Looking for a camera for 18 year old daughter's brithday.
Now I like Canon, and usually recommend them to others but there don't seem to be many Canon bargains out there just now.
Anyone able to recommend a good deal on the go just now for either Canon or another recommended make?
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Passing an Argos the other day I noticed a big poster in the window offering the Canon SX150 for, I think, £99.50. Don't know much about it but I looked it up briefly and it looks like a decent package if it was to be someone's only camera.
Stray thought: cameras ought to be black or, permissibly, silver, but you can now have your Canon or Panasonic in any number of colours. Cars, on the other hand, used to come in all kinds of colours, but try finding a nice one today (Kias don't count) in anything but fifty shades of grey.
}:---(
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Hmmm...had a look at the DPReview conclusion on the SX150 and I wouldn't buy one; there's a reason it's being knocked out cheaply so soon after its launch.
I didn't want to answer Bobby's question with "You've asked the wrong question" but I'm not sure I'd be delighted with a £100 camera as an 18th birthday present because it will, by definition, not be very good. Sorry, Bobby! £100 will get you things that very good of their type and be of enduring value. Anyway, there may be £100 offers available on other Canons, since we're coming up to the autumn launch season, but the SX150 isn't the one.
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I use an SX 150 as a travel camera, for everyday use it does the job, has almost as many modes an SLR, it is good in low light, helped by a good image stabilisation system. It uses AA rechargeable batteries which last well and as a last resort disposable AAs are easy to find. OK it may not be the latest all siginging wonder that will be superceded in six months but it is fantastic value for money.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 3 Aug 12 at 08:04
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Bought Nicole a Nikon Coolpix S3100 last year. Small, easy to use, takes good pictures under most circumstances, battery lasts an age, comes in a myriad of cool colours, available on Amazon for a touch under 90 quid, Nicole was delighted.
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Zero, when you say battery lasts an age can you put an approximate on that? Reason I ask, as mentioned I have a Canon and recommend them to others and they come with a rechargeable battery.
Last camera daughter had used normal batteries and it would go through a pair of batteries in probably less than 40 photos.
Camera looks good and I am tending to agree with those that say buy one for nearer £50.
Ironically, she is not long back from holiday when she discovered she wanted a camera as she did not want to take her smart phone out and about with her to take photos in case it got lost stolen or damaged.
Just saw this one on Curry's website and seems to get good reviews on others
www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/nikon-coolpix-l26-compact-digital-camera-red-12369639-pdt.html
At the end of the day, for this price its not going to be an SLR and I won't be as annoyed if she breaks it as I would be with something dearer!
Should be able to pick up rechargeable batteries and charger for not much more I reckon?
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...Should be able to pick up rechargeable batteries and charger for not much more I reckon?...
The AA batteries add to the bulk.
My little Nikon has a rechargeable which is only few mm thick.
Battery life has never been a problem, but I don't use it a lot.
It would certainly take dozens of photos on one charge, maybe a couple of hundred.
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>> Zero, when you say battery lasts an age can you put an approximate on that?
>> Reason I ask, as mentioned I have a Canon and recommend them to others and
>> they come with a rechargeable battery.
Lasted a week in Jersey, took over 100 photos, about 30 of them with flash, no hint of running down...
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Rttb9kp2JI
These were taken with the Nikon. I am standing in a chair, the camera is max zoom (so that electronic zoom + optical zoom) shot through a dirty window, at a scene about 200 yards away, then processed as video stills,
Given all that, the results are not bad. I quite like it its a sweet little camera. And in her chosen colour, very trendy.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 3 Aug 12 at 13:03
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Not comparing like with like but my Panasonic Lumix G2's battery pack will take many hundreds of photos and dozens of videos on holidays before it needs a charge. It's a 1250mAh 7.2V Li-ion battery and is very light.
My old Canon compact camera takes 4 x AA's and on high capacity AA's it too could take hundreds of photos. But those batteries weigh a lot more than the Li-ion but that's not surprising. That's NiMh vs Li-ion for you. And a charger for AA's weighs more than the Panasonic charger.
So I'd seriously consider propietary Li-ion batteries for a compact camera even if it increases costs. I was originally going to get a spare battery for the G2 but I've found no need. When it starts getting low I'd charge if necessary.
So just as a more scientific comparison the Li-ion battery is about 2oz and the 4 x AA NiMH 2000mAh batteries comes to about 4oz. And overtime these aren't Hybrio's so lose charge but the Li-ion does not.
And as another comparison the G2 (interchangeable lens etc.) with the stock 14-42mm lens is about 22oz with the battery. The old Canon A95 with batteries is 12oz.
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>> Cars, on the other hand, used
>> to come in all kinds of colours, but try finding a nice one today (Kias
>> don't count) in anything but fifty shades of grey.
2012 Volvo V40. tinyurl.com/ckx3jk7
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The SX150 looks a bargain to me. I wonder what wdb thinks are unacceptable drawbacks at this price point.
A small camera like this with a big zoom, regardless of price, has a very small sensor, and that always compromises low light performance because high ISOs are noisy and the aperture is limited (in this case 3.4 at the wide end, 5.6 at full zoom) and while that will deal adequately with a cloudy day at reasonable ISOs you will generally need flash indoors where your range will be limited to 10-15 feet.
I see it does video which might matter to a youngster, though they'd probably use a phone for those youtube moments anyway. It has manual controls which might appeal if she becomes an enthusiast.
The long zoom might appeal, but does she need it, e.g. for sports or wildlife? If not you have more choice and can trade off for other aspects of performance.
There's no such thing as a do-everything camera at any price point. At £100 this is pretty good. If she is not an experienced photographer then it probably isn't worth spending a great deal more until she know what matters to her. My favourite camera has a maximum zoom of 60mm in old money! (it's a Pana LX3, the current outgoing model of which, the LX5, is a bargain at just under £300 - but no use at all for snapping a small bird [feathered] 30 yards away).
EDIT - and IS at £100 is also a real win, as I now see ON has mentioned above (and he has one).
The pith from the DPreview review -
"Slow performance and noticeable image noise at mid/higher ISO sensitivity settings are the two major drawbacks to this otherwise appealing camera. Other than fairly responsive face detection and autofocus (in good light), the SX150 IS feels somewhat sluggish. It takes a couple of seconds to start up, and shot-to-shot times aren't great, especially when using flash.
Battery life is bottom-of-the-barrel at around 100 shots using conventional alkaline cells, although there are a number of users who will inevitably prefer the convenience of ubiquitous AA batteries over proprietary rechargeables. Image noise is also an issue, even at ISO 80-200 (if you look close enough at shadows and areas of plain tone). But if you plan to shoot outdoors during the day, you're unlikely to be troubled by it.
Aside from these shortcomings, the camera is capable of delivering some really nice images and comes with enough controls and options for a wide range of shooters to enjoy. The fact that it can currently be found for well under $200 makes it a terrific bargain, too."
Last edited by: Manatee on Fri 3 Aug 12 at 08:20
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A £50 IXUS on eBay does me. Compact, very reliable.
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>> A £50 IXUS on eBay does me. Compact, very reliable.
Which variant of IXUS? tinyurl.com/celymlm
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I haves one of these which is out of your price range (being a Scot) but it is ab-so-lute-ly brilliant!.
Have a search around (the ww) and you might find it a tad cheaper as its an old model now.
www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-WB600-Digital-Camera-Optical/dp/B00361EC90/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1343978927&sr=1-1
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If she's like many other 18-year-olds, wanting a camera to take clubbing and put in a bag with her keys then three cameras at £33 would be a much better bargain.
I'm no expert on cameras, but given the way they have evolved over the last decade I should expect the same over the next. My £250 Olympus from 2003-4ish was never any use as it ate batteries like a hungry elephant. My £70 Samsung from 2010 is a relatively serious piece of kit. (Argos sale shop from eBay.)
I think a £100 digital camera is a bit like a £2200 banger. Too cheap to be excellent, too expensive to be a throwaway.
You could give her a £50 camera and the promise of its replacement.
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Fair point Mapmaker. These supposed drawbacks are all relative, and for most purposes immaterial especially to anybody who finds phone pictures acceptable - as indeed they are for most people most of the time.
Also worth mentioning that it's the photographer that takes the picture, the camera merely records it. You can develop an interest in photography and take fantastic pictures with a very simple one, and learn a lot at the same time. But this is a present and that has another function;-)
All the same, a well chosen £100 camera now is a very sophisticated device indeed, and it would in my opinion be foolish for a person of normal means to spend more without a specific requirement.
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Some of the cheaper cameras are a bit chunky depth-wise, so what £100 will get you is a nice, slim camera, albeit one that won't take much better pics than a £40-£50 camera.
The Nikon mentioned by Zeddo is such a device.
I have an earlier model which has proved reliable.
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The SX150 is chunkier because of the zoom. A young lass, or anyone, might put more value on pocketability if it's for social snappery.
The best camera is the one you have with you :-)
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Yeah the SX150 looks like it would be just a tad too bulky for the "jeans pocket" test !
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My reading of the DP Review article was that the SX150 is slow (so you miss shots), noisy (so the ones you get don't look good), fuzzy at the edges (likewise) and eats batteries so that when you need it it won't even start. It takes nice pictures in bright light, but so can just about anything!
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>> My reading of the DP Review article was that the SX150 is slow (so you
>> miss shots), noisy (so the ones you get don't look good), fuzzy at the edges
>> (likewise) and eats batteries so that when you need it it won't even start. It
>> takes nice pictures in bright light, but so can just about anything!
>>
The thing is, those are all relative for a £200 camera which is now on sale at £100.
In absolute terms it's a great camera.
Last edited by: Manatee on Fri 3 Aug 12 at 16:21
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>> The thing is, those are all relative for a £200 camera which is now on
>> sale at £100.
>>
>> In absolute terms it's a great camera.
There is probably a reason for it being on sale for 100 quid. The worse thing you can ever have is a "slow" camera, both in powering up and taking the shot.
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Smartphones take some excellent photos now for example. I'd not rely just on mine but would I take a compact camera instead? I'm not sure. On holidays and out walking etc I always take my G2.
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Quite. I am a keen photographer but I am happy to have the iPhone to hand for random eventualities and I have several what I consider good pics taken with it.
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The ordinary batteries v special battery debate is interesting.
If it has ordinary batteries then you can always buy some if you run out unexpectedly.
But, my little Samsung (no idea what the code is, though I could check but it's probably not available any more anyway) has an internal battery and it takes hundreds of shots, even with flash, before it needs recharging.
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My SX150 will take several hundred photos on a set of rechargable Nmih AAs but eats the dispsable alkaline AAs, no surprise there. The rechargables easily last for a days heavy use and a spare set fit in the case. I have yet to miss a shot because it is "slow", It is not intended to be a professional sports photographers camera. I agree it is a bit bulky for young lady in nightclub kit to carry but I tend to have a 20 litre day pack to put it in. :-)
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>> Camera under £100?
>>
Grab the Canon sx150 if you can at Argos while it is under £100 as posted by WdB.
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Bought No1 son a camera for birthday. He treated himself to an iPhone on the same day. Nearly a year later, the camera hasn't even been out of the box !
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My choice would be the Canon IXUS 220 HS which you can get for maybe £120 now. I use it as my "take anywhere" camera as it's so slim it can fit in a shirt pocket. Excellent low light capability for clubs, parties, bars and very good quality images with probably the widest angle you can get on a compact - again good for close groups. The battery last for ages and I'm beginning to find I use the SLR less and less.
The shortcoming is the zoom at a mere 5x.
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... it can fit in a shirt pocket.
Only if your shirts have pockets - and, presumably, short sleeves. For the full Little Chef Manager look, you can carry it on your belt, along with a mobile phone and a large bunch of keys.
};---)
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More serious point: 5x is plenty (although why they always quote the ratio is beyond me). Long zooms in small bodies are doomed to be a let-down; there simply isn't room for enough good lens elements. A 24-120 range is plenty - preferable to 28-140) and the 24 end will get much more use.
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It's very easy to find good quality long sleeved shirts with pockets.
You stick to your "city" shirts, I like somewhere handy for my train tickets!
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A pocket on your shirt is presumably very useful if you need something to throw up into. Otherwise....
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I presume you can upchuck in your bowler hat, or perhaps your furled umbrella, in extremis?
City shirts are generally stuffed, in my experience ;-)
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Back on message.
The 24mm wide angle is pretty much the best you'll get in the compact market and so much more use than a long zoom. I find it good for interiors and close groups.
For those lacking a shirt pocket, a trouser or jacket pocket will do just as well.
PS I don't think a shirt pocket is a fashion faux pas in my case - all my shirts are casual as well as my retired casual life and I don't even know what I'd ever do with a tie (weddings and funerals excepted).
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate on Sat 4 Aug 12 at 11:22
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back off topic, how can you get your pen to leak all over your shirt if you dont have a breast pocket?
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Handy hint - do not put your compact digital camera or indeed mobile phone in your shirt breast pocket if you intend to use a lavatory. The simultaneous attempt at raising of trousers combined with the bid for freedom by a BlackBerry is nothing short of unseemly. As I discovered on Thursday...
I caught it ( the phone ) but it was oh so close to being in a place from which I'd really not have liked to retrieve it. For the record, it was the public bogs at the top of Carnaby St and I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise to any other concurrent occupants for the language emanating from trap 3...
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Sat 4 Aug 12 at 12:00
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Word of advice here Humph, never bend over with your bum facing the door in the public toilets in carnaby street..... The loss of your blackberry is nothing compared to the loss of your cherry.....
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>> For the record, it was the public bogs at the top of Carnaby St and I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise to any other concurrent occupants for the language emanating
>> from trap 3...
We are quite used to Jocks shouting when they go into those loos in Carnaby Street.......
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>> ............. at the top of Carnaby St ...............
Clearly a man of distinction, a real big spender. I like your style.
Last edited by: L'escargot on Sat 4 Aug 12 at 13:13
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I did something similar in Kuala Lumpur about 15 years ago with my passport making a bid for freedom.
Much more valuable and the loo was a hole-in-the-floor type so no chance of retrieval.
It still gives me shivers just thinking about it.
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Compact Digital Camera under £100? - WillDeBeest
