Well the more travelling I am doing has convinced me of getting a 'decent' camera to take some snaps, I've currently got a Panasonic FX-01 http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Panasonic/panasonic_dmcfx01.asp which is an awesome camera that fits in my pocket adn takes good shots that are relatively close etc

Thinking of getting a new camera that has large optical zoom (min 8, but there are now 12x optical zoom) and maybe more megapixels so if I do somehow manage to take a good pic, I can get it printed/framed.

I am more of a point and shoot type of person, I don't know anything about ISO, arpeture (s/p) and all that crap, I just want better zoom etc and it to auto focus and all that jazz, that's not to say I wont get into all the photo stuff..

Looking at either a Panasonic FZ50 - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Panasonic/panasonic_dmcfz50.asp or

a Canon Powershot S5 IS - http://www.dpreview.com/news/0705/07050703canons5is.asp

Anyone got any thoughts on this or can recommend me a camera, happy to spend up to 1,000 euro's which is around $1600 aus, if needs be will stretch it to 2k aud

thanks!

f*** naa 400D =)

I suppose I should have pointed out I looked at the DSLR range of Canon and went against them becuse they use CF cards, not that I'd rule out a SIGNIFICANTLY better camera just for the memory it uses, but I've got 4gb of SD cards at the moment so seems pointless buying more memory cards, however it's not totally out of the question...

I suppose I should also say I don't really want to take the camera base/main part AND 10 different lenses for weekends away, just want to take the small compact digi cam and a better one for taking photo's of scenery/landscape/buildings etc etc

f*** naa 400D =)

I rather my cameras not to be plastic

f*** naa 400D =)

Yes

I rather my cameras not to be plastic

STFU

Canon Powershot S5 IS

yes (if you don't want to get a dslr)

Also, if you don't want CF, you should just die... and get a non-slr.

Yeah, I mean plastic is a terrible material really, its not even fireproof

Cast Iron cameras ftw

mongie what's so good about CF ?

I have a Canon Powershot S5 IS. It's friggen awesome. Image stabiliser works really well, image quality is great.

My wife has a Cannon 30D. It's great, but all the accessories needed (lenses, filters, grip, etc) are expensive. It does some stuff my point and shoot doesn't, but for everyday use it just isn't necessary.

You will also find that a DSLR can get quite heavy and cumbersome to carry around for long periods/

I rather my cameras not to be plastic

ahah wtf

I have a Canon Powershot S5 IS. It's friggen awesome. Image stabiliser works really well, image quality is great.

Sample pics! I'm keen to check out how good that S5 is.

Nothing outstanding here, I just bought the camera for happy snaps.

Image Stabilised photo (zoomed in while standing on moving boat)
http://members.optusnet.com.au/furgle/share/sample/IMG_1347.jpg

High ISO, low light. (Shows noise at ISO 800 - ISO 400 down to 80 have very little noise)
http://members.optusnet.com.au/furgle/share/sample/IMG_1339.jpg

Close up macro, f2.8
http://members.optusnet.com.au/furgle/share/sample/IMG_0445.jpg

Going againt the general opinion here, I would go the Pana between those two because it shoots RAW and has a Leica lens and is 2Mill pixels ahead of the canon.

:)

My other half has a pair of DSLR's (a 350D (the 400D's predecessor) and a 5D) - and I've got a simple point and shoot Sony DSC-T100.

The 350D (and 400D actually) takes pretty good images; but you really can notice the difference in the 5D (at least, for the $$ thats what I'm telling myself!) Having said that, my little sony is pretty good too.

The thing thats great about the 350D/400D is you have the flexibility to stuff around with all of the SLR settings, but it also have an "auto" mode (which I use exclusively); whereas the 5D is completely devoid of an auto function! The 400D also shoots raw and can (if you choose) directly take photos to a PC (via a cable)

Anyway, below are a few samples from the DSLRs:

5D:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/229/476637163_934689d163.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/135/324591692_70ca9b9516.jpg?v=0


350/400D

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/46/154627095_3f16d9d93d.jpg?v=0


More images from both (with various lighting and what not) can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/samibenfield/

last edited by Storm at 18:25:31 09/May/07

last edited by Storm at 18:26:59 09/May/07

slrs are great for travel. go weeks without charging them.

if u think your just gonna take pub snaps, beach snaps ect... go with point and shoot.

Storm / Sami, very nice pics, well done.

Anyone had experience with a Canon PowerShot G7? Anygood?

I rather my cameras not to be plastic

Same here. I was quite disappointed with my 350D in terms of construction quality of the outside case but the camera in general feels heavy and solid as if the internals are all metal. Also the lens that comes with it is cheap, plastic s***. It does for amateur stuff which is all I need it for but the end bit moves around and can cause focus issues if you use manual focus (set the focus then let go the lens moves and drops out of focus). All the ones in the shops I played with seem to be like that though so you'd want to be buying a better quality lens at some stage.

If you're doing a lot of traveling and going to beaches & stuff, be prepared to clean sand out of your lens fittings constantly, oh and dirt off the mirror/sensor on occasion.

Someone recommended to me a higher end point & shoot camera rather than a DSLR because there's more stuff to fiddle with on a DSLR and more chance for a noob to get s***ty photos whereas point & shoot cameras tend to be easier to just take a quick snap of something as it goes by rather than having to worry about iso speed, fstop, whether or not you left auto focus on or not etc.

Anyone had experience with a Canon PowerShot G7? Anygood?

My powershot a75 absolutely sucks balls and I hate it like that annoying neighbours dog that humps your leg. But go check out dpreview and see if you can get any helpful info from there.

note the difference between an S5 IS and a 5D (the S5 is a 10MP Point and Shoot with a fixed 12x IS lens, and the 5D is a 12MP SLR with a full sized sensor)

There is a noticable difference in quality between almost any SLR and a point and shoot... that is because of the sensor size.

The Canon S5 is a 1/2.5, the Panasonic you linked to is a 1/1.8 and the SLR (400D) has a 22.2 x 14.8 mm sensor.

Things to know before getting caught up in hype...
Digic is the s***
Panasonics are good quality, but not good cameras.
Megapixels really don't mean s***. (especially when you're talking 8+)
The panasonic Leica lenses are not made by Leica
What brand cameras do they use in TV? (Hint - Canon)

I guess this might be a decent thread to ask in, where's a decent place to buy photography equipment? Photocontinental is the only "big" store that I'm aware of on the southside but their website doesn't seem to list much in the way of filters. A polarizing filter here, uv filter there and that seems to be all I can find under their "filter" section.

\/\/\/ teds don't list any filters at all on their site so far as I can see.

last edited by whoop at 21:52:35 09/May/07

www.teds.com.au is another good store

Here is link to my gallery, showing what i've achieved with a 350d.

http://damianrohrlach.rosecomputers.net.au/gallery2/main.php

If you're going to get the S5 IS then i'd seriously consider learning a bit about photography... http://www.dg28.com/technique/index.htm is an ok starting point, but there are a millions of books around the place explaining the various features, techniques etc.

You're just kidding yourself if you think you'll use the modes when you don't know what they do.. You'll leave it on auto and not get the most out of the camera because when push comes to shove and there is a beautiful piccie unfolding before your eyes you want to snap that thing as quickly as possible...

Also damm you and your constant travelling! (im saving pennys to hit france hard during world cup time, early sep, and then probably to germany for ocktoberfest)

Heh, the travel is just starting boxy ;)

Budapest last weekend
Austria (Salzburg) this coming weekend
June in Amsterdam
July in London for Wimbldon and watching Metallica at Wembley!! down to Kilkeny for a comedy festival :)
August in Paris, Edinburgh and Wales

Also got the Foo Fighters + NIN in August in Dublin too :)

Plus I've been home and to New York already too :D

Having a blast I am :p

Yeah looking at the S5 IS at this stage, I can't see me using all the features of a proper DSLR to be honest.

Bastard, Salzburg is amazing, take heaps of photos for me

S5 IS is going to be a nice camera, it will also be much easier to use than an SLR.

To those complaining about the 350D/400D being plastic - the compound is meant to be stronger than metal. It is to keep the camera light. It also won't rust or dent like a metal chassis can. If you like more weight or have big hands than get the battery grip for it.

Man those SLR photos are just reeeediculously good

no one at all has mentioned the nikon slr range??? is this an exclusive canon fanboi site??
dslr's are fantastic.. there's so much variety and so much more you can do with them. esp when it comes to DOF. even something like a 2nd hand d50/d70s/d80 would be a great choice. all depends on your budget though!

here are a few shots from my d50 with the 50mm 1.8 (taken at underwaterworld through perspex. and one to show shallow dof.

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5177/fish1re6.jpg

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6973/fish2sn5.jpg

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/2488/fish3po8.jpg

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/7995/kit2bwnetwb4.jpg

my advice would be spend the cash now, get the decent gear so you dont buy twice!!
good luck.

-- audi

Yes SLR's are great, lots of options, lots of buttons but if you knew heardy you'd know that's a BAD thing :p

Sony DSC-H5

IMO after owning 5 various cameras over the last 4 years, you have 2 options. 400D/350D SLR, or S5 IS. I upgraded from the S3 to the 350D and havnet looked back, takes far better photos (assuming you know what you are doing and are not an "auto" junkie) and much more upgradable.

**BUMP**

any last thoughts?

Looking to puchase ASAP


Thanks!

Get a canon, that is all.

Funny really, after initially posting here I was a going to go Canon, but I've been reading a few reviews/sites this weekend and its pushed me toward the Panasonic :/

Decisions, decisions....

Rainer's Camera House in the city have the Pentax K100d dSLR for $579 with kit lense at the moment.

The dudes on the OCAU camera forum seem to think that this is the deal of a lifetime, because it's a really, really good dSLR for the price. Sure, you can get better, but for nearly triple the price.

Gonna go and pick one up next week.

Um, hes in Ireland.

it's monday. have u posted some photos? no point buying a new camera if u don't post the pics.. in future just make a frame in the air with your fingers and say CLICK then spend the money you would've spent on the camera on more beer.

panasonics are getting good reviews. don't trust canon fanboys. they believe the hype.

The poing is mongie that the new Pentax dSLR will always hover *around* that price, because it's the cheapest entry-level dSLR. I'm sure he'll be able to find it in Ireland for roughly the same price.

Get a canon, that is all.

Rainer's Camera House in the city have the Pentax K100d dSLR for $579 with kit lense at the moment.

kit lenses are ass, get a body only and a decent lens imho. I got a kit lens with my 350D, it's s***.

nikon or nothing

kit lenses are ass, get a body only and a decent lens imho. I got a kit lens with my 350D, it's s***.

It still beats the s*** out of paying that much money for a point & shoot camera.

Also, from what I've read (I've read lots, but know very little), every single pentax lense will mount onto this camera. So if you get the s***s with the kit lense, I'm positive you'll be able to find some old pentax lense on ebay or something to stand in.

Either way, a well-priced, good quality dSLR. Why not?

nats it's still Monday where I am :P

www.heardy.com photos have been uploaded from New York, Buda Pest & Salzburg

I thought u'd say something like that :-) will check them when i'm not having to browse on my phone.