Bare with me guys, im an engine builder and am lost when it comes to this sort of thing.

1/2 of me wants an SLR, the other wants a compact.

I like the idea of being able to possibly take better pics with the SLR, however i dont know if i will actually get the use out of it due to their cumbersome nature.

The other 1/2 is looking at a small compact that i can get nice pics with and slips into a pocket for a day trip or night out. Something like that new black Panasonic DMC-FX33.

Please help me with the pros/cons of each...

I dont have a massive budget either, say £450 tops really. I cant justify any more on a camera if im not a professional photographer ya know.

I just want nice pictures.. thats it lol.

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

by your own admission you want to take images, but you're not sure whether you'll get 'the bug' for photography.

I would suggest a capable compact, like the olympus SP550UZ or the Canon G9 - both 300 or under i think.

you can use manual settings to give you some creative flexibility and you're not too comitted to an expensive and potentially not used slr.

remember, the great pictures come from you, not the camera.

unless you want to shoot in the dark or other extreme photographic conditions an slr might be wasted at the moment for you.

Do you want photography to be a hobby or do you just want to take some pictures to record a day at the beach?

I'd go for a top of the range compact - eg Canon G7 / G9.

I have so many expensive hobbies, i really dont think i need another. I cant use photoshop and im not an experienced photographer, hense why i think 90% of the SLRs features would be wasted.

I like the idea of taking photos that i can play with the focus and focus of different parts of a picture etc. However ultimately i just want something that takes great pics and i will actually get the use out of.

Just how good are the top of the range compacts now?

...Very good. I have a Canon SLR and have recently bought a G9 compact. It has full manual capability as well as being an excellent point and shoot. The only downsides for me are: low light noise (all small sensor cameras have this challenge), limited depth of focus creativity and slightly limited lens range.
When you consider the camera is cheaper than a capable macro lens and yet it's very close capability is amazing, I would go for one of these given your budget.

Cheers guys, keep the input coming :thumb:

I had an OK compact with full manual settings. It was good, but a bit of a fag to play with the settings (Fuji E510 IIRC, not great menu system). I took it everywhere, snapped everything, got loadsa great pics.

Now have a D80. Pics are way better and it is a joy to use, but boy it's a bulk to carry round.

If there is a compact with a simple menu, I'd say go for that at the moment. And don't spend up to the top of your budget, as then you'll have more left for that 30MP monster SLR in a year or two when you've got the bug ;)

I like the idea of taking photos that i can play with the focus and focus of different parts of a picture etc.

frayz,

That requirement rules out any of the small sensor compacts and probably most of the so called "bridge" cameras as well.

The Olympus E510 dslr is pretty small, as are the Nikon D40 and Canon 400D, albeit not exactly pocket sized.

However, I'd pick up a cheap Canon powershot - great quality, easy to use and still with multiple modes to let you be more creative if needs be. See how you go with that for what you want it for. if you end up changing your mind, you've not forked out that much and ebay will be your friend for a quick sale.

A DSLR isn't something you take for a night out, though, although they are easy enough to stash in the car/backpack for a day trip.

Looks like you have conflicting requirements - aren't they always? - but you are not alone.

I think im gonna go the expensive route and get myself a cheap ish compact for snapping on nights out etc and then go get the best DSLR i can afford.

Im quite keen on the Nikon D80 but ill go try a few beforehand and then search for the best deal. deep down i know i want a pukka SLR so might aswell stop fannying about and get one lol :D

Cheers :thumb:

I love my D80 with a passion, a great camera to learn with IMHO, because i'm still learning, slowly ;), it's my "long term" hobby

Well im thinking if i go for something like the D80 or similar spec then im not going to outgrow it anytime soon so should se me good for a fair few years to come :thumb:

Okay guys, i bit a big bullet today. Here was my shopping list :D

1x Nikon D80 DSLR
1x Nikon AF DX 18-70mm lense
1x Nikon AF-S VR 70-300mm lense
2x Nikon UV filters
1x Nikon SB 800 flashgun
2x Sandisk Extreme3 2GB cards
2x Nikon lithium batteries
1x Lowepro Slingshot backpack

Should keep me quiet for all of 5 min! :D

Looking forward to learning and creating my own pictures :D

I have so many expensive hobbies, i really dont think i need another.


LOL, that went out the window then...

Nice shopping list, even if it is all Nikon....... :D

LOL, that went out the window then...

Nice shopping list, even if it is all Nikon....... :D

Errrr, yeah :D

Like most say its just personal choice, i just find the Nikon stuff feels better and feels better made than that of the canon.

All my stuff arrived today, cant wait to get my teeth into it all :)

Happy learning!

Enjoy, it's so much fun :-)

Nikon :thumb: ... and we want to see some pics soon :)

I'll get some pics up asap. Unfortunately im working long hours this week so have barely had a chance to even look at my new stuff :(

I have a big learning curve infront of me.

Well, aside from Hoppy's sticky, there's this:
http://bbs.scoobynet.com/photography-360/647288-i-want-learn-photography-advice-needed.html