[Steadybears]

My old digital camera has stopped working and now wanting to buy a new one - anyone out there got some good ideas on a good little camera with good zoom and easy to operate.

Thanks for any advise

[StevieD]

Not a little camera but our Fuji is well worth a look. Go to Heathcote appliances on the corner of Tristram and Thackeray, they usually have some good deals going on.

[vixxann]

got to say I love my little cannon powershot (think its an Isus??)
compact, good focus, nice size screen, good battery life etc
it does more than enough things for me for a day-to-day camera, however, I will add that one day I'd love a BIG camera with wide angle lenses and all the rest :p

[djchicane]

Consider the Panasonic Lumix range, a good selection at reasonable princes, I have the DMC-FX33, it endured some pretty horrible weather whilst walking the Milford Track in April - including dealing with being dropped in snow, soaked through, (it lived in my sleeping bag with me overnight to dry out!!), temps at the top of the Mackinnon Pass were about -10c!

Cheers,

Dave

[JandL]

3 cameras, 3 different uses, take your pick :).

I've had a few cameras over the years, the best all rounder by far was the Fuji FinePix range, good zoom, quality pictures. Not quite the SLR range but close enough for the amature. It looks like the SLR range, ie not a fit in your pocket job so depends on what you want to use it for. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=fuji+finepix&show=dd&cid=11140901801700746851

I bought a Olympus Stylus (720) which is a weatherproof camera for my misses. You can drop it, dunk it under water and take pictures and videos. Its a great camera if you are looking for a small "days out" camera, picture of the kids, beaches. Its good enough at scenary shots but for that I have another camera for that. http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_archived_product_details.asp?fl=2&id=1225

The Canon 350D SLR is my pride and joy and takes awesome shots, it does have a lot of 'stuff' with it however, extra long zoom lense, whole bag add-ons for batteries, spare memory carts, remote timer, flash and stand. This is one I use when trekking and will be my companion when I finally move to NZ. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_350D

[Steadybears]

Thank you to everyone who has been so kind as to offer me advise:cheers

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

I too can vouch for the Fuji Finepix range.

As said, not quite pocket size, but I actually oprefer slightly bigger as it means it's much easier to keep steady when taking a pic. The rounded handle type side gives you something to really get a good steady hold of.

[JandL]

From your pm Steadybears, I would go with the middle range camera. As I said before you have 3 main types (with hybrids in between). If you want to know what a cameras real zoom is like, check out its Optical zoom, NOT the digital zoom. SLR (pro cameras) do not have digital zoom. You also probly need a camera with a viewfinder (hole to stick your eye to).

The small compact ones are for beach, holidays, parks etc. Fit in ya pocket jobs. Short zoom, some have face searching capabilities, red eye reduction, video recording etc. They generally all automatically try to take the best picture for you. There are really really nice ones, but they are really really expensive. Normally use custom batteries made specifically for them. These are point and click cameras :)

The middle range (sometimes called bridge cameras), are fully digital but with bigger zoom. Bigger device in your hand, more sturdy. Can sometimes add on exteral lenses, external flash etc. Same as the compact cameras, these can be completly auto-settings, but often have switches to go completly manual (shutter speed, ISO levels, other techy stuff). These actually turn out to be cheaper/as cheap as the similar specced compact as they dont have to push all that technology into a small case. Often can use normal AA batteries, some use custom batteries. They also have video capability.

The Digital SLR range. These cameras are heavy, big and cost loads, but you get the best picture. You decide which lens to use, wide angle, micro super super long range etc. You don't even have to know what you are doing to get great shots as being digital it has all auto features. These are the things you pick up when trying to get the elusive shot of that bird 40 meters away flying at full speed. They can not take videos and do not have LCD displays. To be honest, I only ever use mine for portrait shots, scenic shots, which is why I would not suggest one if you are just starting out.


If you want an all round camera for taking scenic shots, outside bbqs that has a decent zoom, then the FinePix is one of your best bets. There are other brands about the same style, but I took my Finepix around the world with me and took over 17,000 photos with it. It even took AA batteries which is more useful when moving about as chargers dont alway work everywhere. I won't say its the best camera for the price as I don't know them all, this is just my experience with them. Have a look at here for alternatives: http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/1660/xx/xx/1/1/criteresn.html (check out the finepix s1000fd, 10 megapixel, 12x optical zoom!)

Heres some pictures taken with my finepix (theres loads more) that make good viewing:

http://www.jandl.mytraveljournals.com/j/image.asp?I=/JournalFiles/Images/24009.JPG&C=Sunset
http://www.jandl.mytraveljournals.com/j/image2.asp?NAV=298
http://www.jandl.mytraveljournals.com/j/image2.asp?NAV=392
http://www.jandl.mytraveljournals.com/j/image2.asp?NAV=545

[napiers]

We have had several 'point and shoot' cameras and a digital slr (canon 350eos) - which I'm not really allowed to use! I love my canon ixus 800IS - it's easy to use but has a few nifty 'toys' in it's settings if I want to be abit creative. It's also got a 4x optical zoom rather than the more common 3x which I like. We've also got an olympus mju 850sw. It's 3x optical zoom but is advertised as being shockproof and waterproof. It's fairly new but it's been on a school residential with me and went caving three times. By that I mean crawling through tiny holes and puddles, so it got bashed and wet. It was fine and I took some great photos in the caves too.

I'm no great photographer but I think these are both good and have taken some good shots with them in all sorts of places. Good luck with the camera hunt.

[JandL]

Ops put the wrong link for my 790 (older version of napiers 850, only bought it a xmas!)

http://www.purelygadgets.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=10138&wysiwyg=10

[Mrs Pony]

My old digital camera has stopped working and now wanting to buy a new one - anyone out there got some good ideas on a good little camera with good zoom and easy to operate.

Thanks for any advise

Canon PowerShots are awesome, and easy to use! I got mine for $399 (US) but with the employee discount of course...great little camera and it takes superb pics!

See!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3257/2347363997_8d7f5dff87_b.jpg

[willsken]

Consider the Panasonic Lumix range, a good selection at reasonable princes, I have the DMC-FX33, it endured some pretty horrible weather whilst walking the Milford Track in April - including dealing with being dropped in snow, soaked through, (it lived in my sleeping bag with me overnight to dry out!!), temps at the top of the Mackinnon Pass were about -10c!

Cheers,

Dave

I have the Limix and I love it. Great little camera and easy to use.

[Steadybears]

Thanks for all the advise - OH bought me a Sony - and its great - take it on my walkabouts and its easy to work and it takes great photos- just now have to learn how to add them here - thanks so much for everyones help.