Buying a new camera

[beef-supreme]

Do we have any camera experts on the forum?

I'm intending to buy a new camera, and I've done my research, and thus narrowed down my choices to two particular cameras.
A) Canon Powershot SX200IS
B) Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7

What I'm looking for in a camera is a good optical zoom for photos (so 12x in this instance is ace), 10+MP resolution, low ISO noise levels at low-light conditions, quality lens with wide zoom, good design, compactness + portability, HD video recording.
But this you will have seen by looking at the characteristics of these two cameras.

Personally I'm completely in love with the Canon, because it's just such a nice camera, something I'd love to have and stare at. However, the Panasonic is making me go crazy.

Because my heart says Canon, whilst my head says Panasonic.
The Panasonic has optical zoom for video recording AS WELL AS having ever so slightly less ISO noise apparently at the highest ISO settings. However the Canon has a nicer design and colour, Canon reliability, I'm used to using Canon, and it has many built-in features the Panasonic doesn't.

I don't know whether reading more reviews is going to help me decide, so hopefully some of you can help me out here! Please do offer alternatives if these two aren't the best in this category.

What has me stuck the most is the video situation. I don't have a standalone video camera, and if I do make videos it will have to be with this. When the time comes for me to need a video camera I will buy one, but that will be in many years. Until then, I still want to make good videos with what I have at my disposal. However, I don't record many videos. It's a very occasional thing (though perhaps having a camera with quality recording capabilities would increase my recording frequency), but I'm a perfectionist, and I don't really like the though of shakes and blurs and a generally blurry image from digital zooming. Siiiiiiiggggghhhh.

 

[BarcafaninIllinois]

I have a Sony digital camera, it is a 7 mega pixel camera. I do not recall the model name off the top of my head, but I have had no problems with it and very easy to use. Has everything I need for a camera so.

 

[Lemmi]

my panasonic lumix is fucking amazing

 

[beef-supreme]

Who voted Canon, and why?? I want NAMES! and explanations

 

[ZenI]

The Lumix is very good. But I would recommend a Ricoh instead (or Leica if you can afford it).

 

[beef-supreme]

Thanks Zeni, well I guess the Lumix is so good because of its Leica lens

 

[G.J]

I really cant give you any pointers because i'm ignorant about these things, but I did recieve the Canon SX200IS as a gift. Other than the horrific color it is an awsome cameras. Cant complain about it really.

 

[Psychaz]

Panasonic for cameras, the picture quality for the upper range lumixes is amazing.

 

[maz]

All i will say is that any guy with a pink camera (other than lemmi) must seriously ask questions about his sexuality.

 

[veryfatchocobo]

What's your price limit?

If I were you, I'd get a Nikon D90. DSLRs > point and shoot cameras by far.

Anyway, if you really wanted a point and shoot, the Panasonic is the best choice.

Also:
dpreview.com is a good help for these stuff.

 

[Barca_Cunninggate]

What's your price limit?

If I were you, I'd get a Nikon D90. DSLRs > point and shoot cameras by far.

Anyway, if you really wanted a point and shoot, the Panasonic is the best choice.

Also:
dpreview.com is a good help for these stuff.

Nikon's are nice but i think that the Canon 40D is better value for money compared to the Nikon D90.

The amount you have to spend also plays its parts in what you buy. DSLR's are way better then compact H/Held camera's. And you also have more options when shooting with DSLR compared to compact cameras. Glass can be expensive ranging from $100 - $2000. (They go up to $50,000) But thats for another day.

Depending on what you are trying to shoot, If you are shooting motion shots at sporting events or what not then DSLR work way in your favor. The 40D mentioned above will shoot at something like 6 Frames per second.

I think the 40D will set you back maybe $1000 or their abouts, But at the end of the day, Its only a camera.

I have a D700 with a battery pack that is similar to a D3 in the sence that it will almost shot at the 9FPS that the D3 shoots at. You can buy the D700 of me if you want. The D700 is not full water sealed/Proof - To a extent.

ISO on the D700 from 100-3200 has no issues.

Pm me, I will snap a photo of it to prove i have one with my user name on this forum in the background.

But if you buy a new camera, I recommend the Canon 40D everytime, Great camera and Quite cheap (Even though i use a Nikon)

P.S I was quoting this thread for the first paragraph but the rest is directed at the thread creater.

 

[G.J]

All i will say is that any guy with a pink camera (other than lemmi) must seriously ask questions about his sexuality.

Mine only came in Maroon.

 

[beef-supreme]

I really cant give you any pointers because i'm ignorant about these things, but I did recieve the Canon SX200IS as a gift. Other than the horrific color it is an awsome cameras. Cant complain about it really.

Thanks for your help anyway mate, imo all the colours on the SX200 look good, but maybe that's just me

Panasonic for cameras, the picture quality for the upper range lumixes is amazing.

All i will say is that any guy with a pink camera (other than lemmi) must seriously ask questions about his sexuality.

What's your price limit?

If I were you, I'd get a Nikon D90. DSLRs > point and shoot cameras by far.

Anyway, if you really wanted a point and shoot, the Panasonic is the best choice.

Also:
dpreview.com is a good help for these stuff.

My price limit is probably around €500 or $700, but that has to include any accessories such as cases...
The reason I don't want a DSLR is because for me it just wouldn't be practical to carry around... So I'm definitely in it for something compact.
I agree with you about the point and shoot, with Panasonic being the best.

SO that's why, effectively from now on I will only be considering 2 cameras, the TZ7/ZS3, as previously, and now the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3.
The LX3 is basically a mid-point between a compact and a dslr - it has the same manual features + better lens than p&s, but much smaller than dslr. HOWEVER, one huge problem is the lack of zoom, it's only 2.5x... So I might buy one, if i don't go for the TZ7, and then see how i go with it until Christmas, when I come back to Asia and I might get a zoom lens for it, which is expensive... But if I find i don't need more than 2.5x then all the better.

Nikon's are nice but i think that the Canon 40D is better value for money compared to the Nikon D90.

The amount you have to spend also plays its parts in what you buy. DSLR's are way better then compact H/Held camera's. And you also have more options when shooting with DSLR compared to compact cameras. Glass can be expensive ranging from $100 - $2000. (They go up to $50,000) But thats for another day.

Depending on what you are trying to shoot, If you are shooting motion shots at sporting events or what not then DSLR work way in your favor. The 40D mentioned above will shoot at something like 6 Frames per second.

I think the 40D will set you back maybe $1000 or their abouts, But at the end of the day, Its only a camera.

I have a D700 with a battery pack that is similar to a D3 in the sence that it will almost shot at the 9FPS that the D3 shoots at. You can buy the D700 of me if you want. The D700 is not full water sealed/Proof - To a extent.

ISO on the D700 from 100-3200 has no issues.

Pm me, I will snap a photo of it to prove i have one with my user name on this forum in the background.

But if you buy a new camera, I recommend the Canon 40D everytime, Great camera and Quite cheap (Even though i use a Nikon)

P.S I was quoting this thread for the first paragraph but the rest is directed at the thread creater.

Thank you for your detailed help and your advice. If you look at my above post you'll see that i'm now considering an lx3, which is sort of a middle ground between what you're proposing, and a p&s. In the end, with the whole additional zoom lens situation, I'll be paying a lot less than for a dslr, but with somewhat near dslr quality. I'm not yet sure whether i should get the lx3, because it's quite bulky compared to the tz7. Fortunately this friday i will be able to test both cameras at my gf's house, because by some heavenyl intervention her mum has the tz7 and her brother the lx3, so i should be able to decide. I'll let you all know what i go for in the end

Thank you for your help so far, if I have any more questions I'll post here!

 

[beef-supreme]

Well in the end I've ended up getting a Panasonic Lumix LX3, and it is a beautiful camera - lacking of zoom but hopefully I can cope

 

[John Antonio Bilboa]

hopefully its HD .