Thread: Buying a camera

Don't know anything about photography but want to buy a camera. If I could get 50% or better, quality shots as some of the posters here I'd be happy with that.
Realising that they have SLR cameras and you can spend thousands on a kit,

Budget is around $300-400 I can buy an entry point SLR for that but a good chance I will forget it somewhere or something like this samsung wb850f This would fit into my pocket and would have a better chance at not losing it.
Samsung WB850F 16.2MP 3-inch AMOLED Display Smart Camera - Samsung UK - FEATURES

Ok for SLR users once you have gathered yourself of the floor laughing is it a waste of money buying a camera like the link above and just stick with a smart phone = near same quality or there is a vast difference? Or just buy a cheapo entry SLR and appreciate real photography

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That is a travel zoom. Very popular but image quality is not much above a smartphone (image detail will be noisy when you enlarge the photo).

For better quality compact get a bigger senser

Canon S110 (very small - good for your pocket) $300
Olympus XZ-2 - similar to S110 but bigger body (bad) and brighter lens (good)

Mirrorless System camera (removable lens, bigger M43 sensor) - Panasonic GF5 is dirt cheap now ($350 with zoom lens - get the X lens variation - smaller)

DSLR
Nikon D3200 is only $490 with kit lens now - very cheap compared to Canon equivalent and many would say a better camera (24Mp APS-C sensor)

At the end of the day unless we know what you want to do with it it is hard to give advice.

70D son...

Canon G15 is apparently very good and jacket-pocket-portable too.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canon-powershot-g15

The Lumix series from Panasonic generally do very well in ratings, here is a thread from one of TD's highly talented photog's showing what a Lumix LX3 could do back in 2009 in the right hands.

https://teakdoor.com/chiang-mai-forum...lumix-lx3.html

Originally Posted by Looper

At the end of the day unless we know what you want to do with it it is hard to give advice.

night shots, anything I've taken is a joke other than that stills of places day or night.

I'm learning about this noise business I can really see the difference will either bore the crap out of mates with shit snaps from a fucked camera or be in the same place with same shots from something decent and impress them and your own memories in years to come,

from what i,ve seen on youtube mirrorless cameras can;t cut it in the dark
so that brought me back to the samsung.

Originally Posted by brisie

night shots

Well then the current update to Bustak's compact LX3 is the LX7 which comes with a stunning f/1.4 leica lens and a decent large compact sensor. $400

It is not as small as the S110 but is smaller then the G15

Originally Posted by Looper

Well then the current update to Bustak's compact LX3 is the LX7 which comes with a stunning f/1.4 leica lens and a decent large compact sensor. $400

That looks like a great bit of kit, and with the exposure mode options will give the OP the chance to mess around with the settings to see what differences they make.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 Review: Digital Photography Review

Yea I'd go with either the Samsung or the above Lumix.

I bought Samsung EX1 a while back which had the best lens available at the time.

The trouble is getting used to using it, once figured it takes mighty fine pics.
But I do also use the camera on my now ancient SGS1 smartphone and it takes some great pics too.
The current smartphones take awesome photos.
You'd be perfectly happy with either the SGS4 or the Iphone 5 for just taking snap shots.

The wifi feature on that Samsung camera is really pretty nifty.
If it was me I'd try that one on.

Thanks for your help everyone. I found this Wiki so Q.C Lumix over loopers Olympus over Mr Earls Ex1 have the same sensor I guess it's just the lense and bang for buck personal preference that makes up the difference?.

As of December 2010 most compact digital cameras used small 1/2.3" sensors. Such cameras include Canon Powershot SX230 IS, Fuji Finepix Z90 and Nikon Coolpix S9100. Some older digital cameras (mostly from 2005–2010) used a tiny 1/2.5" sensor: these include Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS62, Canon Powershot SX120 IS, Sony CyberShot DSC-S700, and Casio Exilim EX-Z80.
High-end compact cameras using sensors of nearly twice the area than sensors equipping common compacts include Canon PowerShot G12 (1/1.7") and Powershot S90/S95 (1/1.7"), Ricoh GR Digital IV (1/1.7"), Nikon Coolpix P7100 (1/1.7"), Samsung EX1 (1/1.7"), Panasonic DMC-LX5 (1/1.63") and Olympus XZ-1(1/1.63"). Fujifilm FinePix X-10 has a 2/3" sensor, the largest sensor on camera small enough to be labelled as compact (despite weighing 353 grams) until June 2012. That is until Sony announced DSC-RX-100, a real compact (weight: 213 grams) equipped with a 1" sensor (i.e. one only used on MILCs until then). Actually, Canon labels "compact camera" its PowerShot G1 X, equipped with a huge 1.5" sensor (i.e. a sensor larger than the 4/3" sensors equipping some compact DSLR). Nonetheless, weighing well over half a kilo (534 grams) G1 X is arguably a bridge camera rather than a compact.[citation needed]

Originally Posted by Mr Earl

The wifi feature on that Samsung camera is really pretty nifty.
If it was me I'd try that one on.

And the GPS function but has got the worst sensor at 1/2.33. it's buyable @ $220 AUD does everything but take good photos.
Fujifilm X10 is looking like best bang for buck @$300.

Originally Posted by baldrick

then get a cam with a penis extension

Is that the same as a cock pump or do I have to specify penis extension to improve my shooting skills?

The X10 has that nice big 2/3" sensor (with the unusual colour array). If you can get it for $300 that is a great price.

Also consider the XF1 ($250) which has the same 2/3" sensor but is much smaller and slimmer and very elegantly styled. The downside is that the XF1's zoom gets dark at the long end compared with the X10 which stays bright. The X10 is the better camera if available for the same price (normally it is $370+).