[nilagin]

I want a compact digital camera with a good Zoom (10 to 12 X Optical) for taking pictures of Motorsport. What features should I be looking for to give good sharp photos. Any suggestions on cameras that will suit up to £250.

[stepheno]

Hi Nilagin. First up......you won't find a compact with 10-12 x zoom otherwise it wouldn't be compact any more . Max that a compact will have is probably 3 to 4 times and in that category there are dozens to choose from. If you are intent on the extra zoom then you need to be looking at SLR lookalikes. I only have experience of Fuji, in this category, but I can recommend them - try looking at the S series.

There are many other factors to consider but your first decision is - 3-4 zoom compact or 10-12 zoom SLR lookalike. HTH and post back with more info about what you want the camera for.

regards

[nilagin]

SLR lookalike is what I'm after. I currently have a Fuji S304 but that seems really slow in response time when the shutter button is pressed. That has a 6 x optical zoom which is not enough for some areas of motor racing circuits. Also that camera does not have continuous mode which I find easier to get good shots with plus which I get a series of shots too. I like the idea of catching a series of shots as there is more chance of catching the unexpected as opposed to lining up for a single shot.
My Avatar is from a series of shots of a Focus WRC performing a 180 degree hand brake turn at last years Goodwood Festival of Speed. These were taken with a Nikon Coolpix 5200 compact so the photo's were not close enough for my liking and cropping the photos ruins the sequence of shots.
So other than a 10 or 12 x optical zoom and continuous and sport modes what else am I looking for in an SLR look a like, i.e lens / shutter speed/ etc.

[MyPix]

as stepheno said m8,

the specs ur quoting only really come on a DSLR , and from experience i know that the fuji s7000 and any newer models actually retail at the same price as entry level DSLR's , ( i paid £549.99 for my Fuji originally )

the other thing you have to think of is the shutter lag, practically every compact , including slr lookalikes have shutter lag, and as for continuous shooting , very few models ( if any ) will provide you with what you want )

from the sounds of it iis time to move up a format to obtain the results you want, the other advantage is you will lamost future proof yourself with respect to lenses, as you can always buy better and fit them to your DSLR .

now is the time in the sales to get a bargain

hope this helps

MyPix

[nilagin]

The problem I have with DSLR's is cost and also amount of equipment I will end up carrying around. My too son's enjoy taking photo's too so I normally have 3 digital cameras and 2 video cameras with me. So what I need to know is what features and specifications I should be looking for in an SLR lookalike. I had hoped to get a Panasonic FZ20 which jessops had for £200 in the sales but they have sold out. Will the Kodak Z740 suit my needs. ( only £148 PCWorld online).

[SammyC]

As with most things, the more you spend on something the better it will be.

I agree with you that you probably don't need an actual SLR because although hi-end SLR-type cams cost almost as much as the base SLRs do you have to factor in that the SLR with then need at least another £200+ for a decent 300mm or larger lens.

However, to get good features and minimal shutter lag you have to pay for it i.e. you'll not really find a cam for less than £300-£400 that will do what you want with a large zoom.

So, for msport you need fast (tracking) AF, good zoom, low shutter lag and probably shutter priority modes. None of which will be cheap.

A friend here has the S9500 and it'll do all of that for you but does fall into the above price bracket.

[MyPix]

here is a review on the Kodak for you,

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/z740.html

for the money , it seems a fair camera, but be aware , you get what you pay for ,

it may be cheap now, but you may find it doesnt meet your needs in the near future and you have to upgrade again, i'm afraid its all a compromise of price against features/quality ,

i have no experience of this camera, but there are many fuji s7000 users on here who have moved to DSLR's, not because the fuji was bad, but because the DSLR does even more, and i would say the S7000 is lots better than the Kodak....


as for ' what features do i need ' well only you can answer that, my respons is, the more/best features you can afford to commit to your photography,

the kodak will give results, but they might not live upto your expectations,
just my thoughts

MyPix

The Z740s shooting performance was very good. From power up to first image was captured measured just under 5 seconds. Shutter lag, the delay between depressing the shutter and capturing the image, measured less than 1/10 second when pre-focused and only 2/10 second including autofocus. The shot- to-shot delay averaged 1.6 seconds without the flash and only 1.8 seconds using the flash. The Z740 has two burst modes: Using First Burst, I was able to capture 5 images in 1.9 seconds. Last Burst continuously captured images at the same 2.6 per second rate, saving only the last 4 shots

[CT]

I agree with what the the fellers have said, I think you're looking for too much camera in your quoted price range to tackle something as demanding as motor sport, and you're likely to be disappointed with the results.

[stepheno]

MyPix and Sammy took my thoughts a stage further. A final comment....if you are determined to get a lookalike then I would go for the S7000. If you look around you should get one near to your price range. However you'll still have some shutter-lag and low-light focus is not that cracking. If you can live with those two codicils then get the S7000.

But CT hit the nail on the head.

regards

[MyPix]

the Fuji S7000 isnt the latest incarnation, but it is a very good one, the secret to shutter lag is a half press of the shutter button, this sets up focus and exposure settings and get the camera ready to fire, when the subject is in range you then continue the shutter press all the way down, this way you have no shutter lag so to speak, the S7000 will also burst shoot for upto ( i think ) 5 images , from memory this could be 3 tho ??,

BIN prices on ebay are about the £250 mark, private sales end between £180 and £300 depending on condition and any extras that come with them,

MyPix

[SammyC]

But I would have said that for msport you'll need servo AF. This is when it doesn't lock the focus but tried to keep moving objects constantly in focus which is kinda needed for moving cars and continuous mode.

An alternative is to look at a very old DSLR like a 300D that does this out of the box. But then I have no idea what they sell for either.

I think you're going to struggle to be completely happy with your purchase in the price range you have quoted.

[Arkady]

I've said before that the criteria you have quoted will only be fulfilled by a DSLR - consider a 2nd hand camera, perhaps, if cost is a major issue?
Also you say that you don't want to carry too much kit around.
Well, you can't have it both ways, I'm afraid - you either carry all the kit and get the images you want, or you compromise and end up with shots that may only be so-so.

As I said earlier - decide what it is that's most important - is it the photos or the racing? If it's the photos, get a decent camera.
If it's the racing, then leave all the cameras at home and enjoy the day for what it is - a good day out with the kids.

[Steep]

I'm sure someone on the ocuk forums used to shoot motorsport reasonably successfully with a Fuji S..something. The shutterlag is a known problem with many compact type cameras but was more noticable on some earlier Fujis too if I remember correctly.

Kodak Z740 review http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/z740.html

conclusion http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_.../z740_pg5.html

The opinion there seems to be that it's a very nice camera but wether it will suit your needs I don't know. That said if it doesn't you can always pass it down to he family later on and get a dslr