Don't Know What to do

sbtm · 31-07-2006, 08:34

Hi everyone,

Am in a bit of a situation. I don't know what type of a camera do I need

I started out wanting a Sony T-series point and shoot camera for a while. Then a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 grabbed my attention for a little higher price and the 12x zoom on it. While I was contemplating that, a friend of mine told me about a second hand D50 that is for sale, which I might add has not been used at all (virtually brand new).

I have seen all the cameras that I have mentioned. I really want to get the D50 for the options that it gives and the versatility.

The issue at hand is that point and shoot gives me the flexibility of caring it wherever I want, but no option for upgrade or expansion. The D50 gives me the options but not the portability. The Lumix is in the middle, but still not portable as the point and shoot.

I do not own any camera. In fact, I have never had a camera of my own. But I guess its about time I got one and I really want it to be a good one that will be with me for quite sometime.

I intend on using the camera for my holidays with my family and capture different events including family events. If I do get the D50, then I will certainly explore the various options I have while taking a photograph and bring out the creative side of me in photography (if any!)

Anyways, am ready to buy a camera, but do not know which direction I should go. I am afraid if I wait any longer, then the money that I have saved for the camera will disappear

I seek your suggestions and help...

orangepeel · 31-07-2006, 09:26

D50, no question. I take mine everywhere I go. It's not heavy and with the kit lens it's quite flexible. Obviously when you talk about long zooms you start to loose the portability argument due to needing a second lens, but we're only talking about a rucksack.

I'd put up with the added hassle. Reprase: - I put up with the added hassle

**stepheno** · 31-07-2006, 09:31

Hi sbtm - if only there was a definative answer. But IMO -

PAS - excellent portability, slip in the pocket, good for holiday and casual shots but...no/poor resale value.

Prosumer - now you are getting into the real comparison with DSLR and first up I will say that the Panasonic DMC F27 is a seriously good camera if not the best in it's class, 6mp, 12 x zoom, Leica lens, you've got everything you might need in one camera. I would highly recommend it. BUT......

.....one day, and if you are half-way serious about photography that day will come, you will find that the Panasonic will not fulfil your need and you might wish you'd bought the DSLR in the first place. You can have your cake and eat it with a DSLR on holiday! If you buy the D50 get yourself a good walkabout lens, say the 18-200 Sigma, then you can leave all the paraphernalia at home but it is there when you get back! I'm probably biased and it needs someone with a prosumer camera to balance the issue but my guess is you'll want a DSLR at sometime so why not now.

Good luck and let us know what you decide. And when you've bought it pop a review in the Equipment Review section.

***Dave*** · 31-07-2006, 10:49

If the D50 is up for a good price s/h then buy it. If you find you don't get along with it, you could always sell for minimal loss....or even a profit

.

Both OrangePeel & Stepheno make valid points. If you had doubts about going the DSLR route I would say stick to what will make you comfortable, but you've already shown interest in exploring photography further, so I would say go for the D50

sbtm · 31-07-2006, 12:50

Thanks guys for sharing your ideas.

I am very much leaning towards the D50 specially that I know that I would love to go down the SLR route. I always wanted to get a film SLR years and years back but thought it would be too advanced for me and would never fully utilize it.

I am 99% seeing myself getting a D-SLR, but the 1% that is holding me up is that "I might get tired of carying a bulky camera around with me" thing...

But orangepeel is encouraging me though... I guess it needs getting used to carrying a bigger case around especially if you love your camera

***Dave*** · 31-07-2006, 13:08

The D50 in Auto mode will be as easy to use as a point & shoot, so you can start taking shots straight away & as you learn more about the camera you can start to use the extra functions as & when

Understand where you are coming from with the carrying a camera around. Ages back I bought a ultra small compact to take out on the occasions I wouldn't take the DSLR........only used it once

. For me there are occasions when any camera would be hassle to take....so I don't. That means when I do decide to take the ccamera with me, I'm all fired up to take some good shots ...hopefully

**stepheno** · 31-07-2006, 13:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbtm

I am 99% seeing myself getting a D-SLR, but the 1% that is holding me up is that "I might get tired of carying a bulky camera around with me" thing...

A D50 with kit lens will be no more bulky than the Panasonic. If you want less bulk than that then go for a PAS.

sbtm · 31-07-2006, 16:35

Dave, am not too worried about me not being able to get any shots, or the camera being too complicated. I understand electronic things so am not afraid of that...

stepheno, you are right. The Panasonic isn't any smaller than the D50, so if I had decided that I would get the Panasonic, then I would add a few more bucks and upgrade to the D50.

I am thinking towards carring my soon to be camera to family picnics at the beach for example. Or taking it to a family dinner at resturant... you get the drift... the PAS would be more practicle... or maybe I just have to get used to it!

silkstone · 31-07-2006, 17:15

I agree with everything everyone has said (except substitute 350D for D50

) but I wouldn't take any non-weatherproof camera on a beach picnic. Sand and cameras don't mix.

They're also rather obtrusive at dinner parties, and people react to a larger camera in a way that they don't to a small P&S.

I love my 30D, but I don't take it everywhere. A wee Sony P200 lives in my pocket, and that's ideal for informal snapshots.

**Dabhand16** · 31-07-2006, 17:36

For what it is worth, I trod this path not too long ago. The only difference being that I come from a photographic background of, strewth, over 50 years.

I was in the photographic doldrums, then I decided to give digital a go, and bought a Nikon Coolpix 885 around four or five years ago. This revived my interest in photography, and I decided to get a camera with a better zoom range, a few more features and a faster 'wake up' time and shutter delay. This is where I lost most shots. I know the modern technology has rectified these problems in almost all new cameras. I was pleased with the Nikon, so started looking. The things I wanted on top of the stuff already mentioned were a bigger LCD AND a viewfinder, easy override of auto functions, some data displayed in the viewfinder, not on the LCD, and the practicality of the compact. I rejected the compact Nikons for relying on the LCD and a menu for selecting functions, I prefer a good old-fashioned dial and buttons - qicker and easier to use.

Soon enough, I realised that no true compct could offer the things I wanted in the price range I was looking at, the bigger zoom obviously needing a bigger lens and body that no true compact can offer. I upped the anti a bit and looked at the 'bridge' cameras, also ending up with the Panasonic FZ-30. But although the spec was in line with my needs, the advantages of the compact were lost, and the price was around the same as the entry level dSLR's. I also saw a review that critisised the lens of the Panny, although I think it was good enough for my use.

Taking all of this together, I decided to keep the Coolpix (which has given some good results) and bought a Nikon D70s. I was also considering the Canon equivalents, but in the end preferred the handling of the Nikon.

So now, I love the D70s to bits, and I still use the old Coolpix. My original requirements have been compromised, but I have the flexibility that an SLR offers, and for me, this beat the other stuff in the end. If I want to travel light, the Coolpix will do the job. I used it exclusively for all things for four to five years before I got the D70s.

If you decide to go ahead with the D50, I have seen somewhere that you can get the D50 new for about £350 now, so do your homework before you buy it. If you can't get the price down, bearing in mind your restricted consumer rights, it might be worth looking for a new one. If you can stretch to it get the 18-70mm kit lens.

HTH

orangepeel · 31-07-2006, 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

I have seen somewhere that you can get the D50 new for about £350 now

can a moderator please censor that thanks... reading this it makes me cry!

**Sonsey** · 31-07-2006, 18:57

Hi sbtm, it's a tough decision isn't it?!

I was making the same decision a year ago that your making now and I realised I needed to think hard about a few things before I commited to a path that could become frustraiting and very expensive if I got it wrong!

I started out thinking what sort of photography I was interested in and wanted to do, In my case it was Wildlife with a bit of Macro, Landscape and a sprinkle of everything else thrown in

With wildlife you need a good bit of zoom so this ruled out a PAS straight away, it was now between the big zoom compact like the Panasonic you mention or a DSLR. Yes, having everything in a single small-ish camera like the Panasonic would be nice, but this style of camera has a few versatility drawbacks, it does everything quite well but dosn't do any of them better than a DSLR, and in fact falls short on a few important things I'd need it to be good at with the type of photography I wanted to do (e.g. shutter delay, noise levels, lower-light usage)... DSLR moves ahead.

I then started to think about size and what I was willing to carry. Again, yes it would be nice to have everything in a single camera (especially when traveling far), but I decided I was willing to carry more to get the results I wanted... DSLR still ahead.

Finally the cash aspect came into it. With the price of DSLR's dropping to not much more than the big zoom compacts I thought this was going to be an easy decision, but after doing a good bit of research I quickly realised that to achive good results in the area's of photography I wanted explore I would need to spend considerably more on lenses and accessories on top of the price of the DSLR... Not so clear cut now.

After a good think I came to the conclusion that the big zoom compact just couldn't give me the results I wanted so I bit the bullet so to speak and went for the DSLR and I've been very happy with the choice ever since.

I don't mean to put you off any particular type of camera, but if money is a big issue and you think the Panasonic would give good enough results in the area's of photography you would want to explore, then it could well be the best choice.