Good camera? good value?

[pencil shavings]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fujifilm-FinePix-S5800-Digital-Camera/dp/B000V9P5NC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1228334647&sr=1-9

views please from the people in the know!! :)

dankie!

[tigersaw]

looks brilliant.

you could get the better one for a few squid more
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fujifilm-FinePix-S1000fd-Digital-Camera/dp/B00152A06G/ref=dp_cp_ob_ce_title_1/276-1977529-9204141?ie=UTF8&qid=1228334647&sr=1-9

edit - having said that, the customer images are awful, wont help sell any

[maviczap]

Yep good value.

I've got a 5600 which cost me £150 a while back. Takes great pictures and real easy to use.

I'd go for the better one at £93 in the new and used section. The only thing I'd be wary of is if it's a refurbished one. Pays to read the discription thoroughly.

I might even go for one myself at this price - thanks

[pencil shavings]

looking at the customer immages, the ones for the cheeper one are miles better than the more expensive one, any reason for this?

[carty]

looking at the customer immages, the ones for the cheeper one are miles better than the more expensive one, any reason for this?

Cos the people who took the photos on the more expensive camera are rubbish photographers who thought they'd benefit from a higher priced camera?

[maviczap]

Yep, tend to agree, father in law is one. Messes about with the settings and can't even get the picture in focus! Then wonders why his pictures are carp.

My mum and dad were proffesional photographers using film cameras. He's 80, Mums 76, hasn't got the best digital camera in the world, but they still can take a good photo.

[fizzwheel]

Looks OK for the money, but remember its not all about Mega Pixels and as said above, taking a good picture relies on more than just having a good camera...

[pencil shavings]

Looks OK for the money, but remember its not all about Mega Pixels and as said above, taking a good picture relies on more than just having a good camera...

yep, I get that... kinda like going fast on a bike has more to do with skill than bhp

so, would the cheeper one be better for a novice who has only used a point a shoot digital, but wants to get better?

[Stig]

Unless it has the high power rechargeable batteries, be prepared to fork out a fortune for spare batteries. They eat them like nothing else.

[Woz]

Unless it has the high power rechargeable batteries, be prepared to fork out a fortune for spare batteries. They eat them like nothing else.

Or just buy some decent rechargeables. I use these (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/UltraPower-4-Pack-AA-Rechargable-Batteries-2300mAh-Ni-MH-12v) 2300 mAh ones in my Fuji S6500. Ridiculously cheap and they last ages. Although that may have something to do with tha fact that the S6500 has an SLR style manual zoom rather than a power eating motorised one.

[Berlin]

No Contest Canon Ixus on special offer on Amazon.

[northwind]

I love my Ixus but you can't compare them with these, Ixus is a compact, small zoom camera, these are larger with a much stronger zoom, they do different jobs. Powershot would be the equivalent I suppose. my last 3 cameras have all been Canon, they take great pics and they're very tough, so I rate them.

[Briddo]

I've got a S5800 lurking in me cupboard (now own a DSLR). The S5800 is a good bridge camera, photo quality is good the presets and manual settings are easy to access. Camera is easy to use and also has EVF as well as a screen. Zoom is not bad and the macro and super macro settings are very usable. A good all round camera - it is a bridge camera so it does have its limitations but it depends on what you want to photograph.

[Viney]

Tjhe only thing that lets cannon down, is the flash. My old ixus had a terrible flash, but even to date takes great photos. Its more about the lens than the MP rating, although that helps if youa re going to print/enlarge your photos. Im hankering after a Nikon D60. I somehow think that its never going to happen :(

[keithd]

im not sure whether to chime in about my ixus as the thread is more about the fuji. recently bought the 960 flash is fine and dandy, or certainly seems that way to me...

[Viney]

The 960 is the dogs danglies and possibly has a much improved flash.

[maviczap]

yep, I get that... kinda like going fast on a bike has more to do with skill than bhp

so, would the cheeper one be better for a novice who has only used a point a shoot digital, but wants to get better?

No I'd go for the one that suits your pocket. There won't be a lot to choose between the two.

The fuji is almost a point and shot, but with a good zoom, which will only enhance your pictures. The flash is pretty good, but not as good as a dedicated flash for an SLR.

Once you've read the manual a couple of times, you'll understand what the macro and other extra functions do.

Even my kids can use the fuji (10 & 3) it's that simple

[Jabba]

I've got an S5700 and had it for about a year now. £104 new from Pixmania.

Really good value for money and battery life is excellent (4 x AA rechargables).

Picture quality generally very good but there is some purple fringing at high contast boundaries in strong light.

However, for the price there's nothing to touch these for value.

[rictus01]

having looked at the spec it looks to be a nice camera, I like the fact you can get up and running with the auto mode settings straight away and also over time switch to the manual one as you learn how to use them, however a couple of things to consider.

It's not a pocket camera, so going out for the day it'll take up so space ( much as a DSLR would), my son has a Casio EXILIM EX-Z70 which is little more than a mobile phone size and I myself still use my Ixus V3 in that capacity.

Also the fact like most bridge cameras, whilst the lenses have become increasingly good, if you are going down the route of learning you'll get to a point where the flexability of a DSLR is needed, so perhaps a secondhand EOS 350D or something would be a wiser investment, as when more money becomes available you can expand into better glass?

I myself have just got hold of a lens to improve a weak area of my photography in the shape of a 17-85mm IS lens which is far better than the standard kit one that can with the camera which served me well for the past year or so, but itself had low light limitation, it's an adictive hobby and I'd advise if you think it maybe the same for you; a base DSLR would be the way to go.

Cheers Mark.

[timwilky]

I have an S8000FD. For me the Fuji cameras are the dogs bollock. Reasonable performance, reasonable capability (zoom/pre programmed speeds/card capacity/ anti shake/ face recognition etc.)

I am not a photography freak. I just like to take the odd piccy of places/things etc. I could never justify the cost of a DSLR. My 35mm Nikon must be 15 years old and gone through about 20 rolls in its life. Lesson learned with that. Why pay for the fancy features that you never use etc. Bridge cameras do all I need of a camera.

[rictus01]

I have an S8000FD. For me the Fuji cameras are the dogs bollock. Reasonable performance, reasonable capability (zoom/pre programmed speeds/card capacity/ anti shake/ face recognition etc.)

I am not a photography freak. I just like to take the odd piccy of places/things etc. I could never justify the cost of a DSLR. My 35mm Nikon must be 15 years old and gone through about 20 rolls in its life. Lesson learned with that. Why pay for the fancy features that you never use etc. Bridge cameras do all I need of a camera.

Oh indeed, as I said they are very good these days and do allow some expansion, and you're right a lot of DSLR owner will either be "photographic freaks" as you call it or rarely take the camera into manual mode, so it's a case of how far do you want to go ?

The modern crop of compacts are also very good and more than capable of the "odd piccy of places/things" but without the bulk of either a bridge or DSLR.

I guess it’s a question of degree, the point I was making is a bridge camera is good for that little extra over a compact, but if you want to get seriously into the subject you’ll find the limitations annoying and need to upgrade at some point, whilst a base DSLR will allow you to expand at the cost of the lens without having to buy a new camera which will work out cheaper in the long run ( although you’ll probably spend it on the lens anyway :D ).

Cheers Mark.

[pencil shavings]

Thanks for the advice guys. I guess the bridge is a good way forward, as im not really sure how I will take to it!

cheers

[mister c]

I took these with the same camera & I am really pleased with them. If you have a Makro card I think they are selling the same camera for £66 + VAT.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8zKrDFralEI/SNlOwf5GUeI/AAAAAAAADMw/vPbDWXr-IDA/s640/DSCF1071.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8zKrDFralEI/SNlO4ZXRk5I/AAAAAAAADNI/vL5SteFUmHE/s640/DSCF1074.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8zKrDFralEI/SPo-wJ8MxbI/AAAAAAAADaI/FUWm5o20lIE/s640/2008_1018oulton0182.JPG