Here's my dilemma....

[Roadtripster]

I would like to upgrade my camera and for what I want, I have been told that I should just stick with my current camera. I am wondering if there is anything I can upgrade to that would meet my criteria.

 

I currently have a Fuji FinePix S4000 with a 30x zoom. I am by no means an expert photographer, but I don't do too bad with this camera. I mostly take landscape shots and I love to zoom and use macro, but will also start to need to do a lot of low lighting and action shots.

 

I am the one that carries around all the camera stuff, the travel bag, etc... so my hands are always tied up. I want to stay with a camera that I do not have to change out lenses. Pricewise, I am good up to $750.

 

Do you think there is anything out there that will be an upgrade for me?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

[cruisinmimiof3]

I just got a Nikon P510. 42x zoom. I absolutely love it! Check it out. I travel and take tons and tons of landscapes, candids, portraits, action-with grandkids playing, I have not once been disappointed. Its been about a year now.

[awboater]

It sounds like low-light and action photography are what you want to improve in your camera.

 

Unfortunately, the only remedy to low light is faster lenses and larger sensors; both of which eventually point to DSLRs or at least the better ILC cameras.

 

And the other thing that helps action photography is shutter lag. And like low-light capability, DSLRs tend to offer lower shutter lags.

 

Shutter lag is characterized as the time delay between depressing the shutter and the photo being taken.

 

Incredibly though, many entry level DSLRs do not do that well in the shutter lag department. Advanced amateur and professional cameras from all brands typically have a shutter lag in the 0.04~0.06sec range when in AF-C (Auto focus-continuous mode), which is typically what you would use in sports and action.

 

However, entry level DSLRs often have AF-C shutter lags in the 0.25 sec range or worse. Even the best compact cameras can do that.

 

And the very worst are using live view on a DSLR, which increases the lag to 1sec or worse. If you want to do sports and action, use the viewfinder, not live view.

 

So is 0.04sec vs. 0.25sec a big deal?

 

It can be. If you consider a 90mph fastball travels 13ft in just 0.1sec, you can see that it might be hard to capture such an event as a batter hitting a ball with a camera with even a 0.25 sec lag.

 

You can mitigate the issue somewhat by using continuous shutter, but there is still some degree of luck here.

 

Unfortunately, manufacturers do not publish shutter lags - it's their dirty little secret as they begin to cut corners to get the price down. But http://www.imaging-resource.com does publish a pretty good set of shutter lags.

 

So how does this affect choice?

 

While you stated you don't want a DSLR, I am providing this just as an example. The Nikon D3200 has an AF-C shutter lag of 0.141sec, which is pretty respectable for an entry level DSLR. But the $300 more expensive D5200's AF-C shutter lag is 0.298sec - which is actually one of the worst delays for any DSLR. Perhaps the D5200's articulated LCD screen has something to do with this - I don't know. But for sports/action, the less expensive D3200 may actually be a better choice over the D5200.

 

It's just a matter of analyzing the shutter lags of the cameras of interest to you.

 

So for sports/action and low light:

 

1. buy the largest sensor camera within your budget.

2. research the shutter lags and find the cameras with the lowest delays.

3. buy a camera with the fastest lens possible.

 

Lenses have an aperture specification. The smaller the number, the larger the aperture. A larger aperture lets in more light. A "fast" lens in photospeak is a lens with a large maximum aperture.

 

Generally f/2.8 is considered the minimum to be called a "fast" lens; that performs well in both sports and low light. Be careful though as zooms often have a variable aperture. It might start out at f/2.8 at the wide angle end, but decrease to f/5.6 at the telephoto end. Such a lens may not perform as well as you need.

 

Letting in more light with the lens not only improves the low light performance, but it also allows you to use faster shutter speeds - which helps sports photography as well.

 

I have to tell you up front. Buying a non-interechangeable lens camera may not provide the best choice for low light/sports. But you may still find one that is acceptable to you.

[Roadtripster]

Thanks awboater. That was a lot of helpful info.

 

I'm needing the low light and action so I am still learning on that. I have some great trips planned and need to get on it now. LOL

[havoc315]

If you don't want to change lenses, and you are serious about low light photography...

And since it fits in your budget, really the only good option is the Sony RX100 and RX100 Mark2.

It has a sensor bigger than any other true compact camera, and it has a lens faster than most compact cameras. The lens/sensor combination produces image quality on par with dSLRs in many circumstances.

 

The most extreme low light photos, are dark rides at Disney World. The RX100 is the only true compact camera I have seen, that can take pictures under those circumstances:

 

DSC01290 by Havoc315, on Flickr

 

Aug 31, 2012-64 by Havoc315, on Flickr

 

Great Movie Ride, Wizard of Oz by Havoc315, on Flickr

 

The RX100 also has a fairly fast shutter and focus, good for action shots.

 

Where you will question the RX100 -- is it has a limited optical zoom, at about 3.7x. Thanks to the high resolution, you can crop to make it more like 5-8x, while preserving high image quality, but it will not be super zoom.

 

NONE of the superzooms will come close to the RX100 in image quality of low light performance. It simply isn't possible, because those superzooms all have much smaller sensors, and inferior lenses.

 

You'll hear _____ superzoom takes good low light photos --- They may be able to grab an image, but the image will not have a lot of fine detail. Or, the camera will use a stacking method (taking multiple photographs and stacking them) to achieve a decent low light photo --- which is useless if you or the subject is moving.

 

If I were you, I'd get the RX100 (or the RX100 mark 2) for 90% of your photo needs, and keep the FinePix when you really really want 30x zoom.

[havoc315]

 

And the very worst are using live view on a DSLR, which increases the lag to 1sec or worse. If you want to do sports and action, use the viewfinder, not live view.

 

 

So for sports/action and low light:

 

1. buy the largest sensor camera within your budget.

2. research the shutter lags and find the cameras with the lowest delays.

3. buy a camera with the fastest lens possible.

 

There is no such thing as 1 camera or 1 lens that can do everything well. Which is the big advantage of interchangeable lens cameras...

 

That said... just a couple comments. Everything awboater said is generally correct....... with a few footnotes...

 

The inferiority of using live view -- Is true for true dSLRs. Sony produces dSLTs with pretty low shutter lag... and live view is the same as the viewfinder. So it's the fastest live view available.

 

In terms of his list of 1-3..

As I said above---

1 -- the RX100 has the largest sensor of any true compact camera under $750. It's not even close. The Canon G1 has a bigger sensor, but it's not a true compact.

2-- Shutter lag on the RX100 is very respectable compared to other cameras. Imaging resource rates it between 0.15 and 0.25 seconds. Thus, comparable to an entry level dSLR.

3-- At it's widest setting, the RX100 lens is as fast as any other compact out there (1.8).

[tommui987]

 

Do you think there is anything out there that will be an upgrade for me?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

The Panasonic FZ200 is a P&S on steroids!

It has a f2.8 lens consistent with its zoom = about 15mm to 600mm.

 

If you are not trying to take shots of a pitcher to catcher and doing landscapes/macros, it will do quite nicely. The shutter lag isn't too bad either.

 

Though the NEX is my primary camera, the Panasonic is useful because of its zoom range and for general travel shots.

[dileep]

I also use the FZ200 and the f2.8 across the entire zoom length is great!

[fireflies]

Another vote for the Sony RX100 for image quality. There are some good fixed lens larger sensor cameras but for a zoom lens camera, nothing else competes with it in the price range.

 

I'd say see if you can handle and hold the camera before purchasing one. Some people have complained about a lack of dials but my biggest problem was the camera body. It is very slick/smooth finish with no grip, borderline slippery for me. There are third party grips though.

[havoc315]

The FZ200 is an interesting camera, it is really the only affordable super-zoom with a fairly fast lens. Unfortunately, it is hampered by a small sensor. (As are all superzooms).

 

For people who really need a superzoom, it is a fair choice. Shutter lag is reasonable, rated at about .24 seconds. The lens suffers from some distortion and chromatic aberration, but those types of things are the compromises with such a camera. It won't perform as well in low light as a larger sensor or 1.8 lens, but it is certainly better than other superzooms.

[Nole0202]

I would like to upgrade my camera and for what I want, I have been told that I should just stick with my current camera. I am wondering if there is anything I can upgrade to that would meet my criteria.

 

I currently have a Fuji FinePix S4000 with a 30x zoom. I am by no means an expert photographer, but I don't do too bad with this camera. I mostly take landscape shots and I love to zoom and use macro, but will also start to need to do a lot of low lighting and action shots.

 

I am the one that carries around all the camera stuff, the travel bag, etc... so my hands are always tied up. I want to stay with a camera that I do not have to change out lenses. Pricewise, I am good up to $750.

 

Do you think there is anything out there that will be an upgrade for me?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Fuji X20

Larger sensor for low light

Fast focus

Fast (f2.8) zoom

Small

Metal body