£500 for a compact camera

squizza

squizza

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Hello!

Needing some advice here please; I'm after a compact camera, sub £500. I've got a Canon Powershot G12 from years back but don't want to go for another Canon.

I've got my eye on either the Olympus Pen 8 or the Panasonic Lumix DCM-LX100.

The only thing about the Panasonic; am I right in thinking this is from 2014 and a model they are continuing to make? Is this a good or bad thing?

Any advice on other models much appreciated. I like the dials for settings to be on the top too, not a menu within the camera.

Many thanks for your help

Sarah
 
Also one of your choice’s is fixed Lens and one is interchangeable lens,do you have a preference.
 
£500, for something compact with the option of expanding later on if desired - I would grab a used Panasonic GX80 [shoots 4K video with excellent in body stabilization, better camera than the fixed lens panasonic cams IMO] with a used 12-60 kit lens. Great little combination, falls right within your budget at £493 currently on MPB

Camera: https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/used-equi...-cameras/panasonic-lumix-dmc-gx80/sku-744397/

Lens: https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/used-equi...-12-60mm-f-3-5-5-6-asph-power-ois/sku-742984/
 
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stumac said:
what are you planning to mainly use the camera for
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Sorry I should have said! It’s mainly going to be for holidays, days out, things like that. I’ve never used the far end of the Canon I have because actually it’s not that great quality at 140mm! I’m off to Canada in September and don’t want to lug my DSLR gear around on hikes and climbing treks! So this is another reason :)

SsSsSsSsSnake said:
Also one of your choice’s is fixed Lens and one is interchangeable lens,do you have a preference.
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Hmmm I never considered that part. My other half has a Fuji X-A2 which is interchangeable and we barely use the second lens we have for it, keeping the shorter on it. The Canon hasn’t got interchangeable and I’ve never felt lost without it apart from the far end where it’s not that great!

I do however like the chunkier look of a compact that has interchangeable lenses. I think it’s down to the size, I don’t want something that fits into the palm of your hand or in your pocket!

Many thanks
 
With the Oly and Panasonic m43 cameras age is less of a concern as they've all been using the same sensor for years, you just need to make sure it has a 16mp sensor and the image quality will be as good as any of the new ones.

So, unless you need the features you can save some money by buying an older model. Heck, you can get an Olympus PM2 for £54 on MPB.com and that has the same 16mp sensor as all the newer ones and even 3 axis IBIS, which isn't as good as the newer 5 axis version but still very useful.
 
Cagey75 said:
£500, for something compact with the option of expanding later on if desired - I would grab a used Panasonic GX80 [shoots 4K video with excellent in body stabilization, better camera than the fixed lens panasonic cams IMO] with a used 12-60 kit lens. Great little combination, falls right within your budget at £493 currently on MPB

Camera: https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/used-equi...-cameras/panasonic-lumix-dmc-gx80/sku-744397/

Lens: https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/used-equi...-12-60mm-f-3-5-5-6-asph-power-ois/sku-742984/
Click to expand...

If I’m honest I bypassed this purely based on the price as I was looking nearer the £500. I’ve just had a look at photos from and YouTube videos about it and it looks cracking!

Do you know the difference between the GX80 and GX85 though please? Is it an upgrade on the 80 or simply a different colour body?

Thank you
 
Nawty said:
With the Oly and Panasonic m43 cameras age is less of a concern as they've all been using the same sensor for years, you just need to make sure it has a 16mp sensor and the image quality will be as good as any of the new ones.

So, unless you need the features you can save some money by buying an older model. Heck, you can get an Olympus PM2 for £54 on MPB.com and that has the same 16mp sensor as all the newer ones and even 3 axis IBIS, which isn't as good as the newer 5 axis version but still very useful.
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This is definitely food for thought! A fine detail like that is what I wouldn’t realise! Really interesting as I’m really adverse to all the touchscreen in camera options and ‘stuff’ that I probably wouldn’t use. Age would definitely give me that ‘proper’ camera feel if turning dials, pressing actual buttons etc too I would assume.
 
squizza said:
If I’m honest I bypassed this purely based on the price as I was looking nearer the £500. I’ve just had a look at photos from and YouTube videos about it and it looks cracking!

Do you know the difference between the GX80 and GX85 though please? Is it an upgrade on the 80 or simply a different colour body?

Thank you
Click to expand...

There is no difference, in America the camera is known as the GX85 and Japan as the G7 mkii
 
squizza said:
Age would definitely give me that ‘proper’ camera feel if turning dials, pressing actual buttons etc too I would assume.
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Possibly, the trend has been to add more buttons and dials to aid control, earlier models (such as the PM2) just have a few buttons and adjustments are buried in a menu system. So, keep an eye out for the model with the dials and features you want and you won't go far wrong.

Something else to consider, for a period of a couple of years Panasonic cameras (and to a lesser extent, Oly) tended to have really bad shutter shock so if you see a model you like do google shutter shock for that model.
 
I'm a wedding photographer so I suppose you could say I'm used to using gear at the higher end so I'm used to quality . As my family snapper I had a small budget and got an xe2 and the cheap 16-50 kit lens . I'm more than happy and it's as much as I'll ever need when I don't want to carry around the BIG camera
 
I like the idea of the g80 but I keep thinking it’s really not a compact camera. It does look like great value though.

If you don’t need a flip or touchscreen then the older Sony Rx100 models are nice as is the canon G7x ii. (Yes i know you don’t want canon but just for balance)

Both as compact as it gets and more than capable shooters for travel etc
 
squizza said:
If I’m honest I bypassed this purely based on the price as I was looking nearer the £500. I’ve just had a look at photos from and YouTube videos about it and it looks cracking!

Do you know the difference between the GX80 and GX85 though please? Is it an upgrade on the 80 or simply a different colour body?

Thank you
Click to expand...

In Europe it's called the GX80, in North America it's the GX85, no idea why Panasonic do this, but they do it with all their cameras. A bit like Canon with the Rebel/Kiss etc ...

It is a cracking little camera, you can make it even tidier by attaching a small prime like the 25mm 1.7 [can be got for about £120] or the 'pancake' zoom, the 12-32mm which can also be got for about same, and would make the package tiny.


db247 said:
I like the idea of the g80 but I keep thinking it’s really not a compact camera. It does look like great value though.
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The G80 certainly isn't, it's about the same size as an XT2 - but I was talking about it's wee brother, the GX80
 
Cagey75 said:
In Europe it's called the GX80, in North America it's the GX85, no idea why Panasonic do this, but they do it with all their cameras. A bit like Canon with the Rebel/Kiss etc ...

It is a cracking little camera, you can make it even tidier by attaching a small prime like the 25mm 1.7 [can be got for about £120] or the 'pancake' zoom, the 12-32mm which can also be got for about same, and would make the package tiny.




The G80 certainly isn't, it's about the same size as an XT2 - but I was talking about it's wee brother, the GX80
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Oh ye, that's the one I meant :D
 
LX100 is a great buy for the following reasons:

1) Very fast lens, with a useful 24-70 (ish) zoom.
2) Proper shutter speed, aperture and exposure compensation dials, so very “natural” to use
3) Small and light
4) Inbuilt EFV
5) Super image quality for the price
 
Tobers said:
LX100 is a great buy for the following reasons:

1) Very fast lens, with a useful 24-70 (ish) zoom.
2) Proper shutter speed, aperture and exposure compensation dials, so very “natural” to use
3) Small and light
4) Inbuilt EFV
5) Super image quality for the price
Click to expand...


Plus, unlike the Sonys, the LX100 has a hotshoe.
 
Thankyou so much everyone for taking the time to reply to my post :)
Lots to look into and go play with in the shops!
 
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