I’m looking for a new camera for general day to day stuff. I have an Olympus tough which is good for chucking in the pack without worrying about it but the shots are pretty poor, I also have a reasonable SLR Canon 100d that I take with me sometimes but as it belongs to the wife and the lenses are very expensive so i don’t want to take it with me any more. So what I am after is something in between. Metal body would be good, fully manual settings with a decent lens. I am not sure if there are options with changeable lenses but that would be top of my list.

It will be used mainly for biking but I am aware of the limitations of this type of camera and I am happy in with that.

So what do you recommend. Oh and I am just an enthusiastic amateur when it comes to photography so I rally don’t need top end.

Which Tough do you have? I upgraded mine to the new TG1 and am very impressed so far. Certainly better than previous iterations of the Tough that I’ve had. Lacks the ability to change lenses (bar a fisheye add on, IIRC), but picture quality has been excellent and overall use really good as a ‘sling it in the bag’ sort of camera.

Budget?

Lumix, sir?

I am not limited by budget. But ball park figure, roughly £250 – £350.

CFH I’m not sure of the model but it is one of the more basic models.

You’re looking at old models for interchangeable lens cameras.

Nikon J1
Olympus EPM2
Panasonic G5 or GF5
Sony Nex3N or A3000

The Nikon would probably be a good bet, but they all have there pros and cons. The G5 and a3000 are the only ones with viewfinders (rather than just an LCD) in that range.

I have been looking at a new compact so that I don’t have to cart the SLR about as much.

Are the Lumix good ?

All the modern mirrorless cameras are good (except Canon’s).

Canon G12 for me. All the functionality of an SLR with a fraction of the bulk. It’s been superseded so much cheaper to buy now or look at one of the newer G models.

If it was me, I’d buy this Canon S110 at £162 and keep the change:
http://www.digitalrev.com/product/canon-powershot-s110-digital-camera/MTAwMTQ2NA_A_A?googlebase=1&country=GB&gclid=CMio1q_y8LsCFSMewwod5F4Afw

But that’s because I’ve got my iPhone and an SLR+lenses for everything else.

Some of the larger micro 4/3rds cameras and Nex etc, are really good, but, I personally would prefer something tiny.

If the Sony RX100 (or the II version) has come down into budget, that would be the other one I’d consider.

RX100 via eBay? I sold mine on there recently and replaced it with an X100, also from EBay. It’s in superb condition, and so was the RX I sold.

I am liking the look of the Lumix GF2, there seem to be some good deals around and the interchangeable lenses appear to be exactly what I am looking for 🙂

I’ve got an S110, can recommend, thats a great price too.

I am liking the look of the Lumix GF2, there seem to be some good deals around and the interchangeable lenses appear to be exactly what I am looking for

Check out Olympus offerings at the same time. They can use each others lenses.

In Olympus world, E-PL3 is significantly better than 2 because the autofocus is much quicker.

However I *think* the E-PM2 has the same engine as the E-PL3 so should be as quick.

I am liking the look of the Lumix GF2, there seem to be some good deals around and the interchangeable lenses appear to be exactly what I am looking for

My g/f has the one I linked to. It’s very good. If your budget can stretch to it there’s a kit with that zoom and a 14mm ‘pancake’ lens; it’s another £100 but it’s an awesome lens and well worth having.

I’ve just picked up one of these.
I’m probably the wrong person to ask

You could use that. Just chuck away that junk on the back and attach it to a camera. 😉

DP Review 2013 camera roundup

Good point 5e, that part of it is excellent, even if you do have to work it yourself.
BTW, I’ll have you know it came with a roll of film, effectively doubling it’s value

Olympus have just released a ‘normal’ zoom lens equivalent in range to most kit lenses, but it folds away to the size of the pancake lenses. So coupled to a Pen it really is pocket sized. Brilliant.

Cannon s110 or rx100 would get my vote or the epm2 for a mirorless
i really like the epm1 so epm2 should be good.

Molgrips, do you have a link to that compact zoom lens for the oly?
sounds interesting

It’s been anounced along with the OM-D EM10, which is the budget posh m43 camera:

http://www.olympus-global.com/en/news/2014a/nr140129zuikoede.jsp

This is it on the EM10 – it has both a zoom and a focus ring, but of course both are electronic. It telescopes out like compact cameras do. Not available yet, and it (the lens that is) listed on Wex photographic for £300 so a bit pricey!

Nice. I do like a pancake zoom. It’ll be half that price in a few months.

Anyone purchased or used the Nikon AW1?

Possibly not quite what you’re after but I picked up one of these recently and it’s a bargain IMO.

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/cameras/digital-cameras/compact-digital-cameras/fujifilm-xf1-high-performance-compact-digital-camera-black-19140074-pdt.html?intcmpid=display~RR~Cameras~19140074

The fuji refurb store have some good deals on X cameras both fixed, zoom and interchangeable, very nearly made a purchase but I went for a sigma dp2 Merril as the prices just dropped massively. I wouldn’t recommend it though as it’s massively flawed camera (but also brilliant at the same time)

I love that tiny em10, I really do, and I would go for it for my next cam even though it’s the budget one, but I really want something that works with my lenses.

I really shouldnt look at new shiny camera stuff that EM10 looks great and that pancake zoom lens is probably smaller than my panasonic pancake lens! not as sharp no doubt but paired with my tiny emp1 would make a pretty light weight small versatile camera. not paying £300 for the lens though 🙂

Cheers for all the advice guys, i managed to get a Lumix GF2 with both the lenses for under £200 on ebay and surprise surprise it is in top nick. So i am looking forward to getting to grips with it. It seems to be exactly what i was after. 🙂

That’s a hell of a price. You have chosen wisely. (-:

Nice one mac
I couldn’t stretch to a GF2 so I got a bit of a deal on a Lumix TZ40.
Looks good out the box and has some handy features.

OT but were aware of the Templeton Woods trail dig this weekend ?
Think it’s a final push before the opening next month.

surprise surprise it is in top nick

ebay is awash with cameras in great condition. People get gadget fever and splash out on something whizzy because they want to take better pictures, then they realise the camera doesn’t magically take better pictures on its own and bigger cameras are more trouble to carry about, so they leave it at home for a few years. Then when it comes up on ebay it’s in perfect nick 🙂

I have a GF1 – great camera.
I bought it because I wamted good image quality without too much bulk, along with fast focusing and control of shutter speed/aperture etc.
I’ve learned a lot with that camera, evne more so once I properly learned post-processing of RAWs.

I’ve had it for a good few years now – I’m thinking of replacing it with a GM1 once they come down in price. The GF1 is still sometimes too big to carry easily (even with a pancake lens – I have the 20mm) and it has an older sensor that doesn’t go to too high an ISO without getting noisy – bit of a bummer for non-flash photos in a pub or whatever.
GM1 should hit the spot there – it’s tiny and has the newest sensor.

The 20/1.7 lens is great and I have a Samyang fisheye too.

fasthaggis – Member
Nice one mac
I couldn’t stretch to a GF2 so I got a bit of a deal on a Lumix TZ40.
Looks good out the box and has some handy features.

OT but were aware of the Templeton Woods trail dig this weekend ?
Think it’s a final push before the opening next month.

Hey fasthaggis, sorry i wasn’t ignoring you, just noticed the post. I got a facebook message saying that it was being built and that AMBTA were holding a film night before the opening. I have been away for a couple of weeks so couldn’t make it. Have u been part of the Pitmedden rebuild??? Ill be helping out a bit over there when i am home. Its been savaged by logging.

Selling a GF3 and GF 1 if interested, zoom and 20mm lenses plus a Lumix flash.

Don’t use them since I got a Sony RX100

Which flash?

Had some reasonable results with my Olympus Tough TG2…

Sunset3 by davetheblade, on Flickr

Fishy by davetheblade, on Flickr

ScubaMe by davetheblade, on Flickr

Mask by davetheblade, on Flickr

Amelia underwater by davetheblade, on Flickr

Balearic Angel by davetheblade, on Flickr