Please Help...I want a new camera

[CRE]

I am after some advice on buying another camera and I thought that the P'heads collective knowledge would be able to advise me (please)...
I currently have a Fuji S7000 and its ok, it works and I am no David Bailey.
But I have recently signed a deal for a technical manual and as part of that I will be supplying photo's so its a good excuse to treat myself. Budget is not huge, around £400 - £500.
All advice welcome!

Thanks

[VxDuncan]

Blimey! Quiet thread! Usual response would be an entry level Canon or Nikon DSLR - 350D (refurb form canon outlet on ebay), 400D (look here http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/ ) or the Nikon D40 series. Although I'm a nikon guy I'd say you're probably better off going for the slightly cheaper canons, and saving money for some lenses.

You say you're shooting for technical manuals - what sort of subject? Depending on the subject macro lens/studio lights/filters etc may be required. A decent tripod (not a cheap argos special) will be required.

Edited by VxDuncan on Friday 29th February 22:15

[RobDickinson]

^ as above.

Depends what you are shooting but if you have a tripod & can get it in frame with the cheap 50mm f1.8 you wont get better pics without a lot of cash.

[sidaorb]

IMHO

s/h Canon 10D
Canon 28-135mm
s/h Canon 420EX Flash (550/580 will put you over budget)
Manfrotto 055Pro

Should just squeeze that into £500

[Simpo Two]

I did a technical manual for Toshiba in about 2001/2 and they gave me a Toshiba digital compact - the first time I'd ever used a digital camera - about 2Mp. It did the job perfectly apart from white balance which Autolevels in PS fixed!

So try your Fuji first - you may be surprised.

Edited by Simpo Two on Friday 29th February 23:20

[AlfaFoxtrot]

The new model Samsung SLR has just come out, so you can get the GX10 for a good price (~£500 w/ 18-55 and 50-200 lens). Is a Pentax K10D with a different name stamped on it, and is a good entry level SLR.

Or as said, go for the low model Canikons.

[CRE]

Thanks for all the advice!
I lurk in here a reasonable amount, and I got the feeling that the EOS400D was quite good, Jessops currently have a deal on one with a STD lense, zoom lense, camera body, 4Gb card, flash gun and rucksack for £599.
I think that the Fuji may do it, but however its a good excuse to treat myself and i want to start getting into photography again.
Are there any other "high street" stores where I can go and actually handle and look at a camera? The internets great for getting deals but I dont mind paying a touch more for a personal service, also, being the impatient t!t that I am, I would want it as soon as I could get it.
Once again...Thanks for the input

[beano500]

CRE said:

I will be supplying photo's so its a good excuse to treat myself..

Well, you could start by exploring what it is you have to supply. Are these close up*, for example? And are you expected to produce a certain file size** or format. Do you have the right software, as well.

• Decent micro lens on a cheap body might be all you need - but that gets you a camera body and starter lens to which you can add more lenses later.

• Although JPEG is pretty commonplace do you have to produce TIFF? Don't chase after high megapixels if you don't need it - quality may actually be better with a less densely packed sensor.