Recommendations for a starter SLR for certain events

[jamesuk]

Hello,

Im moving onto an SLR after growing bored with the noice left on the photos I take with my Sony T300 and was looking for a camera around the 300GBP or less for taking celebrity photos and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of a decent camera to start with??

I will be using this camera at movie premieres and other celebrity events along with concerts in low light and fast movements,

Look forward to some responses and again thanks,

James

[ianpinion]

Hello James,

Welcome to the forums. So you would like a DSLR camera and lens to take pictures of celebrities attending premieres and you're on a budget of just £300. Firstly, most brand new DSLRs cost more than your budget and typically will only come with an 18-55mm kits lens. Now for what you want to use the camera for this lens won't be that suitable as you'll want to get in nice and close so something that goes up to 200mm would be better. Plus you'll probably also need a separate flashgun and flash diffuser for the best results and all this extra equipment is going to push the costs even higher.

Realistically, if you can stretch your budget by another £100 - £150 you might be able to pick up all this kit secondhand. The other option could be though, going for a decent bridge camera. Many of them now come with approximately a 20x zoom lens that should be able to get you in nice and close and though it won't have such a big sensor as a DSLR these cameras were designed, as the name suggests, to bridge the gap between a compact and the DSLRs. Canon, Panasonic, Fuji and Nikon all make decent bridge cameras and you can see their reviews on this very site.

Best of luck,

[jamesuk]

Thanks for the response.

A bridge camera sounds right up my street.

Do you recommend any cameras for the settings and events I require?

Thanks again for your help,

James

[ianpinion]

Hi James,

Personally, I would say a Canon SX10 IS would be very good and probably the Panasonic FZ28 or 38 are another two worth consideration, but have a read up for yourself here and don't just take my word for it.

[chris-p]

I'm with Ian on this. The Panasonics and the Canon are the best bridge cameras on the market at the moment.

Personally I am a huge fan of the Panny but I've not used the Canon myself.

[jamesuk]

Awesome.....Which do you think is best for my needs?

I just dont want to make a horror decision this time, really want the best camera for concert photos that I can get at the mo.

[ianpinion]

Hi James,

Go to a camera shop and see which you like the best. If you can take some test shots in store that will test the camera in conditions similar to what you'll be using it for and see which gives you the best results. The trouble for you is that performance wise they are both very similar and one doesn't really have enough over the other to make one stand out. It's personal preference!

[chris-p]

Yeah, there isn't a right one or a wrong one really. I like the Panasonics more because I think they handle better. But you might think the Canons handle better. It's a personal thing.

I should add the Fujifilm S200 EXR to the list of cameras as it's pretty new on the market and much better than the previous offerings from Fuji. I've not got my hands on one yet but it would be worth checking one out.