Second hand bridge?

[bones615]

Going on a family holiday abroad in the summer, 1st time in years and my dilemma is should I travel light with camera & a couple of lenses or even lighter by investing in a second hand bridge?
I have been checking them out in the under £100 range & narrowed it down to a Panasonic FZ? (quite pricey) or a Fuji s1500/1600 or you might have a better idea. Most likely use will be the usual holiday snaps but you never know what might crop up.
Any ideas, suggestions or experiences?

Simon.

[bones615]

Well I bought a Panasonic TZ18 in may, pretty much unused until 2 weeks ago when we went to Tenerife for a fortnight.
1st impressions -

1. No gear to lug about - great
2. Put it on auto & enjoy my holiday
3. The whole family can use it.
4. Great zoom (16x optical)
5. Videos look good, shame about my wobbly hands.
6. Battery life good
7. Small & inconspicuous

Downsides
1. Never going to rival my DSLR
2. Wide angle (24mm) more like a fish eye, anything close & near the edge looks wonky
3. Software not the best.

Will post some pics & videos when i have sorted them out, 800+ pics & 1/2 a dozen videos.

Simon

[Hinfrance]

Glad you had a good time.

I bought myself an LX5 during my visit to London.

Good points:
1. RAW
2. Superb fast Leica lens
3. Fast start up and focus
4. Seems well built
5. 4 different aspect ratios available
6. Videos OK
7. Hot shoe
8. Compact and bijou, Mostin.

Bad Points
1. Lens distortion at the wide end and some CA (but DxO have a module for this, see below)
2. Battery life if you do not limit the LCD on time
3. Noise above 400ISO
4. No paper manual

Before DxO



After DxO (auto, vignetting off)

[krennon]

I had a FUJI S6500fd a few years back and it was superb, not sure what the most recent version is but it had 28-300 lens, and I got some cracking shots with it, mine took xd cards but think the newer one switched to SD and come with a hotshoe which mine didn't have (one of the reasons I upgraded to a DSLR)
If I was in the market for a bridge camera in all honesty I would probably go with a FUJI as I loved mine and sold it to a friend for almost as much as I paid for it and she's still got it and loves using it.
Just my twopenneth worth.

[Hinfrance]

Indeed Keith, the Fuji bridges are excellent. I had an S9500 for several years - great camera.

I just needed something pocketable.

[SimonW]

I'd be reluctant to trust any brand new or second hand camera for a holiday, especially a "trip of a lifetime". Not just the risk of a fault, but also lack of familiarity with the controls etc. However, if you can give it a good try-out for a month or so beforehand, that's fine. I found, last family holiday I left the SLR behind and took a decent compact (Canon s95) and never regretted it.

[bones615]

Just added a video to youtube from the tz18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce3pwqSCKXM&hd=1

Simon

[Oldboy]

Just added a video to youtube from the tz18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce3pwqSCKXM&hd=1

Simon

Great quality and sound. 

[Jonathan]

So in December you asked for advice.  Nobody gave any In July you reported back on your choice.  Now people are recommending cameras.........

[Hinfrance]

So in December you asked for advice.  Nobody gave any In July you reported back on your choice.  Now people are recommending cameras.........

You can't rush these things . . 

[Oldboy]

So in December you asked for advice.  Nobody gave any In July you reported back on your choice.  Now people are recommending cameras.........

You can't rush these things . . 

[Markulous]

I bought my G11 s/h just before going on holiday - but then it isn't a bridge. 
I did get some great pics too (with both it and with the 30D I took - I'm never likely to leave a dSLR behind!)

<---------- avatar shot taken with the 30D + 105

[bones615]

So in December you asked for advice.  Nobody gave any In July you reported back on your choice.  Now people are recommending cameras.........

Thats why they call me Billy no mates 

[Oldboy]

So in December you asked for advice.  Nobody gave any In July you reported back on your choice.  Now people are recommending cameras.........

Thats why they call me Billy no mates 

You've got lots of mates, just a shame they not in this universe! 

[SimonW]

So in December you asked for advice.  Nobody gave any In July you reported back on your choice.  Now people are recommending cameras.........

I must confess, when I jumped in to bash out a quick reply to the new post, I didn't notice the date of the first one. Memo to self - must read the threads more carefully.