Camera for Misses

[Fallen god]

So its my GF bday soon, and I know she really wants a good camera. She tends to travel around England a lot for work and a real camera would be awesome. She also visits her sister in the US once a year so it would be really handy there.

I'm stuck between 2 choices, RX 100 (first gen) and the NEX-3N. The RX 100, seems like the ultimate is no hassle point and shoot, things should be easier and just work. But the NEX-3N gives her option to expand as a photography. She has also been into photography, but never really had a good camera to 'spread her wings' and I feel the NEX-3N is a nice platform for that.

So I just want your 2 cents, I'm looking to spend £350 max on this.

Also wants a nice beginner editing app for OSX, was looking at something like Pixelmator but not 100% sure.

 

[Fallen god]

If you GF is serious then she should add some inputs.


The RX100 is a fine point and shoot but is not a "real camera" as you say in terms of having interchangeable lenses.

Even the NEX may not be ideal. The 2 camera you have mentioned are very small mirrorless or compact cameras. Any reason not to go for an entry level DSLR like Sony alpha, Nikon 5200 or canon 600d for example?

Difficult to get input on a gift want to surprise her.

Main reasons I went with those 2 are relatively small cameras, so she would be included to throw it in her bag more often. From my experience she really likes taking pictures but I have never seen her play with settings too much. This could mostly be due too having a crappy smartphone camera where you get limited controls.

I'm going to go shopping with her soon so I will try sneak her into PC world or something and see how she feels holding an entry level DSLR, but my main reasoning is if she has a camera that maybe isn't as good but she takes 10x more photos with it then ultimately it will be the better gift. And she can always keep something like the RX100 as a compact and buy a bigger and better DSLR if she really gets into it.

The NEX seems like a decent middle ground, with a APS-C sensor, I'm not very up to scratch with camera's but it seems like a pretty big lens for the size of the camera.

Thanks for the feedback thou and it has given me a good amount to think about.

Both are highly regarded but they are very different beasts. One is a pure point and shoot (RX100) and the other gives her scope for other lens choices.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/new...r-mirrorless-compact-cameras#best-pocket-cams

I'd be tempted to try and find the extra money for the RX100II if you went down the pure P&S path, otherwise the NEX-3N is a good buy

Is the price difference between gen1 and 2 of the Rx100 worth it, it is close to a £200 premium?

 

[Fallen god]

£200 nope, the RX100II is improvement with the flash hotshoe and improved AF performance but certainly not that much (wifi does nothing for me). If you were happy to shop with ******* or similar the RX100II can be had for reasonable money, £418 (payment via BACS which can put people off). If not £440 and if you get hit with duty ******* will refund no fuss.

Either the RX100 or mrk II are great buys imo, i'm just a sucker for the new stuff lol.

A good read here and fair assessment:

http://pixelogist.me/2013/10/30/sony-cyber-shot-rx100-ii-vs-rx100-comparison/

Thank for the link, mostly don't want too spend too much since I'm saving for a new gaming PC and so on. I will check up on the review.

 

[Fallen god]

Update: Went with the NEX-3N, we went to the shops earlier and she liked how it felt in the hand, things like the zoom ring where better on the NEX and she seems very interested in different lens, like wide angel and so on. Seems like the best all around purchase, along with a class 10 SD card.

Thanks for the advance.