Beginner seeking any advice on which camera to buy...

[Poppy Walmsley]

What a great website. I've taken lots of photos with Digital cameras before, but feel they are quite limited in terms of quality and facilities.

I would like to know whether to go for a digital SLR, or alternative digital camera.

Budget- £200 to £300

Size- will be used for lots of outdoors shots; holidays etc so would need to be quite compact and light to carry.

Features-

Mega pixels and ultra zoom- as a novice- not quite sure what these are or the benefits, but hope to have a relatively good set of features for the budget.

Image quality is very important to me- 7/10.
Colour is important

I feel manual controls are the next step on for me to create my own beautiful shots. Would like the option of turning back to auto.

Will generally use the camera for shots of people, landscapes, animals, and general views- sea. Will download to the mac/pc and use in Photoshop.

Will not be making larger than normal prints

Will probably use the camera during the evening in low light.

Will not be shooting sports or action.

Apologies for the lack of knowledge, but any advice you can offer would be really helpful. I want to get the best possible model for the usage requirements.

[bluevellet]

I would like to know whether to go for a digital SLR, or alternative digital camera.

Budget- £200 to £300

Size- will be used for lots of outdoors shots; holidays etc so would need to be quite compact and light to carry.

That basically narrows the possibilities to an average compact or ultra compact with normal zoom capabilities. Forget a true DSLR at that price range and your need for something compact.

If zoom is that important to you than you still have the Panasonic TZ1 and the Kodak V610 (both are relatively small). Neither are true DSLRs, but they got the zoom and are fairly small. The TZ1 produces better pics than the Kodak, but it's almost twice as big as the Kodak (volume wise). The V610 is more expensive too, going over your 300-euro limit by a bit.

Otherwise, just stick to 'safe choices' with compacts and ultracompacts with normal zooms.

You may want to consider something like the Canon SD600 (Digital IXUS 60) or Canon Powershot A700, Kodak V550 (or V603), Nikon Coolpix P3 or Fuji Finepix F30. Those are just quick picks for the sake of giving you some models. I think most if not all are already reviewed on this very site. Could give you some place to start.

[Sintares]

From the Dpreview of the Kodak V610

the focus at the long end of the zoom is, at times, dire, and in low light it's not that hot at the wide end either. I struggled to get a single usable shot indoors (in the daytime) without flash, as the focus struggled and the small maximum aperture caused camera shake problems even at ISO 400. And this was using the wideangle lens. Yet walking about shooting in bright daylight it was like using a different camera; or at least it was until I'd tried to snap a quick shot at the long 10x end of the zoom; 5 seconds to get from the wide setting, then another three whilst the focus system struggled to lock onto the subject tended to lose the moment, somewhat.

It's no good in low light, it struggles at the long end of the zoom and it's optically at its worst at the wide end, which is where most casual shots will be taken

[ben7337]

isn't the sign he used the pound sign? this person wants to spend around $400- $600 USD. I would recommend looking at the TZ1 perviously mentions, the Canon SD700 known in europe as the Canon IXUS 800 IS, and the Fuji F30.

[bluevellet]

isn't the sign he used the pound sign? this person wants to spend around $400- $600 USD. I would recommend looking at the TZ1 perviously mentions, the Canon SD700 known in europe as the Canon IXUS 800 IS, and the Fuji F30.

You're right. For some reason, I saw it as an Euro. Still, he can't afford a true DSLR and he is still limited by his compact requirement so that eliminates the vast majority of the long zoom cameras on the market. But he can spend extra on a more average (ultra) compact.

[Sintares]

You're right. For some reason, I saw it as an Euro. Still, he can't afford a true DSLR and he is still limited by his compact requirement so that eliminates the vast majority of the long zoom cameras on the market. But he can spend extra on a more average (ultra) compact.

The UK retailer Argos is currently selling the Sony H1 for £175, so thats well within budget, even including £30 for a 1gb memory stick.