Help with camera choice....

[life through a lens]

Hi all,

Need your advice/opinions on something....

My camera has been binned by the insurance company (lens assembly shot after it took a liking to some very hard ground ) and I've been offered a replacement but unsure what to go for. On offer is either a Fuji s9500 or a Panasonic FZ30 but I can't decide. Have spent all weekend reading reviews and trying out the cameras in various shops but its hard to split them. The Fuji has the edge on image quality and is the most recommended but the Panasonic has a slightly better zoom range and image stabilisation.

Help please (and I know many will want to convince me that DSLR is the way to go but they would also have to convince HID and the bank manager !!!)

Olly

[nightshade]

FZ30 £360-ish, Nikon D50+18-55 £396, Canon 350D £429, Sigma 70-300 dg Macro £139
You pays your money....

[Tormentil]

I was in the same situation a few weeks ago. I would have plumped for the S9500, for as you say image quality looked very good.

However, I thought, I like the option of changing lens, so bought the Canon 350d in the end.

Its very near the same price as the S9500 (with the 55mm lens).

[Niall]

If you've got the option, go for an SLR! So much more flexible and gives you a whole host of future upgrade options...

On that note, if you do get a DSLR for the same money as a compact, you'll keep on spending more on extra lenses, tripods, memory cards, bags, etc, etc and it'll cost you a fortune in the end (speaking from experience!)

[life through a lens]

Thanks guys.

Would dearly love to go down the DSLR route (eyes firmly set on a D200) but the hard fact is that I cannot afford to at the moment.

I think it will end up with me spending another lunch break in the camera shop !!

Olly

[glsammy]

If it was a choice between the S9500 or the FZ30, FZ30!! I've had both, and in my opinion the FZ30 is far better handling than the S9500.
Main points: FZ30 has true image stabilisation, S9500 has not. it simply ups the ISO in poor light conditions.
The S9500 is slow in use compared to the FZ30. It also has a max continuous shot rate of only 4 shots, and then can take over 10 seconds before you can shoot again. The FZ30 can shoot continually in jpeg mode until your card is full at a faster rate than the S9500.
There are many other Handling points in favour of the FZ30. It's just a far slicker handling camera.

[digi]

Hi Ollie

I use DSLR's and compacts. The advantage of the DSLR is the ability to upgrade lenses but those supplied with a kit are not much use for wildlife.

Many of us on the forum use the FZ30 its a fine camera and if you search through the Gallery you will see some excellent images. The leica 35-420 (I think) lens is superb quality and whilst some users report noise issues on the FZ30 images they are not as bad as people make out.

If you want further advice either PM or email me and I will try to help.

[life through a lens]

Thanks glsammy & digi.

Its been a close call but 'real user' reviews are, IMO, more useful go bys than magazine write ups, especially from 2 'high end' users !!

Will get on tinterweb now to try and find the cheapest deals.

Cheers

Olly

PS, great to see you back Digi.

[eeyore]

I'm in full agreement with the master jedi moderator type folk both are good bits of kit but the FZ30 edges it (take a look at gill cattons pics to see the quality possible). Also if you might go to the DSLR oneday the fz30 is compact enough to compliment it as you walking arround/glove box camera , where as an S9000 rivals a DLSR for bulk.

[Bushcraft]

FZ30, why? it's better. I know some people who get great shots with it, better than many DSLR users.

Best wishes
Kris