Hi all,

I was looking at getting a little more in to the photography side of things, moving away from my phone (Huawei P30 Pro) and using a proper camera.

What I don't want to do is spend stupid amounts starting out as quite honestly things are a little tight at the moment, and I would rather spend money on new fishing gear. I also don't want to spend too much and find I don't really benefit and use the camera as much as I would like, effectively I want a trial with a cheaper option first!

Is there a relatively decent budget camera that will outperform the Huawei, or is it worth sticking with the phone cam for now until I can afford a better level of camera?

I think this is in the right section, please feel free to move on if not!

Cheers,

Aaron

In reply to Post #1
let us know your budget and im sure someone will be able to help with new or second hand

In reply to Post #1
I always use a camera for photos, much better than a phone. I use a phone for making calls. And a laptop or tablet to go on tinternet.

You won't go far wrong with either a Panasonic Camera or Sony Camera, they're both good. As many pixels and optical zoom as you can afford. Get a bankstick adaptor for self takes and jobs a good un.

Personally, I steer away from second hand electronic devices (unless refurbed with at least 12 month warranty). I had an Olympus camera once which was fine, but I dropped it. You couldn't tell to look at it and it worked perfectly, but intermittently took out of focus shots for no reason. Someone could sell you something like this so be careful if you go down the second hand route.

In reply to Post #1
You could look at cash converters or CEX when they open I have a cannon eos 2000d but I got mine on HP from pc world as I wanted a decent camera,I'm hoping to use it more this year along with my new fishing stuff I bought last year.

In reply to Post #1
Literally any DSLR, mirrorless, or big sensor compact camera on the market buddy. My advice grab a 2nd hand canon or nikon DSLR for 100 quid and spend whatever you can afford on a lens to suit the type of shot you're after.

In reply to Post #5
Could try a LUMIX G5, can get one for £100 or less now. Lot of camera for the money

In reply to Post #1
I think you'd be disappointed buying a cheap DSLR considering that you've got a very powerful and highly capable camera on your phone. A £100 DSLR isn't going to have 4k recording and it won't have the low light capabilities that your phone has, instead you'll have to go for a Sony A7s MKII for internal 4k recording and literally mind blowing low light capabilities, only bettered by the A7s MKIII - A7s MKII Sony sells for around 1k secondhand - or a Panasonic GH5; not used the GH5 yet, although I know it's a very capable camera.

You could always pick up a cheap DSLR like a Canon to muck about with to learn iso, aperture setting and the likes trying different lenses and their different uses.

What do you plan to use a camera for, everything, just stills photography, video, daytime, nighttime, a mix of both?

In reply to Post #7
A Nikon d40 with a cheap lens would piss allover any phone camera for stills and that's a 15 year old DSLR.

Edit: d40x/d80*

In reply to Post #1
A cheap dslr will be better than a phone camera, you'll achieve more detail and nicer effects depending on the lenses you choose.

You can pick up a sony a350 for a few hundred quid. Add a sigma 30mm f1.4 prime and decent flash you will be set. The low f stop will help you achieve a nice bokeh effect.

In reply to Post #4
"You could look at cash converters "

Don't touch them with a barge pole. I often walk the dog and go past one their shop and have had a quick look. When I get home and compare their prices to brand new, often they are charging nearly 90% of the new price.

Couple that with some of the "dodgy looking geezers" I've seen taking their latest haul in for an easy outlet for their thieving and you are fueling crime in your area.

Unfortunately the police are too busy filling out speeding tickets to be much help. A friend had an expensive racing push bike stolen and saw it in the window a few days later. Despite calling the police, they were "too busy!" It makes your blood boil! I'm going for a rest.......

In reply to Post #10
Very true, although I sold them a g5 a few years back an they paid 50% more that the specialist retailers were offering.

I remember seeing a Panasonic gx7 in the window another time for £100, fair price. But it had a 20mm 1.7 lens mounted on it that would have cost £150 used at the time.
I can't see how anyone who had bought that kit would part with it for so little

Avoid cex

Mpb photo
Wex photographic
Park cameras
Cameraworld
Camera jungle
London camera exchange

These are a few good shops for used kit with warranties, and with a grace period where you can return items if your disappointed with them

For new cameras look at Hdew to save a bit, not so much at the bottom end tho

I purchased my camera a few years ago from wex and never had any problem with them
At all

In reply to Post #7
Thanks all for the replies, they are all hugely appreciated. I would mainly be using the camera for stills, obviously catch shots but also trying to capture the atmosphere around, of course with fishing, low light photography would be helpful. The phone camera is OK but I would definitely like to up it a level, learning about the different settings and how to perfect photos rather than just pressing focus on a phone camera definitely intrigues me

In reply to Post #12
I think the previous poster was sayin avoid the cash converters part

And the ones under the down thumb were good sellers

In reply to Post #14
That's right, I edited it after hitmans post to make that a bit clearer, it could have been read the other way before