slr or compact

[easyscoob]

i am a complete newbie to this but i want a camera thats easy to use but takes real good pictures.
i was either thinking of a samsung nv10 (10mp) or a 6mp digital slr

what i want to know is even tho the pixel are greater on the samsung will the slr still produce better pictures

also i wanted a camera that would do those shots where you hold the button down and it just takes loads of pictures

can anyone suggest a camera ? thanks guys

( i dont want to pay a fortune for it no more than say £350)

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

even tho the pixel are greater on the samsung will the slr still produce better pictures

Yes, the DSLR will absolutely blow the samsung out of the water.

Look at the Canon 350D or 400D. Or maybe the Nikon D40 or D50.

Similar questions have been asked every day on this forum...I'm sure you will find plenty of good info with the search function.

 

[easyscoob]

thanks i will use search, im pretty new to forums, hell switching on the pc was a bit of an ordeal

 

[ksmattfish]

ihat i want to know is even tho the pixel are greater on the samsung will the slr still produce better pictures

also i wanted a camera that would do those shots where you hold the button down and it just takes loads of pictures

DSLRs have larger sensors and larger pixels. Larger pixels usually mean less noise. So generally a DSLR does produce better quality photos. There are some compact cameras coming out in the near future that have sensors that are the same as in DSLRs. Assuming the lenses are good, they should be very similar image quality.

Then again it's not just resolution and pixel size that determines image quality. If you don't often print larger than 8"x12" then it might be hard to spot the difference between photos from a good compact and a DSLR.

If the size of the DSLR keeps you from carrying it or using it then it's not the best camera for you. It doesn't matter how good the image quality is on a photo that was never taken.

If several exposures a second is a feature you want, then I think it would be hard to beat a DSLR. I'm not familiar with all compacts, but most seem to have a bit of lag. At least that's the #1 complaint I hear from my friends and family with compact digital cameras.

 

[Tyson]

My

 

[easyscoob]

thanks matt thats really great advice, how do you rate this samsung nv10 compact per chance?
my mum has a slr camera but i do struggle to take good photos with it they come out blurry or just cant focus it right
id porbably be better off with some automatic thing

 

[ksmattfish]

how do you rate this samsung nv10 compact per chance?

I have no knowledge of that camera, but in general I try to stick to companies that have a history of camera manufacturing. Check out what they say over at dpreview.com

When my friends and family ask what digital camera to buy I usually recommend whatever Canon, Nikon, or Olympus that fits in their budget. Recently though, I've read some interesting things about the Fuji Finepix F30. It's getting raves for it's high ISO performance. Not as good as a DSLR, but way ahead of the pack as far as compact digital cameras are concerned.

 

[britonk]

I think there are other important advantages to using an SLR too - one of the major things for me was that the higher end compact cameras tend to use "Electronic ViewFinders" (EVFs). These allow you to see what's coming through the lens but they update slooooowly and the resolution on them is crappy.

With SLRs you see optically what is coming in through the lens which is so much better I can't tell you!

This is one of the main reasons I got rid of the Panasonic FZ7 I was using and brought a Nikon D50.

 

[Simon]

I have 2 Dslr's and a compact,

The reason I moved to DSLR was due to shutter lag problems with a compact, I hear that has been much improved over the last year to the point where you can almost take 2 frames per second.

If you are looking for quality then for me the DSLR wins hands down. Another major advantage to a DSLR is that you can change lenses which will give you much more control over your shots.

I vote the DSLR and you can pick up entry level DSLR's just slighly over your budget.

Either look at canon or nikon.

 

[Alex_B]

I've read some interesting things about the Fuji Finepix F30.

the F30 is really a nice camera for the given size.

 

[simonkit]

Hi,

don't get too pulled-in by the salesman talk - 10MP in a compact is not necessary & judging by many reviews too much for the sensor size, regarding noise anyway. A 6MP will produce a decent quality A3 print !!

DSLR's are also not a requirement for everyone, but may be for you. You need to identify exactly what your main photography requirements are (low light / fast moving objects / landscape / potraits etc) & also how much effort you are prepared to put in. DSLR's have a larger learning curve that P&S and if you don't put in the effort you probably won't get the best from the camera. It's also worth noting that carrying a round a DSLR isn't quite as easy as putting a P&S in your pocket - many DSLR owners also own a P&S for those situations where size/bulk just isn't convenient

simon

 

[Alex_B]

i am a complete newbie to this but i want a camera thats easy to use but takes real good pictures.
i was either thinking of a samsung nv10 (10mp) or a 6mp digital slr

what i want to know is even tho the pixel are greater on the samsung will the slr still produce better pictures

10 mp are rather a waste for all current p&s cameras.

resolution is not made by the number of pixels on the sensor alone, but also by the glass in front of it. At the moment there is a tendency to enlarge the number of megapixels, since this is much sheaper than increasing the quality of the lenses (in particular at the given small size those lenses have to be). Also it reads better in advertising. but image quality is not increased.

the other problem is, that a small sensor with such a high density of pixels will give you a lot of noise.

 

[Alex_B]

also don't forget that getting an DSLR means a hell lot of follow-up costs ... almost any decent additional lens will cost you just as much or even more than your current overall budget