Camera advice for A level student

[Tim Pindar]

OK folks some advice please...

My daughter did AS level photography last year, and has now decided to carry it on into the upper sixth to A level.

Last year she made do with a compact digital camera, but now we want to get her something better. Apart from the school work she isn't overly interested in the subject though, I'd say.

A friend of hers has a Panasonic Lumix G2 which is an entry level SLR with features like touchscreen and swivel screen, and no mirror so just the screen. The kit lens seems to be 14-42mm, equivalent to 28-82.

However I am wondering if a better bet would be a bridge camera, such as the Sony SX30. These are smaller lighter and easier to use and the lenses have a massive zoom factor.

We will be going to the shops to try them next weekend, but I just wondered if there are any other considerations - or even a recommendation?

TIA.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I'd go pre-owned Canon 30D with kit lens

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-Digital-Camera-18-55mm-3-5-5-6/dp/B000F6ILPA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1315796063&sr=1-1

Same price as the Panasonic - and it set's her off in a direction which she can build-on for the rest of her life - if she continues after the exams are done.

Plus she can 'borrow' dad's lenses from time to time!

The 30D is going to give her all of the creative control she could need - and would be a great DSLR to learn on.

 

[Tim Pindar]

Hmm, might be too big and bulky Chris?

 

[Hamish Gill]

I believe Chris has the right trail of thought though Tim
Maybe a 550d?

Don't forget that the smaller the sensor, the less chance she will have to play with the effects of adjusting DOF
Camera courses round here always used to recommend aps-c sensors and interchangeable lenses.
The Nikon d40 was the turning point, before that camera students bought second hand film cameras... After it they bought entry level DSLR's (mostly nikon on my advice of course )

A proper DSLR, with as few bells and whistles as possible is going to be a much wiser direction ... Especially with all your lenses to share!

What's a Sony sx30 when it's not a camcorder???
Do you mean a Stl-s33? Or a nex3??

 

[Tim Pindar]

sx30:

http://www.1stcameras.com/pd-canon-powershot-sx30-is-digital-camera.cfm

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Tim - a hands-on is going to tell you/her if it's too big/heavy - however I will say that SWMBO carries hers around just fine, and she had the same requirement.

550D is a smaller body, and the SX30 looks smaller again.

 

[Ralph Thornton]

I'd agree with Chris and Hamish. A DSLR will provide more control of depth of field and provide a camera with plenty of versatility. The size weight issue can easily be resolved by visiting a shop and holding the camera.

 

[Tim Pindar]

Thanks folks. Commendably, she says that PQ is the no. 1 priority, so your suggestions are very relevant.

 

[Hamish Gill]

canon sx30 ... gottcha ...
nah, bad idea imo

She sounds sensible!

 

[Tim Pindar]

Yes Hamish sorry, Canon SX30 not Sony.

I might have a solution: buy a spanking new Canon 1100D body only for around £350, and she can have/borrow my Canon 17-85mm IS lens that I was thinking of selling. And have access to all my other lenses if or when she needs them. Sounds like a plan?

Incidentally, what interests me about her course (based on the AS level she did last year) is that they never learnt anything about DOF, focal length, ISO, aperture, etc ie the science of photography. As a result her point and shoot cheapie camera was fine. Even now she isn't obliged to get a new camera for A level year. The course is more akin to an Art course, it centres around creativity and presenting a portfolio of images around a developed theme, with a write-up. I think this may be because it is run by the Art department and also they have enough PCs and Photoshop licences to major on that rather than the in-camera aspects.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Yep, sounds a good idea

That sounds like most photography courses ... even uni ones seem to run like that
I know of people who after 3 years of uni didnt know some of the basics ...
its barmy!

She should do alright with a course like that and a pops to full in the technical gaps for her

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Good plan Tim - looks like a very handy intro DSLR - and a nice IS lens to kick off with

She's a lucky girl!

 

[Tim Pindar]

Indeed. We'll see what happens when she tries some cameras out in a shop.

PS Hopefully she'll NEVER call me "pops"!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Don't show her the Fuji X100 or the Leica M9!

 

[Hamish Gill]

Tim "pops" Pindar
I think it has a certain ring to it...

 

[Pete Askew]

Certainly better than "shifty"!!

 

[Tim Pindar]

I guess so...

 

[Tim Pindar]

UPDATE:

After trying them in the shop, she went for the Panasonic Lumix G2.

Here it is

This is one of those interchangeable lens "Compact System Cameras" which doesn't have a mirror but has an electronic viewfinder (auto-detecting when you are using it, and shutting off the main screen) as well as the screen on the back.

I personally am not convinced that these viewfinders pass muster but of course I'm used to an optical one.

It really is extraordinarily small and light though, and as she is small with small hands, it suited her more than the larger Canon 1100D.

It turned out buying the Canon as body only was either impossible or virtually the same price as with the kit zoom lens.

So she has sacrificed access to my lenses for the form factor and other features, with the hope that the image quality is approaching SLR levels. The prices were similar.

The bridge camera got short shrift from all of us.

 

[Hamish Gill]

The image quality is slr level Tim ... It's the same size sensor as used in the Olympus DSLR range!
Great little camera the g2 ... At least if my experience of the gf1 was anything to go by...
Milan now has my gf1 and he also seems to rate it quite highly!

 

[Darren Bradley]

Not withstanding the emphasis on the artsy side and the lack of technical instruction in schools these days (!), I'm going to pile on and say get her an entry-level DSLR - you want at least an APS-C size sensor and an ability to change lenses.

I don't understand the photo courses over there. I took photography in high school and the emphasis then was clearly on technique. I think we spent the first six weeks on theory before we were even allowed to touch our cameras. Kids these days... sheesh.