Camera Shopping - help?

[Talie]

I think it's really a mis-justice to call cameras like this one "P&S" because they're perfectly capable of doing everything in totally manual mode, or any stage in between, you can even use manual focus

 

[2Bhumble]

I think the thing that won me over in the end was that there was so much packed into this camera. I looked at a few DSLRs but the cost was way too far out of my range considering to get basiclaly the equiv. (including zoom range etc) in a DSLR I'd have to buy not only the camera but at least two lenses.....and I just KNOW i'd never be wanting to swap lenses all the time - having all that range with just the one built in lesnse makes sense when - as I said - I'm not wanting to become a professional photographer! Then there was all the weight/size bag you'd have to carry around to accommodate the lenses etc as well as the camera itself.

This camera - apart from some image quality that a non - DSLR simply can't match with what's out there at the moment - has everything I think I could want, you can go totally manual, totally automatic, or anywhere in between - that's a big bonus in my book. The BIG downfall with this camera is it comes shipped with a 32 MB SD card - a bit of a joke for a high res camera to come with such a teeny card so i'll have to buy a 1GB chance as soon as I can.

I can see however, it's going to take me a long time to learn how to use this camera even to a fraction of it's potential. I'm kind of contemplating doing a photography course (cause I really don't know the first thing about taking photos) if I can find the $$ - cause there's just too much to learn when you're essentially starting from scratch!

A class would be good. That being said, the best way is to get out and start snapping photos. I'm starting to appreciate the manual focus and shutter speed settings on my FZ20. I used to be "afraid" to go off point and shoot (automatic) mode. Trial and error. The more you shoot the better you'll get to know the camera.

 

[Talie]

I wish I had time to learn - I'm going to the place I took these pics about 8 years ago and it'd be great to know what i'm doing by then, but i only have a couple of days and i have so much work to do in preparation for taking a few days off that i just don't have time to sit and play before hand.

sadly, the rock formation in the foreground of the first two pics collapsed last year. These formations are called the Twelve Apostles - but there aren't so many these days

 

[TheLordsPrayer]

Well guess I'm late, sorry I teach and shoot professionally, good luck with your choice.
GB
Darrell

 

[Talie]

well, my trip didn't turn out so well weatherwise - in fact, the weather was unbelievably bad!

Here's a couple of shots I took, one in the five minutes of sunshine we had

 

[Talie]

oh - you can see though, that since the photo i posted earlier (which was taken 7 yrs ago) one of the rock stacks has collapsed, that happened last year

 

[B®ent]

You can't go wrong with the FZ30.

Wish I could afford one!http://www.dirtcheapcameras.com.au/store/product.asp?idProduct=455