Camera Choice.

I have a Canon 500D which is now getting on a bit. The mainly use a 15-85mm Canon lens but it does make the outfit heavy especially if walking. However if I use it with the Canon 10-18mm lens its much lighter. However most of my photos are now taken on a Canon G16 because I can pop it into a pocket easily enough. If your interest is in taking wildlife I suspect not really the sort of camera although it did manage to creep up on a Heron! Right click on the picture and select open in new tab to get a better impression.

David

I have been using my Nikon Coolpix P610 for the last 3 years with really good results.It saves carrying a number of lenses and has a really good zoom for wild life at a distance,was not too expensive as it was a 70th birthday present!!

Thank you everyone, all contributions I have read with interest.

So as I keep saying we are at Sandringham, last day, boo, but back here in October, yeah😀

Today we drove to the National trust car park, then walked to Blakeney, didn't manage going to the point, far too windy, but, I was taking photos all the way along.

Then after a very invigorating windy, no er gale force walk we then set off to Felbrigg house on the outskirts of Cromer, again taking photos once there.

So I had Oneputts advice regarding Bridge Cameras in mind, and out in the field so to speak, it does actually make a great deal of sense. 

I had a need for the zoom capabilities, ye olde lifeboat house on Blakeney point to mention but one, then a more eye perspective lense for the stately home, plus pretty much everything in between.

So yes, sold, Bridge camera it is, I'm looking at the one I suggested, it pretty much ticks my boxes.

 So thank you again all, and especially Oneputt, great call.

As a ps

At the stately home I bought the National Trust, Book of the Coast, theres only flipping  Puffins on the back cover! 

Cant escape them!!!!!!!

Welly& Mac

Although I have not used a bridge camera myself, I have seen some very impressive results from several cameras Canon, Panasonic and Nikon.

The main areas to look at are

1 Optical zoom, this will give better results than any longer Digital zoom range.

2 What aperture the lens operates at. I believe the Panasonic cameras have Leica lenses and are F2.8 throughout the range.

3 A very important issue is any delay in the camera system, such as shutter delay. buffering times etc. One guy I spoke to recently explained one of his bridge cameras was great for capturing quality, but took an age to process each image, but his Nikon was very quick in comparison and had an impressive zoom range.

May I suggest you look at the WEX website and select the cameras you have been considering, then use the comparison option. This gives full spec side by side and may assist your choice.

Perhaps you could start with the Nikon Coolpix P1000 Digital Camera which I have seen very good results from. Very good spec and at the top end of your budget. The guy that was using this was able to plonk it on a fence post to steady it and the range was very impressive.

Advertising Blurb   -  The Nikon Coolpix P1000 is a 16-megapixel camera that makes capturing awe-inspiring photos and 4K movies a breeze. It features an incredibly versatile 125x optical zoom lens (24-3000mm) with a maximum f/2.8 aperture, and if that’s not enough reach, the 250x Dynamic Fine Zoom can digitally extend the focal length to 6000mm. It also has a 5-stop VR system, RAW support and SnapBridge connectivity. All this with a claim of 7 frames per second burst.

Good Luck with your choice

This is a good website for reviews of cameras of any variety. https://www.dpreview.com/

David

We do all seem a bit obsessed with sea parrots.

I've had a quick look on my main research resource, YouTube, at the Nikon P1000, the opening sequence in the link is pretty amazing, Zooooooommmm.

Thought I'd add it for others 

https://youtu.be/VMzx7k7TcB0

Good luck with that, think I would have to use my mono-pole when zoomed in.  Might pop along to Wex in Norwich  one day this week and look at the Sony RX10 4 amongst others

Im in a bit of a quandary.

I think for my sort of photography I'm probably going with the Canon.

I understand it doesn't have the more desirable 1 inch sensor.

But what I have decided to do, is actually go to a shop. 😳

I think seeing them for real, maybe handling them, then knowledgable, hopefully, sales staff, I can come away happy.

Norwich!, on its doorstep yesterday, never realised, I could have called in on the shop.