What Camera - Bridge or Advanced Compact?

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

We are going to be doing a lot of travelling - home and overseas distant parts - from now until July 2019.

Back in the day I was an SLR man (a Pentax ME Super was my baby), and although never hugely serious about my photography I enjoyed trying things out. And then arrived digital photography - I missed it's arrival and so was lost when it came to looking at cameras - so about 5yrs ago I bought a nice little Panasonic Lumix digital compact. It's now got some issues (some grit or dust in the lense and a bit of a sticky shutter) and because of the travelling we have planned I think an upgrade is worthwhile.

I don't see the point in going DSLR and spending the big £££s that that can involve (not yet at the moment) - but I am unsure on the Bridge vs Advanced Compact front (btw - I am not into using my smartphone for photos and want a bit more creativity and zoom function that I can get with other than a very expensive smartphone).

My instinct is a compact as that seems to more fit with our travelling plans (India and South/Central America) and is less likely to get swiped - and I can see that I can get a rather darned good high spec compact camera for £500.

So why would I go Bridge?

You might also try and tell me not to bother and just buy a new smartphone (I have to buy one at some point this year in any case).

cheers

 

[Hobbit]

Compact for travelling, unless you're a masochist. I've got the full DSLR set up, which gives exceptional results, especially with editing. Its a lot of kit to carry, which is weight when you're flying.

But I have a relatively new Lumix, they're still the best, for when we're travelling.

 

[MegaSteve]

For ease herself now favours carrying a 'compact' when travelling...
Always had good results from Panasonic ones with Leica lenses...
Mistakenly got one with their own brand lens and it went back as picture quality was underwhelming...
Size is all when it comes to sensors...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Thanks Bri/Steve - The Panasonic Lumix TZ100 / SZ100 gets good reviews. A good quality compact just seems to make sense for travelling about India for 6-8weeks and then same length of time in South/Central America. I just don't see what a bridge camera would offer me that counters that it is not a pocket camera.

 

[MegaSteve]

Also, when she is away she carries/uses multiple memory cards rather than just keep using one with a huge capacity... If something went awry you could potentially lose all your good work...

Even then, I think she still 'backs them up' as much as she can onto portable hard drives...


She's entered the digital age with rather more ease than I have...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Also, when she is away she carries/uses multiple memory cards rather than just keep using one with a huge capacity... If something went awry you could potentially lose all your good work...

Even then, I think she still 'backs them up' as much as she can onto portable hard drives...


She's entered the digital age with rather more ease than I have...

Good thinking - though with wireless capability could I not just load them to a cloud account...?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

According to HiD the Lumix is they way to go for everyday stuff.

 

[MegaSteve]

Good thinking - though with wireless capability could I not just load them to a cloud account...?

Not so sure I'd be comfortable with relying on something I can't see/understand to host anything that couldn't be repeated...

But, I've worked with film for best part of 50 years and I still struggle to accept anything I can't physically see/hold like a roll of negative...

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Apart from lens quality, shutter delay is a big thing for me when choosing compacts. Hate the delay you get when you press the shot button.

 

[MegaSteve]

Apart from lens quality, shutter delay is a big thing for me when choosing compacts. Hate the delay you get when you press the shot button.

Has to be a trade off with 'carryability'... Was a time herself would carry a whole rucksack of gear even when travelling abroad... She's no longer up to that and is not convinced her 'bridge' camera alternative is that sufficiently better to take that on her travels...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Not so sure I'd be comfortable with relying on something I can't see/understand to host anything that couldn't be repeated...

But, I've worked with film for best part of 50 years and I still struggle to accept anything I can't physically see/hold like a roll of negative...

I think we can pretty much trust cloud storage - my company does for all of our Email and documentation. And so will you for your Email - unless that is you download it all and store it locally.

And finding myself listening to your thoughts on your 'herself'

 

[MegaSteve]

I think we can pretty much trust cloud storage - my company does for all of our Email and documentation. And so will you for your Email - unless that is you download it all and store it locally.

If it's what you are comfortable with and as 'the cloud' is clearly within your understanding then there shouldn't be issues...

The model you are looking at is the one my better half is eyeing up for her next 'treat'... One inch sensor should ensure great quality images...

 

[DCB]

Another shout for a Lumia. Got one for HID a couple of years back and it is a great camera for the money. Good lens and good photos as a result.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

To me £500 seems a lot for a compact camera - when you can get them a lot cheaper and they rather 'look' the same - but of course the technology when you get to £500+ is going to be a lot better than I'd get for £200 - I suppose.

Not hearing many shout-outs for bridge cameras for travelling...?

 

[ger147]

Re. Bridge camera or not, unless you're planning on using the zoom functionality which is better with a bridge camera than a compact, then a compact is your best bet IMO.

Personally, a phone is fine for me, don't have any other cameras in the house these days.

 

[chrisd]

I'm a keen photographer too and gave a decent DSLR Canon set up but we're off to the states soon and I may just take our Canon point and shoot. They do give exceptional results these days and it's definitely worth spending a bit on a good one and I'd invest in Photoshop Elements too as I feel every digital photo can be enhanced by post processing- I especially like the haze removal and the ability to remove unwanted things in the pic easily.

 

[USER1999]

I think we can pretty much trust cloud storage - my company does for all of our Email and documentation. And so will you for your Email - unless that is you download it all and store it locally.

And finding myself listening to your thoughts on your 'herself'

Re cloud storage. The down side to thus is the need for internet access. Decent internet access in tin pot countries is like rocking horse doos.

 

[spongebob59]

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/buying-guide-best-cameras-for-travel/3

we have a Fujifilm compact and are more than happy with that so maybe another brand to consider ?

 

[HairyBullet]

Hi,ive done the Digital SLR thing and enjoyed it immensely until it came to travelling.
Ive also had decent high end compacts the best being Fuji X70 but this has a fixed lens(28mm if I remember correctly)
Also had Sony RX compacts (1,2 and 3) which again are fantastic compacts but now just use a Hauwei P20 Pro smart phone which gives superb results and you've always got it with you and really isn't a chore to carry round.
As for the bridge camera I find they aren't much difference size wise to modern DSLR ,just my twopenneth .

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Thanks all. I'm not hearing that much advantage of bridge over compact - other than, as ger says, in respect of zoom lenses. But for travel photography when I might not want to be carrying much about, the convenience of being able to stick a compact in my pocket, or onto my belt under a shirt, seems to be winning out over additional zoom.

I'd ask my brother as he has got some nice DSLR stuff - but to be honest I think he falls into the 'got all the gear but no idea' category