just curious...this camera any good?

[Iddingtons]

Sorry to ask such a potentially boring question. But, as a guy who would like to get more into photography but knows relatively little about it, is this camera any good as a starting point?

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-7113/btnResultSort...

I don't know how to post links properly sorry. Its the Fujifilm finepix S5700.

I don't have much of a budget but this camera seems to have a decent optical zoom and reasonable resolution for the money. Two things which I thought would come in handy, or am I over looking something and there is much better out there for the money?

Thanks for reading, any help appreciated.

Id.

[Pook]

At that price you can't go wrong. It gets some good reviews, and has some nice features. If you're serious about photography, I'd always recommend a proper SLR you can change lenses on, and have proper, full manual control, but it does offer some manual operation, and although you cant change lenses, it's still a SLR.


Get it.

[Iddingtons]

Thanks for your response Pook. I'd love a proper SLR but at my level I can't justify the expense. Maybe in a few years if I get more into it.

This camera is the best I've found for the money as I am keen to avoid digital zoom as its pretty rubbish in my experience. A 3x optical seems a little low as well so rules out the majority of cameras out there.

If there are any other similarly priced cameras that offer comparable performance I'd be very interested to know about them. I've been looking around on the web but thought I'd ask the people who have a keen interest as opposed to reading the propaganda of the manufacturers!

Id.

[Gemm]

I've always been impressed with the quality of Fuji S series, so I think it's a good choice. Quick web search found similar and even cheaper prices, so I'd shop around though.

[2jamesl]

Can i add a camera into the mixture?

As a similar camera model you could purchase the Kodak P880

Im 16 and using it now as my second camera and its fantastic, with many different features. You can go from fully automatic to Manual mode and it has all of the essentials built in.

Research some more but that camera does look good, 10X optical zoom is great

[Iddingtons]

Thanks for all the responses. I'll have a look at the Kodac. Nice to hear people like the Fuji S series as well.

I also found the S9600. Which looks brilliant but is £100 more:

http://www.trustedreviews.com/digital-cameras/revi...

Not sure if its worth the extra or not.

Id.

[JOHNSTON]

i have had the fuji s5600 since Christmas and its ace! only started getting in to manual settings about 2 months ago and its totally changed the camera for me. only problem i have is the low resolution of 5.1mp of my camera, that said i have done a magazine feature and it printed across two a4 pages ok, also done a wedding and the prints looks good in 228mm x 155mm.

looking at a slr myself at the moment but funds are tight with decorating and a new hd tv but a soon as i can get some spare cash am going for one.

fuji s series is definitely a good start!

[Steve Evil]

Iddingtons said:

Thanks for all the responses. I'll have a look at the Kodac. Nice to hear people like the Fuji S series as well.

I also found the S9600. Which looks brilliant but is £100 more:

http://www.trustedreviews.com/digital-cameras/revi...

Not sure if its worth the extra or not.

Id.

For the extra £100 you could get a refurbished 350D off the Canon outlet store on ebay instead, I was looking at the 9600 too, but then it occurred to me that I could get a 350D for the same money and have a proper SLR, therefore I'd say that for the extra £100 it isn't really worth it.

If money is tight then go for the S5700 and get a good grounding before saving up some money and getting a proper SLR, but if you think you can stomach the extra £100 then do as I did and dive in at the deep end and go for the 350D and a camera that will grow with you, rather than something you'll outgrow.

[lowdrag]

Just nit picking here. This camera has a 10X zoom and I know that some of this type have IS or VR, in other words image stabilistation. It isn't my scene so I have no idea of prices but - is it worth a look? I did a quick search and came up with this as the top recommended cameras of this type. All the reviews are there.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/fuji_s...

[Iddingtons]

I think a full SLR with interchangable lenses may be beyond my level. Also, the word 'refurbished' does worry me a little.

The image stabilization point is an interesting one though. One my, I'm so confused. I think a few more weeks of reading up may be needed at this rate!

Id.

[Iddingtons]

Something I am considering is the S6500, seems offer a good compromise between the S5700 and S9600. Or am I better off taking the plunge with the S9600?

I've looked at example images on the web and to my untrained eye its hard to tell. In some instances the S6500 images even look better.

Are there features on the S9600 that will be handy though as I get more experienced?

Id.

[VxDuncan]

I came from a Fuji S5000 (years ago!) to DSLRs. It basically had the same 10x optics as the current cameras. That said:
- 10x zoom is very good, but doesn't go wide enough (38-380mm equiv). I'd far rather have a 5x zoom that goes to 28mm at the low end.
- At the long end you need decent light without Image stabilisation.
- Don't worry too much about the low resolution-whilst most modern compacts have higher resolution sensors, the actual resolution is lower 'cos of cheaper optics. The fuji optics are far better than most, so whilst the sensor is lower res. the resolution of the sensor and lens combined will be similar - just you won't get a big files!
- The macro is very good. Guy I was in india had one and I was impressed. That said he found the camera very difficult to use, and I struggled after using SLR's for years.
- Manual focusing is near impossible. I found this a pain with the S5000, but may not be an issue to you if you don't want to be TOO creative.
- You will probably still get a shutter lag between pressing the button and taking the shot (unlike a DSLR). I'd advise trying one if poss to see how long it is.

I'd second the comments to save yourself a load of money in the long run and get a recon 350D off ebay. You won't look back and the images should be a whole lot better. If that's not on the cards I'd consider one of the other cheap DSLRs around the £350 range.

Added to add (don't forget to budget for card, batts and charger. A 350D will include the latter two so there's another £25 towards it!)

Edited by VxDuncan on Tuesday 7th August 19:00

[Steve Evil]

Iddingtons said:

I think a full SLR with interchangable lenses may be beyond my level. Also, the word 'refurbished' does worry me a little.

The image stabilization point is an interesting one though. One my, I'm so confused. I think a few more weeks of reading up may be needed at this rate!

Id.

Check out the shop for yourself and see what their definition of refurbished means, just type Canon Outlet into google and it's the first link that comes up (they also offer a years guarantee with all their equipment as it is coming direct from Canon). As for changing the lenses, I plan on sticking with the kit lens for quite a while as although people may bemoan it a bit, it's me that is the limiting factor at the moment, rather than any of the equipment.

[CarMac]

I still use my S5000 as backup or if I'm going somewhere where I don't want the DSLR to get damaged. It's fantastic.

I did get the S9500 when it first came out (which is essentially the same camera as the S9600)...and I sent it back after a month. Wasn't impressed at all. Whether they made vast improvements in the 6 months between the S9500 and the S9600 I don't know.

After moving to a DSLR, I couldn't go back.

[VxDuncan]

Actually looking at that link and the actual cost of the thing it really is cheap as a party camera or to throw about. It's half the cost of most peoples cheapest lenses! That said don't expect it to do everything.

If you want yourself to be the limiting factor in your photographs not the camera get a DSLR...

[fluffnik]

Iddingtons said:

I also found the S9600. Which looks brilliant but is £100 more:

I've just upgraded from an S5600 to an S9600 - a few observations:

The best camera is the one you have with you.

• The S9600 is much bigger than the S5600 which is bigger than the S5700.
• A DSLR with lenses giving the same coverage is bigger yet.

You'll only use usable features.

• The S5600's manual focus and exposure modes really need a tripod, S5700 looks similar.
• The S9600 has a rotary encoder and focus ring which make the manual modes a joy.
• The S9600 has more direct access to more functions, but you'll still visit the menus too often.

You can crop, but you can't go wider.

• S9600 is 28-300mm equiv, S5700 is 38-380mm.
• I rarely have the S5600's wide(28mm) attachment with me, and it's a faff to fit.
• I will buy the wide(22.5mm) attachment for the S9600 though...
• There's no wide attachment (as yet) for the S5700.

Both are great cameras capable of excellent results, both do RAW, both are reasonably quick reacting.

I was intending to sell the S5600 but I might keep it for its discretion - the S9600 looks serious.

The big plus of the S9600 for me, in a wheelchair, is the flippable viewfinder which makes changing levels much easier.

The S9600's manual twist zoom is ace.

I don't think either will dissapoint.