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Ok, I have done extensive research... I am looking for a good amateur camera that I can learn with but will help me grow to the serious photographer I want to be.
Here are the 4 that I have found listed as top serious amateur or advanced cameras.
Canon PowerShot S2 IS
Fujifilm FinePix S5200 Zoom
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7
Olympus SP-500 UZ
Feedback?
Discussion is locked
i checked out every i could find and am just looking for feedback from users.
All four of those cameras get high rankings by their owners.
Here is a link with comparison of specifications:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_s2is%2Cfuji_finepixs5200z%2Coly_sp500%2Cpanasonic_dmcfz7&show=all
Right under the red stars in each column is a link to "Owner's Opinions".
Canon has announced the S3 IS.
Here is a link to the press release:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06022111canons3is.asp
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If I were you, I'd try an entry level DSLR, as I did myself a couple of years ago (now I've graduated to Canon 5d). I would strongly advise to buy either Canon or Nicon cameras, because otherwise, if you later decide to move up the food chain you will end up with a bunch of unusable lenses.
I think you need to look at the Panasonic FZ30. One man wrote you to look at a entry level DSLR. That is fine but you will have to buy lenses, which is where the real cost comes in, and besides most entry level DSLR are near the $1000 range. The FZ30 has it all built in. You have a leica zoom lens from 34mm to 420mm or 12X. You have full auto or full manual controls. You can go Aperture Priority or Speed Priority, or full manual. You have a very powerful 24' at 80 ISO range built in flash along with a hot shoe if you want to use your own flash. You cannot beat the lens or the 2"viewfinder which is at 240,000 Pixel rez along with the EVF (electronic View Finder) which I find superior to the optical type in low light. This camera does it all and you can get one for right at $500, a lot less than a entry level DSLR. It actually has outdone most of the Entry level DSLR's. It is a fantastic camera to learn on and presonally, I have yet to see that many better pictures on cameras that cost up to $5000. True in low light DSLR camera's will have less noise, but the noise problems are not as acute as some may say. I have made hundreds of pictures in ISO 200 and 400 and what little noise I have had cleaned up easily with the free version of Neat Image. For the price, you will not find a better camera with as many capabilities, plus it has the best image stableization on the market. It is a full size camera but if you are going to go into more serious photography work, you do not want to get one of those subsize cameras, the high end DSLR's are the size of this camera. Beleive me, I am a professional photographer, I have all the other camera's and plethora of lens, this camera matches them picture for picture and I have not been disappointed yet and you will not find a better looking or better built camera for the price.
Thank you for your expertise. I really appreciated your post. The question I have is this: (I, too, am shopping for my second camera. I am a novice but would like to upgrade from an old Sony 3.3 megapixel that I love.) I read somewhere on this site that 12x lens is extreme, and you cannot consistently deliver photos across the entire spectrum. I don't know exactly what that means. Does it mean I won't get good photos without the zoom? Does it mean I should use it for zoom primarily? I am interested in getting an excellent 8x10, for example, of a baseball player on a playing field when I am on the sideline by the fence.
I own a Panasonic Lumix FZ20 (check out the link below). And it rocks! So I'd say go for the Panasonic FZ7.
http://www.basic-digital-photography.com/panasonic-lumix-dmc-fz20-review.html
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