After a new Compact - please help

SidewinderINC · 1 Jul 2007 at 16:13

Alright, i'm after getting into photography properly so i know something like a Fuji Finepix S5700 would be a really good camera to get for a beginner and go on a course aswell.

However currently i'm after something that will fit in my pocket (i have big pockets, something Powershot A75 sized fits nicely) that i can take to Gigs and get good photos without the security grabbing it off of me - they can be right gits about it.

There are a few criteria i need for the camera

Good zoom: >4x Optical.
High quality in low light "concert" conditions.
Manual control for Shutter & Aperture.

So far i have a few on the shortlist; Trying to keep to <£200

Fuji Finepix F30 - However only 3x Optical zoom
Canon Powershot A710IS - Unsure on the low light quality
Lumix DMC-TZ3 - Good optical zoom, no manual controls (as far as i can see)
Nikon Coolpix P5000 - A little over budget, but i can probably find it within budget.

Can anyone help me with my choices?

Sorry for the boring nature of the thread.

Matt

mightynimrod · 1 Jul 2007 at 16:16

Ricoh R5 or R6?

SidewinderINC · 1 Jul 2007 at 16:34

i'd never heard of ricoh before - just read a review of the R6 and it seems very good except for the low light shots, they seem very grainy.
i'm not sure whether that could be combatted by lowering the ISO level and increasing the exposure time *shrug* i dont know enough about photography to say yet.

a1ex2001 · 2 Jul 2007 at 11:41

With your low light requirment it's going to be difficult for you to beat any of the Fuji Super CCD Models you could easily pick up an F30, F31fd or an f40fd in budget. none have the zoom that your after but 3x tends to be the most common on compacts unfortunately.

SidewinderINC · 2 Jul 2007 at 11:57

i had a feeling that might be the case

how about the Fuji E900 ?

its a little bulkier than the F series, about the biggest i can go really, and i'm presuming the fact that its one less in the alphabet its an earlier range? and as such the sensor isnt as good?

SidewinderINC · 4 Jul 2007 at 10:28

Right, i'm pretty much settled on the Fuji F31fd becuase the F40 doesnt have manual exposure settings from the review ive read.

That said, it will mean the 3x tele lens i bought for the canon will be wasted, as i can still use that on any of the newer models.