A good camera for a beginner? (1 Viewer)

[kittykat23uk]

well you can always buy a spare battery.

 

[PenSketcher]

Thats why I'm leaning towards the Fuji, the Panasonic doesn't use batteries, you have to charge it ||

 

[kittykat23uk]

Yeah but even if you got one that took AAs you'd probably still want rechargeable ones so whats the difference?

 

[iowa_hawk1]

Thats why I'm leaning towards the Fuji, the Panasonic doesn't use batteries, you have to charge it ||

The Panasonic FZ18 does indeed use battery. It is a recharagble battery and you can buy spares so that when the first battery expires, you pop in a freshly charged one. For cameras that use AA batteries you should invest in Rechargable NiMH batteries and have at least two sets for the same reason, when you exhaust one set you pop in the fresh set.

Personally, for any important trip where I absoulutely need to get the photo, I carry two spare sets and have a fresh set in the camera when I start.

 

[Cristian Mihai]

I would also say that your options are:
1. Canon PowerShot S5 IS (plus a Canon 1.5X teleconverter or a Raynox (1.54X or 2.2X) teleconverter, because a 12x optical zoom it isn't enough for birding).
2. Olympus SP 560UZ - 18X optical zoom (You can also use a teleconverter with this one: a TCON-17 or a Raynox).
3. Panasonic F18 - 18X optical zoom (but I also don't like that it don't works with AA batteries - works with Raynox teleconverters and with TCON-17)
4. Fuji S8000 or S8100 (18x optical zoom)...

About resolution: all these cameras have 8 Megapixels or more (S8100 have 10) which is good.

By the way, I have a Canon PowerShot S3 and a Olympus SP 560UZ.

P.S. There is now available a new OLympus camera: Olympus SP 570UZ (20X!!! optical zoom)...I saw it on amazon at 500$...

 

[ghostrider]

A word of warning when it comes to the size of optical zoom. Manufacturers like a big number, it sells. When Panasonic brought the FZ18 out, which has 18x zoom, they reduced the size of the lens to 28mm. This gives a range of 28-504mm.
The FZ8 is only 12x zoom but has a 36mm lens giving a range of 36-432mm.
The 18x gives you only an extra 72mm of zoom, not an extra 50% as implied by the numbers.
Remember the 18x 12x 20x numbers are a multiple of the lens size so check and don't be fooled by big numbers.

 

[nick the grief]

I've got a Fuji S9600 and it's a superb camera but doesn't quite have the reach for Birds - I use mine for taking foto's of my cacti when they are in flower. You can buy a teleconvertor to screw onto the front of the lens but I think if I were you I'd sooner go for the S8000 and that's an 18x so has a bit more reach anyway.

Hope that helps

ps the Fuji forum is a good place to learn how to use it as well

 

[chewie]

My setup is a Canon 400D with an EF70-300mm f4.5/5.6 70-300mm IS USM.

its ideal for anything bigger than a Blackbird, but for full frame of something the size of a Robin for example, you will need to get within 2m...

i kinda wish i used the money to get myself a 2nd hand 400mm L series lens tho...

 

[666taz]

Just to add always look for optical zoom not digital as optical is in the lens all digital zoom is,is software making the pixels bigger to make it look closer not using the lens optics which is best so the better the optical zoom the better some of the newer cameras that do 18x have not altered their lenses to get this but made thier sensor smaller to get these types of magnefication so could be noisier than lower mag versions more megapixels smaller sensor means more noise hope this is not too complex hope it helps