Thanks all,
I can't remember how much I paid for my current camera. I dropped its predecessor 48 hours before a big school project or something, so basically went into a shop, went "that one!" and ran out again
So, budget-wise I'm not sure. I use it a lot for work, so it needs to be fairly decent, but it'll also go cycle camping too and is likely to be abused a fair bit. I could probably stretch to something in the £250 region, given that it's an investment in an essential bit of work kit. I'll want a second battery and a case etc, so I'm mindful that that'll push it up more, too.
Here is a bald eagle at hand held full zoom, from the deck of a boat
That's quite an impressive combination!
andrew_s: I don't think I've
ever used the viewfinder on this camera!
CrinklyLion: I've been pondering the question about upgrading. I did find current model of camera going for not much on ebay, but wasn't hugely tempted, so I think that tells me I probably am looking to upgrade.
That said, I was looking at the Coolpix S7000 online last night which I think is a few years old, but looks like it might be a nice combination of upgrade and familiarity. Hmmmmm.
I had a super quick look at Lumixssss this morning, and, y'know, the feature I'm most attracted to is the grippy oojamaflip on the front! (For fumbling it out of a barbag and taking photos whilst pedalling)
I'll have a closer look at the suggested models etc when I'm back home this evening.