Bridge Cameras

CMan · Dec 11, 2006

I've been thinking about adding another camera to my arsenal, maybe this spring or summer, so I thought I should start researching now.

I've got the Finepix as a pocket camera; then I have the 50E and the 400D for really good shots. What I'm looking for is sort of a "bridge" camera. Something that I can take with me if I know I'm going to be in a location where there will be great pictures for the taking or shots that require zoom, but I don't want to take one of the SLR bags.

I was looking at bridge cameras like the S6000, S9000, FZ7, etc. The Fuji's really appeal to me because of the manual focus ring.

Now, my big question is; how much image quality am I going to gain over a traditional compact like my Finepix, and how much do you think I am going to lose versus a DSLR like, say, the D50, which would be in this price range? Thanks guys.

mysteryscribe · Dec 11, 2006

Since my digital knowledge is minor I have no idea but....

I would love to hear from someone who has one of the really good high end whatever they call those and also owns a dslr so we get a real hands on not theoretical opinion.

jjvn · Dec 19, 2006

Any luck finding the "bridge" camera? I only have a P&S, and was thinking about getting a better camera, but I don't know if I should jump into DSLR's or go to an intermediate level first ( a "bridge" level ), so I need almost the same help as you.
I agree the best way to know how much you gain ( and lose ) it's hearing from someone who has different types of cameras ( P&S, "bridge", DSLR ), maybe someone could take the same picture with two or three cameras and post them.

mysteryscribe · Dec 19, 2006

thats a great idea too bad i dont have anything but the most simple pns digital camera. I mean the one that doesn't even have a flash.

rfm · Dec 22, 2006

I have (had, well it broke.) a Fuji s5600, the basic from the Fuji bridge cameras, but an excellent camera. Only 5 meg, but a bloomin' good 5 meg at that. The functions are very good, lots of range, and I do like the manual focus, so you can toy with the SLR style photography as well. I am currently in the process of replacing my camera, (will definatley be getting a bridge as I don't feel the need for a DSLR) with another bridge, most likely from the Fuji range. I'm wondering at the moment whether to just get another s5600 as it is very powerful. I would like to have a play with a 6500 to see whther it's worth the extra cost.

One thing which I do like about the s5600 is the video capture too.

Heres a few examples from my s5600...

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l4/rick_atkinson/Wales%20Weekend%2070ct06/DSCF0185.jpg?t=1166797053
full 10 optical zoom.

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l4/rick_atkinson/Wales%20Weekend%2070ct06/DSCF0183.jpg?t=1166797196

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l4/rick_atkinson/Wales%20Weekend%2070ct06/DSCF0303.jpg

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l4/rick_atkinson/Wales%20Weekend%2070ct06/DSCF0203.jpg

Just a few examples. I only had the camera one day so verity of pictures are a bit on the low side. I didn't play with the manual focus side but seemed functional.

mysteryscribe · Dec 22, 2006

I have a problem with people talking like these arent serious cameras. My nephew has a panasonic dizzy30 and that thing makes terrific pictures. Everybit as good as a 35mm slr. And that was top of the line technology a short time ago. What happened did it somehow get worse, I don't think so.

It is my opinon, and i know it is the minority, but a lot of this my dslr is better than your dslr ect is just some kind of justification for spending that money. I just wish these cameras were a bit more basic and larger. I would most likely get one. I like the idea of a long zoom with stabilization right there. I have changed enough lenses over my life time that I'm no longer enamored with the show it makes for the customer.

markc · Dec 22, 2006

I think it's a shame that detachable lenses somehow became the same as "SLR", and that it meant a better camera for some reason. I think many beginners have a lot of de-learning to do before understanding equipment.

As to the original post, there are so many variables in that range, it really depends on the cameras you compare to and the kind of photography you do. I think your best bet is just to spend some time with a site like DPReview.

mysteryscribe · Dec 22, 2006

If you want to get technical the view and field cameras were the truest of the slr.

markc · Dec 22, 2006

mysteryscribe said:
If you want to get technical the view and field cameras were the truest of the slr.

Not really. Many don't use a mirror, which is where the "reflex" comes from. The image goes straight from the lens to the film back. On an SLR and TLR, the light goes from the lens to one or two mirrors to get delivered to the viewing area.

On a view camera, the glass shows the image up-side-down and backwards. On many TLRs with a single mirror (though some have two or a prism), it's right-side-up but still backwards on the glass, and on SLRs with two mirrors (thought some have one), it's flipped both ways back to how our eyes see the scene.

That's basically it. Anything to do with interchangeable lenses or the rest is just what people are used to seeing a camera have, not what "single lens reflex" means: A single lens and a mirror.