Which camera?

Looking for some unbiased advice As you all may know I've been looking into getting myself a new camera for awhile now. But with one thing and another it's been put off. Now I know a few users on here use dslr cameras with some fantastic pictures as a result.
With bridge cameras bridging the gap is a dslr really necessary?
I've currently got a 8 year old Panasonic TZ3 which on the whole takes pretty good pics but within the last 6 month I've been going to various motor sports events and the camera struggles to focus on faster moving objects
Now I've kinda narrowed my choices down to these. I know that if I go down the dslr route I will have to buy a telephoto lens for Motorsport

Bridge cameras

Panasonic fz1000
Panasonic fz330

DSLR

Canon 700d
Nikon d5300
Pentax k50

 

Hi Mowgley

I have a Panasonic FZ200 myself and its an amazing camera, superb for wildlife and macro work, especially with accessories that are available. The FZ300/330 (same camera) is its successor with a few improvements, reviews although very positive don't suggest, for me anyway that its worth splashing the cash to upgrade. I have read that the FZ1000 although also a great camera is better suited for landscape and low light photography and is more bulky than the FZ200 & FZ300

All depends on your budget and what you want it for but you could well pick up an FZ200 for a very good price now with the releases of the FZ1000 and FZ300

Hope this is of some help

 

I have had a Panasonic fz150 for a few years now and the one thing it falls down on is slow auto focus and shutter lag, so taking anything fast moving is a waste of time, I'm not sure if any of the newer Panasonic bridge camera are any better.

 

The auto focus on the FZ200 is pretty good and I have no complaints personally, with 12fps possible at full resolution and no noticeable shutter lag its more than capable of shooting fast moving subjects, I've taken plenty of shots of airplanes and birds etc that I'm happy with. Others of course may not be

 

Thx all for your valued opinions.
I'll have to read up on them all more and go and if possible try some of them out.
Focus speed is a key thing for me as wanting to take lots of pictures of F1 and endurance racing next year.
Is going down the second hand route a viable option with lenses
Here's a few pics from Donington last week



This has been edited

 

I have Canon cameras Mowgley. My DSLR is the 1100D and the bridge camera is the SX50.

The largest lens I have for my DSLR is a 250mm, anything beyond that was out of my price range so early last year I looked into bridge cameras. The thing that worried me before buying was whether the camera could be hand held stable enough when taking distance shots. The two pictures below were both hand held shots with the SX50 but the camera has to be really steady to keep them in focus, ideally a tripod is best but that isn't always possible.

This first one, Snaefell Mountain, was taken at dusk at 4.40pm on 28th December 2014 with the bridge camera. Distance approximately 7 miles. I couldn't see the para-glider on the right hand side until this picture was on my computer screen.


This shot of Peel Castle was taken at 3pm, 24th May, 2015. Distance approximately 5 miles, taken on a hazy day.


Any moving target particularly birds and wildlife I find nigh on impossible to shoot at great distance. The electronic viewfinder with the bridge camera set to automatic is too slow in it's responses. I still prefer to use my DSLR when taking shots of any moving target as the viewfinder isn't electronic. I have eyesight problems and use automatic focusing on both cameras.

If I had to choose between both cameras it would be a very close decision as they both have good and bad points but I think I would go for my 1100D the DSLR because I have more control over it's actions and reactions. A telephoto lens would be a must even though they cost an arm and a leg second hand as well as new. I had started a search on the American market for a lens before getting the bridge camera and at that point both new and second hand prices were almost half what they are here in Britain. Import duties would have added quite a bit but my son lives there and would have done the buying and posting for me.

Test driving a bridge camera is a must, the responses are different to a DSLR.

 

Yes I know @wiseowl this is one of the reasons it's in my choices due to your fantastic shots.
Is the Panasonic capable of great panning shots?

 

@mowgley search for Graham Houghton on YouTube or join the FZ200 page on Facebook, he has done extensive and detailed test shots and reviews on the FZ200 and FZ1000, on the Facebook page he has also started doing test shots with the new FZ300/330 and today has revealed the FZ300 is producing better shots than the FZ1000 and in some settings better than the FZ200, however the FZ200 is still holding its own and producing better shots in other settings. Phew....

 

, interesting @wiseowl

In all fairness he has just posted some more test shots with different settings (higher iso i think) and the FZ1000 comes out on top with far superior photos

Hope your having a good day

 

@wiseowl I got a cabled remote from Amazon for my FZ200 for around £10, its ideal for taking shots of the moon etc with a tripod set up. I know there are also wireless remotes for between £20 & £30