Budget / starter camera

Computers & Tech
1

A friend has asked me to suggest a starter camera for his son, who is getting into stills (i.e. not video)

Budget is tight at 250-300 quid, and I’m I’m completely blank at this level, to be honest, esp. as they’d really like it to be new

My initial suggestion was the “the best camera is the one you have with you, tell him to use his iPhone” but this went down like a sack of shit.

So:

Does anyone have a scooby do of what to suggest ?

My other suggestion was a used Olympus M10 from these guys https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/olympus-om-d-e-m10-mark-ii … but does anyone have any experience of them ?

This has the ‘advantage’ of me knowing the Olympus M43 system really well,and being able to “help” the poor lad with the menus, and which lenses to get etc

2

I used Panasonic Lumix bridge cameras for years with very decent results. If they want to buy new, something like this would be a nice versatile starter camera.

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3

I should have an Olympus Pen EP-8 somewhere, bought it new from olympus in 2020 but it’s never been used.

If he’s interested I’ll see if I can find it and he could have it for £175

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4

We have the fz200. The lens is amazing for the money, huge zoom but capable of fast shots too. To get the same range on a body + lens was north of a grand.

5

For £300 I know a very nice man who would sell you a Nikon D5200 and a Nikon 18-200 in decent condition.

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6

If I was starting out in photography, I would get one of the new mirrorless formats. Short of that, a DSLR like a used Nikon would be great. The control offered by that is really great for learning how stuff actually works.

The bridge type cameras are great once you know this, but they’re not so good for learning about photography properly.

7

Don’t understand this.

Every bridge camera I’ve owned has had a manual mode which allows you to choose aperture, shutter speed, ISO, zoom and focusing.

What does a DSLR (or mirrorless) offer beyond that ?

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8

Often a much better sensor.

9

Agreed, but that doesn’t make them better for learning about photography properly

10

They just strike me as more hair shirt, which must be good for the soul somehow.

11

Dear all

Sorry for the tardy reply, my daughter had her birthday yesterday

Thanks too for the various tips an, especially, the kind offersof kit for sale

We’ve ended going with an Olympus OM-D M10 III as it’s a camera I know very well and I can therefore easily help him if (when) he has questions concerning the setup / use of it