Recommendations for a reasonably priced digital camera

[RogerS]

Hi chaps...my 15 year old Panasonic DMC-FZ20 is getting a bit long in the tooth and so thought I'd treat myself to a small lowish priced replacement. Say up to £3-400. Any suggestions..I just basically want something that will shoot a decent photo. Not that keen on gizmos. A good lens though. The Sony HX60V looks a possible.

TIA

 

[finneyb]

DMC TZ 80 £249 at John Lewis but cheaper on ebay. A compact camera with a wide range of capabilities - point & shoot upto full manual with 4K video - in fact still learning how to use the full range of capabilities.

Brian

 

[Mike Jordan]

My advice would be to only buy a camera with an instruction book! The Sony I bought has some very strange features but all the info is on line rather than to hand when needed. If you don't have a phone with Internet facility you are lost. I bought a Sony, it's rubbish!

 

[LancsRick]

At that budget you're into DSLR territory which would be a much better investment for you than another little compact. It depends what your criteria are really, but the lens will be a country mile ahead of a compact.

 

[Beau]

I went for a Sony DSC RX 100. One of the earlier versions. Terrific simple little camera. I say simple as I am sure it can do loads of things but it's left on intelligent auto most of the time. Fantastic in low light with a large sensor. It's very compact but the down side to that is the zoom is just x 3.5 but then you cant have everything without going for a full DSLR and a load of lenses. Instructions are hopeless but there is a very good book on it by Alexander S. White but no need for the book if you are happy with the auto settings. Prices vary a lot depending on which MK it is

 

[galleywood]

Check out Panasonic's website for current promotions.
I bought the FZ330 and qualified for 50 pounds cash back - a month later it was raised to 100 pounds.
Also look at Graham Houghton's website for all Panasonic cameras

 

[fezman]

RogerS , i’ve had a few of the panny tz series including a tz80 currently. Awesome little camera. I wanted something between the tz size and my canon dslr kit. I opted for a panny fz82 bridge , early indications are very good. Images very crisp, 4k video excellent and a 20-1200 35mm equivalent zoom.

+1 for Graham Houghtons youtube channel too.

 

[thetyreman]

I would personally get something like a second hand old canon eos5D mk1, it's a full frame DSLR, then get the standard lens and save up for a better lens in future like a lecia or voitglander or ziess. Bear in mind the 5d mk1 cost £3800 in 2005, now you can have it for less than £300! these were built to last, they're like tanks and make from metal not cheap plastic, only downside is the size but it's a pro spec camera that is still superb.

 

[thetyreman]

my helios 44m 58mm is pretty darn close to my zeiss planar T 50/1.4 ZE lens, the helios was less than £40! zeiss over £500! really good for the money.

 

[sunnybob]

Canon.
Superb reliability, even on the older models. I had an EOS 10 which I sold after over a dozen years. I have an EOS 350D which I bought new over 15 years ago and its still perfect after over 40,000 pictures.
Canon lenses are interchangeable and now pretty cheap second hand. I have one thats over 20 years old and still works perfectly.

 

[Chris152]

+1 for Canon SLR. The 800D is about £550 (just searched) so not in the budget you wrote but it'd open a whole world of possibilities beyond most compacts. My first was a 350D and like sunnybob's it's still going strong. If you're prepared to go for used, what thetyreman said - 5D is a great camera, well built and now cheap and came with a good kit lens, iirc.

 

[Racers]

I would just like to say that nikon make just as good cameras as canon, but nikon haven't changes their lens mount so I can use lenses made after 1977 on mine so you have lots of cheap lens options.

Taken with a lens from 1974.

Allium by Pete Maddex, on Flickr

Pete

 

[sunnybob]

Unless canon have changed their lens mount recently, all their lenses are interchangeable. I have two of the old (25 year) lenses with red dot alignment, and one with the new(er) white dot. you just start at a different place on the body.
Nikon is undoubtedly good, with better performance than canon in difficult lighting situations, but like for like is always dearer than canon. If the pennies are being counted, canon wins.

 

[Racers]

Canon swapped mount between film and digital, Nikon didn't that's why I was able to take that picture with a 50mm f1.4 made in 1974, which was only £32 instead of £395 for the latest one.
That's some saving!

Pete

 

[thetyreman]

I don't think canon or nikon are better, either one would be good enough, you can get some old nikon bodies for cheap as well, just depends which one you prefer, but getting a full frame DSLR (not cropped sensor) like the old 5d mk1 for less than £300 is a really good deal.

 

[thetyreman]

Canon swapped mount between film and digital, Nikon didn't that's why I was able to take that picture with a 50mm f1.4 made in 1974, which was only £32 instead of £395 for the latest one.
That's some saving!

Pete

never knew that, you'll be able to use some really nice old lenses on it then, possibly better made some of them than new ones, they can give a certain vintage look or more film like look I've found, £32 is really cheap for 50/1.4!

 

[Chris152]

And I think Canon recently changed them again?

 

[Racers]

I am not saying one is better its just the cheaper lenses that swung it for me.

Pete

 

[fezman]

And I think Canon recently changed them again?

Canon have had 4 lens mounts since 1971

FD - Old Slrs 1971 - 1986
EF - 1987 onwards SLRS
EF-S - APC-s sensor SLRS
EF-M - Newer mirrorless system

 

[sunnybob]

Pete, for reference... canon lenses pre digital can all be fitted to the digital bodies. the older lenses have a red dot that align with a red dot on the top of the old cameras. The new lenses have a white dot that align with a white dot on the body at about 2 o clock. But you can still fit the old lenses in the old way, by having the red dot at 12 o clock.
I have 2 red dot lenses including a 300 mm zoom, and a new wide angle with a white dot.