The Camping Forum

[in-a-tent]

I'm considering investing in a good camera and wondered if anyone had any pearls of wisdom they might want to share.

This is the kind of thing I'm looking at getting atm

 

http://web.panasonic.eu/html/en_GB/Prod ... MC-G3KEB-K

[Donnelly69]

Like most things, a lot of your decision will be down to personal choice. You need to do quite a bit of reading-up and get out to a couple of camera stores to get a hold of different cameras to see how they feel in your hand - if you're looking at that sort of outlay.

Personally, I love Canon and am the proud owner of a 40d along with several lenses including the 'L' series 100-400m. If you intend to 'get into photography' then you need to make the right choice now. As which ever camera you decide on, that will influence what lenses are available to you, as it's the lens that makes the photo. You will probably want to change cameras in years to come, but your collection of lenses are almost impossible to change in one go, unless you're a lottery winner of course!

So make sure you get a make of camera that you will be happy with for a long time to come.

The kit lens with the Lumix is a 12-42mm, a little small in the zoom department for an 'all-rounder'. The 12mm end is a good wide angle but I'd be looking for something up to 88 or even 100mm.

Have a look at the Canon 550D, 600D and 60D, also the Nikon D60 and D90, the dD90 is a beaut, with HD video! All good base cameras.

[Donnelly69]

You might still be able to get hold of a Nikon d40 or d40x, well worth a look.

[in-a-tent]

Donnelly thanks, just had a quick look at the Canon 550D and the Nikon 40D, the others are a bit over my budget of £500. They both look possibles.

The G3 caught my eye because it's smaller than a standard DSLR as I understand it. I think you are though, holding them in your hands it's hard to judge things like that.

I've been told by a mate that once you buy a brand you're kind of wed to it as the lenses and bodies don't mix and match across brands. There seems t be a lot of Lumix/Leica lenses for the G3 available so I don't think that's a major concern although I might be wrong.

Anyhow thanks for the pointers, nice pics btw.

[Donnelly69]

Your mate's right, that's kind of what I was getting at. You can buy compatible lenses like the Tamaron range, but you wouldn't put a Highgear canopy on a Trout Lake tent, would you?

[Donnelly69]

Just done a quick 'google' - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-D90-Digit ... B001EO6WAI only £30 more than the Lumix, but a whole lot more for your money and a decent lens........ ooooh, you're making me think of going shopping!

[in-a-tent]

The G3 is only £460 retail - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004 ... nics&psc=1

So the Nikon (as lovely as it is) is £230 more :-(

[Nunfa1]

When I've looked for cameras before, albeit only compacts, I've found www.cameras.co.uk to be a pretty good review site.

[Donnelly69]

Sorry IaT, I was just looking at the price from your link

[Admin]

you got a link of available lens?

I dont know to much about these Smaller dslr I seen a few of them in magazine i get..

But as above lenses are key... thats what makes the difference.. I got a few now but still want more.. it never ends.. just the price holds me back lol

[in-a-tent]

Here you go http://web.panasonic.eu/html/en_GB/6065 ... egory.html

Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk

[M0KAS]

I still have my old 35mm cannon eos that I got when they first came out, still works, but im curious do the old eos lenses work on the new eos slr's, as that way i could just buy a new body.... hmm, ideas i think

Im currently using a 10mp Hitachi tiny thing that i pick up fairly cheap a while ago, ok its a flat tiny thing, but it does for what i need

[in-a-tent]

I *think* (notice the think) that your old lenses will fit, but you'd need to check with a camera shop.

[Admin]

I use my old 75-300 eos from my 35mm days works perfectly fine on the eos dslr.

However the newer digital lens have a ring on the base so fitting them to a non dslr is a no.

[in-a-tent]

Ah yes my mate (who's got a couple of Canons) said that old lenses might fit new bodies but new lenses are unlikely to fit old bodies. Is that the right way around.