looking at getting a decent camera

[grant965]

Hi guys, looking at getting a fairly decent camera as I quite like snapping stuff when im out and about. I just use the camera on my galaxy note 2 for everything and it is ok for most stuff, but lacks details and is useless at night or if im outside and there is a shadow, the entire shadow is just too dark to make out.
Im a complete noob with cameras so no idea what to look for, I basically only know the more mega pixels the better but it can depend on the lense?
What do I need to look out for?
Prices for an ok one?
What to avoid?
Thanks, Grant
____________________
Ex bikes: 05 Suzuki En 125, '98 Yamaha Thundercat, '08 Honda cbr125, '05 Kawasaki z750, '03 Triumph Daytona 600, '91 Kawasaki ex250, '03 Hyosung Comet 125
Current Bike: '02 Suzuki TL1000R

[Bomberman]

[barrkel]

If you want to take good photos in low light, you need a camera with a nice big sensor and a lens with big aperture, which means low aperture number (f-stop), as lens apertures in photography are measured as the focal length divided by the aperture diameter - i.e. it's an inverse number.

Bigger sensor means more photons and less noise, and also means you can put a bigger lens on there, which again means more photons.

Low aperture number means more light - the lens aperture is basically like the pupil in your eye, and the bigger it is, the more light gets in.

But there's a downside to a low aperture: shallow depth of field. A small aperture (high aperture number) acts a bit like a pinhole camera and helps keep things from getting too out of focus. A big aperture means that the plane of focus in front of your lens is not very deep; so if you focus on something up close, stuff in the background won't just be a bit blurry, it'll be extremely blurry. This effect is called bokeh, you can google for it.

Big sensors and low f- number lenses are both expensive. But camera technology moves on at a digital pace, while lenses are interchangeable - so it makes more sense to invest in lenses than fancy camera bodies.

Re megapixels: big sensors with fewer pixels are generally better than small sensors with more pixels because of noise. Radiation, heat etc. means that sensors start showing up what is effectively the light equivalent of static when they need to amplify very low levels of light. So in a low light situation, having big pixels means you get more signal in proportion to noise. If your target is fantastically well lit, however, then megapixels are great to have. And of course you need a minimum resolution, especially if you ever want to print a large copy of the photo.
____________________
Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[chris-red]

[lihp]

10MP is more than enough for 30" prints so long as it's a clean image.

Any more than this is wasted unless it's for a specific application
____________________
covent.gardens: lihp is my most favourite member ever

[chris-red]

[grant965]

Wow so much to learn haha. Id obviously only like the spend what's necessary but if a very good one is on offer at a bargain price say like £250 then id stretch to that, otherwise £150-200 unless I can only pick something shanty up in which case I will save up/go 2nd hand.
It will mainly be to catch memories etc and show other people what ive done, I do enjoy taking photos but I dont think il ever be one of those where I go out purely to take photos but who knows, my dad used to go out at night when its raining and take pictures of cars with the tail lights reflecting on the road. (this was like 30 years ago when cameras had films in them).
Im not too arsed about the size of the camera, it wont be something I just carry in my pocket, I will take it intentionally when I will be doing something so as long as I dont need a wheel barrow to move it size isnt an issue.
____________________
Ex bikes: 05 Suzuki En 125, '98 Yamaha Thundercat, '08 Honda cbr125, '05 Kawasaki z750, '03 Triumph Daytona 600, '91 Kawasaki ex250, '03 Hyosung Comet 125
Current Bike: '02 Suzuki TL1000R

[Ariel Badger]

Cannon Ixus Easy to use and decent quality photos.
____________________
Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[keggyhander]

If I'd got the cash lying about I'd have a Samsung NX1000 as a back up for my SLR.

[Nexus Icon]

I've just bought a Sony DSC HX50 for your budget, from Amazon, to take on holiday this week. I really can't be arsed dragging the DSLR and all the guff around but as we're off to New York I wanted to be able to take decent snaps.

Anyway, it's compact sized but has a 30x optical zoom and 20MP. I believe it's the longest zoom available on a compact camera.

It also has all the manual and auto settings you'll ever need and a fuckload you'll never need.

Have a look, although it appears to have gone up £13 this week.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-DSCHX50-Compact-Digital-Camera/dp/B00CH08M0G
____________________
Greetings from Shitsville!

[grant965]

Am i right in thinking I will be paying more to have a better compact than I would a regular camera? Because they are spending more on R&D to fit into a smaller space? Therefore id be better off with a regular camera if size isnt an issue?
____________________
Ex bikes: 05 Suzuki En 125, '98 Yamaha Thundercat, '08 Honda cbr125, '05 Kawasaki z750, '03 Triumph Daytona 600, '91 Kawasaki ex250, '03 Hyosung Comet 125
Current Bike: '02 Suzuki TL1000R

[Nexus Icon]

[clancy]

I have a lumix compact and it's excellent, gives outstanding photos for a compact. Huge zoom too without loosing quality and has dslr type adjustable settings



My misses is a photographer, has a few grands worth of canon 5d and lenses etc

She is selling her spare canon 1000d with 2 lenses and few extras etc, pm if you'd he interested in that
____________________
KLX 300r

[Teflon-Mike]