Camera

[smallblueplanet]

I always check what's been said about a product on amazon -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fuji-FinePix...3498666&sr=8-1

and ebuyer.com

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/128231...roduct_reviews

[scared55]

Great information, folks - thanks again. A friend has suggested the Fuji FinePix S5700; it's available at just over a hundred quid, which is about my level. Anyone tried it?

Not that one but I had a S602Zoom (nicked in SA) and currently have an S9600. I did use a S5700 in SA, and was very pleased with the results - not quite as strong on the macro as the 602 and 9600 but a first class piece of kit nonetheless.

KK

[nick the grief]

I've got two - one for each greenhouse

I started off this year with a Fuji S9600 9MP bridge camera and I won't part with it. It's really easy to use if you want it to be. Leave it on Auto and away you go. The S5xxxx is just a smaller ( mp wise) version. It focuses from about 1" in super macro up to about 300mm in telephoto which is about the minimum for wildlife photography.

Down side - you can't change the lens for a bigger one or buy an adapter to increase the lens(teleconvertor)

but thats all I've found really. My Daughter loves it and wants to pinch it but I think I'll just get her one of her own! It uses ordinary AA batteries so if you shop around you can get some hi power NiMh rechargables and you fixed up. I've got 3 sets and I bought some plastic cases to keep them in so they dont short out in you pocket (as happened to me once - don't half wake you up having your crutch set on fire

The other one I've just got is a Canon350d DSLR and this is reasonably easy to use but you end up with loads of gear (28-200mm lens, 200-500mm lens, tripod, beanbags extra memory cards, battery grip etc) mainly because you can get them and they are handy to have It came with a Kit lens that is OK but not brilliant so once you start looking at other lenses you are looking around the £100 mark upwards ( Canon 300LIS is £3k !!!) so if I were you and you didn't mind not having everything in a large bag .... Go for the Fuji ... or something similar as it's a good compromise with the convenience of the compact and the extra flexibility of the DSLR.

Have a look at DPreview they give good impartial test results.

Hope this helped