Camera advice please!

[Dave200]

Hi folks,
I offered to buy the girlfriend a nice digital camera for her birthday (a relatively important one), and told her to go away and choose one she wanted. She's come back with four choices (all Canon - a girl after my own heart), and I really need some advice about which would be better for her.


I'm a keen photographer, but have never owned a Digital SLR (my Canon SLR and Galaxy S2 mobile camera suit me perfectly), so I don't know a damned thing about them. What do know is that the girlfriend is very creative, and is likely to take to 'artistic' photography like a duck to water - and also that she's unlikely to want to change/upgrade her camera again any time soon (partly her stubbornness - plus, it's a birthday present that I wouldn't want to be obsolete/outgrown in 18mths time).

I really haven't got the time to trawl through online reviews, or to be patronised by some spotty oik in Jessop's on my lunchbreak - so I need the ever-reliable PH to give me some guidance.

Which of the following will be good for a relative (but V keen and V creative) beginner to use for a good number of years:
Canon EOS 1100D
Canon EOS 550D
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Thanks in advance!

[14-7]

Dave200 said:

Canon EOS 1100D
Canon EOS 550D
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Thanks in advance!

Dave

Is she willing to lug a DSLR around all the time?

The powershot options seem to have quite large zoom ranges on them compared to what you will get with a kit lens on the 1100/550D. Is she, or you, willing to cough up extra for more lenses if you go the 1100/550 route?

A 550D with lens will set you back at least £600, an 1100D £450 and the powershot options about £340 ish.

You said she won't be willing to upgrade due to her stubborness. In that case I would go the powershot route as once you buy an SLR you soon realise you want different lenses. After all a kit 18-55 lens does't offer much zoom at all and 55mm isn't really a lot. The SX30 offers a good zoom range and also manual controls if she wants to get creative.

[Dave200]

14-7 said:

Dave

Is she willing to lug a DSLR around all the time?

The powershot options seem to have quite large zoom ranges on them compared to what you will get with a kit lens on the 1100/550D. Is she, or you, willing to cough up extra for more lenses if you go the 1100/550 route?

A 550D with lens will set you back at least £600, an 1100D £450 and the powershot options about £340 ish.

You said she won't be willing to upgrade due to her stubborness. In that case I would go the powershot route as once you buy an SLR you soon realise you want different lenses. After all a kit 18-55 lens does't offer much zoom at all and 55mm isn't really a lot. The SX30 offers a good zoom range and also manual controls if she wants to get creative.

Thanks for that - really useful!

Cost isn't really a major issue, but I could definitely see her getting the hump having to drag a number of lenses around with her. Would one of the Powershot models be a reasonable substitute for a 550D and a handful of lenses for a keen amateur?

Are there any other Powershot models that she has overlooked that might fit the bill?

[14-7]

I can't really answer whether the powershot models are any good as the only one I've used was about 3 years ago.

I do have a little Canon IXUS camera though and despite it being a compact also has manual modes on it. No where near as easy to use in manual mode compared to my 7D but then there is a cost difference and I can't slip the 7D in my pocket when out and about on holiday.

I'd imagine that the powershot models will give pretty good results but as with all photography it's mainly down to how you comose and use the equipment.

Just to prove you don't always need an all singing all dancing DSLR these two images were taken an IXUS 500 which cost me about £160 in 2004.


Lightening1 by 14-7, on Flickr


Preying Manits by 14-7, on Flickr

Now, as I said they were taken with a point and shoot and the powershot's you are looking at should be able to produce much better images if you spend the time setting them up. As far as the DSLR and lenses route goes, this is my current bag which weighs just under 10kg (without tripod attached).


Bag by 14-7, on Flickr

It does sound from your posting that the other half would be better off with a powershot or some other sort of bridge camera. http://www.photographymonthly.com/camerafinder/bri...

Don't discount some of the other makes though.

If you want to see some photos of what the Canon Powershot SX30 can do click on the following link http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=canon+po...

[RobDickinson]

550d and kit lens, job done!

[dibbly dobbler]

I wonder if any of the OPs SLR lenses would fit a 550D and could potentially be used by the g/f?

What lenses do you have Dave ?

[Dave200]

Mine is a Canon T90. Off the top of my head, I've got a 50mm and 200mm zoom lenses - swear I had a wide-angle kicking around somewhere, but haven't seen it in an age...

Would they fit?

[RobDickinson]

Dave200 said:

Mine is a Canon T90. Off the top of my head, I've got a 50mm and 200mm zoom lenses - swear I had a wide-angle kicking around somewhere, but haven't seen it in an age...

Would they fit?

Sadly no the T90 was one of the last FD mount canons before they introduced the EOS/EF mount which the new ones still use.

You can get convertors but there not very good or worthwhile.

[Dave200]

No worries. We're off to try them on for size somewhere this weekend (any recommendations for decent, indy camera shops in Central London?), and I think I'll probably push her towards the SX30.

Thanks for all the advice.

[Killwilly]

She could also consider a four thirds camera, which would enable her to use your FD lenses without any problems focusing to infinity.
I have a T90 with quite a few decent FD lenses. I have tried using an FD-EOS converter on my 450D and the results are very poor, so wouldn't recommend that. I am now looking at getting a used 4/3 camera just for my manual lenses.