If anyone has a Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens
OR a
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47K 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 24xOptical Zoom
I would be interested in seeing what your photographs look like, especially macros.
I would also like to know how much fiddling around the Panasonic Lumix takes in order to take a photo. You cannot manually focus this one, am I correct?
I'm looking into cameras for my daughter's birthday and have narrowed it down to these two. Thanks!
I have the T3. I'm no longer using the kit lens, but if you look back in my project, August and earlier I used the kit lens. September -November is mostly with the 50mm 1.8 lens. Now I'm mostly using the Tamron 28-75 2.8 lens.
I would recommend getting a just a slr body and a 50mm lens, the pictures will be so much sharper.
@mjmama Thanks so much--I'll take a look at your photos. Bottom line is that cost is a factor. Mostly, she wants a camera like mine (which won't be happening, lol) so I'm trying to find the best one I can. She likes taking macros and having a manual focus with a mode dial on top (as opposed to fiddling around through a display menu to adjust the mode). Does that make sense?
All my photos on my project are shot with a canon rebel xti. I used the 18-55 lens for my star and light trail photos.
I really like my Canon. I have not used the Lumix so cannot compare it..
Clarissa,
My son has a Panasonic Lumix DMC TS2. Its 14 megapixels. He takes loads of photos of the salmon and trout he catches as well as general shots and videos of his fishing trips. It has a leica lens. It takes wonderful photos and is probably the best point and shoot. It has a macro zoom. If youwant to see examples of his photos let me know. I am very impressed witht he quality of his shots. Every luminous fish scale shows.
I use a DMC-FZ28 which is a much earlier model than the DMC-FZ47K, it is only 10.1 MP and it produces pretty good results. I'd imagine the DMC-FZ47K as a 12 MP would only improve on that. I doubt you'd go wrong with either choice of camera, whether it's the Lumix or the Canon. However, if they're both around the same price, I'd probably go for the Canon as the Lumix can seem rather un-user friendly when you take off the AI. Then again, I'd seriously consider the Lumix if it were the cheaper option as they may well have improved it's intuitive use from the previous models and the Lumix does have a decent lens.
The rebel has a bigger sensor. This matters for two things, at least. The larger sensor captures more light for a greater range of tones, better low light performance and better physical reproduction. Ok, three things at least.
Also, with an SLR, you give her the opportunity to expand. More lenses, etc.
I absolutely love my early model Lumix DMC-FZ35 point and shoot. I tend to grab it before I pick up my Nikon SLR. I don't know anything about the new FZ47K...but I know that x24 zoom must be amazing. Mine has an x18 zoom and I could use it as a telescope. :) And I love the Leica lens. I don't have any idea how to use the manual settings on my Lumix (but I know that I have the option to set it manually) ~ one of my New Year's resolutions is to download the guide and figure that out. I can't speak to the Canon, but my Nikon has a very user friendly manual setting system. Of course I had to take a class to figure out how easy it was. :) Good luck with your decision making, Clarissa! I think your daughter will end up with a fabulous camera either way.
@lilbudhha@peggysirk@sabresun@wac Matt and Peggy, I know you take good photos too, so that's helpful. Wendy, if your son would like a post a photo of his, I'd love to see it.
Thank you everyone--this gives me a bit more input. The Lumix is definitely cheaper by about $200 or so, but I know that she could "grow" with the Canon. It looks like both take good photos, we'll see what kind of deal I can find (:
@sabresun Thanks, Matt! That's really helpful. I want to hold one and get a feel for it now. I didn't see if you could manually focus it but it's early AM too. I'll go back and re-read. That's actually a really good site I hadn't come across, definitely worth a book mark.
@sabresun You can manually focus--awesome. I think it will be the one gift she gets. Yay, she can stop borrowing mine, haha. (: Due to the price, I wonder if this can count as 2012 Yule gift too? Eh, probably not.
The manual focus on the FZ28 comprises of checkered-type box that overlays the main image and you try to get a portion of the area in/out of focus using a small push/pull lever. That's the best I can describe it. It's very fiddly and I don't use it much at all. If the AF wasn't so good, I'd be very disappointed with it. The Lumix I think is a good starting fixed-lens camera, one that can give you good results and also they seem to hold their re-sell value very well too for when you wish to upgrade to something with interchangeable lenses.
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I would recommend getting a just a slr body and a 50mm lens, the pictures will be so much sharper.
I really like my Canon. I have not used the Lumix so cannot compare it..
http://www.flickr.com/cameras/canon/eos_rebel_t3/
And I couldn't find the exact Lumix model you mentioned, but here is a link to the closest thing:
http://www.flickr.com/cameras/panasonic/dmc-fz4/
My son has a Panasonic Lumix DMC TS2. Its 14 megapixels. He takes loads of photos of the salmon and trout he catches as well as general shots and videos of his fishing trips. It has a leica lens. It takes wonderful photos and is probably the best point and shoot. It has a macro zoom. If youwant to see examples of his photos let me know. I am very impressed witht he quality of his shots. Every luminous fish scale shows.
Also, with an SLR, you give her the opportunity to expand. More lenses, etc.
Thank you everyone--this gives me a bit more input. The Lumix is definitely cheaper by about $200 or so, but I know that she could "grow" with the Canon. It looks like both take good photos, we'll see what kind of deal I can find (: