digital camera for newbie

caroline1973lefty

hi there i could do with some advice before buying a digital camera because i'm pretty new to photography of any sort. i'm interested in taking close up photos of flowers (outdoors, in daylight) and would like it to be nice and compact and easy to use!

looking online there seem to be plenty around the £100 mark (i was hoping for less but maybe that's unrealistic for something that will give good quality photos?) but offputtingly most don't seem to have an ordinary viewfinder and often the reviews say 'difficult to see screen in bright light' - which is most likely what i'll be working in. is this important?

don't care at all about video mode.

thanks!

[Deleted User]

You could always buy a cheap, old SLR (not digital) and some cheap lenses... you could do that easily for under £100.... learn photography the old fashioned way

My old OM 50mm lens (30 quid) takes a nice flower macro photo (macro photos are close up ones)

Hammyman

Large sensor size is more important than pixel count. Nobody except professional photographers really needs more than 6MP.

ukcarper

Seeing the viewfinder will be a problem but one on the advantages of compacts with smaller sensors over a DSLR is that you can normally focus closer with the standard lens. You might be able to find a bridge type camera with an electronic viewfinder for that price which will probably be your cheapest option.

caroline1973lefty

thanks folks - i was looking at the canon ixus so maybe i'll look more at that one or was thinking about the old fashioned SLRs too... something about that does appeal to me... not sure where a good place to buy one would be though - i suppose ebay but i have had problems with them so not sure...

[Deleted User]

caroline1973lefty - are you anywhere near london? There's some cracking second hand camera shops near the british museum. I buy old 2nd hand lenses and use them with my shiney new dSLR.. manual focus but cracking bargains

ukcarper

You could try London Camera Exchange http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Secondhand.asp they have quite a few branches but a lot of independent camera shops have second-hand equipment you should be able to get a reasonable film camera and standard lens for less than £100. There are some cheap cameras on ebay if you are prepared to take risk. Just bear in mind the cost of film/processing and the fact that with a standard lens you will not be able to get as close to your subject as with a non dslr digital camera.

Banacek

HI recently bought a Canon Ixus 95 IS takes very good macro shots. There's a good review on them here. I know they are not the lataest models but refurbed direct from Canon with a full guarantee can't be bad for the money. Just remember you will need to purchase a good fast SD card to put into the camera as they aren't included. I got camera card and a case all for under £65. Remember to view both links one is the cameras one is the review.