New Camera Advice Please

[Sunburyboy93]

I am looking to purchase a new camera in the Boxing Day or new year sales but need some help choosing one.

Now I'm not seriously into photography so I don't need anything too fancy or complicated and my budget is only around £150-£175 anyway.

I was looking to get something a step up from a basic point and shoot so have been looking at bridge cameras.

To give you an idea I have been looking at the Fuji S8200 an
Olympus SP-820UZ or a Pentax X5 and similar so far I'm leaning towards the Pentax but there are just so many cameras and makes and models that my brain is starting to hurt.

I also have a £50 Amazon voucher to use up so It would really need to be purchased from them.

Any advice and assistance would be appreciated

Cheers

Steve

 

[daz]

does that mean you have £225 including the voucher?
I can recommend the Panasonic DMC FZ series highly. And you can pick up the FZ48 and FZ62 on amazon just now, both inside your budget.
I have the FZ45 which is a great bridge camera, I bought it to replace all my film kit as I wanted to get back into photography but could not justify the price of a digital SLR. The zoom range on it is huge and the macro setting is very useful, it has all the manual function of an SLR but it takes seriously good photos on the fully automatic mode. There were a few used ones on amazon for a lot less, but I would always be wary of buying used cameras unless they came with a guarantee or were from someone I knew.

FZ62 on Amazon

 

[jb74]

The Canon 1100D is an entry level DSLR and the kit lens package is priced at £230 on Amazon.

This would be a great performer with the ability to grow your skills if you were that way inclined.

You could look out for the 1000D or Nikon equivalent, older models, which will come in cheaper.

 

[pugh-the-special-one]

Nikon Coolpix S9500.

 

[Sunburyboy93]

Sorry chaps should of made it clear including my voucher my maximum is around £175

 

[pugh-the-special-one]

You can pick up the Nikon Coolpix S9500 for £189 Steve, it would be worth putting an extra £14 to get that camera.

 

[antdad]

What sort of photography will you be doing?

 

[Sunburyboy93]

What sort of photography will you be doing?

Just general use. Indoors and Also some outdoor and nature shots Nothing fancy no action stuff and no real close up stuff but would like to have the facility if needed later on

 

[CMOT]

I think it's really hard to make a definitive best choice these days but I know a lot of people who have Panasonic compacts and are very pleased with them. I can't imagine the bridge cameras would be any less good and amazon have several in your price range.