Do I want a CSC or not - recommendations please?

juniper

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Hi - my first post in photography so please be gentle with me if you can :)

First of all I confess to being very much a low end amateur point and shoot photographer at best. I'd love to learn more though, but currently I do not know even the basics of manual settings I am afraid:(. I do promise however to try however.

OK so the reason for my post is that I would like to improve the image quality of the pictures that I do take. I currently use a Panasonic TZ7, and it takes good pictures as far as I am concerned, but I am told that I will improve image quality with a DSLR or a CSC. So having done me many a google search, and had a bit of a play in Jessops, I am still at a loss really, so here I am:)

So my requirements, I think are as follows:

1. Something not too bulky - I will be travelling for example to Everest base camp later in the year and don't want something that takes up too much room or weight.
2. Takes good landscape shots (i.e mountains :)). I don't on the other hand need close up shots, or portrait ability etc.
3. Will give me an upgrade on image quality on my TZ7 without me having to spend time doing manual focus or adjustments etc., at least until i learn what I am doing.
4. I don't really want the hassle of changing lenses unless I have to.
5. I 'think' I'd like to have full HD movie capability too. I use a 1080p home cinema pj and have a nice shiny iMac and so would like to optimise the quality of that part too. The video footage that I have taken with the TZ7 is underwhelming at best.

Oh and my budget is around £500 or so.

Having gone into Jessops and basically told them the above they pointed me towards the Sony Nex-5. Doing a bit of a trawl around here pits that it seems against the Panny GF2, Samsung NX10 and Olympus Pen.

Can anyone suggest what I should look to go for please? The NEX-5 that I looked at seemed a bit cumbersome almost with the 18-55mm lens on. How good is the 16mm lens on there and if I don't need to zoom at all could I get awat with just it alone for landscape use?

Sorry for all the questions, but I sincerely appreciate any help that anyone can give me....let me know if I've missed out telling you anything else that is relevant too.....:smashin:
 
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Have you had a look at the Sony A33/55 models (new ones out soon) - they are a lot smaller than a normal DSLR ?

Jim
 
If you're happy with the picture quality of your TZ7 why are you looking to upgrade?

If you don't want a bulky camera, and having a bulky camera is going to mean you take it out and use it less, then stick with what you've got. If you don't want to be changing lenses or be messing around with settings I think your best bet may instead to be to invest the money ina decent HD camcorder that will do the job properly rather than a 2-in-1 job which will do neither of the things you want.
 
If you're happy with the picture quality of your TZ7 why are you looking to upgrade?

That is a very very good question. I think the picture quality is fine without it being great, and I think I'd better answer it as follows:
1. Heading to Everest base camp later in the year is a once in a lifetime experience, and I want to get the best pictures that I can without spending my time looking at my camera instead of what I came for.
2. People that I know with DSLR cameras tell me I will get much better image quality if I get a camera with a better sensor, and that leads me to either a DSLR or a CSC instead of what I have now. I'm sute they are not wrong, although I very rarely print and look at most images on my Mac, so there may well be little discernible difference there anyway.

If you don't want a bulky camera, and having a bulky camera is going to mean you take it out and use it less, then stick with what you've got. If you don't want to be changing lenses or be messing around with settings I think your best bet may instead to be to invest the money ina decent HD camcorder that will do the job properly rather than a 2-in-1 job which will do neither of the things you want.

I see the video as a real sidebar thing. I wouldn't tend to take much video so wouldn't feel like I could justify a big outlay on just a camcorder. I actually had a camcorder previously and hardly got it out ever. It's there when I need it really, and if it is good quality HD then so much the better.

Thank you for your comments too - they are very much appreciated. They make me realise I have more to learn than I thought I did. It's all too easy to make an expensive mistake, which is I suppose why I am here really:).
 
I think it's very important to make sure a camera suits you because if it doesn't, any other improvements or features are probably not going to be of use to you. I have a friend with a TZ7 which he takes everywhere but wanted better quality in low light, he was considering a mirrorless camera like an NEX so I offered him a loan of my GF1 and a couple of lenses. He appreciated the improved image quality but over a year later he's still using the TZ7 as he likes the flexible zoom and small pocket sized camera. I've seen it many other times with other people as well, including my own Mum who uses a Minolta Xg (an old 3.2MP slim camera that used a prism to bend the light 90 degrees) in preference over borrowing any of my cameras as she likes the look and feel of it. So I'd be careful of being pushed into something that may not suit you well.

In answer to your question, the Sony 16mm lens is very good and pairs well with the Nex bodies. Also the large sensor is good for capture both bright and dark areas of the frame (the dynamic range) however it's potentially going to be very limited only being to shoot super wide angle as it means pictures of people or anything as a subject is going to be awkward as super wide angles have a lot of distortion round the edges.

John
 
Yeah, I'd be very cautious not least because getting the best out of a 'proper' camera can take some time and experience. You may well find the first 1000 shots are more of a learning experience than the instant gratification point and click.

Personally I would advise that unless you're actually genuinely interested in taking more control over your images then the TZ7 is going to do what you want it to.
 
Thanks again all for your help folks - upgradeitis is a terrible thing when you don't really know what you are doing or are looking for, and that certainly applies to me:blush:. I have managed it successfully with a host of AV kit, but photography is a whole new field for me really, and yet it is strange having used a camera all my life (I'm no spring chicken either:)), that there is so much to learn still. I've probably owned ten cameras in my life, and never knew really what I was buying into. Having now scratched the surface properly though, I will continue to do my research.......much obliged and I will keep you posted of where I end up.........:smashin:.
 

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