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Author Topic: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?  (Read 29689 times)

  • Offline Bacon

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Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
on: March 10, 2014, 21:34:13 PM
I had a Panasonic for work, older one and killed it basically.

Then i bought i Samsung for about £40 refurbished and that died the same death, firstly the flash seemed to burn itself out, then the usb port broke from constant use so  i can't charge it

I'm now looking for a replacement, something with separate power to usb port would be good, and something where the flash will last longer than 3 months...

I use the camera everyday for indoor / outdoor shots, normally in bad light and shadows.

Recommendations?

Budget upto £100?
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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #1 on: March 12, 2014, 14:31:52 PM
Second hand Canon S90 or S95 if you can find one, awesome cameras.
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  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #2 on: March 13, 2014, 09:50:40 AM
Powershot was what I was going to suggest too. Pretty much have nearly the same amount of control as you would from an SLR, in a compact camera body, without the bulk and faff of lenses. They also are quite good in low light with wide apertures of around f2 or f2.8 or so.

I'd almost be tempted to sell you my S100, as I'm wanting to get a Ricoh tough camera, but my girlfriend would kill me as she seems to have adopted that camera!
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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #3 on: March 13, 2014, 18:14:40 PM
I got a canon sx280hs - can get them for £180 new on the web
Maybe the sx260 can be found a lot cheaper - same camera but without gps really.
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  • Offline Bacon

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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #4 on: March 13, 2014, 19:42:47 PM
I know i'm cheap but i just destroy everything at work with all the oil and muck.

I found this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-SZ3EB-K-Compact-Digital-Camera-16-1-Megapixels-10x-Opt-Zoom-/201031182630?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item2ece646926

seems like a step up for me! Leica lens for a start, seems like a bargain?

Been using a Panasonic that someone let me borrow and its great, takes instant pictures and the flash doesn't smoke like all of my cameras so far.
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  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #5 on: March 13, 2014, 21:33:04 PM
You say oil and muck...what is it you do and what are you using the camera for?

Pentax/Ricoh has been releasing updates to their tough camera line pretty much every year. This has meant the older models come down in price quickly. Might be worth considering? Typically the recessed non-zooming lenses mean they're awesome for close up macro work, but suffer a bit more for landscapes. If you're using the camera for photographing "objects" though I'd have thought it might be ideal?

£129 new
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/89044/Show.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLA&utm_term=WG-10%20Digital%20Camera%20in%20Black&gclid=CPe-su66kL0CFafMtAoddXgAtA

Extended cover does tend to be a bit of a con, but if you think you might still kill the camera, maybe consider splashing out for the £45 extended cover which would probably mean a new camera if it dies in the next 3 years?
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  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #6 on: March 13, 2014, 21:38:46 PM
Quote from: Bacon on March 13, 2014, 19:42:47 PM
I know i'm cheap but i just destroy everything at work with all the oil and muck.

I found this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-SZ3EB-K-Compact-Digital-Camera-16-1-Megapixels-10x-Opt-Zoom-/201031182630?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item2ece646926

seems like a step up for me! Leica lens for a start, seems like a bargain?

Been using a Panasonic that someone let me borrow and its great, takes instant pictures and the flash doesn't smoke like all of my cameras so far.

Panasonic do make some good cameras, but don't be suckered by the "Leica" name. They *do* make great optics and equipment, but the good stuff is *really* expensive. Don't expect them to give the same effort and quality control to lenses in budget cameras. At work an academic forked out £20 000 for a Leica low-power dissecting microscope for research. I found a UK supplier who makes comparable microscopes for less than £1 000, so the tech team bought 3 for teaching. They aren't quite as good, but the difference is negligible. On top of that the Leica has all it's ports etc made ever so slightly different to industry standard so you have to spend 4x the amount for official leica accessories. (EG, camera adaptor = £300. A universal adaptor for my scope costs £30.)
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  • Offline Bacon

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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #7 on: March 18, 2014, 22:38:00 PM
I'm not decided yet, going to hold out til the end of the month as i'm now considering a DSLR again, so recommendations for an entry level one of those too :)
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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #8 on: March 19, 2014, 07:55:40 AM
maybe look at a canon eos M
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  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #9 on: March 19, 2014, 16:43:58 PM
Quote from: Bacon on March 18, 2014, 22:38:00 PM
I'm not decided yet, going to hold out til the end of the month as i'm now considering a DSLR again, so recommendations for an entry level one of those too :)

For you, or work, with all the grime and oil etc?

I'd shudder at the thought of using an SLR in a heavily dirty environment more than as a one-off. Even if it's weather sealed etc, if you have a zoom lens and the likes it's only a matter of time till you get crud in the lens, body or both :(

I'm still not convinced too much by the compact-system type cameras (such as the EOS M). They seem to be a bit overpriced for what they are, have a smaller lens selection than SLRs unless you use adaptors, and generally the "smaller, compact size" is a bit of a moot feature as the second you add a lens on to it it still becomes too big to fit in a pocket.

SLR wise work has been using the Canon 1100D without too much issue. Not sure what the Nikon equivalent would be.



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  • Offline Bacon

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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #10 on: April 01, 2014, 20:45:39 PM
I decided against an SLR after dropping another compact into a puddle of oily mud, the camera survived, probably wouldn't have if it was an SLR

I'll hold out for a deal on a Panasonic compact with image stabilization, we got these for £19 at xmas, the cheapest i can find them now is £50 and the original price is crazy, they are factory refurbs.

I now have a history of destroying cameras :D
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  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #11 on: April 18, 2014, 22:01:29 PM
Got some of these in "at work" (I now appear to be working at a camera shop)...They actually aren't bad for a new sub £100 compact.

http://www.castlecameras.co.uk/ricoh-hz-15-digital-camera
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  • Offline Bacon

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Re: Cameras - Best Bang for your Buck?
Reply #12 on: June 01, 2014, 20:20:18 PM
Just thought i'd update, i'm still using the Panasonic i got through work for £19 on Ebay, its immensely good and its been covered in oily gunk several times and survived :D
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