Camera Labs

Hi all,

I have always been keen on photography but always stuck to simple compact cameras. We are going to Kenya in two weeks and I have decided that we may be best to get a new camera to try and capture some magic safari photos. I was looking at a SLR but then read some articles which suggested a superzoom may be a better option. I have spent hours trying to research them and my head hurts!

I have seen a few and am undecided which one to get. Our budget is around £350 but happy to spend less if we can get something which will do the trick!

The ones that are currently on my shortlist are:
Lumix FZ45 or FZ38EB
Fujifilm HS10
Canon 1000D

Could anyone advise on the one they think would be best for wildlife photos? Or is there a different one you would recommend?

I would really appreciate any advice anyone could give.

Thanks,

Anna

In good light you can get quite some nice pictures out of a superzoom camera.
Still you can get a better quality combining a DSLR and a tele lens. The problem is it's more expensive, bigger, heavier.

Maybe the Canon Powershot SX.30 IS is interesting as well - 35x zoom is incredible.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

Agreed, superzooms are great in bright light, but like any compact P&S usually fall short indoors. Their "Superzoom" feature certainly is useful, and you can't beat their HD video with stereo audio, but they fall short of DSLRs.

If you really want a good superzoom, perhaps you should consider the SX-30IS from Canon, or the wonderful Finepix HS-10 from Fuji. I really like the feel of the HS-10, it feels the most like a DSLR over all of the other superzooms. Perhaps it's because of it's zoom ring and MF ring on the lens itself, as opposed to the little mechanical thing that usually is present on superzooms where the power switch is on the HS-10. The SX-30IS is very nice, especially it's EXTREME 35x optical zoom! You can't go wrong there!

DSLR wise, you won't be able to afford much with your budget. The only DSLRs that you probably could afford would be the Nikon D3000 or Canon 1000D, with only the kit lens which certainly aren't telephoto lenses! Plus, they don't feature video or many other neat tricks of the superzooms. Although, with a DSLR you can get OUTSTANDING low light, the ability to change lenses to get just what you want, use filters, get a shallow DoF, learn more about photography, get a better VF, etc.

Now, if you were just purchasing a camera for the safari and that's all, a superzoom would probably fit you best. I mean, you can zoom right up to the animals and even film them with HQ video if they're doing something that a photograph just can't show alone. Also, since a safari isn't indoors, you could get great outdoor photos. Now in the long run, a DSLR would probably be better. When you want to do indoor shots (Which would be often), a DSLR would get much better IQ. You can get some cool macro shots, make use of polarizing filters and do all that kind of creative stuff when it's needed.

In conclusion, I'd recommend a DSLR for you. Although it won't be SUPERB for your safari, it will take wonderful shots and be more usefull in the long run (IMHO).

-Evan

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

You could always rent a lens

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Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

For the budget, I think you have to realistically forget a DSLR. New would barely get you a kit lens, which wont have the "zoom" capability you'll probably end up wanting. Even looking at used kit to expand the budget wont be easy.

Don't forget to factor in accessories like memory cards and a bag to the budget too.

So I think a superzoom is probably the way to go, but I can't suggest further there.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

The FZ45 is very nice, check Gordon's review.

If there's a used market overthere, check if there's the Olympus E420 or another from the lower E-series.
Get it with the two-lenskit then.

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

Agreed, the FZ-45 is a very nice camera, as well as the HS-10 and SX-30IS as I mentioned before. Also consider an EVIL camera (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens). They sell for cheaper than SLRs generally, although some cost a bit more. Look at the Samsung NX-100 EVIL, it's very small and reminiscent of a Point and Shoot. Or, consider the Olympus EPL-1, it's very small. You could even consider something from the Sony NEX series, they take great videos and their IQ is superb, although they may be a bit out of your price range.

Just remember that any DSLR or EVIL that you get won't really give you a good zoom, so you'd either have to make do with 50mm or so, or rent something longer. Your best zoom option would be a superzoom.

-Evan

_________________
-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams