Digital Cameras - A choice to be made

nickmack

pin wrote:

If it was my choice I would opt for the Canon. Canon make some decent kit, and it looks pretty cool as well.

However I would, as others have said, check out the reviews on Steve's digicams, DP Review and DCResourse. They are / were the three sites I have used in the past when researching cameras.

Thanks pin, I've already looked at those sites in my research. I still can't seperate the ones on my shortlist!

wolfman

The Canon is a good choice. Was on my shortlist too. The main let down (for me) is the poor battery life.

I personally went for the Casio Exlim Z850 (only two weeks ago). It gets some very good reviews. It's main points are the 8.1 mega pixels (don't get too sucked in by that though), the huge array of manual settings (very handy) and the phenominal battery life (around 3x that of the Canon). It's also quite robust too, I just got back from the bull run in Pamplona and it survived me taking quite a heavy fall.

newfoundglory

I just got a Canon EOS 350D Digital (SLR), with the 18-55mm lens (it was the silver one, so it was USM).

Amazing piece of kit, cost me a small fortune (£509 to be exact), but if you can afford it, its definitely worth it!

s-j-cooper_2

I bought a Casio Exilim z600 a couple of months ago and the battery life is amazing! It also turns on very quickly and takes photos quickly too. Steves digicams gives it a good review. If I was to choose one of your list I would go with the Canon because the Ixus range have good reviews and people always speak very highly of them, although I have no experiance of them myself.

ncd

s-j-cooper wrote:

I bought a Casio Exilim z600 a couple of months ago and the battery life is amazing! It also turns on very quickly and takes photos quickly too. Steves digicams gives it a good review. If I was to choose one of your list I would go with the Canon because the Ixus range have good reviews and people always speak very highly of them, although I have no experiance of them myself.

I was just about to recommend this camera, but you beat me to it!! My wife wanted a small camera that she could just slip into her hand bag when she's out with our baby daughter. After alot (and I mean alot!) of research we chose the Casio Exilim EX-Z600. It takes brilliant pictures and the battery life is superb. It is also has alot of different modes for virtually every situation you could think of (it's called `Best Shot' mode on the camera) that are very easy to access. In fact we are so impressed with the pictures and how easy it is to use, that we are using it more than my Canon DSLR!!

http://www.exilim.casio.com/

Also don't forget to budget for a memory card upgrade as well, which I hope you won't buy from a shop, but from somewhere like https://www.svp.co.uk .

Get one, you won't regret it.

nickmack

I've had a look at the Casio and it seems similarly specced to the ones on my list. I've not been convinced in the past by the quality of Casio products but as you say this has had some good reviews.

It's a tough decision so I'm still deliberating a bit more!

ncd

Don't forget to go along to a shop to see how they feel in the hand as well. You don't want to buy one that has awkwardly positioned buttons for your/your wifes hands.

nickmack

ncd wrote:

Don't forget to go along to a shop to see how they feel in the hand as well. You don't want to buy one that has awkwardly positioned buttons for your/your wifes hands.

The wife won't be getting her hands on it! I'd never see it again in one piece!

Seriously though, I've been to Jessops and had a look and I'm still deliberating. I might even make a decision in the next few days!

viru.doshi

Mate, seriously, dont include the casio in your deliberations, it may have had good reviews but i really don't think it compares to the other cameras.

wolfman

viru.doshi wrote:

Mate, seriously, dont include the casio in your deliberations, it may have had good reviews but i really don't think it compares to the other cameras.

Eh? So the reviews are good but you "think" it doesn't compare. have you used or compared the two? I've got an Ixus v3, Ixus 50 and a Casio Exlim Z850 so can speak from some experience of both brands.

The first mistake to make would be to assume that Casio only make cheap watches. If you look at any of their cameras they're hugely innovative and also great value.

Read a few reviews (https://www.dpreview.com, https://www.dcresource.com, https://www.cameras.co.uk) and then go into a shop and have a play around with the cameras yourself. Exactly what I did and I ended up choosing the Z850 over the slightly more expensive Ixus 800 (and the Sony T9 which my flatmate has). I'm not saying it's a better camera, it just met my needs more. Any of the Casio range (Z600, Z750, Z850, Z1000) are worth looking at.