Compact or SLR

[jigga1980]

Hi

My name is Jon, just joined the forum.

I used to be really into photography years ago probably between 1992-1997 roughly.

My camera was a 'centon' basically a copy of a Minolta SLR at the time. Everything was manual, focus, winder etc. I was at school so didn't have much money but bought 70-210 lense, tripod, flash etc etc.

I mainly took landscape shots, wildlife outdoor mainly. DId the occasional sports shots.

I traded it all in for a digital camera, this was when the first came out. Was a pile of crap to be quite honest!!

Thinking about getting back into it but so much choice now!

Would love an proper SLR but not made of money. So looking at a 'bridge' slr if that's the word, one with just a fixed lense or a compact. Need some advice about what to look for.


Not done any great research as yet but this is what I think so far.


SLR - Great if you can afford it take the best pics.

'bridge SLR - Not as good photos as true SLR but many of the features

Compact - Not as bulky or heavy as SLR but seem to be akward to use and too many options. Zoom only for framing a potrait not really usebale also flash usually bad.

I'm pretty much discounting the compacts mainly because they seem hard to use, like SLR as you can hold it proprely with a lense on and use the view finder not faffing with a screen that you can't see. I know some are better than others to be fair. Also the economics aren't good just like the feel of an SLR tbh. More specifically you seem to have to scroll through lots of menus for things that should be near your fingers. Also would rather zoom with a lense as oppoised so a button that isnt as controllabe.

I also like the idea of being able to manually adjust settings for example manual foucus when you want the background out of focus.

As I say not looked into it yet but possbily thinking Fujifilm Finepix S9600 that kind of thing.

I have recently got a motorbike so will be out and about so would like to take photos of where I have been. So would put the camera in a tank bag. Also off to Portugal quite often as my parents have a place there. Tried to use their fuji finepix thats a few years old, didn't like it.

Thanks


Jon