Bushwalk Australia

I'm keen to get myself a new camera before I head to Nepal in December. The recently announced DMC-FZ200 looks interesting for someone that has only been using compact zoom cameras. It's been getting quite good reviews.

General requirements are:
- Easy to use (I'm a camera luddite)
- A flexible built-in Lens (I couldn't be bothered with carrying / managing / looking after other lenses)
- Raw mode
- Usable for low-light (i.e. night scenes or canyons)
- Able to be used with an intervalometer
- Good battery performance (I will be trekking in Nepal for 3 weeks - I may take 3 batteries and possibly a means of topping up)
- Good video performance
- Respectable burst-mode
- in-built effects (e.g. Tilt-shift, etc)

It doesn't have GPS, but that just drains the battery. Geotagging can be post-processed into images through some photo applications.

Tips / suggestions? Any users of earlier models e.g DMC-FZ150?

NB: I had a Lumix zoom compact which I liked, but I dunked it when I fell in Glenbrook Creek

I wouldn't recommend that sort of bridging camera at all, it's a very big camera for a compact and image quality at full zoom (24x) will be very iffy. Most people will rarely use such zoom, an equivalent zoom of ~24 to ~150 or about 6x will be plenty for almost any situation and give quality results across the range.

The cameras I would recommend looking at are:
Panasonic LX5/LX7
Nikon P7000/P7100
Canon G12/G1X or S100 (for the most compact)

tsangpo wrote:I wouldn't recommend that sort of bridging camera at all, it's a very big camera for a compact and image quality at full zoom (24x) will be very iffy. Most people will rarely use such zoom, an equivalent zoom of ~24 to ~150 or about 6x will be plenty for almost any situation and give quality results across the range.

The cameras I would recommend looking at are:
Panasonic LX5/LX7
Nikon P7000/P7100
Canon G12/G1X or S100 (for the most compact)

I think I've completely changed my mind . I've never been brave enough to venture into the DSLR world. Having just found the new Pentax K-30 which is a new weatherproof model. Probably a good entry-level DSLR for someone as clumsy as me.

I'd like to venture into low-light photography as well and a DSLR will give me much greater flexibility for this.

flatfoot wrote:I'd like to venture into low-light photography as well and a DSLR will give me much greater flexibility for this.

Good luck finding an affordable lens for a dslr that will better f2.8 at 600mm equiv. You should certainly be able to better that for a normal to wide angle though.

I suspect that it's performance at 600mm would satisfy most people.... You can find images online, it looks ok to me.

I have a very old dz20 that also has f2.8 across it's entire zoom range... I find it amazingly versatile. I love having a viewfinder, so many point and shoots have lost this feature. Personally I wouldn't bother with an interchangeable lens camera, you end up carrying too much gear or the wrong lens. Sure the ultimate quality will be better, but how often do YOU need to print A0 photos? Keep it simple and have fun.

you dont need a dslr. besides they are big and heavy.
there are a lot of mirrorless cameras around, smaller cameras with comparable sensors, that are as good as low end slr cameras.
i used to use slr's but got tired of lugging the bulk around and when i saw the improvement in the point and shoot cameras i went down that road.

wayno wrote:you dont need a dslr. besides they are big and heavy.
there are a lot of mirrorless cameras around, smaller cameras with comparable sensors, that are as good as low end slr cameras.

While digitals have changed the game somewhat, it's still basically about the glass. I'll think about a compact when they can put lenses on them that are as high quality and versatile as the range I have for my SLR.

some mirrorles cameras can fit slr glass now

Unless things have gone pear shaped at Panasonic since the model it replaces, then the camera will be stellar and offer you good stills and good movie quality across the range.
The AF, IS, bat life and iso tick all the right boxes at the price too.
Keep an eye out for it and the models it superseded at Camerlabs. He's alwasy done a reasonable independent review.

leica lens, hard to go wrong

I would also look also at a mirror less camera. They are as good on quality as entry level DSLRs and smaller. In fact some are better. Pentax I a very closed system, meaning you can't buy all the lenses and accessories like you can for the bigger companies.
Depends also on how much your photography influences your trips, I use all Pro DSLR gear as that's the whole reason I'll hike in the first place. But it's big and heavy and completely weather proof, I have had ice hanging off the gear in Tasmania and used it in pouring rain shooting weddings.
I would not for one minute take a entry level DSLR out in the pouring rain, unless you want a brick, they are not weatherproof no matter what the manufacture wants you to believe.