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General discussion

What camera is the best?

Apr 25, 2005 5:46PM PDT

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I am looking at buying a new or second hand digital camera to take around Europe on a music tour in two years.

Currently i am looking around for a good buy (preferably under AU$800). So far i like the SLR design cameras such as the Fuji FinePix S7000 but if any better value for money cameras are available please let me know.

I am new to digital cameras and with the enormous market of the present quite frankly it is very hard to decide on a camera

I have heard that models as early as the Fuji FinePix S5000 are still great buys at around AU$300. Please enlighten me on what camera you think would best suit me or one that is great value for money and is well rated.

Without anyones help i would never be able to make the best desicion on which one of the thousands to buy:!:

Discussion is locked

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Fujifilm
Apr 26, 2005 12:46AM PDT

The best value for the money is the
Fujifilm S5100/5500 (S5100 USA/S5500 Europe)

This is the replacement for the S5000.

The S5100/5500 fixes the shortcomings of the S5000.

Read review at this link:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilms5100/

It should sell for the same price as the S5000.

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S5500 or S7000?
Apr 26, 2005 9:30AM PDT

Thanks for that!
I have also been looking at the Fujifilm S7000, what are your views on this camera? They seem to be a lot cheaper on ebay and yet they are still brand new. Of course if i bought one of these i would find out everything and communicate with the seller but at the moment my decision is between the S5500 and the S7000! Please help

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S5500 - S7000
Apr 26, 2005 12:43PM PDT

Comparing the specifications, the S7000 offers more bells and whistles.

But

When you compare .jpg photos of the same subject.

The S5500 produces a superior photo. The S7000 photo is less sharp and is over compressed.

Since picture quality is what you buy a camera for,
the S5500 offers the best picture.

Take a look for yourself:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/fuji_s5100_samples.html

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/S7000_samples.html

Look for the photo(s) of the 2 and 1/2 story red brick bulding.

If you have a software program that will let you look at them side-by-side, download a copy of the photos.

You want to look at the photos at full size so you can see all the detail. Look at the following:

The texture of the blue sky.
The texture of the red roof of the building
The brick on the building
The sharpness of the top area of the electrical poles.
The street sign.
The speed limit sign.
The very small white numbers on the dumpster.

To my eyes the S5500 produces the best picture.

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