Camera buffs - would appreciate some recommendations

Moominpapa

Sadly, at the end of an otherwise glorious walk today Moominmama took a tumble and dropped her camera. It is not in a good way .  The defunct camera is an old Fujifilm Finepix HS50 that she bought 9 years ago, so we're thinking replacement rather than repair. Camera technology has moved on since then and she's a bit daunted by the available choice, including the new mirrorless stuff. She takes all sorts of subjects - family shots, wildlife when we're out walking, full moons and nice sunsets, video of dance performances - so all sorts really. Assuming a budget of, say, £450 - 600, what sort of things would you be looking at? Would buying used be a good idea?

ThePrettyDamned

Sounds like a Sony super zoom would work great  

goldtop

^ What he said. If she's happy with the small size and handling of the RX100 series, one of those - perhaps a VI - would be perfect. They are the 'pocket rockets' of the camera world.

strumjoughlamps

Sony RX10 range sounds perfect 

Lodious

Sorry, but in that price range I'd be looking at a phone.

stickyfiddle

Personally I’d be looking at a used Fuji kit - X-T20 or X-E3 with the 18-55 lens is a damn good package that’s achievable for that sort of money. And gives you the potion to upgrade the body later and keep that lens, or add smaller or larger a lenses as you need.

But may or may not be what you’re wanting

goldtop

Lodious said:

Sorry, but in that price range I'd be looking at a phone.

And the phone with a zoom range that covers the OP's needs is which?

Phones' cameras are now very good, I use mine for photography more often than my camera (especially for seamless Dropbox uploads), but the OP's optical zoom range is the one thing they will never do.

Moominpapa

Thank you all for your recommendations. Even as I clicked the 'Post Comment" button, Moominmama was having second thoughts about the budget (with no objections on my part ) . In the end, she decided to go with another digital bridge model, a Panasonic LUMIX DC-FZ82EB-K with Ultra Wide 20-1200 mm lens.

TheMadMick

Lumix are good stuff. My mate has a brace of them and produces quite reasonable shots.

Lodious

goldtop said:

Lodious said:

Sorry, but in that price range I'd be looking at a phone.

And the phone with a zoom range that covers the OP's needs is which?

Phones' cameras are now very good, I use mine for photography more often than my camera (especially for seamless Dropbox uploads), but the OP's optical zoom range is the one thing they will never do.

Galaxy S21

goldtop

Which is 50% over the OP's budget and still doesn't have a proper zoom ('hybrid zoom'). And has a sensor so small that it cannot overcome physics. And lacks a viewfinder (matters for me as I need that diopter adjustment, but maybe not for the OP).

DXO: https://www.dxomark.com/samsung-galaxy-s21-ultra-5g-exynos-camera-review-dual-tele-with-room-for-improvement/

So, yes, it's good for a phone. Especially with AI processing. For that Instagram effect. 

skullfunkerry

Moominpapa said:

Thank you all for your recommendations. Even as I clicked the 'Post Comment" button, Moominmama was having second thoughts about the budget (with no objections on my part ) . In the end, she decided to go with another digital bridge model, a Panasonic LUMIX DC-FZ82EB-K with Ultra Wide 20-1200 mm lens.

I had one of those, good choice! The zoom range is insane