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The dreaded "can you recommend me a good camera"?

Started Oct 11, 2018 | Discussions thread
(unknown member) Senior Member • Posts: 2,265
Re: The dreaded "can you recommend me a good camera"?

NAwlins Contrarian wrote:

Budget: $300. This friend of mine shoots with his phone and only looks at his images on his phone. He has some vague issues with his phone pics "some are blurry" and wants to up his game. He knows I shoot professionally and figured I'd know the $300 market (!)

Well...I told him to go on ebay and find a nice low-mileage 330 HS. I have one and am usually blown away by the SOOC jpegs and...bonus...a very very sharp 10x optical zoom.

I doubt if he could get some Canon 1" sensor camera in his budget but maybe I'm wrong. He knows nothing about post processing, If he'd come to me and said he really really wanted to get into photography and post processing etc etc I'd recommend some budget DSLR.

So, any suggestions? A low mileage SX50?

Used is a good way to go at this price point. Looking at what the very-reputable K.E.H. has right now for under $350, I see, and might recommend depending on your friend's needs and preferences, but going in order of my personal preferences:

* Sony RX100 (original), excellent-plus condition, with battery and charger, $299, (https://www.keh.com/shop/sony-cyber-shot-dscrx100-20-2-megapixel-compact-camera-674445.html);

* Canon G9X, like-new-minus condition with battery and charger, $313 (https://www.keh.com/shop/canon-powershot-g9x-silver-digital-camera-20-2-m-p-1.html);

* Canon S120, excellent-plus condition, with battery and charger, $313 (https://www.keh.com/shop/canon-powershot-s120-12-1-megapixel-compact-camera-black.html); or

* Canon SX730 HS, like-new-minus condition with battery and charger, $339 (https://www.keh.com/shop/canon-powershot-sx730-hs-silver-digital-camera-20-3-m-p-1.html).

FWIW, I have used the original RX100, and like it a lot, notwithstanding some of its ergonomic and functional aspects that are not as nice as those of some other cameras; I have an S110 but have not used an S120; and we have the much older SX230 HS; but I have not used the others. The G9X gets downgraded for its limited zoom range and mediocre lens.

Wow that hurts. Mediocre lens and the 3x zoom is limited as opposed to the 3.6x of the RX100. Stabilisation is probably a lot better on the G9X as opposed to the RX100.

A good point for the person needing the advice is to remember is Canon stuff does often get talked down routinely on a casual basis with strong descriptions of lesser problems and other brands talked up likewise so look around for all the facts. Of course users get defensive too so no easy way to find out what these cameras are really like.

With its slick responsive touch screen interface the G9X would be natural for a smartphone user compared to the RX100. I think one of these 1" cameras would be better rather than the small sensor cameras for a noticeable improvement in image quality.

If your friend would like ease of use over photo quality, then the S120 would go to the top of the list; I find the S110 pretty easy / pleasant to use, considering its size.

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