What Digital Camera?

[BlackDwarf]

Hey guys.

I'm after a decentish Digi Cam to go on Holiday with this April.
I've been looking at the FujiFilm FinePix Z2. Its got 5.1MP and ISO-1600 for low light conditions.
Any other idea's around the same range and price (~£220ish)?

Cheers guys.

[shiato storm]

what sort of use do you expect it to get? general use or a specific area...?

[BlackDwarf]

Well obviously to use it on Holiday (going to Florida for 3 weeks), but also for some arty-farty shots i'm getting into (landscapes, pictures of sunsets (my phone camera is crap ), maybe take it to gigs when they come about. So its pretty wide range of use i want it for really.

[shiato storm]

righty ho.
ok, of the cameras in the £220-ish range there's the fuji F11 which has a good sensor inside and pretty handy functions. I use a sony P200 thats done me good thus far (almost a year).
from nikon and canon the choices are not that great as the cameras are a little 'too much' automatic, no manual functions at all. actually sony manufacture the sensors used in most other cameras e.g. the nikon d70 uses a sony ccd, so they're not bad at all. unfortunately the low light performance of hte p200 isn't that great but on a small camera the sensor is small too, so (due to the laws of physics) the noise of any compact camera becomes evident at higher iso ratings.
perhaps look at the minolta z5 - it has a decent sized zoom and an anti-shake mechnism inside. not sure about low-light though.

take a look over as dpreview.com and see whats there, use the 'buying guide' side-by-side feature to see the difference between each camera. always helpful that.

[BlackDwarf]

Hmm... That P200 looks really good. 7.1MP, AND its cheaper than the Z2... Now i just need to try and find a black one

[Flibb]

A friend has a panasonic FZ20, the price has droped due to it being replaced. They are appearing around £230-280, warehouseexpress have them for £280, I think jessops were doing them in store for £200, bnot 100% sure on that though. Before buying anything go and try it in a shop, you might find some are too big or small, etc.

[shiato storm]

agreed, try before you buy then walk away and have a think.
the P200 does come in black but its just the same as the silver one...only it costs £50 more!??! anyway... jessops do price match but if you want them to have proof of it (a print out or something) and ideally its a highstreet shop too, jessops unlikely to match on-line prices.

[Funkstar]

doesn't the black one come as a special pack, hence the extra cost? i know that used to be the way with the P10/P12 and P100/P150.

I have a P10 which is two generations older than Shiatos P200, and my dad has a P100. I think they are great cameras. Low light performance isn't great and mine only goes up to ISO400, but for regular shooting i've been able to get some great shots. I would definitely recomend a sony compact in this price range.

[joshwa]

I'd recommend the F10 (around £189) / F11 - high ISO upto 1600, very bright focus assist light (probably one of the best compact digicams for low-light) - the Sony only goes upto ISO400.

[shiato storm]

yes but I believe stopping the iso at 400 on a compact is reasonable since, as i mentioned, the smaller sensors are prone to more noise than larger - dslr type sensors. this is physics i'm afraid and the technology at current is just not capable of improving on this, yet. still, 1600 is fun to play with and if you have to get the shot its better than nothing, right!

[BlackDwarf]

Hmm... That Fuji F11 looks pretty good aswell... Argh... So many choices!

[shiato storm]

hehe...go have a play and see what you like best, thats the only/best way to do it.

[BlackDwarf]

Yeah... Might have to take a trip into Dixons *shudder*... then go order it on the net

[shiato storm]

dixons? good god man! no!!!
really, go somewhere else, surely there's a jessops or something similar around where you are?

[BlackDwarf]

The lazy town of Newton Abbot in sleepy ol' Devon.... I think not.

I think there's a Jessops in Torquay... Or Plymouth... but its far too much effort to drive there

[Koolpc]

Canon make superb Digital Cameras.