Advice on buying a Photo camera, please

[muchlovex]

Need advice as don't know where to start. My budget is £150 and as it's a gift for someone who is a keen photographer, i would like to make sure I am buying a good quality item.

Thank you

[Iggle Piggle]

Ricoh R10 is the one I would buy if the wife would let me ...

[gingejbee]

Lots of choice for a digital camera (with video) - my choice is one from Panasonic Lumix range. The DMC-FS37 is rather good for about £140.

[VHG]

If they are a keen photographer i would not buy them a camera (particulalry by your own admission you dont know where to start).

A keen photographer may already have a good camera, and may have particular needs from a camera (zoom lens, ISO settings, megapixel size, RAW settings, camera weight, camera size, viewfinder etc).

If you buy them the wrong one, or one that does not do what they want, it is likely to lie in a drawer unused and you will have wasted your money.

May be buy them a voucher so they can buy their own camera.

[mjwman]

Yes entierly agree. As a keen photographer I am sorry to say £150 would not buy me anything satisfying. Nice thought though.

[Catapa]

If you want to buy a keen photographer a quality present for £150, don't buy them a camera. Buy them something else, maybe a book about photography or print vouchers or accessories for their existing kit.

[venator]

Couldn't agree more - I've been a keen photographer for 50 years, with my own darkroom in the B&W days, now using Panasonic digital, although I keep my monster large format kit.

A large part of the pleasure is shopping round and reading camera reviews.

As the best prices are online, I would suggest a cheque!