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Camera advice

Graham Hunt

Graham Hunt

Senior Member
My Olympus compact digital seems to have packed in after 3 years heavy use, at least the review function has ceased to work. With a 6 week wait for it to be fixed, it looks like a new camera is required!

To be honest, i don't know much about cameras, it's the wife's domain.

Any recommendations? Budget £250 but if i can get a decent, reliable one for much less then i will.

Requirements are that it is effective for self takes. My current one has a 12 second timer which is just enough although it is far from ideal having to go back to the camera for each take, put down the fish etc.

Thanks in advance, gentlemen :)
 
A budget of £250 would give you a good load of options. But really I cant see that spending that much would enhance you photography. Sure for that you could a good telephoto lens and a few extras, but I have had a few compacts and there is not much to choose between a £100 job or a £250. You will get 12meg pixles, but anymore than 10 is not really worth all the hype, besides too much pixle = noise (blurring) so I would not go down more is better route. Better you decide if a viewfinder is important to you, and believe me snapping your PB Barbel in low light then a viewfinder helps!! I think most have at least a 12 second timer now.
I like Panasonic, Canon and Pentax, but I reckon Panasonic at the moment have the edge.
 
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Graham, this has been covered a number of times on here, so a search should prove useful.

I have an old Canon G6 compact camera, which has a viewing screen which can be swivelled to face forwards, and a small remote control. Obviously, this means that the shot can be composed using the forward facing screen, and then taken when ready via the remote (there are several methods used to operate the remote, such as placing it under the resting knee)

These cameras are well recommended, and take an excellent picture, but are sadly no longer in production. However, they do come up on ebay from time to time, usually for £100 or less. I would think that if you prefer new, there must be something similar out there by now.

Cheers, Dave.
 
Something not used as much as it should on here the FAQ'S a great source of information.
 
Hi Graham,

I was in the same situation a while back and asked the same question.

I ended up buying a Canon S5 off the Canon ebay outlet for 135 after the advice I recieved for the guys on here and have got to say it's an awesome camera for that sort of money. Search my thread and google the S5 I can't recommend it highly enough :)

Regards,

Pete.
 
Another vote for the S5. About £120 on ebay last time I looked.

Not only does the display swivel round for self-takes, but you can set a custom timer. Mine is set to take 8 shots at 2 second intervals. Even with a lively fish, I usually get at least one good one! The max is 10 shots.

And the 12x zoom with image stabilization is brilliant for wildlife shots while you're on the bank. Just wish it was a bit smaller though.
 
Thanks for your replies gents.

I think i'm arriving at a solution - getting a compact for roving sessions/the wife and a Canon when bulk isn't a problem. I really like the sound of the fuctions for self-takes.
 
Agree, great Camera, presumably we mean S5 IS, I have the S3 IS which is a mega pixel or two less but I find it absolutely fine.

Advantages for me are: it is robust, have the big flip round screen, fully programable multi shot self take timer and very important for me it uses AA batteries, which I always carry spares of, so many cameras with special re-chargeable batteries are a real pain when the battery dies on you unexpectedly!!

I pair it with a D-SLR Gorillapod, fantastic bit of kit......
 
Pete/ Andy,

Do you know if the Canon custom timer will let you take multiple shots with the flash on? My current camera will only work in ‘burst mode’ in settings not involving the flash.

Regards,

Matt
 
I use the Canon Powershot A580 for my fishing photography, light and compact, 8Mp with multi-shot and timer options.

Absolute bargain as I got it for £50 in an Argos clearance sale on eBay!:D
 
Matt,

My S3 IS takes self timed multi shots with flash, I would imagine the S5 IS does too......

Good job really as all my Barbel captures, more or less, are at night..........
 
Samsung EX1, it has a flip out LCD screen that you can swivel round for self takes. Shop around and you can pick one up new for £250. I also managed to get a remote of eBay for £8. Very good camera which I'm more than happy with.
 
David Gauntlett said:
Graham, this has been covered a number of times on here, so a search should prove useful.

I have an old Canon G6 compact camera, which has a viewing screen which can be swivelled to face forwards, and a small remote control. Obviously, this means that the shot can be composed using the forward facing screen, and then taken when ready via the remote (there are several methods used to operate the remote, such as placing it under the resting knee)

These cameras are well recommended, and take an excellent picture, but are sadly no longer in production. However, they do come up on ebay from time to time, usually for £100 or less. I would think that if you prefer new, there must be something similar out there by now.

Cheers, Dave.
Click to expand...

The Cannon G11 also has the swivel screen function but not sure on the remote, I think even the Cannon G9 might have had the screen as well.

I had a G7 and a quality camera it was too, it was sold to me and regarded but a lot as a digital DSLR quality compact. The only trouble will be finding the newer ones in your budget.

Another option that may not have been thought off is to use a Video Camcorder. Some can be had cheap and most have remote controls and the swivel screens etc. You could pose, posture for as long as you want and I believe stills (single pictures) can be pulled from the clip reasonably easy on a PC....Just a thought??

Cheers

Adie
 
Matt Kemp said:
Pete/ Andy,

Do you know if the Canon custom timer will let you take multiple shots with the flash on? My current camera will only work in ‘burst mode’ in settings not involving the flash.

Regards,

Matt
Click to expand...

Yes, Matt. Many of my self-takes are with the flash. There is a slightly longer pause between each take as the flash has to recharge.
 
You should be able to pick up a second hand panasonic G1 for £250 or less.
Great camera for fishing.I would have said you could'nt get a better one but canon released the 60D.

Jason
 
Steve Roffey said:
I use the Canon Powershot A580 for my fishing photography, light and compact, 8Mp with multi-shot and timer options.

Absolute bargain as I got it for £50 in an Argos clearance sale on eBay!:D
Click to expand...

On the same tack as Steve, I called in at Argos today and it appears that they have a fair selection of decent compact cameras at clearance prices. If I were likely to catch a decent fish, then I'd have bought one.
 
Chris Guy said:
I concur re G6, quality kit & 8 mp's are ample.
This will go for a song and has all you require for on-the-bank fishography.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-PowerSh...lCameras_JN&hash=item45f8359c13#ht_942wt_1054
Click to expand...

When you can pick up a new G11 for £280, I hardly think the £150 which these 6 year old cameras sell for could be called "a song"!!

Good cameras but have become way, way overpriced due to the popularity with anglers........

As someone on the PAC forum recently said, just wait until this year's "must have" is announced and then buy last years off a carp angler for £50 :)
 
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