Camera Advice for Beginner

ndhanta

ndhanta

Contributor
Hello All

I am looking for a compact camera with Manual controls/manual focus etc.to get shooting experience.

Will stick under 15K.

Shortlisted so far:

1. Canon SX160 IS (Looks real VFM)
2. Fujifilm F660EXR (There are manual exposure, no mention abt. Manual Focus in specs, Focus problem in videos)
3. Canon SX 240 HS (20X zoom, good photo/video quality)
4. Nikon P330 (new model, support RAW, large sensor, very compact, wider aperture, expensive, low in Zoom & battery stamina)

Comparison : http://www.flipkart.com/cameras/compare?ids=CAMDDGNC5RGFDAHN,CAMD9F3HU5YRVCCZ,CAMD8CB3ZZE8ZZ5H,CAMDJVRZYPGVCDRZ

Thanks

Nits :)
 
Yes, the Nikon looks quite good on specs. Try finding reviews or snaps taken from camera on web. Does the eBay one come with free 4gb card?
 
Yes specs wise Nikon seems more good for professional photographers. Canon SX240 got 20X optical zoom whereas Nikon P330 just has 5X.
 
Read - Read - Read, look through blogs, articles etc and understand the meaning of the settings, the scenarios they can be used in, how they can be tweaked to give you various effects/ change the look and feel or dynamics of a scene. The camera is in the end of no consequence, it will be your creativity and skill that will give the picture an 'awe' factor.
 
Hey, since you mentioned the Canon Sx160 you can have a look at the following cameras:

  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ20 Point & Shoot
  • Fujifilm S2980 Point & Shoot
 
They both seems good, but i don't like heavy cameras.
Canon Sx500 seems more good in this segment due to light weight.

Now I have made my mind for Canon SX 240 due to 20X optical zoom, Raw support through CHDK. I am just waiting for good online deal in black color. The cheapest i yet find it on Shopclues.com for 13999/-.
 
Sorry for hijacking this... but I am also looking for digital camera below 10k budget.

Isn't Cannon SX160 better than Nikon P330? Cheaper, provide manual control, more zoom.
Even better than SX240? SX240 provide 4X more optical zoom with Rs 5k more and less MP.
 
Quality of the Camera depends upon size of Sensor, not on mega pixels.

Nikon P330 got largest sensor size (1/1.77), so its picture quality will be good from SX160, SX240. It is also able to shoot in RAW image. This Camera is like little DSLR. But the optical zoom is very low in this camera.

The SX240 got CMOS sensor which is good for low lights and burst shoots etc. It also got DIGIC 5 image processor which is found on some entry level Canon DSLRS.

SX160 is also good and value of money with manual Controls and 16x optical zoom. For me it is little bulkier and not pockitable. The screen resolution is also low.
 
Nikon P330 should get you noticeably better image quality across its zoom range and considering that it also has RAW I think it will be the best choice for you
 
P330 with eye closed.
Unless you have specific requirement, you will never utilize the ultra high zoom (which is nothing but a manifestation of "my willy is bigger than yours" syndrome).

P330 has better and sharper lens. It has brighter lens.
It has larger sensor. The sensor has excellent photo and video quality (the same sensor is in P7700 and Olympus XZ2)
In fact at base ISO levels (100 and perhaps 200) anyone would be hard pressed (even by pixel peepers) to separate it from the DSLRs.

The P330 is in a different league altogether! (compared to the other cams that you have posted)

Check this thread out:
http://www.techenclave.com/community/threads/camera-p-s.149537/#post-1837165
 
ndhanta said:
How is the following deal of Samsung NX1000 mirrorless camera

http://www.snapdeal.com/product/sam...398295?utm_source=dgm&utm_campaign=afts-60985
Click to expand...
I grabbed the deal a few months back when it was selling for 19K.
at 15K it is a steal!

However, consider this:
1. Nx1000 is an interchangeable lens camera. Samsung has no lens presence in India, so you would be stuck with 20-50 mm lens (equivalent to 30 - 75 in full frame terms). Which means quite a small zoom factor (2.5x). Which works fine for most situations (imagine ppl are happy using fixed lens of their i-phones and other crap mobile cams!) But in case you want to take a zoomed pic from FAR away, you will need to get a longer focal length lens. (not available in India). The lens, inspite of the short coming in zoom department, is FAR sharper than any other that comes with the DSLRs (canons, nikons etc).
2. The size is CONSIDERABLY more than the convenient pocket cams in this price range. CONSIDERABLE is in caps because of the lens. It is HUGE. The body is very small though
3. Picture quality is miles ahead of anything in this price range. The package also comes with a clip-on flash (which increases the size further). But you can leave the flash at home when you intend to do photog in sunlit time. One thing though, above 1600 ISO the camera's image processing suddenly takes a dive and it becomes mushy like most mobile cams. Perhaps if you play in RAW format then you can go up to 3200 ISO too (in usable terms).
4. Controls are fine and menu is excellent for photographers.
5. Video controls are great
 
Thanks for your reply mate.
Will be going one of the following
Canon SX240 HS, SX510 HS (upcoming new Model), Nikon P330 and Samsung NX1000
 
ndhanta said:
Thanks for your reply mate.
Will be going one of the following
Canon SX240 HS, SX510 HS (upcoming new Model), Nikon P330 and Samsung NX1000
Click to expand...
I would recommend first you decide whether you want big zoom or not. That will make two distinct categories. P330 and NX1000 will fall in low zoom and others will fall in high zoom.
Next decide on size aspect, that will make Nx1000 and sx510 as large and others as small.

Oh I also forgot to tell one thing about nx1000. The stock lens that comes along does not have image stability / vibration reduction. So that means that low light shots (pre-dawn / post-dusk) with long shutter speed (longer than 1/30 s) may get blurred. But then my way out is to use flash in such cases. Or use a stable support/tripod.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for giving more feedback on NX1000.
I have seen following video by NX1000 using 16mm f2.4 lens
The NX1000 comes with 20mm f3.5 kit lense, Can i get the same effect in video by using 20 mm kit ?. (i guess there must be some colour grading software to be used) My point is how good is 20 mm lens kit for shooting some professional quality video.
 
Finally brought : Canon Powershot SX240 HS from a electronic store (got made in japan model). All-rounder decent pocket camera.
2nd option was Nikon P330, which was dropped due to low in zoom and higher on price.
 
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