Getting a new camera, I don't know much, can you guys help me?

Tom_Bombadilll

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Hi, I am thinking about getting a camera. A good camera but not too expensive. I have been reading articles and reviews but somehow feel you guys will know a lot of things that I haven't discovered. I do not want a full system-camera since, even though I want to change settings and ISO etc. I don't want to have to go courses and I also feel system cameras are a bit too big. The ones I have been looking at right now are Fujifilm Finepix x10 and Finepix x20.

I like them because they look good(especially the metal one) and also because the sample images look quite good, especially from the x20.

Also, I wonder, how big is the difference between these two? Would a noob like me notice the difference?
 
No doubt!
Get the one that looks good to you (especially the metal one).

Fujifilm X20 Review: Digital Photography Review
Conclusion - Pros
  • Very good photo quality; noticeably sharper than X10
  • Fast, 28-112mm equiv. F2.0-2.8 zoom lens with manual zoom ring
  • Solid build quality with retro design
  • Large optical viewfinder offers exposure data and focus point overlay
  • Wide selection of manual controls (plus a scene-selecting auto mode for beginners)
  • New Hybrid AF system is noticeably faster than the X10
  • Focus peaking
  • Excellent in-camera Raw conversion
  • DR Correction feature reduces highlight clipping (with a slight increase in noise)
  • Customizable Fn button, dual dials, and 'Q menu' make adjusting settings fast and easy
Conclusion - Cons
  • Tends to smudge fine details (even at ISO 100)
  • Clips highlights at default DR setting (though no worse than its peers)
  • Optical viewfinder doesn't live up to its potential (no composition grid, grid lines); lens can be seen through viewfinder at wide-angle
  • No dedicated movie record button; no manual controls (aside from mic level adjustment)
  • Video quality not as good as other high-end compacts
  • Raw not available above ISO 3200
  • Camera can be slow to wake from sleep (requires a one second button press)
  • Long write times after a burst of Raw images is taken
  • Below average battery life
 
Always pick up the cameras you are interested in, and try to operate them. See how steadily you can hold each one. Sharp photos come from the camera being still when the photo is taken. You can put the camera on a tripod, but that gets old, and may not always be practical depending on your subjects.

Visit a well stocked store with an open mind and try out a few other cameras too. Take a memory card, or purchase one there. Collect samples on the card. Take the card home and look at the photos on your computer. See which ones appeal.

Between holding and operating the cameras, and looking at the photos, something will speak to you. The camera has to work with your hands and mind; we cannot do the fine tuning for you.
 
if you are interested in that model, get online and do as much reading about it as you need. I find going to flickr and searching for the exact camera you are looking at should pull up allot of photos taken with that camera. that might help you decided if the image quality is good enough for you.
 
I know that you should always check things out for yourself, doesn't matter if it's headphones or cameras, but since my camera-knowledge is pretty weak so far, I have to have something to go by. Are there similair cameras for similair prices that are much better for example?

Very thankful for the advice. It can however be quite hard to find as many cameras in Stockholm as you might find in the US.
 
How much are you willing to spend?
 
There are lots of factors to take into account. Virtually all cameras on the market today will provide a pretty good photo. As the cost increases, factors such as ruggedness and weather sealing are improved. Newer models are generally better in low light. Some cameras don't have optical viewfinders. Some have really good digital viewfinders, some use an LCD panel on the back, like a cell phone, which may be difficult to see in bright sunlight and which run the battery down quickly.

How well you take care of your stuff, what you want to shoot, your ability to deal with technology and many other factors all affect your choice/happiness with your choice.
 
I don't know if this still holds true or not, but If I remember correctly Canon point and shoot camera's used to be the best with regards to overall image quality.

You said that you didn't want a "system" camera as they are too big. Have you checked out the many Micro 4/3 camera systems available? These cameras have a larger sensor in them, and the lenses are much better quality than your traditional point and shoot. These two things will significantly improve image quality. With regards to size, in many cases micro 4/3 camera's are less than half the size of even a compact D-SLR.
 
Sorry for my use of improper terminology, in Swedish it's called "system cameras". I am at the moment looking at some used x20-cameras as I am quite poor atm(student). Is it bad to buy used cameras? Do they wear down fast like computers and cell phones or can they last for decades, like headphones and stereos? (My guess is the latter)

I am quite tech-savvy as I study computer science and also when I get into things, be it computers, hifi or shoe-polishing, I like to learn and do it the best way possible, if that makes any sense, so I will probably take time to learn the controls but as I said I do not wish, at the moment at least, to go to photo courses and I want to use my camera casually but still take good pictures, especially when I am on trips abroad. I love photography, I just never have had the chance to test it out. Thanks again for all the help.

I can't really say what the budget is, the cheaper the better, if you know what I mean. I found someone selling a x20 for ~280 dollars here in Sweden, and it seems like a pretty good deal. What do you say?
 
Are bumps allowed in this forum?

You can't really go wrong with your first camera. I've moved up quickly with my cameras, with in two years I had about a dozen different cameras, from Sony to Canon, now to Nikon. I love Nikon and am partial to it. I will tell you besides my d7000 I loved my d90. I had a d3100, d5000, d5100 and as you grow with your camera you tend to want more out of it, those three didn't offer me what I really wanted, until I got into the d90 and I had that for about a year and finally found an excellent deal on a d7000 and jumped at the chance to purchase it.

Are you looking for an interchangeable lens camera? Or point and shoot?
 
Point and shoot I think, since it seems more mobile.
 
my canon G16 point and shoot sure takes some nice photos for a point and shoot.
my old canon SX210 also took some nice photos but not as nice.
my ex girl friend had some inexpensive canon point and shoot and she got some great photos out of that thing.

I am going to agree that canon makes the best point and shoot cameras. I am not all that familiar with what is out there now and how they stack up to canon point and shoots but I have always found that the canons seemed to be the best for point and shoots when I was shopping around for one. I have always been happy with the canons small cameras

as far as DSLR I am a nikon guy but when it comes to point and shoot I like canon.

you can get some nice photos with almost any camera unless the image quality is actually poor on that camera. If I wanted a inexpensive camera I would probably get a canon SX280 hs the SX260 hs looks descent too but from what I have seen the 280 might have better image quality. both of those camera are not very expensive here and I have seen some nice photos come from both. I was just looking at photos from both of those cameras on flickr and there are some really good photos and some not so good photos taken with those. for a camera that I could just throw in my pocket easily that does not cost allot I think I would be happy with one of those.
 
Point and shoot I think, since it seems more mobile.

I would actually recommend looking into a Sony Cyber-Shot, check out adorama.com they sell new, used and refurbished products. Look at the newer models for the Sony as well.
 
How would a SX280hs stand up against a x20? A used x20 goes for about the same price as a new SX280hs here in Sweden, telling from some of the ads I have seen on used camera-sites.
 

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