What camera to buy for Christmas?

snooks said:
If you're in the market for a camera for sailing with, check out the waterproof compacts out there. I have 6 on test at the moment, all waterproof to over 5 metres and they look normal, well most do :D
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So, can we assume if we wait an issue or two, there'll be a YM best buy?

This was my favourite waterproof onboard camera, until one day it went overboard. Didn't float.

Nikon_L35_AW-AF_Frontansicht_01_09.jpg


It was replaced with a weatherproof Pentax zoom 90WR which I still have somewhere - it's just that film is so passé nowadays, my dears.
 
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photodog said:
Re; Stills video convergence.... It really depends upon how good a result you want.... I use three cameras for video... a Canon XF300, a Canon 5dmk2 and a Canon 7d....... I also shoot some video for fun on my Iphone and my wifes Ixus.

Using DSLR's for video can produce exceptional results... but you need to be carefull about how you use it, and the audio quality can be poor unless you have a good external mike or a decent audio recorder such as a Zoom..
The real kicker is that Video cameras are built with functionality for shooting video, and stills for taking pictures... and that functionality is different in many instances....

So if your serious about taking good video then you either need gear to adapt your DSLR to shoot video.. (A better tripod, follow focus knowb, audio gear, continuous lighting...) or a video camera...

If you want to do it for a bit of fun... then whatever!

As I have said before though... HD is about resolution and is not a guarantor of quality... so the camera may have a small chip which means more noise.. or it may not use a particularly good codec which may compress stuff too much or be difficult or not compatible across platforms, it may record at a lower bit rate which means less depth in colour... etc etc...

So its about your standards.... Taking good video on a stills camera such as our 5dmk2 is much more difficult than taking good video on the XF300... but the 5d can do much better quality video largley as a result of the excellent large chip and low light capabilites...
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Thanks for your reply. I am assuming you are a professional because of your website link and your large number of cameras and of course I agree that for best results you need specialist equipment which is inevitably expensive (in general you get what you pay for).

Most of us won't really notice the difference between a good camera that more than fills a full HD screen (1920 x 1080 pixels) and an excellent camera that produces several times the resolution (unless you want to heavily crop the image or make a poster-sized print).

My point is that for most of us who are keen on photography but perhaps have a limited budget or other things to spend our money on, the time may have arrived (or be about to arrive) where most amateurs can get equally good results for both stills and video from one camera (possibly the FZ150 at £300) compared with buying a £200 compact superzoom and a decent Full HD camcorder for around another £250+.

Both types of camera need a good sensor, good optics, good stabilisation (for use on a boat where you often can't use a tripod) and good control of exposure, focus etc. They also need good ergonomics and decent build quality. I think I would find it a bit odd using a DSLR-type camera as my main video camera but I guess I would get used to it. I agree with you that the ability to plug in an external mic is extremely useful especially on a boat where wind noise can be a serious problem for built-in mics.
 
reginaldon said:
You all seem to have a lot of problems, I don't get with my Kodak Brownie!
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I'm not sure we are having problems and you won't get HD stills or video with your box brownie!

PS I agree with Snooks that waterproof cameras can be very good especially if you want to film in rough weather, wet weather or of course underwater. Personally I seem to manage OK with a normal camera but it is another reason why I don't want to spend too much on a single camera or lens.

PPS the main problem is what has Ken's photo done to my browser?!
 
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Having ruined at least one halophobic Ixus, I now keep my compact in a padded Rowe
case. There are lots of other types, but something reasonably waterproof and padded
allows you to use your camera in most weathers. Mind you, I treat a camera as a
consumable item, if I don't wear it out then I'm not using it enough!
 
Fuji X10

photodog said:
I came within inches of buying a X10 today.....

But actually its a bit of a dissapointment... the build quality feels a bit cheap... and the lens is not as robust as you would like... and worse the viewfinder is almost unusable... (Especially if you wear glasses...) The real kicker comes when you pick up the x100 and realise just how nice that machine is.... right up their with my old M4p's ... a very nice viewfinder and the build is great.... Plus it is exactly the right size. The X10 is noticably smaller and as a consequence just feels too bitsy.... and the lack of a ability to see were you are focusing in the finder is a real killer...

Combine that with fuji's **** raw processing software... and the fact that there is no plugin yet for Photoshop.... and the camera is a non-starter.

I had thought that this would have been a great breakthrough machine that I could actually use as a replacement for the Leicas... but alas no! And the X100 only has the 35mm lens.. I prefer a 28 or 90 on my rangefinders....

So, thumbs down on the X10 I am afraid....
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I bought an X10 at the weekend, not really used it in anger as yet but I think it shows great promise. I am strictly an amateur and have been looking for ages for pocketable camera that will give me a good image, I have a Canon DSLR which although great, I generally can't be bothered to lug about and so have tried a couple of small Panasonic Lumix compacts over the years, I have used aTZ10 for a while now but never really been happy with the images [I generally only bother with JPEGS].

The X10 is a good handy size and feels really well built, the zoom is a usefull range and I do really like using a viewfinder again. I love the on off switch on the lens. Doubt if i'll turn any pics out like these http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/fuji_x10_first_impressions.shtml as it would require some modicum of talent that I seem to be missing.

I really liked the idea of the X100 but couldn't really live with a fixed length lense, they are lovely looking bits of kit though... if you can't run to a Leica M9..
 
Twister_Ken said:
So, can we assume if we wait an issue or two, there'll be a YM best buy?

This was my favourite waterproof onboard camera, until one day it went overboard. Didn't float.

Nikon_L35_AW-AF_Frontansicht_01_09.jpg


It was replaced with a weatherproof Pentax zoom 90WR which I still have somewhere - it's just that film is so passé nowadays, my dears.
Click to expand...

Thats a very large camera init :eek::rolleyes:
 
I have a Canon G10 which I have taken some great pics with but wanted a longer lens as it would have been nice to be nearer.
So I bought a pocket camera with a 50x zoom. Took some pictures with it and returned it the following day. When I transfered
the pictures to my PC I noticed the quality straight away. The Canon was far better and you could zoom in far more. So finished
up with a Canon Eos 550D with a standard lens and a 75-300mm IS lens as well. Taken some great pictures just need to work
out how it all works :eek:

Kingfisher.jpg


Just a bit of a much larger photograph. Taken in Turkey from the cockpit handheld 75-300mm lens
 
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Still happy after 3 years with my Fuji s100fs. Great manual zoom, image stabiliser, long battery life. Since superceded by a new model which I would buy if I needed a replacement.
 
What about a Canon S100

On a recent trip I chatted to a guy with professional standard Canon body with L series lenses. He raved about the S95 which he keeps as a pocket camera. He says the pictures are almost as good as his huge camera and the controls are identical.

Now the S100 is out and I wondered about it.

I found this nice comparison site for cameras that can compare S100 with the Fuji

Anyone got an S95 who can comment - or even an S100???

TudorSailor
 
I've recently bought the Fuji Finepix HS20EXR which I really like. I know that being a bridge camera it is a compromise but it suits me as an amateur and encourages me to try out the manual settings. Like many digital cameras these days it has too many pixels for the sensor to handle but set it on 8 megapixels (instead of 16) and use manual or semi-automatic settings and it takes pretty good photos.

The Fujifilm X-S1 (another bridge camera) due for release looks good but expensive. This has a bigger sensor and 12 megapixels so maybe the manufacturers are realising that cramming too many pixels into a camera is not necessarily such a good idea.

I'm not sure if I will take the HS20 on the boat due to its bulk. A smaller compact would probably be much more practical.
 
I think that on a boat you ned tow things:-
  1. A wide angle lends of 24mm or shorter
  2. A telephoto lens of at least 200mm
  3. Small and pocketable otherwise you won't use it

I have some really nice film cameras, Minolta CLE, Contax T3 and Contax 645 and a Leica Digilux 2. Nice as these cameras are I don't have a lens wider than 28mm (35mm equivalent) and this make it very difficult to take good internal shots or worse... shots of the boat with the spinnaker up. The Minolta and Leica are both 28-90mm although I could buy some additional lenses of the Minolta 90mm is simply to short for any kind of action shot.

I have avoided buying an interchangeable Digital camera because I know that dust on the sensor will eventually ruin the quality so I have been keeping an eye on the next camera.

Without the best quality small compact is the Leica D5 or the Panasonic version. Both have a large sensor and rave reviews, however no matter how good they are 28mm is the widest and that is a deal breaker for me. However for the OP I think that the Leica V-Lux 30 could be the answer, there is a fantastic video on the Leica web site and it has a terrific zoom range.

Take a look here and watch the video full screen is is amazing even if you have ono interest int he camera.

http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/compact_cameras/v-lux_30/
 
tudorsailor said:
On a recent trip I chatted to a guy with professional standard Canon body with L series lenses. He raved about the S95 which he keeps as a pocket camera. He says the pictures are almost as good as his huge camera and the controls are identical.
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The camera body I use was over £5k and there is no way any compact comes close to the same quality, either exposure, lens sharpness or sensor quality, let alone "almost as good". Don't get me wrong I like my Leica compact, but a FF DSLR it ain't :)

Physical sensor size (and of course a corresponding number of magic pixies) is the key to image quality

It used to be a case that the way to get image quality was to buy the best glass you could as film was film, and all the camera was doing was opening a hole in it's front, now you need the best glass and the best body you can afford. It's no good putting L series lenses on a D650 because the sensor lets the image down.

I can tell the difference in the images from my dsmkiii and my old mki or 5d and while doing this compact test I couldn't work out why the test shots on one camera were so much better. Until I realised I'd included the images from my 1dsmkiii and left one of the other 6 cameras out:o
 
Evadne said:
Having ruined at least one halophobic Ixus, I now keep my compact in a padded Rowe
case. There are lots of other types, but something reasonably waterproof and padded
allows you to use your camera in most weathers. Mind you, I treat a camera as a
consumable item, if I don't wear it out then I'm not using it enough!
Click to expand...

Yes I also find my halo never comes out in photos!

A decent padded case is very sensible investment on board. My compact fell down the main hatch but thankfully was undamaged due to the padded case.
 
Seven Spades said:
I think that on a boat you ned tow things:-
  1. A wide angle lends of 24mm or shorter
  2. A telephoto lens of at least 200mm
  3. Small and pocketable otherwise you won't use it

I have some really nice film cameras, Minolta CLE, Contax T3 and Contax 645 and a Leica Digilux 2. Nice as these cameras are I don't have a lens wider than 28mm (35mm equivalent) and this make it very difficult to take good internal shots or worse... shots of the boat with the spinnaker up. The Minolta and Leica are both 28-90mm although I could buy some additional lenses of the Minolta 90mm is simply to short for any kind of action shot.

I have avoided buying an interchangeable Digital camera because I know that dust on the sensor will eventually ruin the quality so I have been keeping an eye on the next camera.

Without the best quality small compact is the Leica D5 or the Panasonic version. Both have a large sensor and rave reviews, however no matter how good they are 28mm is the widest and that is a deal breaker for me. However for the OP I think that the Leica V-Lux 30 could be the answer, there is a fantastic video on the Leica web site and it has a terrific zoom range.

Take a look here and watch the video full screen is is amazing even if you have ono interest int he camera.

http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/compact_cameras/v-lux_30/
Click to expand...

Thank you for the suggestion. I think the Leica costs around £500 which is a lot for a compact and it didn't do that well in a PCPro test:

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/digital-cameras/369358/leica-v-lux-30

The Panasonic FZ150 test is at http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/digital-cameras/371305/panasonic-lumix-dmc-fz150

The review seems to have sparked some controversy: no-one is claiming the quality is as good as a top of the range SLR, just that it represents exceptional value for money if that is what you want.

I used to have a couple of SLRs with fixed and zoom lenses. They were heavy and bulky and I often found I had the wrong lens on the camera and so missed a shot. I think there is a lot to be said for these superzoom cameras for everyday use but by all means buy a DSLR if you prefer. I would be interested to know if pros like Snooks use fixed or zoom lenses when doing a shoot from a rib.
 
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exfinnsailor said:
I have a Canon G10 which I have taken some great pics with but wanted a longer lens as it would have been nice to be nearer.
So I bought a pocket camera with a 50x zoom. Took some pictures with it and returned it the following day. When I transfered
the pictures to my PC I noticed the quality straight away. The Canon was far better and you could zoom in far more. So finished
up with a Canon Eos 550D with a standard lens and a 75-300mm IS lens as well. Taken some great pictures just need to work
out how it all works :eek:



Just a bit of a much larger photograph. Taken in Turkey from the cockpit handheld 75-300mm lens
Click to expand...
It is a lovely lens, I have one for my EOS400 and it is worth lugging it around for the occasional wildlife shot.
 
No one has yet mentioned the Sony Bridge cameras. I have an HX1, which I rather like. But then I know nothing of sensors etc - where does it fit in the scale of things? Anyone know?
 
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