Help me buy a camera

[tortoisesarefab]

Hi, I am after a new camera as my phone takes better pictures than my old one! Thinking of asking dh to get me one for Christmas but I just don't know what I am looking for. Do I get a big one with the big lenses or a smaller, more compact one. Also what do megapixels mean and is there any other technical data I should be looking at? I am clueless

I am also clueless and want to high jack the thread. Sorry op.

I've bought a Nikon coolpix l830

www.argos.co.uk/m/static/Product/partNumber/2376134.htm

Sorry I'm on phone can't do proper links!

Is it a shit camera and should I take it back? I mainly bought it cos it was half price and looked like a big proper slr but without the faff and it was purple, squeal! but I am now worried dh will say it's pants and why did I bother.

Sorry if I killed your thread tortoise

I have a dslr (nikon d3200) and a Panasonic lumix tz10 compact camera - I'd recommend them both, but I do love my DSLR. My lumix is a few years old, so there are newer models out now.

This is what I don't understand as I have just googled
Nikon dslr and they range in price from £199 to £899! What does the latter one do that the former doesn't?

I suspect the latter has a range of features for the serious photographer who'll choose manual settings to create professional quality pictures.

I chose my dslr after reading tons of reviews - it has a good auto setting and I'm planning to go on a manual course to help me learn to use all the other settings. I guess it comes down to how you want to use your camera?

I suppose that makes sense. I mostly just want to take nice family photos so nothing too professional! Will look at the dslr's then. Hoping to get a good deal on Black Friday!

Most think that the more megapixels the camera the better the picture but this isn't the case as the image sensor is what is more important

Can't remember why but I did a lot of research before I bought a camera a year ago and I ended up with the canon sx50hs mainly because I wanted one with the massive 50x zoom that it has and my DP already had the Nikon coolpix p510 so I didn't want to get the same

Both are good mega zoom cameras and do what we want

I like Canon cameras. I tend to now only buy Canon as I know how they work, what the little symbols they use mean, how to navigate their menus, etc. And they are reputable and good quality.

I currently have a Canon 7D SLR (body of it, bought last year) with a range of lenses (you buy separately). However that is not the cheap option - although the 7D has nearly halved in price from last year it is still over £600 without a len. It does, however, take lovely photographs.

Prior to that I had a 450D model which was a much cheaper SLR option. It came with a kit lens but you can add lenses to it depending on what you want to do. It did take very good photographs and I was able to sell it on. I know that it is still going strong now.

However, if you don't want the SLR route - and I know many people don't - then a good compact camera is great. My old one died a year or so ago but I am intending to replace it soon. A compact is great for flinging in your bag and for quick shot snaps.

In the past I have always liked the Canon Ixus range. The metal body ones are very robust and ideal for living in a bag. The photos taken with them are very very good.

If you do go down the DSLR route I would definitely recommend going on a couple of day courses. It has made such a difference to the way I take photos. I now rarely have to resort to using Auto.

Even if you do get a DSLR, try and use the P (program) setting rather than just full auto - the outcome will be far better generally.

Thanks for all these tips, will have a look at the models suggested this evening. I think a course would be a good idea, will look into those too.

It might be worth googling 'dslr reviews' or similar too - I read a lot of magazine reviews online and articles comparing different dslr's.

I do really enjoy having a DSLR and I'm looking forward to going on a course to hopefully get more out of it, but I wouldn't be without my compact camera either, although I do use it less and less these days.