Best value camera? What to consider when purchasing a camera?

[Bryan Chee]

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[ykgoh]

If you're asking such questions, I reckon you're not a photography enthusiast who demands fine-grained manual control over advanced settings. As a noob myself who have only played with cheap compact point-and-shoot cameras on auto, I can only offer some general advice.

Am looking for a slim portable camera that shoot hd photo,

Get a compact camera. All compact cameras in recent years are at least 16 megapixels or 20 megapixels, way more than HD. So no worries.

All are able to shoot 720p videos at the minimum, and some can do 1080p videos.

and not bulky dslr

Then you should be looking at compact camera.

Mirrorless, compact, superzoom, what the different?

Mirrorless is a compact alternative to DSLR cameras. Allow you to change your lens but also more expensive than compact and superzoom cameras. For serious photography enthusiasts who do not mind spending more money for flexibility to "reconfigure" their cameras with different lenses and good image quality. I believe to get started with mirrorless camera would cost from $800 to $1000+. But if you're just starting out with photography, I think no point jumping for a mirrorless camera, and wait till you realise the need for it. Question is do you think you would want to switch camera lenses?

A compact camera is one you can slot in your pocket. Easily portable. Good for quick casual shots on the move. Optical zoom mostly between 5x to 10x. Relatively cheap, and advanced models exist to allow manual control over more settings. If you're planning to shoot only in auto mode all/most of the time, a compact camera is sufficient.

Superzoom/long zoom cameras are cameras with 20x to 60x zoom. Good for zooming in on something from long distance, e.g. wildlife photography, scenery shots, architectural shots. But they're usually bridge cameras with DSLR size, so it is not what you're looking for. Major difference compared to DSLR is that bridge cameras cannot change their lens.

Also the specs - what to take note?

I strongly recommend you pick a compact camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) to prevent blurry shots due to shaky hands, unless you want to carry a tripod everywhere.

Note that many cheap cameras (< $200) only come with Digital Image Stabilization (DIS) and it's not effective and/or lead to poor images.

things like Maximum ISO, etc

To me as a noob, it doesn't matter how high the ISO can go. It can stop at 1600, 3200 or even higher. But the higher the ISO, the more noisy -- and lower quality -- your image becomes.

Some cameras can claim to support extremely high ISO (like 6400), but it only means the potential for worse image is there.

Ideally if you can shoot at ISO 100, the better it is, depending on lighting condition. Generally more light leads to lower ISO and better image quality e.g. outdoor shot on a sunny day. Less light leads to higher ISO and lower image quality e.g. indoor shot or night time shot.

The 3 factors ISO, aperture and shutter speed are interlinked. You can read for better understanding how they affect each other: Understanding ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture - A Beginner's Guide

with so many camera, what would you recommend? something that affordable around 500 or below

I shall leave it to the pros around here to recommend. But generally going with a Canon or Nikon compact camera wouldn't be too far wrong. Every brand has its own fan base.

You should read reviews on a camera model you're interested in before buying and look at some sample images taken by it if available. Trust your own eyes.

 

[ykgoh]

Just to add, your budget of up to $500 is enough to afford those more premium compact cameras.

Look for:

• Optical image stabilization
• BSI CMOS sensor preferred over traditional CCD for low light shooting
• Optical Zoom as much as you can get after considering other factors
• Battery life and type (proprietary Li-on or AA-sized)

Megapixel count seems to be the least important thing these days.

 

[lycheas]

I picked up a Panasonic 4/3 GF5 (2 generation ago) mirrorless camera a few weeks back at one of the S'expo sales fair at $399. Comes with a pancake 14-42 mm lens.

It's a good base to start. If I have bought a compact, and gotten more interested in photography, I would dump the compact to move up.

With the GF5, I can keep the lens and move up the camera body. I can expand the lens collection and get something that got zoom, or use a macro.

Also, capability-wise, not that far off from the premium compacts.

 

[ykgoh]

I picked up a Panasonic 4/3 GF5 (2 generation ago) mirrorless camera a few weeks back at one of the S'expo sales fair at $399. Comes with a pancake 14-42 mm lens.

It's a good base to start. If I have bought a compact, and gotten more interested in photography, I would dump the compact to move up.

With the GF5, I can keep the lens and move up the camera body. I can expand the lens collection and get something that got zoom, or use a macro.

Also, capability-wise, not that far off from the premium compacts.

Agree that if TS can get a mirrorless camera at this price ($399), then it's a steal. But most current gen MILC sold in stores are between $5xx to $2xxx, and typically bulkier than compact.

It depends on whether TS sees the need for such flexibility, image quality and the additional costs of acquiring additional lenses. afaik, with the len attached, mirrorless cameras are generally too big to stuff into a pant's side pocket.

 

[rbth x 0408]

sorry to hijack this thread

any good recommendations for a budget of $300?

 

[tkdboi]

How abt panasonic tz40? I am letting mine go