New camera time - stick with bridge/superzoom or upgrade to DSLR?

[Hiro]

Firstly, I know there are a couple of threads out there already about DSLRs, but they're all a couple of years old and the camera world moves pretty quickly...

So I've just got back from a 2-week cruise to NZ, lots of perfect opportunities for great scenery shots etc (the weather was especially kind for Milford Sound), and I'm going through my photos now and I must say I'm a little disappointed with how a lot of them have turned out. I've been using a 4-year old Panasonic FZ28 bridge/superzoom, and whilst it is a pretty good camera I've never really been able to get photos just the say I like them - part of that I'm sure is down to laziness in not learning how to use manual PASM settings and so on, but I'm thinking now that it might be time to get a bit more serious, especially since I'm wanting to start getting some better photos of the cars as well as scenery, plus dabble in HDR/effects/creative shots.

The problem is that this leaves me smack bang in the middle of a very contested group of cameras. Do I stick with a bridge/superzoom and save a bit of coin or make the jump to a mirrorless ILC or full-on DSLR, which may well save me money in the future? Go for brand-new entry level or get a second-hand mid-level for the same price? I've listed below what I would want in a camera, as well as a couple of different models that I have come across.

Panasonic fan-boy (but Panasonic don't make full-on DSLRs anymore) but willing to try new brands, obviously don't have any lenses so not really tied to a particular brand if I go to MILC or DSLR, but I would want good prices and availability on lenses.

Prefer SD memory cards rather than CF (as I've got ~20gig of SD cards running around already)

Decent HD video with AF and zoom-whilst-recording

Image stabilisation and good performance at high zooms

Viewfinder (either EVF or pentamirror/prism)

Built-in flash

Nice vibrant colours and contrast off-the-gun without the need for post-processing

Live preview, big LCD screen

Onboard HDR

Good night-shots for car photo-shoots and scenery etc

New cameras that have caught my eye/hip-pocket:

Bridge/superzoom:

Panasonic DMC-FZ200

MILC:

Panasonic G5

DSLR:

Canon EOS 6xxD

Nikon D3xxx/D5xxx

Thoughts? Am willing to look back a model series or two if a good cheap used one comes up, but at the same time I do like to have latest/greatest for a price-point...

[69.NIX]

Depends on your budget.

Personally, go the Nikon D90. All great features, HD recording, good camera feel (not plasticy) and you should be able to get it for under a $1000 with lens now.

/my 2 cents

PS: if people start crapping on about the Nikon v Canon debate and it gets out of hand, there posts will be removed and a ban stick will apply. Keep to the fact and sell us on the reason why you choose one over the over. YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD.

[Hiro]

Budget (for the DSLRs/MICLs) would hopefully be around the $1k mark with 1 or 2 lenses

For the D90, does this look like a reasonable kit?. Obviously saving a few coins by going second-hand

As I said, no real bias towards Canon or Nikon, except I tend to like the look of Canons more, and that is without holding either of them (I'd tend to gravitate towards the larger one due to Big Hand Syndrome)

[dwee.]

Hi Ian,

You should try both Canon or Nikon first but they're are pretty much the same. It's like comparing reliability between Toyota and Honda haha. Same features but just different layout/buttons to get to them. Depends on which you like initially (or what your friends have to borrow lens) and then on you just get accustomed to it, whether it's Canon or Nikon.

Tbh, you don't really need a high end DSLR. I suggest buying a new/fairly new entry level. Buying like a new 550D/600D body only is $450/$550 respectively at the moment (don't know about Nikon prices). Chuck a 50mm 1.8 prime lens for $100 for portrait/low light photos. Save up a bit more then probably buy a lens with F2.8 and more range later.

Keep in mind, all my photos are taken from an entry level 550D DSLR. As long as you have a somewhat decent body, the lens plays a more important part.

Edit:

If you're more serious, probably save up more and buy a second hand 5D MkII for about $1.5-1.7k.

Even cheaper if you buy grey imports.

[jeffy]

http://www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/astore/Default.aspx

check that site, they got a few cheap specials over there

[ChrisE2490]

I have a dslr (canon 450d) and I'm about to buy a brand new Panasonic fz200. The super zoom just has so many more features and is 10 times easier to use then a dslr. You can't play around with as many settings but for an amateur to mid level photographer there's more than enough to play with. Plus the fz 200 is one smart camera

[bigVAN]

im loooking to buying a new camera too .

(posting so i can keep track)

[Hiro]

I have a dslr (canon 450d) and I'm about to buy a brand new Panasonic fz200. The super zoom just has so many more features and is 10 times easier to use then a dslr. You can't play around with as many settings but for an amateur to mid level photographer there's more than enough to play with. Plus the fz 200 is one smart camera

Judging from my experiences with the FZ28 (which is half a series and 3-4 models older than the FZ200), there are more than enough settings to get thoroughly lost in, my main issued is that the auto shots off the gun aren't as great as a reasonable DSLR, plus the small sensor size means a lot of noise at zoom/high ISO (and I want to get more into taking night shots)

Pete (big), are you using the D90? I've come across some pretty good second-hand kits on eBay for well under $1k (even ~$500) which looks like a great bargain to me.

[69.NIX]

Hiro (AE102) :P. I dont personally use one, I have a D700 (pro grade) device now. The old man has a D90 and personally it has a great feel and great for people with big hand syndrome.

As mentioned before, see if you can goto a shop and see if you can pickup / play with both canon / nikon and go from there.

[SecaBoy]

get a D7000 imo.

[Hiro]

Another cheap D90 with a decent zoom lens

[jeffy]

get a D7000 imo.

yes yess , join the nikkon side *muahahahah*

[Hiro]

Nikon D5100, 2 lenses (18-55 VR and 55-200 VR), with 2 year Nikon Australia genuine warranty, for $700….

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo……

[dwee.]

Ian, I'm not that familiar with Nikons and the models but you should go in and test those lens (assuming they are the kit lens, i.e. you're buying a twin lens kit). See if you like the focusing speed of them. That and if the D5100 has a decent processor, otherwise, it would be a good kit to start with. :)

[jeffy]

Nikon D5100, 2 lenses (18-55 VR and 55-200 VR), with 2 year Nikon Australia genuine warranty, for $700….

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo……

Thats pretty cheap, ive got the same unit and lens when i got it at 2009 ($1400) then upgraded the lens later on, i like the screen where it can flip at certain degrees to get different angled shots.

[Hiro]

I'm not too fussed about focusing speed (anything is faster than a 4-year-old point-and-shoot) since I'll mostly be taking fairly static shots (ie landscape/scenery, cars, portraits etc) not sports/action, plus I've read quite a few good reviews about the D5100. The lenses are basically just to get me started too and get a feel for the camera, I'll eventually work out what focus lengths I tend to use (got to love EXIF data and chipped lenses :D) and then go for a couple of good quality primes (35, 50 etc) and a wide telezoom for general work (18-200/300). Last time I used an SLR (for anything more than just "hey can you take a picture of me in front of this fountain please" it was my dad's (now) 40 year old Asahi-Pentax Spotmatic 35mm, and that was a good 15 years ago now...

[Hiro]

D5100 signed, sealed, delivered and mine :)

18-55 and 55-200 kit lenses, Lowepro twin lens bag, two Hoya UV filters, 16gig class 10 SDHC card, and a 3 year extended warranty, for $1k from Harvey Norman

[69.NIX]

congrats :)

[bigVAN]

I bought the d5100 too :D

[fillit]

congrats on the new camera, you wont regret a DSLR