nice camera for baby pics etc after my lad dropped my old camera and broke it! Can’t decide between a compact system or a bridge camera. Would like something that also has a long zoom.

Seen this which seems a good deal but not sure on seller:

Panasonic GF5

All recommendations are welcome!

You can’t go wrong at that price. It’s worth keeping in mind that Panasonic relies on the lens for stabilisation, unlike Olympus which has in body stabilisation and can also use stabilised lenses.

I’d see what Olympus has to offer as well.

Thank you. I’m not that knowledgable when it comes to photography. Used a Panasonic bridge camera last year at Italy Grand Prix which I liked. Some bridge cameras seem dead cheap, any to avoid?

Bridge cameras have very small sensors. They don’t really compete with the m4/3 cameras you’re looking at. I’d avoid all of them. I’m sure someone will come along with a different point of view any minute…

By M4/3 cameras you mean the compact system cameras with interchangeable lenses?

M4/3 is a compact system cameras with interchangeable lenses. Specifically Olympus and Panasonic who share the same standard and can use each others lenses.

Sony, Nikon, Samsung, Fujifilm, Canon and Pentax all do rival systems with their own unique set of lenses. The Sony nex range is the main competitor to m4/3. The others are less common.

I went through all the wheres and whats, bridge cameras are no better than compacts, they just have bigger lenses.
4/3 are betterert but not as good as a DSLR now when it comes to which of those to get everyone has their favourites so good luck with choosing.
Me I,m trying to decide if the Canon 700D is worth £100 more than the 650D or should I save the £100 and put it to a decent lense

4/3 are betterert but not as good as a DSLR

That’s not true. Dslrs are better in some ways and worse in others.

I have both (nex rather than m4/3). I use both for different things. Neither is simply better.

Seen this which seems a good deal but not sure on seller:

Used Wilkinson Cameras a few times on EBay. They have shops across the NW, I’d have no problem recommending them to anyone.

pansonic lumix dmc-tz27

Does it all 🙂

£140 at currys. I’m sure you could get cheaper elsewhere.

Great deal in the OP and the seller is reputable. Go for it!

Used Wilkinson Cameras a few times on EBay. They have shops across the NW

Bought a GF2 for my OH from Wilkinon over the counter in Preston. Can’t fault either camera or service.

redthunder – good spot also!

The Panasonic is 20 x zoom how does this compare to the Panasonic GF5 zoom capabilities?

Thank you. I’m not that knowledgable when it comes to photography.

If you don’t know or care about photography, but just want decent pictures, then a bridge camera will be better. You won’t want to be choosing and changing lenses really. For instance, if you want a long zoom you’ll need another lens for that, the kit lenses arne’t that long.

You could get a bridge camera with a long zoom, and it’ll also do much closer macro than a compact system with the kit lens too. The image quality is fine, you’ll only notice if you blow the pictures up large and then it won’t be very noticeable.

A relatively large sensor compact with a good lens could be good, something like the Olympus XZ-1 (or is it 2 now?) although it’s not that long of a zoom.

I don’t think a compact system is mandatory for quality photos. All the ones on my walls at home were taken with a bridge, they look great.

I bought a Canon s110 recently. Its amazeballs.

The Panasonic is 20 x zoom how does this compare to the Panasonic GF5 zoom capabilities?

It doesn’t in any way. You’d need to buy several lenses and swap between them to get a ’20x’ zoom range for a GF5.

Bridge cameras get you far more versatility in terms of lens but at a slight cost in image quality (unless you are pixel peeping) and somewhat less advanced functionality.

The only thing bridge cameras are significantly less good at for the casual user is blurring the background of close-ups or portraits.

So a 20 x optical zoom camera eg Panasonic TZ27 can zoom further than the supplied lens kit on the Panasonic GF5?

Yes, the gf5 has a 3x zoom lens.

So a 20 x optical zoom camera eg Panasonic TZ27 can zoom further than the supplied lens kit on the Panasonic GF5?

grr you posted a link to the gf5, why not read the specs.

almost no dslr or mirrorless camera will have circa 20x zoom by default.

doesnt make the gf5 less of a camera

if im honest it doesnt sound like a camera with interchangable lenses is for you
get a compact with a high zoom or how about that nikon thats advertised on tv?

If you want a long zoom, Nikon have just announced a new Coolpix, with a 42x optical zoom, that’s something like 24-1000 mm!
I’ll see if I can find the feature on Zite, it was several days ago.
Found it:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-coolpix-p510
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/181110945123?var=gv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y&cbt=y&device=t&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=65&ff19=0
A lot cheaper than I thought it would be.

Hows about a Nikon V1 ….. comes with a 10-30mm and a 30-110 lens
for £329…

http://www.onestop-digital.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=33978

taken some ace photos with it….

almost no dslr or mirrorless camera will have circa 20x zoom by default

Almost?

I can’t even think of a 10x zoom. A 20x would be the size of a fire extinguisher.

Dobo – I did read the specs but as I’m only starting to take more of an interest in photography I didn’t understand. Doesn’t mean I won’t understand in the future.

Everyone else’s assistance is very helpful.

If you want long distance I could sell you an E3 with a 50-200 Zoom lens, it may be above your budget and may be a lot bigger than you may need too 😉

Molgrips if you’re interested let me know…

Keyster, where are you?
I have a camera which can do super long distance. Not much use to me.
Very good price

My colleague bought that exact camera from that company last week – he should be bringing it in to work tomorrow. I can have a look at it and report back on quality! He is also new to nice cameras and felt this was a good mix of swapping lenses, yet small. There actual website has deal packs which work out quite good as well.

Pepper you tease me… definitely can’t afford it now anyway, sadly!

Thats such a shame as I was saving the 11-22mm just for you 😮

Bah.. well i now have the 9-18mm, that was expensive enough despite being a standard grade lens…

CharlieMungus – What is it?

disben – What did you think of it?

Are the olympus bridge cameras any good:-

Olympus SP720UZ

or

Olympus SP820UZ

dpreview.com do loads of reviews of cheaper cameras as well as expensive ones. I do believe those two come out fairly well.

Olympus were flogging those off really cheaply for Father’s day online somewhere, also they come up on here http://stores.ebay.de/OlympusMarket_Digital-Kameras quite often.

There were refurbished Olympus EPM-1 on ebay for £160 a few weeks back, or new ones for £180 ish. The model is a few years old now, but still a cracking wee camera.