What compact camera ~£200

[DarrenSV650S]

I'm thinking of getting a new camera this weekend purely for out on the bike. It needs to be compact and I'd like a good optical zoom.

I like the look of this Sony Cyber-shot DSC WX500

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/96588/show.html

Has anyone got one or any experience of it? Or can you suggest a better alternative. I've always had Fuji cameras before. But they don't seem to have many compacts in my budget

Thanks for any input!

[Kenzie]

Its been a while since I looked at a compact but the Panasonic TZ range is pretty good. I have a TZ35 which has a 20x zoom with 16mp. Depends if you want all the bells and whistles with gps etc as they are battery drainers, also huge zooms like that may be hard to handhold at max zoom. Like the idea of a tilt sceen as it helps with overhead or low level shots.

Sent from my Xperia T

[shiftin_gear98]

I'll follow this with interest, as I too would like to get something similar.
As it's my 40th this year I was hoping to stretch as far as this one. Again wife always seams to have a different view.
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/products/panasonic/lumix-dmc-tz80-camera-in-black-97612/show.html


But I like your price range better. The 4K appealed to me - no idea why really.
Glad I didn't buy one last week as it's got money off now too.

[yokohama]

I'm with Kenzie on the Panasonic TZs, though I've never used a Sony. One criticism of them tends to be their low light performance if that makes any difference.
For me, the big advantage of the TZ60 is that it's got a viewfinder. Composing pictures on a screen in sunlight is a 'mare.

[maviczap]

Someone I know recommended the DSC Wx500 as it shoots video in proper HD, and its good for still photography too

I was looking around for a 2nd hand one

But he's moved onto a Panasonic lumix tz100 as that shots in 4k

so its still a choice between panasonic or sony, both seem good

[Bibio]

large pics in say 4k take a lot of uploading. if your post on a forum you end up having to drop rez anyway.

personally i would rather have a waterproof rugged camera with GPS. there has been a few times i have taken pics while out on the bike, got home, put them on the comp then later looked at them and thought where the fek did i take that pic.

next years plan is to learn how to take pics on the move.

[Kenzie]

The TZ100 has a 1in sensor I think, so low light shots should be pretty good.

[DarrenSV650S]

Yeah I'll need to have a look at the panasonic too and see which I prefer. I was going to go to Jessops but they have closed here. So I guess I'll have to visit Currys and put up with their salespeople.

I'll follow this with interest, as I too would like to get something similar.
As it's my 40th this year I was hoping to stretch as far as this one. Again wife always seams to have a different view.
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/products/panasonic/lumix-dmc-tz80-camera-in-black-97612/show.html


But I like your price range better. The 4K appealed to me - no idea why really.
Glad I didn't buy one last week as it's got money off now too.

For me, the TZ60 has more features I want than the TZ80. GPS, panoramas, smaller

http://snapsort.com/compare/Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-TZ60-vs-Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS60-(Lumix-DMC-TZ80)

For me, the big advantage of the TZ60 is that it's got a viewfinder. Composing pictures on a screen in sunlight is a 'mare.

That's a very good point

Someone I know recommended the DSC Wx500 as it shoots video in proper HD, and its good for still photography too

I was looking around for a 2nd hand one

But he's moved onto a Panasonic lumix tz100 as that shots in 4k

so its still a choice between panasonic or sony, both seem good

I don't think I'll use video much really

[maviczap]

large pics in say 4k take a lot of uploading. if your post on a forum you end up having to drop rez anyway.

personally i would rather have a waterproof rugged camera with GPS. there has been a few times i have taken pics while out on the bike, got home, put them on the comp then later looked at them and thought where the fek did i take that pic.

next years plan is to learn how to take pics on the move.

Yes, that true.

This is waterproof and rugged, perfect for shoving in your pocket

https://www.cliftoncameras.co.uk/Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FT30EB-Digital-Camera/Colours/Blue?gclid=Cj0KEQjw_eu8BRDC-YLHusmTmMEBEiQArW6c-OnRH05G6IGnZn5lN4goTaiQ__J4ivDwFZkP5VYiw14aApLx8P8 HAQ

The TZ100 has a 1in sensor I think, so low light shots should be pretty good.


Yes, it is. His footage is from the front of stage camera. Even on my crappy PC monitor its good, and filming concerts at night is bloomin difficult. Its way out of Darren's budget (and mine!) and not what he wants

X_sf7mVF3tI

[Kenzie]

My only gripe about my TZ35 is the the power button is right next to the dedicated video button. Should have put it on the command dial. No idea if the newer models are like this.

[littleoldman2]

large pics in say 4k take a lot of uploading. if your post on a forum you end up having to drop rez anyway.

personally i would rather have a waterproof rugged camera with GPS. there has been a few times i have taken pics while out on the bike, got home, put them on the comp then later looked at them and thought where the fek did i take that pic.

next years plan is to learn how to take pics on the move.

Carry a passenger with a Fuji XP80 or similar:D;), works for me

[DarrenSV650S]

I'm getting a TZ60 tomorrow \\:D/

[DarrenSV650S]

Seems decent enough. Not up to the standard of my big camera, but that is to be expected. I have only had it in intelligent auto mode so far though, so maybe need to have a play with it. One thing that I don't like is you have to turn the gps on and off manually every time you turn the camera on. If you leave it on and turn the camera off, it stays on and drains the battery.

The panorama mode seems to stitch well but I'm not sure about the quality. Again though, I need to have a proper play with it.

Having wifi is a handy feature but it is a little clumsy to set up

One fun feature is that you can control it with a phone app. You get a live view and can zoom in etc.