[Digger]

Hi All. Going to buy a camera for my girlfriend's birthday and I need to purchase by this weekend. She's a bit of a technophobe so needs to be relatively basic model and with easy to use software etc. Ideally should come with a case and be very compact. Looking to spend around £100-150

Anyone got any recommendations or do I assume that they all perform to the same level in that price range?

Many Thanks

[horribleman]

I was very happy with a Hitachi I got from Argos with a 6X optical zoom.

Until I got my D40

[Digger]

Thanks. What model was it?

[horribleman]

Here: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5606605.htm

But it's gone up.

Here's a cheap Canon

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5606715.htm

This Nikon looks a bit of a bargain (5x Optical Zoom, £129):

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5606399.htm

I'd check the reviews of that Nikon out personally - it looks nice

[senu]

Give the fujis 30/31fd a good look (maybe not the 30, it may be hard to find now) .

Technophobia does not mean she will like so so images Simple doesn't necessarily equate to good performance

As it happens even "complicated" DSLRs can be used in simple point and shoot mode

[ScottBT]

Mate I highly reccommend this Fuji site: http://www.fujifilm.co.uk/shop/refurb/shop.php

This is where I bought my Fuji S5600 and F710 and they where brand new.

Most stock on the site is stock that is unused but has been returned by the retailers.

The Fuji F20 is superb value at £100.

[Digger]

They have F31fd at £135. Shall I get that one. Seems to be well reviewed.

[Digger]

forget that as it will come in a "refurbished" box! hmmm Jessops do an f31fd online with collect at store option for £144 or argos have a f30 for £150, and an f20 for £120. What are the basic differences between these?

[Digger]

There is an offer in classifieds for a few months old Canon Ixus 850 IS which i reckon will eventually go for £160-170 with 512mb card and a carry case. Any good?

[spaceman763]

http://www.buyacamera.co.uk/xsearch....=FUJCA385&pt=k

There you go... brand new Fuji F31 for £135.99 plus delivery.

[spaceman763]

If you see the channel 5 Gadget Show review the F31 trounced the Canon. Search for it on you tube or go to www.fujifilm.co.uk and watch the review there. Trust me, the Fuji's the best option.

[wobblebottom]

Fuji F30 or F31

go fir it.. Ive got the F30 cant fault it.. the Macro is Amazing on it..

[Digger]

will prob go for jessops f31 LINKY with bundle of case and card for £178

All say aye? prefer to spend less but you get what you pay for!

[Funky]

There are lots of good point and shoot cameras out there.

I'm very happy with my Samsung Digimax i6 Black Digital Camera. Its a great camera, excellent quality. I'd definitely recommend this
Samsung Digimax i6

The video camera from Sanyo may do virtually everything you want. You may take a look.
Sanyo VPC-CG65

[Wellington Tim]

I bought my daughter a Nikon L4 for Christmas (£70 from Tesco's) and it was a very simple, easy to use camera that took good snaps, especially outdoors.

[Just call me Al]

I am a big fan of Canon cameras & that's the way I would go apart from the Panasonic DMC TZ1. I've had this camera since last June. It takes very good pictures in ALL situations. I've taken night shots, low light shots & everyday shots. All have been great. It has image stabilization that is second to none, burst mode & much much more. The icing on the cake for me is the Movie mode. You can film at 30fps in highest quality & also in full widescreen (not a cut down version). You can also use the zoom whilst filming. 99.9% of still cameras don't allow you to zoom whilst filming. If you want more icing it has a 10X zoom. Even at 10X zoom the image stabilization works really well & you get very few bad shots.

[Digger]

All confused now. How about a really slim model (like the Samsung mentioned above) that packs a decent zoom and has image stabilization. She's a footie nut and goes to Arsenal games so i think a spec like that would be suitable for her.

Thanks for all the replies chaps

[Just call me Al]

Originally Posted by Digger

All confused now. How about a really slim model (like the Samsung mentioned above) that packs a decent zoom and has image stabilization. She's a footie nut and goes to Arsenal games so i think a spec like that would be suitable for her.

Thanks for all the replies chaps

The Samsung is 3X zoom, it doesn't "Pack a decent zoom" at all. The Panasonic lens is much better than the Samsung, The Panasonic brand is the best in almost everything they do Samsung is more middle range & not as reliable. Panasonic after sales is better than Samsung. If she's going to a football ground she will get fantastic close ups of the players with the Panasonic. She WILL NOT with the Samsung. She will also get fantastic movies on the Panasonic. The Samsung has it's lens on the top left (when taking a photo) I had one of these & kept putting part or all of my finger over the lens whilst trying to hold it. The Panasonic is the ONLY all round camera that gives great results whether still or movie mainly because of the 10X zoom. However if you want smaller go for a Canon. Canon will outperform a Samsung.

[Digger]

oops i phrased that something rotten. I meant similar in slimness to the Samsung. . .

Yep I have a canon ixus 40 which has served me very well for the last few years.

So to recap the basic spec

cost no more than £150 ideally
v.slim
decent zoom
image stabilization if poss
soft pouch would be a bonus


Will pop down Jessops at lunchtime and see what they have

[Mics49]

Originally Posted by Digger

will prob go for jessops f31 LINKY with bundle of case and card for £178

All say aye? prefer to spend less but you get what you pay for!

Ordered the F31 from Jessops, a 1 gig 'H' Fuji xD card from Play for £18, and a Crumpler PP90 Mk II for £11 from we-sell-crumpler.

edit: just seen your need for footie pics. then I'm with D2V2D and would go for something with a good zoom range (like the TZ3) which will cost more than your budget but might be well worth it (depends on the gf ) in the end.

[Just call me Al]

Originally Posted by Digger

oops i phrased that something rotten. I meant similar in slimness to the Samsung. . .

Yep I have a canon ixus 40 which has served me very well for the last few years.

So to recap the basic spec

cost no more than £150 ideally
v.slim
decent zoom
image stabilization if poss
soft pouch would be a bonus


Will pop down Jessops at lunchtime and see what they have

The problem is 99% of all small camera's don't have a decent zoom. I know if you/she played around at home with a Panasonic & any of the smaller lesser cameras you/she would choose the Panasonic after seeing what it can do with the zoom & movie (there would be no contest). However I expect you will go for a small camera & lose tons of good close up photo's. The F31 looks a nice camera. My first digital camera was a fuji 2 MP & the pictures it took & can still take, stands up extremely well to even todays 6 mp cameras. But if for any strange reason you didn't want a Panasonic then Canon or Nikon would be my second choice with Fuji a close third. But avoid those really slim cameras, they look nice, the pictures don't (in comparison).

[Digger]

OK then Pixmania have the Panasonic TZ1 for £153 in their pickup store, and ordered Crumpler pp100 and 1gb card for £19 both from we-sell-crumpler. Many thanks guys .

Hopefully she will be happy

P.S. Arent these forums great!

[Mics49]

I would be - good stuff.
My only concern, when checking the Panny size (11.2x5.8x4.0) on dpreview, you might have cut it a bit tight with the PP100 (13.5x5.5x3.5).
Still time to swap to a PP120 (also PP120 Glamour - which girl would not jump on "glamour"!? )?

[Just call me Al]

For my Panasonic I have a Lowepro Z10 case. I think it was from Jessops & was about £8-00. This holds the camera perfectly & also has a pouch for the spare battery & 2/3 SD cards.

[Digger]

Originally Posted by Mics49

I would be - good stuff.
My only concern, when checking the Panny size (11.2x5.8x4.0) on dpreview, you might have cut it a bit tight with the PP100 (13.5x5.5x3.5).
Still time to swap to a PP120 (also PP120 Glamour - which girl would not jump on "glamour"!? )?

I will be covered coz i read the dimensions to we-sell-crumpler over the phone and he reckoned it would be ok. Will find out tomorrow. Also he had it in Red/Silver so would closely match Arsenal colors Anyways I went into Jessops to politely inform tham that I wouldnt be picking up a collect @ store item (Fuji f31) coz I was going to Pixmania to pick up the TZ1 and he then said he could do the TZ1 for £149. . .result . My concern is that the TZ1 seems much bulkier than almost anything else but hopefully the functionality will make up for it.

[Digger]

Well on getting the pp100 out of the packaging I thought there's no way it will fit, but actually it really does fit like a glove as the neoprene only had to stretch a wee bit so quite happy really with the all in price of £168-50 for camera, pouch, and 1gb card. Will wait for g/f to return on monday night before having a play. Dont want to sound to knowledgeable before she gets her hands on it!

EDIT I am talking garbage here Where did I get that figure from
£149 + £19.50 for card and pouch so total is £168-50 and not £148-50 as I typed earlier!

[muff]

Originally Posted by Digger

will prob go for jessops f31 LINKY with bundle of case and card for £178

All say aye? prefer to spend less but you get what you pay for!

for £179.98 you can get

the Fuji Finepix F31fd camera + 2gb xd memory card, extra battery and a case with free 2 year warranty, free mini tripod and free delivery from

http://www.bestcameras.co.uk

worth checking out,

[luke_1983uk]

Originally Posted by Mics49

Ordered the F31 from Jessops, a 1 gig 'H' Fuji xD card from Play for £18, and a Crumpler PP90 Mk II for £11 from we-sell-crumpler.

edit: just seen your need for footie pics. then I'm with D2V2D and would go for something with a good zoom range (like the TZ3) which will cost more than your budget but might be well worth it (depends on the gf ) in the end.

so what do you think and does the case fit well?
would love to order the crumpler for mine do you have any photos?

[Digger]

Originally Posted by luke_1983uk

so what do you think and does the case fit well?
would love to order the crumpler for mine do you have any photos?

Read 3 posts up .

Dont have any pics (ironically) as girlfriend took it away y'day. Will try later in the week if i remember to

[luke_1983uk]

sorry mate i was asking Mics49,
hope your girlfriend likes her camera though, your thread helped me decide to buy the fuji F31FD
so thanks buddy!