MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Looking to upgrade my fuji f440. Quite tempted with a DSLR but not really got the cash at the mo and it may end up being an expensive fad.
Been looking at the Lumix FZ28. Seems to tick all my boxes and the right sort of price (circa £200 ish).
Anything else out there at the same price range? Any FZ28 owners here?
£200 isn't far off a sony a200 if you are tempted down the dslr route.
I'd go with DSLR, they're SO much more versatile as well as being a lot faster. For that kind of price you can pick up a good S/H DSLR either in a camera shop or on ebay (or maybe even on here).
I dunno about more versatile (unless you spend a lot of cash). I have a Canon S5. It's got an eqiv. 36 mm - 432 mm Image Stabilized lens which will focus down to virtually touching the glass, tilt and swivel screen, movie mode and it fits in your pocket. None of which you can do with a DSLR for £200. I have owned a couple of DSLR's, and for me, taking the types of pictures I take (mainly family, no acton shots), I get better results with the S5 than I did with the DSLR's. I love the S5, for the money, it takes great pictures. I am also a lot more likely to carry it round than a DSLR.
If you are taking action shots though, a DSLR is probably a better choice. A lot of people assume the DSLR's are better than a bridge camera for all tasks, which is not true, they are different tools for different jobs.
Wouldn't £200 just get me the a200 body? Seems like most places will do the basic lense kit for about 250. suppose its only a little more in the grand scheme and if I do decide I like photography more in 12 months id probably want a dslr.
going second hand dslr i wouldnt know what to look at or where to begin!
strokes chin...
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Ricoh Caplio GX100 is a good compromise between a regualr compact and DSLR
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Can get Nikon D40's with lense / mem card / case and the usual gubbins for sub 200. Would feel uber queesy buying second hand off ebay though. Says that 6mp would be fine for anything up to A3 prints (which is way bigger than I would be printing anyway. Assume this at 6mp but a better camera overall would offer more in the way of functionality and quality than a higher mp with less tweaking options and settings?
Ricoh Caplio GX100 is a good compromise
exactly so. A real DSLR involves far less compromise. It all depends what you want.
The Caplio only has 3x optical zoom though - I get some great skyline shots off my balcony - sunsets, cloud formations, moon shots etc - I don't think the Caplio would offer me much in the way of zoom snaps. (I guess I should have been clearer in my needs!)
camera is for bike shots, panoramas, sky, a little bit of sports/action and portrait work. (umm, that doesn't leave much out does it? lol)
simonfbarnes It all depends what you want.
The moon on stick. 😉
A jack of all trades camera - that's why I thought the FZ28 would do a bit of everything, and the reviews seem to be decent. I've made do with a Fuji f440 for yonks but it's beginning to show it's age, and it's so slow sometimes.
(This is where people say "a jack of all trades camera, ha, it can't be done at that price, you n00b!")
I've got an FZ28 - very pleased with it so far - I just couldn't be arsed with an SLR, chnaging lenses and carrying a huge bag around etc
not saying that they aren't good of course - just not for me
yet....
Cheers justa
Whats it like, start up wise. How quick can you turn on and take a pic?
I had a bridge camera first, but I [b]hated[/b] the viewfinder - it had pathetic resolution and contrast - and it's hard to beat seeing the actual light coming through the lens - and you also get hugely better battery life not having to run an energy gulping display. I leave my D300 on all the time, and typically I get 10 days and 1500ish shots per charge
that's with a hicap battery?
IIRC the screen is pretty decent on the Lumix.
its pretty damn quick - has an optical viewfinder too - but an electric one ?
the intelligent auto is great - it knows when it needs to switch to macro for instance - the scene modes are also excellent, I used those a lot on my FX50 compact
the image stabilization is amazing too - even up to 18x zoom it manages to focus and my hands are well shaky !
good review here
http://www.cameras.co.uk/reviews/panasonic-dmc-fz28.cfm
oh and yes the screen is excellent...
I've no doubt that an SLR is the ultimate in cameras but I just wasn't quite ready for one yet
this seemed like an ideal compromise
sounds like the same boat im in mate.
looking at the lumix and the sony dsc-h50 too.
either / either really.
not used either as a brand but my bro has some red sony job and its taken some cracking pics. think i need to look at them both in the flesh.
cheers
Personally, I would get an SLR if you are thinking of buying one. I wouldnt get a Sony A200, its the bottom of the range and its not that great. Focusing is soft with the image stabiliser on and it feels cheap and plasticky. Picture quality is good, but its a bit noisier than others at high ISO and its a heavier camera overall. Layouts ok, but not as nice as others.
D40 is good, picture quality is lovely, colours are vibrant but having the limitations of lens choice is annoying! The auto focus motor is in the lens, meaning you can only use certain lenses. These are the cheaper ones, meaning you can run high end stuff but its all manual focus.
Canon 450D is nice, no limitations on lenses and picture quality is more natural, slightly warmer than Nikon. Skin tones are brilliant. But, much above budget and hard to get hold of at the moment.
Bridge cameras are good. something like the panasonic will keep its value if looked after and performance will be great for most things. Panasonics are always a bit too saturated and contrasty for my liking, giving nice landscapes but in other areas not so good. Image stabilisation is great, cameras fast as most and picture quality is brilliant, even up to high ISO.
Doug
Hi I have the FZ18, I presume the same as the FZ28 as it's a bridge camera or superzoom or whatever, so maybe the FZ28 is the new version. Anyway, absolutely superb cameras, I bought it due to the rave reviews in mags and on websites and haven't been disappointed at all.
Nice-swan. Cheers dude 🙂
ended up with a fz28. more than enough camera for me. really pleased.
the a200 looks and feels HUGE. didnt appeal.