Some advice on a new camera.

[KamSandhu44]

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a new camera and was after some advice.

I don't know much about photography and it will only be used for family stuff, holidays, birthdays etc.

I currently have a Canon 1100D, I have no real idea how to use it, but I love the picture quality. Plus, its to big and bulky to take on holidays and the video quality is crap.

So I am not really looking for another DSLR and something smaller.

I was eyeing up the Sony Alpha A5000, does anyone have any experiences with it? Or recommend something else? Budget is around £300.

[BristolMotorSpeedway]

KamSandhu44 said:

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a new camera and was after some advice.

I don't know much about photography and it will only be used for family stuff, holidays, birthdays etc.

I currently have a Canon 1100D, I have no real idea how to use it, but I love the picture quality. Plus, its to big and bulky to take on holidays and the video quality is crap.

So I am not really looking for another DSLR and something smaller.

I was eyeing up the Sony Alpha A5000, does anyone have any experiences with it? Or recommend something else? Budget is around £300.

I have an Alpha 500n - a great little camera and I assume the A5000 is better still.

I actually bought for one of the reasons you give - I wanted to reduce the bulk for travel, compared with the EOS 40D I was then using.

The camera itself is very good, but I ended up going back to a DSLR - bought a 70D last year - because I prefer the controls and the way it sits in my hand. For me that outweighs the bulk factor, but I can see why it might not for you.

I'd recommend an Alpha, the picture quality was great on mine and the hand held twilight mode was a revelation for shots in the city at night. As my DSLR does everything the Alpha did, I am going to sell mine, but not because it's not a good tool - simply that I am not using it.

one thing, a mirrorless camera is a lot smaller than a DSLR but nowhere near as convenient as a compact.

[KamSandhu44]

Thanks for the info.

I think mirror less gives a nice middle point between DSLR and compact. I never found a good compact that I liked.

[BristolMotorSpeedway]

KamSandhu44 said:

Thanks for the info.

I think mirror less gives a nice middle point between DSLR and compact. I never found a good compact that I liked.

Yes, definitely it does. The mirrorless will happily pack away into my laptop bag to go on a plane, the DSLR will squeeeeeze in just!

Good luck with the Sony - pretty sure you will be happy with it, I was delighted. One thing I didn't mention, try and have a play with one in a shop first - I am not sure how the touchscreen interface has improved, but I didn't find navigation entirely intuitive, although I did get used to it.