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Can anyone recommend a camera that is good for landscapes and has a reasonable zoom for animals - don't want too much digital noise ideally, so mega-pixels for mega-pixels sake are not needed!?

Was thinking R1000-R1500, $130-150, £100-120

€ 100-150.

That would mean you shall have to look at the Sony Cybershot, Nikon Coolpix or Canon Powershot / Ixus ranges.
Those are good little cameras, but the zoom will be less than the more expensive ones.
The one nearest the 150 euro (in Holland) is this one: http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/274988/s ... l#tab:info
And that one is 125mm at the long end.

If you can lift the budget a little we have used a Fujifilm Finepix (12 megapixels) on our last couple of trips and one of the lower Fujifilm models on previous trips. I find them a good little camera which for price gives good quality shots and has quite a few options on it including taking short videos. We are upgrading at last this year but the Fujifilm will still come with us for happy snaps.

Hi Graham

Yesterday I was reading an article in our most popular outdoor magazine, "Getaway". Although there were no recommendations of what camera to buy, it was a wonderful atrticle on using the camera wisely and the advantages of some of the simpler cameras.

Unfortunately I left my magazine at work but I will bring it home tonight and quote any useful information.

Time magazine had an interesting little bit about Sony a few months ago and their innovations. I know that the camera shop I use loves Sony. My Sony was stolen and I really miss it I have replaced it with a good camera, but I miss my Sony.

I managed to buy my wife the Coolpix P500 and got it for R600 less than the advertised price as it was a display unit...

You may have to spend a bit more but the Nikon cool pix L120 is coming down in price and its an excelent little camera with a decent zoom, you should be able to get one for around R1900

Wow thanks everyone! MM will the getaway mag info likely make it online soon? The one on the link also looks good - decent zoom for the price..

I am thinking about something in the Sony or Nikon ranges.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panasonic-FZ4 ... merasPhoto _DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras _JN&hash=item4ab5d417cf#ht_555 6wt_1411

Decided we might stretch to this - any thoughts?! Budget won't go beyond this level as have finally installed a budget ceiling!!

great camera
My SO has the same model

The only setback is that pixels will show above 200 ISO

Decided to go for Panasonic FZ48 as the slightly lower MP gives better noise performance than the FZ45!

@Bert. Haven't bought the FZ48 yet but will do in June. Are there any pics on this forum taken by your SO's FZ45. Has she ever tried photographing the night sky with the 60 second exposure function?

H Graham,

We got the Fujifilm Finepix for my son and he took some great shots with it. Can't remember the price but the camera is great for landscape and general wildlife not too far off. Below are a few examples.

I bought one of the Fujifilm Finepix models for my mother in law. That should say something?
Mind you, it is small, and would far from be a choice for me due to the size of my hands. She is quite a bit smaller though, and without much teaching is making rather good photos.
The quality of the photos taken with that camera is good.

If you want to see photos taken with a particular camera Flickr has a handy search function: http://www.flickr.com/cameras/

Hi Graham,

I did not give you the right info above. We got the Finepix HS20EXR 16 megapixels. I've also got the Sony Cybershot and Nikon coolpix, but prefer the Fuji camera. The price is maybe far above your budget, but also not extraordinary high.


http://www.flickr.com/cameras/fujifilm/finepix_hs20exr/

Lol thanks for all the amazing info - am now feeling fickle and confused as thought would get a Panasonic FZ-48, which I still might do... Have upped my budget to around £200.. Great pics son godin! @Duques thanks for the link - very useful