Canon EOS M or Samsung NX3000?

[Tidybeard]

Hi,

Could do with some advice please. It's my Daughter's birthday next week and she's asked for a "proper" camera. I'm a very average photographer and don't know very much on the subject but the budget is about £200 (for the camera, we can sort out batteries/case/memory cards on top).

She wants a camera that can grow with her if she really gets into photography but that will take good general pictures in auto mode as she is learning. She'll also want to shoot a bit of HD video.

This led me to compact system cameras as she can learn settings/add lenses etc. as her ability grows but the size will still be manageable. I would normally gravitate towards Canon or Nikon but it's been a while since I bought a camera.

It looks like the EOS M would be ideal and it's now £200 with kit lens and flash, which seems a lot cheaper than its original selling price. This model has a fixed touchscreen.

I've also found the Samsung NX3000 which for the same price comes with a 16-50 kit lens, external flash and Lightroom 4. This has a flip-up non-touchscreen.

Is one particularly a better buy than the other in this scenario? Both seem to have decent specs and have good and bad online reviews and I'm sure neither would take a terrible picture but I'm interested in opinions please. Are there any other better options?

Thanks for reading.

[Simpo Two]

I don't think there is one camera that will go from rookie to expert. Better to start with a compact, practice the art, composition, image processing etc and then move to DSLR from there if she wants to IMHO.

[Tidybeard]

Thanks for the reply, appreciated.

[Simpo Two]

Bear in mind the area of photography is highly opinionated

Does your daughter have any preferences re type/make/model of camera? How old is she?

[Tidybeard]

She's 13 and doesn't really have any preferences. She takes tons of pictures with a cheap and cheerful compact and her ipod and has a good eye for composition.

I was leaning towards the EOS M as it's about the same price as a decent compact and I would imagine takes better initial pictures plus has room for growth, but it really is a minefield.

[Simpo Two]

Personally I think 13 is old enough for an entry level DSLR. I'm no expert on the type of camera you suggested, and yes they will take very good photos, but you might get caught up in the expensive lens/lack of add-ons scenario if she takes to it. That said, no-one of 30 drives the car they had when they were 18 - you have to think of cameras as something that are sold and bought rather than a one-size-fits-all answer.

If your daughter wants the EOS then go for it, and put it on eBay if/when she grows out of it

[V8Wagon]

I bought the EOS M as a stopgap a month or so ago and really like it, as does my wife (who hated my DSLR). The image quality really is very good. I do however miss some of the control you get with a bigger body.

I would imagine however a young 'un used to playing with phones will adapt instantly to using the slick touchscreen of the M.

[Tidybeard]

Thanks for the comments all, much appreciated.

[markmullen]

I've got an EOS M and find myself grabbing it for a lot more jobs than I expected I would, in preference to a Canon 5D Mk3, Canon 1Ds Mk2 and medium format digital gear!

It's a cracking little outfit for the money, and with the EF-M - EF adaptor can take the whole range of Canon lenses, so can be expanded upon into a system if she gets into photography in a big way, even the flashes from the DSLR range work with it.

[V8Wagon]

Hmmmm. That NX3000 does look like a lot of camera for the money. I dropped into Currys today to look at one.

They also had some of the adapters left to fit the full size Canon lenses on the EOS M available for £34!

[Tidybeard]

Thanks again for replies - I think we'll go for the EOS and see how she gets on.

[paps]

Hi there OP, just wondering what you went for in the end and how your daughter got on with your choice?

Thanks