Please help me choose a camera

dUnKle

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Following a work experience placement some 20 years ago with a local paper I have always fancied getting a "proper" camera and having a go myself at taking some decent pictures. Problem is I just dont know where to start

I live in Shropshire and am surrounded by beautiful countryside, would be great to be able to go for walks in it and take some pics, I just dont know what I need to purchase

Keep being tempted by the Sony NEX3 which is 329 at Jessops with the 18-55mm lens, but is this what I want / need ?

Budget would at max be £400, less the better

Thanks
 
First thing I'd suggest is to make your mind up whether you really "need" a camera as compact as the NEX.

What I mean is - do you definitely not want a DSLR which will have a proper viewfinder and better handling - especially with longer lenses ?

If you definitely don't want a DSLR then the NEX is a very good camera capable of very good results and the KIt 18-55mm lens should be fine for general photography and landscape work.

Jim
 
A DSLR from Sony would get you most bang for your buck. Jessops are doing some decent deals on the A290/A390 or if you want to spend your £400 the Nikon D3100 is a great camera you can film full HD video with. Have a stroll into Jessops and play about with the NEX and see if you get on with it (the lack of viewfinder is annoying to me).
 
Sony A200 body only would be the most affordable and even with a couple of standard kit zoom lenses can be bought for under your budget to get you going, but if you're looking to go with a micro mount format (NEX etx), it's both more expensive and has fewer dedicated mount lenses hence many are using DSLR lenses with an adapter ring for them.

I would suggest a kit lens of around 18mm-55/70mm with an intermediate zoom of 55/70mm-200/210mm unless you want to do decicated macro or require a wide aperture 'fast' fixed prime lens of say 50mm f/1.7-1.8.

I would go to the shops and have a play/feel, make a shortlist, scour the classifieds/evilbay and ask for opinions again and buy online (likely it'll be a used kit for your budget).

Happy hunting.
 
First thing I'd suggest is to make your mind up whether you really "need" a camera as compact as the NEX.

What I mean is - do you definitely not want a DSLR which will have a proper viewfinder and better handling - especially with longer lenses ?

If you definitely don't want a DSLR then the NEX is a very good camera capable of very good results and the KIt 18-55mm lens should be fine for general photography and landscape work.

Jim

I really dont know what I need, guess thats my big problem
Cant not see a reason though why I cant have a full sized camera, after all the NEX with lens is hardly pockets sized, so would need bag etc

Have had a look online at Jesspos and found 4 which I guess are within my budget, but guess that I may need "extras" as well

Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm VR Lens - Jessops
Sony Alpha a290 with 18-55mm Lens - Jessops
Canon EOS 1000D Digital SLR Camera - Jessops
Sony Alpha a390 with 18-70mm Lens - Exclusive to Jessops - Jessops
 
Well I went for this about 6 months ago, and I couldn't be happier with my camera PENTAX K-x Digital SLR Camera + 18-55mm Zoom Lens & 50-200mm Zoom Lens buy online | Currys you can get 3% cashback at quidco which brings you very close to budget. It is also available with the shorrt zoom only here to bring you below budget Pentax Kx + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 SMC DAL AL - Navy - Only £378.00 - Park Cameras Online although personally I'm not so keen on the colours.

Looking beyond brand loyalty for bargains within your price range, and thinking perhaps even smaller than the K-x I came across Buy Panasonic Lumix G10 12mp Compact Camera with 14 - 42mm lens at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Compact system cameras. I've no personal knowledge of this individual model, but generally hold Panasonic cameras in high regard
 
thats a good deal on the pentax as its 400 at jessops with just one lens
 
I really dont know what I need, guess thats my big problem
Cant not see a reason though why I cant have a full sized camera, after all the NEX with lens is hardly pockets sized, so would need bag etc

Have had a look online at Jesspos and found 4 which I guess are within my budget, but guess that I may need "extras" as well

Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm VR Lens - Jessops
Sony Alpha a290 with 18-55mm Lens - Jessops
Canon EOS 1000D Digital SLR Camera - Jessops
Sony Alpha a390 with 18-70mm Lens - Exclusive to Jessops - Jessops

As has been mentioned before get down to a Jessops or similar and handle the cameras and see which suits you best ergonomically - all of these DSLR's will be perfectly capable of producing good images - good pictures is of course up to you ;)

As to "extras" well irrespective of what you buy you will need a memory card (or two) (much cheaper online) - a bag/case and at some point if you get serious about your landscape stuff them a Tripod will be on your wish list.

Also don't forget that you can further "extend" your budget by buying used gear from (for example) the AVF Classifieds section once you know what you're after :)


Jim
 
Link doesn't work for me Mark :(

Jim
Hmm! Maybe you need an account. Basically, go to the Talk Photography™ website, forums, classifieds, other brands & film/conventional.

Some nice deals on offer unless you want Canikon which have their own dedicated threads.

Notwithsdanding, AVF may also have equally good deals on offer.
 
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Hmm! Maybe you need an account. Basically, go to the Talk Photography™ website, forums, classifieds, other brands & film/conventional.

Some nice deals on offer unless you want Canikon which have their own dedicated threads.

...as indeed there are on the AVF Classifieds section Mark - of course you'll just have to trust me on that :p ;)

JIm
 
@TS: I think you should start on this part of your decision:

First thing I'd suggest is to make your mind up whether you really "need" a camera as compact as the NEX.

What I mean is - do you definitely not want a DSLR which will have a proper viewfinder and better handling - especially with longer lenses ?

If you definitely don't want a DSLR then the NEX is a very good camera capable of very good results and the KIt 18-55mm lens should be fine for general photography and landscape work.

Jim

I think Jim pointed that out very well. Decide first what you need. Then start from there. So if you think you need/want a DSLR then go with the available models that will suit your budget. Same goes with point and shoot. :smashin:
 
Hmm! Maybe you need an account. Basically, go to the Talk Photography™ website, forums, classifieds, other brands & film/conventional.

Some nice deals on offer unless you want Canikon which have their own dedicated threads.

Notwithsdanding, AVF may also have equally good deals on offer.

TP are also about to implement a 30 days + 100 posts minimum for access to their classifieds section, so access to that is more a longer term thing (30 days is not an issue, 100 posts is probably more so, unless you go in for a large burst of comments on the photo sharing section.
 

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