What Digital bridge camera ?

N9eav

I am looking to buy a new camera.

The choices I have narrowed down to are

FUJI 8000fd, 9600
PanasonicFZ18
Olympus 560UZ
Canon S51s

Anyone got one, or can say anything to help. I have read dozens of reviews and none of them agree with each other.

BillScarab

I was looking at this recently and personally I would go for the Panasonic after looking at reviews on https://www.dpreview.com, https://www.steves-digicams.com, https://www.cameras.co.uk and https://www.trustedreviews.com.

FZ18 Pros - Light, great Leica lens, good user interface, wide angle to 18x zoom, very small steps in zoom, good screen and viewfinder

FZ18 Cons - over enthusiastic noise reduction os higher ISOs are not good

Overall though it seems to be the current favourite on dpreview.

Having said that I've decided to save for a dSLR as they don't cost a lot more and the image quality is so much better due to the much larger sensors.

darich

Not everyone wants or likes DSLR cameras though.
They don't cost much more to start with but with a DSLR and the basic lens to start with your focal range will probably be less than a good bridge camera.
And to be honest, those who aren't interested in buying a DSLR would rather have a longer focal range than lower noise - they'd probably say "What's noise?"

The numerous additional features scare some users and give more opportunity for photos to be badly exposed/blurred etc.
DSLR cameras are always bigger and more bulky that bridge cameras too.

I love my DSLR but i wouldn't not have my compact either.

The quality is better but some people are happy to sacrifice that in order to have a smaller pocket sized simple camera.

BillScarab

Very true, but I already have a couple of lenses form my old film SLR I can use so for me I think it's the answer. I also have an old compact I can keep using. I just find it annoying that these bridge cameras have such fantastic features but are let down by the sensors being so small. Some of them are as big as SLRs as well, particularly the Fuji ones.

having said that by the time I've got the cash I'll probably change my mind again and buy the FZ18 as it does look like a fantastic bit of kit.

Red_Rose_Exile

Olympus 560UZ for me if I was going for a bridge camera, though even with the built in image stabilisation, and has a good size sensor.

You will still need to use a tripod at maximum zoom. There is the added bonus that should you want to do that little bit more with your camera, you can add a CLA-10 adaptor and still use some of your old filters

isofa

If you can afford it, move to DSLR, you'll not regret it, with cameras such as the now superseded Canon EOS 350D at bargain prices, it's worth a look.

However they are bigger, and to get the best out of them you really need to understand photography at least a little bit!

If I had to recommend a non-DSLR, I'd probably go for the Canon Powershot G9, it's a super camera IMO.

N9eav

Thanks. I used to have all the Canon kit with my old 35mm stuff, but i was always lugging around a suitcase full of lenses and flashes etc. I have had the Fuji 5000 for 4 years and it works fine for me. I am sticking with my bridge camera thought as a full DSLR would be too bulky. In know the images might be better, but I don't take it that seriously anymore.

Some compacts just don't cut it fior me, although they are getting better. The Nikon 5100 rates very high, but the otical lenses are low range 3 x 4 x etc.

So it will be a bridge canmera this week. But I am still unsure.......:think: