| Whilst you all drool over the S90, which is useless to me with its 3x zoom, I want a superzoomy compact as carrying the SLR, currently my only camera other than that 'thing' in the iPhone that calls itself a camera, with lots of lenses is a pain. I want decent quality, nice-looking DoF, at least 8MP, preferably 10+, at least 10x optical, for under £200. Don't really care about full manual controls. An articulated screen would be nice, but I know it's unlikely. Seen the TZ6 for around the £160 mark, which seems like it would do the trick, but my knowledge of Panasonic cameras (in fact cameras in general, since all I've had in the last 5 years are an S5 and now the 500D) is nil. What should I get? |
Best value super-zoom compact?
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Zomoniac 10,628 posts
Seen 11 hours ago
Registered 17 years ago -
billythekid 12,595 posts
Seen 1 day ago
Registered 16 years agoSlightly over budget but the Nikon P90?
http://www.buyacamera.co.uk/xsearch.asp?searchtype=name&searchfor=coolpixp90&pt=g&gclid=CN6q6KaYz6ECFcOX2AodMUPmIw
Been playing around with one recently and its pretty good.
24x optical zoom too! -
KayJay 5,350 posts
Seen 3 months ago
Registered 15 years agoIt was a few years ago now, but on a Holiday to Kenya I was weighing up the option of a DSLR & a Bridge.
I went for this...
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H1
I would whole hearlty recomend this or its latest iteration. I understand the latest ones are alot smaller.
Its only 5 megapixels but we blew up one of a Lion was pictured to A3 and the quality and clarity remained.
I think these are the newer ones...
This looks like the newest one...
This one is in the same series but alot skinner...
Im sure Canon, Nikon etc.. do similar...
Not bad value either... £209 + free stuff. -
Zomoniac 10,628 posts
Seen 11 hours ago
Registered 17 years agoThanks for the suggestions, but they're both too big. The P90 looks like it's the same sort of form-factor as my S5, the DSC-H20 (the little one) is still way too deep at 1.9". I want something I can stick in my jeans pocket comfortably, preferably no more than 1" but an absolute max of 1.5" thick. The TZ6 is 1.29", so 2/3rds the size of the DSC-H20, and even that's thicker than I'd like. -
billythekid 12,595 posts
Seen 1 day ago
Registered 16 years agoYeah, the P90 ain't going in no pocket. Light as fuck though! -
Nth 3,164 posts
Seen 9 hours ago
Registered 12 years agoIf you go with a Lumix try and get an odd number model, the TZ4 and TZ6 for example are hobbled versions of the TZ5 and TZ7. -
malteaserhead 13,443 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 17 years agoI having a fun time with the Tz7 Zom.
I think it's got a x12 optical zoom and all in all I'm pretty happy with it.
Warning: I'm not a cameraophile
It's about £200 in most places now I think. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-Lumix-TZ7-Digital-Camera/dp/B001T0H0RG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1273758270&sr=8-1 -
skuzzbag 5,950 posts
Seen 5 years ago
Registered 17 years agoWhat do you mean by nice looking depth of field?
One of the effects of having a small sensor is that the in focus depth of field is greater.
The only way to get really blurry backgrounds with these sensors is to use the macro function and focus at a very close distance. I'm talking centimeters to get a decent out of focus background.
For example this was taken at f2.0 at about 1 to 2 cm away on a Panasonic LX3.
Compacts such as the Tz7 3.3 which will bring even more of the background into focus. -
Are there many x10 optical zoom cameras for under £200, new?
I like Canon, so a PowerShot SX210 IS (14MP, x14 zoom, HD video) appeals to me, but you'd probably get a similar spec for less ££ with another brand.
err.. that's about £260 btw.. -
+1 to skuzzbag.
It is nigh on impossible to get some good bokeh on a compact. If you drop the superzoom demand the LX3 are very cheap at the moment. I saw a brand new one in store for 3300 SEK the other day.
Well worth the money.
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