Looking for a new camera

[viscount17]

My camera died while on holiday in Spain; the sensor packed up so it was like taking photos through a dirty lace curtain. My last camera was a Konica-Minolta Z3 (x12 optical). I want both good macro and a good optical zoom. A digital SLR would be best but I think are out of this price bracket, especially as it would need two lenses to do both jobs. I have £250 - £300 to spend and I've been considering these:
Panasonic DMC-FZ18 (x18)
Olympus SP-570UZ (x20)
Fuji S8000fd
Fuji S9600
I've read the stock reviews but has anyone got any of these or another that they would recommend?
This is the sort of thing I do:

 

[brendy]

My last camera was the KM Z3 also matey, excellent little camera that didnt know how to take a bad pic.
I sold up and moved onto the Fujifilm s9500 and while its a great camera with plenty of features, I miss the anti shake feature that it lacks.
Some of my examples with the 9500,

And a closeup shot, this is where the camera excels I feel.

 

[MVP]

Nice photos Guys!

 

[Dave3498]

How much is the 9500 Brendy?

 

[brendy]

You can still pick them u even though the 9600 superceeded it for around 150-200 pounds on the internet.
I love the manual manual zoom and ability to use manual focus even if it is electronic manual focus (ie you twist the ring but it is really augmenting a little motor for focus). I used the manual focus on the 3rd picture to really blur out the background with DOF while the knobs on the lamp were nice and vividly clear.

 

[Dave3498]

Thanks Brendy.

 

[RGuk]

I looked on which? magazine (you have to subscribe) and they have this camera 3rd in the test but it gets a better write up for image quality and can be used in a full manual mode.

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_...ot_G9/index.asp

Not a digital SLR, but not just a point and shoot.

 

[viscount17]

I'm really looking for a superzoom I think, I'd like a DSLR but it would need a second lens and that could double the cost.
Had a look around Cambridge Saturday, not many camera shops still there. Getting hands on and talking to the dealers helped a bit.
It's now down to the FZ18, SP-570 and a new one Panasonic DMC-FZ50; less zoom at x12, but much more SLR-like. I can get them all for £270 or less.

 

[nomadpaul]

Viscount , if you get the chance , have a search for reviews on a Nikon D40 - Its a DSLR and can be picked up for about £270 ( with a cashback deal ) from Amazon . The reviews i've seen of it are pretty positive .
I know you said you'd need the 2nd lens and probably couldn't afford both but this would be a good starting DSLR camera i think

 

[viscount17]

yes, you're right nomad. This was the DSLR of choice and I had a look at it on Saturday.

There are a couple of decent looking deals out there (?? dealers) but unfortunately I also incurred a couple of other unplanned expenses this month - a broken tooth (need a crown) and a new set of irons (great deal on these!)

 

[viscount17]

ok, nearly there.
went to talk to the nice people at digitaldepot last night and have a play with some of the remaining options.

Panasonic FZ50 - didn't have this
Panasonic FZ18 - rated very highly but to me, despite the brilliant x18 lens, it feels too plastic and far too light.
Olympus SP-570 - only recently released and this was the shop demo <u>but</u> the zoom ring had a lot of play in it as did the lenses when extended. The zoom ring controls the motor on this one.

Then they threw a curveball . . so new they didn't even have one out of the box, Fuji S100fs - big and solid like a DSLR, x14 zoom, 11 Mb. zoom and focus rings on the lens barrel. looks good, feels right

As I've decided that I don't want the hassle of lugging extra lenses (and the twin lens kit deals (Olympus E410 etc) don't have the best lens options anyway) I think the Fuji wins.
Now I have to work out how I'm going to pay for it, and the society golf day and Wentworth (got to have the camera for that)

 

[billyg]

ok, nearly there.
went to talk to the nice people at digitaldepot last night and have a play with some of the remaining options.

Panasonic FZ50 - didn't have this
Panasonic FZ18 - rated very highly but to me, despite the brilliant x18 lens, it feels too plastic and far too light.
Olympus SP-570 - only recently released and this was the shop demo <u>but</u> the zoom ring had a lot of play in it as did the lenses when extended. The zoom ring controls the motor on this one.

Then they threw a curveball . . so new they didn't even have one out of the box, Fuji S100fs - big and solid like a DSLR, x14 zoom, 11 Mb. zoom and focus rings on the lens barrel. looks good, feels right

As I've decided that I don't want the hassle of lugging extra lenses (and the twin lens kit deals (Olympus E410 etc) don't have the best lens options anyway) I think the Fuji wins.
Now I have to work out how I'm going to pay for it, and the society golf day and Wentworth (got to have the camera for that)

Vis - scratch the SLR option at that price. Sure, you can buy one lense that does it all - something like a 28-200mm f2.8-f3.5 (a classic 'pap' lens) but it'll cost you a mint, weigh a ton and be as cumbersome as a brick.

Don't have much experience of the Panasonics or Fuji but generally I would be inclined to steer clear of Canon at this price point - ive always found their optics to be a little soft.

I entirely agree with the useful direct optical (as opposed to digital - which is a gimmick) range that these mini-hybrid compacts offer. I used to run Nikon system SLR's years ago but got bored with lugging it all about- although the optics were unsupassed.

Can't quite bring myself to justify the inconvenience of the slight bulk of one to attract me away from a compact at the moment. Expecting to be able to ditch the compact within the next couple of years as camera mobiles are starting to run large capacity back up memory mini SD cards and some have Zeiss lense coatings.

FWIW - Minolta seem to have lead the field in this class of camera for a long time and I know a few people who swear by them.

bill

 

[viscount17]

Only problem is that Minolta are out of the camera market, what was left has been taken over by Sony.