12A Kings Parade
Cambridge, CB2 1SJ
07900 263934
Opened 7 days a week
Mon - Sat: 8:45 - 17:30
Sunday 11:00 - 16:00
Cambridge, CB2 1SJ
Opened 7 days a week
Sunday 11:00 - 16:00
At Campkins Cameras we have a wide range of mirrorless, compact digital cameras and DSLR’s to help you capture life’s best moments. Our range of cameras come from popular brands such as Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Olympus and Panasonic.
Choosing the right camera isn’t easy. But don’t worry here at Campkins – we’re always on hand to give friendly advice. In this guide we will point you in the right direction so you’ll find all the right answers to buying a camera.
If you are looking to buy a new camera it can be quite daunting to decide which one might be right for you. It all depends on what you’ll be using your camera for?
Whether you’re a beginner, a hobbyist, or a professional, it’s important to find the specific camera that will fit your lifestyle and photographic needs. Unfortunately, no one camera does everything – so each one offers something different to offer.
Understanding how the different types of cameras differ could give you a good indication of which one might be right for you.
To help you decide, here are more details on each camera type.
As the name suggests, a compact camera is small, lightweight and fairly inexpensive. They are also known as Point and Shoots, and usually the basic entry model into digital photography.
Because of its lightweight and size, compact cameras are useful for those who just want to capture vacation pictures or family pictures that can be carried in a small bag without getting in the way.
Compact cameras are also very user friendly with standard, automatic settings. All you have to do is frame your subject and press the button and the camera does all the work for you.
They do however sometimes miss out on features such as an optical viewfinder due to their size but do have a built-in flash and a zoom lens. They also come with an LCD screen which shows your scene at the correct exposure before pressing the button. Just like what you’d expect when using a smartphone.
Also, know as a point and shoot, compact cameras just like shooting with your smartphone only better. With simple or limited function they automatically do all the work for you with exposing your scene that is pleasing to any viewers eye.
Compact cameras are the inexpensive entry-level camera for the amateur or beginner digital photographer. They are the most user friendly of the types of cameras options available which is why they’re a fan favourite for holidays and family photos.
The downside of compact cameras is their sensor size. Although smaller than that of their larger cousins, this does mean they would not be suitable for large prints. Your 6×4 or 8×5 will be fine.
Despite this, they do have their advantages over your smartphone with a larger sensor and lens and often a much better zoom.
View all our point and shoot cameras.
Compact zoom cameras have the same benefits of a compact but with a far superior zoom lens. The lens is not interchangeable but the zoom range is typically 28-300mm. Although not recommended for professional use, they offer automatic exposure settings as well as manual options and HD recording.
View all zoom Compact cameras.
The more advanced compact cameras are for the more experienced hobbyists or professional who wants a walkabout camera without sacrificing on quality. Advanced compact cameras come with manual exposure mode and manual focusing and take images at a much higher resolution.
Bridging the gap between a DSLR and a compact camera. Bridge cameras do share similar features of both, compact and user friendly with the looks of a DSLR and a powerful zoom.
The limiting downside to a bridge camera is their sensor size, which is why they zoom capabilities are so good. The more popular brands such as Sony, Panasonic and Canon have bought out models that have a larger 1-inch sensor.
This does help the performance of the camera in low light, however, does sacrifice on the zoom range. This does also increase the price in comparison so it’s worth thinking about would you want the better zoom capabilities with acceptable image quality or improved image quality.
At Campkins we generally recommend these cameras for those going onto safaris, wildlife enthusiasts or travel holidays. Their impressive zoom capabilities mean getting close to wildlife couldn’t be easier.
As the name suggests, these are cameras without a mirror and can otherwise be known as a Compact System Camera (CSC). Unlike their DSLR cousins, the light passes through the lens and onto the image sensor, giving a real-time preview. This also means they no longer have an optical viewfinder and have an electronic one otherwise know as EVF.
Being able to see your image in real-time makes photography so much easier – no longer do you have to guess your exposure.
Mirrorless cameras can vary as Olympus and Panasonic share a Micro Four Thirds (MFT) format, meaning you can use Panasonic lenses on an Olympus camera and vice versa. Fujifilm uses the larger APS-C sensor for its X Series models as well as Sony and Canon.
As of 2018 Nikon, Sony, Canon and Panasonic all have full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market. Fujifilm also announced an introduction in the medium format market with their GFX lineup these cameras have much larger sensors giving a pixel output of 50 – 100 megapixels (depending on the model).
Mirrorless cameras have major advantages over their DSLR counterparts by shooting quicker and quieter often smaller and travel friendly and greater focusing capabilities when shooting video. With that in mind are you ready to join the mirrorless revolution?
Digital Single-Lens Reflex otherwise known as a DSLR. SLR’s have been around from the early film days and now digitalise without the need for film. DLSR’s do give you the ability to change lenses giving you greater control and creativity over your photography.
The DLSR uses a mirror system that reflects light coming in, passes it through a prism so you can see your shot. Pressing the shutter button flips the mirror up and exposes the sensor behind.
Professional photographers still prefer to use their DSLR’s over mirrorless cameras. The optical viewfinder doesn’t suffer from lag or pixelation and draws much less power than an electronic viewfinder, giving DSLRs vastly superior battery life. The battery life is so good against a mirrorless that you could get well up to a thousand images on a single battery.
Whether you’re a beginner, a hobbyist, or a professional, it’s important to find the specific camera that will fit your lifestyle and photographic needs. Unfortunately, no one camera does everything – so each one offers something different to offer.
To help you decide, here are types of features photographers want for the purpose they need
If you’re out travelling around you’ll usually likely want a camera that’s small and lightweight but importantly something that will outperform your smartphone.
If you’re after a camera that can change lenses we highly recommend the Olympus system. Small and rugged these cameras take excellent images with a large lineup of lenses.
You need a camera that can keep up with your hardcore lifestyle in the great outdoors. Shockproof and waterproof, tough cameras make excellent tools for capturing your extreme experiences. Most common tough cameras are Gopros but we stock other brands due to getting more bang for your buck in features without adding accessories on top.
Need that toughness but more lens choice? Take a look at the Olympus system. Probably the toughest interchangeable system on the market.
Whether you’re a beginner, a hobbyist, or a professional, it’s important to find the specific camera that will fit your lifestyle and photographic needs. Unfortunately, no one camera does everything – so each one offers something different to offer.
To help you decide, here are types of photographers and the cameras/setup they would most likely used.
As the name suggests, a compact camera is small, lightweight and fairly inexpensive. They are also known as Point and Shoots, and usually the basic entry model into digital photography.
Because of its lightweight and size, compact cameras are useful for those who just want to capture vacation pictures or family pictures that can be carried in a small bag without getting in the way.
Compact cameras are also very user friendly with standard, automatic settings. All you have to do is frame your subject and press the button and the camera does all the work for you.
They do however sometimes miss out on features such as an optical viewfinder due to their size but do have a built-in flash and a zoom lens. They also come with an LCD screen which shows your scene at the correct exposure before pressing the button. Just like what you’d expect when using a smartphone.
Also, know as a point and shoot, compact cameras just like shooting with your smartphone only better. With simple or limited function they automatically do all the work for you with exposing your scene that is pleasing to any viewers eye.
Compact cameras are the inexpensive entry-level camera for the amateur or beginner digital photographer. They are the most user friendly of the types of cameras options available which is why they’re a fan favourite for holidays and family photos.
The downside of compact cameras is their sensor size. Although smaller than that of their larger cousins, this does mean they would not be suitable for large prints. Your 6×4 or 8×5 will be fine. Despite this, they do have their advantages over your smartphone with a larger sensor and lens and often a much better zoom.
View all our point and shoot cameras.
Compact zoom cameras have the same benefits of a compact but with a far superior zoom lens. The lens is not interchangeable but the zoom range is typically 28-300mm. Although not recommended for professional use, they offer automatic exposure settings as well as manual options and HD recording.
View all zoom Compact cameras.
The more advanced compact cameras are for the more experienced hobbyists or professional who wants a walkabout camera without sacrificing on quality. Advanced compact cameras come with manual exposure mode and manual focusing and take images at a much higher resolution.
Bridging the gap between a DSLR and a compact camera. Bridge cameras do share similar features of both, compact and user friendly with the looks of a DSLR and a powerful zoom.
The limiting downside to a bridge camera is their sensor size, which is why they zoom capabilities are so good. The more popular brands such as Sony, Panasonic and Canon have bought out models that have a larger 1-inch sensor. This does help the performance of the camera in low light, however, does sacrifice on the zoom range. This does also increase the price in comparison so it’s worth thinking about would you want the better zoom capabilities with acceptable image quality or improved image quality.
At Campkins we generally recommend these cameras for those going onto safaris, wildlife enthusiasts or travel holidays. Their impressive zoom capabilities mean getting close to wildlife couldn’t be easier.
As the name suggests, these are cameras without a mirror and can otherwise be know as a Compact System Camera (CSC). Unlike their DSLR cousins, the light passes through the lens and onto the image sensor, giving a real-time preview. This also means they no longer have an optical viewfinder and have an electronic one otherwise know as EVF.
Being able to see your image in real-time makes photography so much easier – no longer do you have to guess your exposure.
Sensor size in mirrorless can vary as Olympus and Panasonic share a Micro Four Thirds (MFT) format, meaning you can use Panasonic lenses on an Olympus camera and vice versa. Fujifilm uses the larger APS-C sensor for its X Series models as well as Sony and Canon. As of 2018 Nikon, Sony, Canon and Panasonic all have full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market. Fujifilm also announced an introduction in the medium format market with their GFX lineup these cameras have much larger sensors giving a pixel output of 50 – 100 megapixels (depending on the model).
Mirrorless cameras have major advantages over their DSLR counterparts by shooting quicker and quieter often smaller and travel friendly and greater focusing capabilities when shooting video. With that in mind are you ready to join the mirrorless revolution?
Digital Single-Lens Reflex otherwise known as a DSLR. SLR’s have been around from the early film days and now digitalise without the need for film. DLSR’s do give you the ability to change lenses giving you greater control and creativity over your photography.
The DLSR uses a mirror system that reflects light coming in, passes it through a prism so you can see your shot. Pressing the shutter button flips the mirror up and exposes the sensor behind.
Professional photographers still prefer to use their DSLR’s over mirrorless cameras. The optical viewfinder doesn’t suffer from lag or pixelation and draws much less power than an electronic viewfinder, giving DSLRs vastly superior battery life. The battery life is so good against a mirrorless that you could get well up to a thousand images on a single battery.
Below we have put together all the Frequently asked questions all camera related.
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