Easy to use digital camera - Lumix maybe?

[porthcurnick]

We need to replace our old brick of a camera, just for taking pics of children, day trips, holidays, christmas etc.

Needs to be nice and easy, point and press button, otherwise I will never work out how to use the thing. Want video feature as well.

Been searching on here, the Lumix seems to keep coming up, maybe one of these two, argos jessops not actually sure what the difference is , the argos one says it is 14 megapixels, but the jessops one says 4320 x 3240 pixels , is that about the same quality

Our am I better off with a different one altogether, can anyone help me before my head explodes trying to compare them all.

I've got a Panasonic TZ10 which I really like. Only pita is that the battery runs down even when switched off and not in use, so if its been in the drawer for a couple of months the chances are the battery will be flat. I think its because it has a GPS which is on all the time and uses battery.

thanks viva so I need to avoid one with GPS then.

Dh bought me a lumix last year and i hated it. Always go for Nikon or Canon at a push fuji (good cameras but the last one i had broke and i had to get it repared using the guarantee).

I like the Digital Camera website for comparing cameras, they give some really good, clear reviews of what is available.

I got DH one of the Panasonic Lumix ones last year for Xmas, spent weeks researching what to get!! There are so many product lines; I chose the one that could be dropped on concrete from 2m & probably still function because DH has form for that sort of thing. Decided against the all-singing one with WiFi (too bulky, heavy & too complicated).

It may be that anything above 10 MP and the average person won't be able to tell the difference from it & using film, not unless you want to do enormous (wall size) blow ups.

Both the ones in your link are FS line, the 16 is a bit more MP (the 14 is about 12 MP). I think 14 vs. 12 MP accounts for the price difference. I'd go for the FS14, red looks nicer :). Spend the extra £20 on a good case for it & a spare battery,I think you'll need to buy SD card to buy separately, too. Case that goes on your belt loop would be good.

I did see a Sony one is Jessops today, think it was about £100. I'm going to have a look at Nikon and Canon now marne.

I was amazed at how tiny the cameras in Jessops were today, I think we probably should have replaced ours years ago, they have really moved on.

I had a Canon Ixus for years until my DS buried it in some sand on the beach and it funnily enough stopped working. I got a cheap Fuji Fine Pix one as a replacement but the Canon is so much better quality and so much easier to use.

I just bought a Panasonic gf3. It's really good. It's a bit more than you are looking for but it's my fist Panasonic and I am impressed. I have had canon before and they are great too!

very useful thanks adventure just what I needed, all very clearly explained.

Right so I'm not really going to see any difference over 10MP, so I can stop worrying about that part.

SD card and case with loop, I'll put those on list, wouldn't have thought of that, and spare battery didn't realise, old one takes duracell.

Am slightly stunned that some cameras have wifi as well now, see that sounds far too complicated for what I want - I still don't know how to use the camera function on my very, very old mobile phone, technology is not my thing, I just want it to work easily with no fuss.

Am very tempted to go and get the red one then, want it to take on holiday next week.

thanks hell I'll check the review site now.

Don't touch a Sony (sony are great for TV's and sound systems but not cameras), i have a Sonly SLR camera and it broke a week after the gaurantee ran out, sony quoted me £200 to fix it), deffently look at a Nikon or canon (we have had several and they are great cameras), Jesops are great because you can fiddle around with them before buying. You might have to pay a bit more for Nikon or Canon but you get what you pay for.

I have the Lumix TZ8, I think it's almost the same as the TZ10 but without the GPS. I use it pretty much all the time and think the battery life is decent.

I've a Lumix FZ28 - I had a FZ27 prior to that (stolen) both were/are great little cameras, I've even won places in competitions with pictures taken with them - no GPS - but I upped the battery spec to a longer life one when I bought them, just as I bought a big memory card & I've had no issues with battery life

So yes, IMHO - go for LUMIX, but upgrade the battery when you do

I have a Lumix FZ28 as my 'keep it in my bag at all times' camera..photography is my hobby but carrying around my SLR is a pain at times, and I have had some great shots from my lumix. Not it's not an SLR quality camera but it is very nice and the zoom is very handy:)

You can turn off the GPS function on the tz10 to conserve the battery.

Had a Linux for last 6 years and very happy with it. Just smashed it and planning to get another so can reuse the battery as well as memory cards.

thanks everyone, the Lumix sounds like it would be fine then, I'm going into town Wed so think I will get one of those.

Good to know you can turn the GPS off, still haven't got a clue why you need it on a camera, will go and ask in Jessops.

I will make sure I ask about extras as well like batteries, bigger memory cards and a case.