Camera Labs

I am fairly new to photography and want a new camera. Currently I have a Kodak z710- I like the size of it, the zoom on it (10X) but the image quality I feel is poor, colours are dull, images are not sharp. I was told that getting a DSLR is better as they have bigger sensors. I would like a camera that has a good zoom range and works well in AUTO mode and any specific scene modes the camera may have (I doubt that I would fiddle with manual controls) I am also on a budget but am quite good at finding bargains. I liked the look of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9 because of its big zoom range, flip down screen but am really put off by the reports of poor image quality (the reason why I want a new camera), the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 I feel has a better image then the Olympus SP 550 but I am pondering going for the Nikon D40 (not the x as i don't want to hit the £400 mark)

I use my camera for everything- wildlife and nature, indoor shots of people, landscapes, buildings etc... So I really need a good all-rounder. I would like my camera to have the following:

Good Image quality
Good zoom range
Image Stabilisation
If it is a DSLR - Anti Dust

If it has a flip screen that would be the bees-knees!

I would LOVE to use the LCD screen to actually compose a shot also, like with most compacts....I fear I maybe asking too much now.

Cheers

We already has some people looking at that price-point! I think a Olympus E-500 combo (lenses 14-45mm 3.5-5.6 plus 40-150mm 3.5-4.5) could be an alternative here. They can be found at bargain prices, now that the E-510 is out.
With the Nikon D40 it may be hard to get 2 lenses at that budget, but it's also a nice camera.
Both cams have the advantage against the Sony H9 Pana Lumix of being real DSLRs and can be extended in the future should you have the need to invest more.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

I haven't actually used any of these cameras, but I am in the market for a DSLR and I have read and read and read about every model out there, and here's my opinion.

Get the Pentax K100D. It has 6 MP and it isn't that expensive. Every review I have read says that it has excellent image quality, that somehow Pentax got it "right" with this camera. In fact, it has better image quality than its larger brother, the Pentax K10D (10 MP). All the sample images I have looked at are sharp and clean.

I'm one of those people who has "megapixel envy" -- I have a point-and-shoot camera with 7 MP and I just don't want to go back to a smaller sensor. However, I am so impressed by the K100D that I am thinking of getting it.

Of course, the Nikon D40 is also an excellent camera, according to everything I've read, although the K100D has image stabilization and a dust-removal system.

If you are really concerned about image quality, a 6-MP DSLR will satisfy you much more than even the best point-and-shoot camera.

Caleb

The K10D is the only Pentax with a dust-removal system so far.
As to how good it is... that's another discussion...

Darrin

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Nikon D40 | Nikkor 18-55 VR | Nikkor 55-200 VR | Voigtländer Ultron 40mm SL-II | Nikon Speedlight SB-400

Well, the reviews and sample pictures are great ...

Oh, sorry - I was talking about the dust-removal system....

Darrin

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Nikon D40 | Nikkor 18-55 VR | Nikkor 55-200 VR | Voigtländer Ultron 40mm SL-II | Nikon Speedlight SB-400

Tell me, if I never remove the lense, does that mean that no dust ever gets inside? I'm about to move up to a DSLR from a point-and-shoot camera, and I'm sure the kit lense will satisfy me for quite a while.

Caleb

If you buy a zoom lens, dust can get in while the lens expands or retracts (when you actually do the "zooming").

You could buy a zoom lens that is protected against dust and humidity, but it would be more expensive and the body of the camera would have to be compatible with that feature. For example, if you were to buy a Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, that does have dust and humidity protection, you would have to mount it on a Canon 1D for that protection to be effective. A Canon 400D, for example, would not be compatible with the lens' dust protection feature - however, the sensor of the 400D itself would have dust protection (it vibrates to shake it off).

One camera that does have both image stabilisation and anti-dust built into the body is the Sony A100, that would fall more or less within you price range.

Bear in mind, however, that no anti-dust system is perfect.

All that having been said, a good camera to start with is indeed the Nikon D40. It's relatively affordable and its kit lens is slightly better than the competition. Getting the also relatively affordable Nikkor AF-S DX VR 55-200mm F/4-5.6 G IF-ED, which has image stabilisation, would probably be enough for your wildlife fotos. Neither camera nor lens have dust protection, however.

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Nikon D90 + MB-D80 + SB-600 + AF-S VR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 + AF-S 35mm f/1.8 + AF 85mm f/1.8 | My photos on Flickr.

Thanks for the complete answer.

I'm thinking of getting the Olympus E-510 or the Pentax K100D, and in both cases I'll probably just attach the lense and leave it there. I guess the answer to my question depends on the camera model and the lense model.

Caleb

Despite my previous thread I am going to plunge for a good compact camera. Only because it means I don't need multiple lenses and to buy flash. I am liking the look of the Fuji Finepix S91000/96000 (depends on what country you are in)

It has a okay zoom for me (10x) and the image quality seems fine but it says its anti-shake technology only increases the shutter speed. Is this method any good? I ask because the fact I cannot read the words 'Image stabilisation' puts me off.

Any advice is greatly welcomed as always.
Thanks

"anti-shake" = "image-stabilization"
It always lets you take longer shutter speeds without / before upping the ISO (=increasing the noise).
But this technology in all cameras increases the risk of motion blur: If that jogger is ok at 1/60 sec it will certainly leave a trail at 1/8 sec

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

thanks for the quick reply, as i was hitting the 'buy' button I read that the Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd Black is the same as the more expensive S9600 but has the benefit of face dectetion but lacks the megapixel count. The MP count is not a bit loss to me as the 6500 also seems to have less noise and higher ISO levels, there is no cameralab review on it though and I really trust the views on the site and the members here.

Side note: no flip screen on the 6500 either, but if anyone can comment on the image quality and the noise levels that would be fab.

True image stabilization occurs when the sensor or the lense is physically moved by a small motor to compensate for hand shake. What I call "faux" image stabilization is when the camera simply increases the ISO (the sensitivity of the sensor) so that the shutter opens and closes more quickly, thus reducing blur. The problem is that as the ISO goes up, the visible noise goes up -- and this is especially true with point-and-shoot cameras. If cameras had the same noise level at all ISOs, then this kind of "faux" image stabilization would be just fine.

In short, the camera you are considering doesn't actually have image stabilization at all.

I want to add my opinion that Fuji uses too much noise reduction in their cameras, which results in blurriness that I don't find in images from, say, Canon's point-and-shoot cameras (at least the ones with the Digic II processor). Gordon's reviews are wonderful, but he doesn't post a lot of sample pictures, so I suggest you search the internet for sample pictures from the camera that you want to buy. Try to find sample pictures which are posted in their original full size.

Good luck!

Caleb

Here is a page of sample pictures from another review site:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_rev ... mples.html

To my eyes, the images are truly good only at ISO 100. At ISO 200 they are marginal, and at ISO 400 and above they are too blurry.

Incidentally, I feel very strongly that the reviews on this site are not very good (Gordon's reviews are much better), but the sample pictures are great.

Caleb

Yes Caleb, you're right!
The so called "Picture Stabilisation mode" of the 6500fd is certainly cheating in my eyes as upping the ISO increases noise.
Real stabilisation is either moving lens-elements or the sensor.

Sorry, noviceuser, for my oversight!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses