I'm confused! When did it get complicated?
Discussion
Hi all. I'm very confused with what would suit my needs. Currently have two cameras, both 3 years old - an ixus for p&s and taking out for social events etc and a panny fz18 which was bought for taking on safari as I didn't feel confident enough to get a dslr. I'm really happy with the panny, and essentially use it all the time as I don't like the results from the ixus very much.
Now with two kids, I want something that takes better pictures than the ixus, especially indoors and in low light. I like taking scenery shots as well, landscape and close ups which the fz18 is pretty ok at though you can't get the field of depth with it. Also would like to learn properly so looking at courses to learn how to use the manual settings to get better pictures. Size matters, as I want something I can pick up quickly if we're inside or my wife can take with her when she takes the little ones out. So i had originally looked at going to a dslr, but I've now seen things like the s100 or even the s95, and things like the Panasonic g3, and I've no idea where to go next!
I guess the s95/s100 is the best size and I gather I can do all the manual things I'd like to learn about on it as well, but how much better would something like the g3 be? Or really should I bite the bullet and go for a dslr?
Thoughts and advice welcome!
Now with two kids, I want something that takes better pictures than the ixus, especially indoors and in low light. I like taking scenery shots as well, landscape and close ups which the fz18 is pretty ok at though you can't get the field of depth with it. Also would like to learn properly so looking at courses to learn how to use the manual settings to get better pictures. Size matters, as I want something I can pick up quickly if we're inside or my wife can take with her when she takes the little ones out. So i had originally looked at going to a dslr, but I've now seen things like the s100 or even the s95, and things like the Panasonic g3, and I've no idea where to go next!
I guess the s95/s100 is the best size and I gather I can do all the manual things I'd like to learn about on it as well, but how much better would something like the g3 be? Or really should I bite the bullet and go for a dslr?
Thoughts and advice welcome!
Mr Snap said:
Have a look at the newish compact system cameras , like the Olympus Pen and Nikon 1.
Smaller but with excellent lenses.
Agree with this....Smaller but with excellent lenses.
The Pen is an extremely good little camera, photoshop can correct the average errors too. The big black lumps of plastic are no longer needed.
Broadly speaking it's a trade off between size and functionality - you can do more with a DSLR but it's bigger. For instance the S95/S100 is meant to be very good (and compact) but it's no DSLR. Only you can know where on the scale you are 
If you're likely to want to do specialised stuff and develop photography into a hobby then DSLR - if it's a convenient but decent performing camera for snapping then probably not!
If you're likely to want to do specialised stuff and develop photography into a hobby then DSLR - if it's a convenient but decent performing camera for snapping then probably not!
Hmm.
Did I read 'kids'?
One thing you may want to think abbout it that a DSLR is way more responsive, usually, to a shutter button press. And it's usually easier to follow the action through a viewfinder. Fractions of seconds may matter when taking photos that satisfy your needs. (If not then you can stop reading here!)
I have a selection of cameras collected over the years and all can produce good result when playing to their strengths. I recently purloined a Canon S90 and a G11. Compared to older pocket digital cameras in the family the S90 offers very fast responses and the G11 is even quicker. Or at least they are so long as you don't compare them to a DSLR in a real time situation when fractions of a second matter to the shot. Shooting stuff (kids, pets, etc.) that may not pose for you or even stay in the same place for more than half a second might be frustrating.
On the hand the size of a DSLR can mean that people end up not using them. The compromise seems to be the Micor 4/3 system. Smaller bodies and interchangeable lenses and the lastest offerings also claim much faster focusing.
So for about the same sort of money as the DSLR investment would be you get a smaller more portable unit with good potential of producng equivalent performance BUT without quite the same capability for creative photography (I'm thinking shallow Depth of field for example) that a DSLR probably offers given the right lens and so on.
Beyond that you also have the Sony NEX systems and a few others that are not entirely main stream in terms pf seonsor size and the like ... and then life starts to get conmplicated.
I'm not sure there is a 'one size fits all' solution and you obviously felt the same way and went with 2 different types of camera previously.
At the moment DSLRs offer, through their well established 'systems', with lenses and speedlights and all sorts of other things, the most comprehensive potential for getting things how you want them to be. Probably. How long it will stay like that is not so clear.
Did I read 'kids'?
One thing you may want to think abbout it that a DSLR is way more responsive, usually, to a shutter button press. And it's usually easier to follow the action through a viewfinder. Fractions of seconds may matter when taking photos that satisfy your needs. (If not then you can stop reading here!)
I have a selection of cameras collected over the years and all can produce good result when playing to their strengths. I recently purloined a Canon S90 and a G11. Compared to older pocket digital cameras in the family the S90 offers very fast responses and the G11 is even quicker. Or at least they are so long as you don't compare them to a DSLR in a real time situation when fractions of a second matter to the shot. Shooting stuff (kids, pets, etc.) that may not pose for you or even stay in the same place for more than half a second might be frustrating.
On the hand the size of a DSLR can mean that people end up not using them. The compromise seems to be the Micor 4/3 system. Smaller bodies and interchangeable lenses and the lastest offerings also claim much faster focusing.
So for about the same sort of money as the DSLR investment would be you get a smaller more portable unit with good potential of producng equivalent performance BUT without quite the same capability for creative photography (I'm thinking shallow Depth of field for example) that a DSLR probably offers given the right lens and so on.
Beyond that you also have the Sony NEX systems and a few others that are not entirely main stream in terms pf seonsor size and the like ... and then life starts to get conmplicated.
I'm not sure there is a 'one size fits all' solution and you obviously felt the same way and went with 2 different types of camera previously.
At the moment DSLRs offer, through their well established 'systems', with lenses and speedlights and all sorts of other things, the most comprehensive potential for getting things how you want them to be. Probably. How long it will stay like that is not so clear.
Cheers all.
To answer you LongQ with regards to the 2 cameras now, the intention was that we'd use the Ixus all the time and the FZ18 when it was required. What we actually do is use the FZ all the time, so I'm more inclined to look at the compact system cameras as a one shop stop. Knowing me and watches, bikes, cars - I'll end up with two but I can at least start with noble intentions!
Of the compact system cameras, which seem to be the ones to look at? So far they seem to divide opinion a bit - the Olympus, Nikon (which I'd heard weren't much?), and the Sony which from what I can gather sort of fit into the compact system but not quite as they're a different format? Nobody seems to mention Panasonic?
I had a play with the Nikon, Panasonic and the Sony in the shop today, have to say I really liked the Sony for the shots it was taking (admittedly, very limited scope in a shop!) but didn't really like the menu system on it. That may just be familiarity though. Anyone tried them out yet?
My concerns with them are two fold though - are the lenses tied only to the compact systems ranges or with SLR as well? and also, they're very new to the market, so are they going to change dramatically in the next year or so?
To answer you LongQ with regards to the 2 cameras now, the intention was that we'd use the Ixus all the time and the FZ18 when it was required. What we actually do is use the FZ all the time, so I'm more inclined to look at the compact system cameras as a one shop stop. Knowing me and watches, bikes, cars - I'll end up with two but I can at least start with noble intentions!
Of the compact system cameras, which seem to be the ones to look at? So far they seem to divide opinion a bit - the Olympus, Nikon (which I'd heard weren't much?), and the Sony which from what I can gather sort of fit into the compact system but not quite as they're a different format? Nobody seems to mention Panasonic?
I had a play with the Nikon, Panasonic and the Sony in the shop today, have to say I really liked the Sony for the shots it was taking (admittedly, very limited scope in a shop!) but didn't really like the menu system on it. That may just be familiarity though. Anyone tried them out yet?
My concerns with them are two fold though - are the lenses tied only to the compact systems ranges or with SLR as well? and also, they're very new to the market, so are they going to change dramatically in the next year or so?
Since 1984 the combination that has worked for me is two cameras. A small shirt-pocket compact for snaps/parties/times when photography isn't important but you might like to take a photo, and an SLR for when you want to do it properly and wring the pips out of a situation. The brand name on the front is of less importance - decide on the sector first, then the exact product.
My compacts have been Olympus XA-2, Olympus Mju300, Leica C-Lux2. My SLRs have been Ricoh XR-7, Nikon F70, Nikon D70, Nikon D200/300. But the principle is the same. IMHO plumping for a bridge/prosumer/weird thing in the middle fulfils neither end of the spectrum.
My compacts have been Olympus XA-2, Olympus Mju300, Leica C-Lux2. My SLRs have been Ricoh XR-7, Nikon F70, Nikon D70, Nikon D200/300. But the principle is the same. IMHO plumping for a bridge/prosumer/weird thing in the middle fulfils neither end of the spectrum.
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