Digital camera advice please

[barry2017]

Hello

I have decided I want a new hobby.

Many years ago, I used to love photography, and I want to start again. I've been into a camera shop, though, and confused myself.

I used to use an old 35mm Mamiya rangefinder. It had a really fast lens, and it was quiet, unobtrusive and simple. A fixed lens, as I have a really bad habit of zooming in and out of a picture rather than wandering around, and a fast lens, because I think flash makes everything look boring.

Is there an equivalent digital camera? I don't need a rangefinder, but I want a depth of field scale on the lens. I'd love a Leica, but I'm not spending Leica money, no matter how good it is.

 

[firedfromthecircus]

There is a new style that has come out in the last couple of years called compact system cameras, that seem to me to be rangefinders basically. I think that would be a good place to start looking.

Buyers guide here.

 

[Buzzsaw]

Re:

Have a look at Fujifilm cameras. Some great retro styled rangefinder digital cameras with quality features and images. Looks of a Leica without the price but not the cheapest neither.

http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digita ... lm_x_pro1/
http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digita ... ilm_x100s/
http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digita ... ifilm_x20/

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

If you just want to get into taking pictures, oddly event phones are good for that.
For compact epoint n shoot but with things like manual focus, zoom and the ability to faff then I'm partial to the Panasonic TZ series. They're getting more pointless additions like GPS (since that takes a while to lock iirc) but it does mean you know where they where taken if used. (Phones do this anyway)

My old one is still going strong and I'm still finding function one that scene mode I thought should be there but could find (like leaving the lens open for timed lengths)

Really should have read the manual more, lol.

But that keeps it interesting.

 

[Tatsunoko]

Re:

Yep, the Panasonic Bridge cameras are really user friendly (and The fz200 has a constant f2.8 aperture at x24 zoom (works out to Slr 600mm - And I'd never afford an SLR lens with a f2.8 60mm - not that you can really compare the 2).

My main canon DSLR (an old 550d), and more often than not, its matched to a 50mm f1.8 - dirt cheep and almost unbeatable for its bang for buck (though it can hunt a bit in auto focus).

I also have an M42 adapter (so I can use old manual screw lenses on the body - so if you have old russian manual glass that you love, and want the convenience of a digital body, then I find this great (and they work brilliant as film lenses too).

 

[SEANSTEPHENS]

Re:

its mad to think that a phone can take better pictures than some digital cameras but its definitely getting that way, i think its quite likely that SLR's become obsolete one day :?

I've got one of these-> http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/p ... 594827.htm and the picture quality is very good, it has all the features you need but isn't overloaded with options you aren't likely to use

i also have an iPhone and the digital focus is far better than the focus point method of the SLR, the widescreen also allows you to fit the picture within the screen much easier and without standing as far away. however the SLR is superior in terms of light exposure and picture quality.... i find that both cameras are great to use but for different types of photography

hope that helps

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

Actually I think this hits the camera for you

Fast lens
pretty much static lens just enough zoom to aid composition (3x)
Big area sensor for what it is (a large area sensor in digital means better coupling of the light to a pixel)

Etc.. Panasonic DMC lx100
http://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/ca ... lx100.html

Of course never used one or read a review yet, I'll leave that to you.

Found a proper review at a good review site.
Heck just seen the price though,so maybe its an ideas (that is a good review site though)
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panason ... -dmc-lx100

 

[showtime]

Re:

personally i think the first camera market segment to fall victim to phone cameras will be the cheaper compacts.
most cameras in the top phones now are very capable.
if you look at most peoples facebook feeds you'll see they are happy with a blurry smudged pic of a night out moment & have no interest in actually carrying a secondary camera.
people who want "more" from their photography might buy into one of the "advanced" compacts or a bridge camera but will soon become disappointed when they look at their results in full size rather than just at online resolutions....
that's where the DSLR or mirrorless/compact system camera comes in
this is where you might spend ages reading up on the virtues of each system before choosing one way or another..
CSC can be nice & pocketable so would be good for general shooting but if you've decided you wanted to go in search of ultimate image quality & are prepared totake a camera bag with you then you'll plump for the DSLR.
image quality is ultimately down to lenses & a DSLR user will have a selection of specialist lenses tailored to his/her needs

while mirrorless are getting better & better i don't think the DSLR will be going anywhere for a few years yet. it's still the go to system for most pro's for most work

oh & that LX100 mentioned is apparently very very good.
despite having way too much money invested in dslr & lenses i'd love one of those but, i just know i wouldn't use it as often as i should :roll:

 

[dyna-ti]

My only advice on digital cameras is buy a fuji.

 

[legrandefromage]

You've resurrected an old thread and not mentioned the cmos sensor size!