Buying advice small camera

[Adamcski]

Morning folks, I wondered if you could throw some wisdom nuggets my way.

Wife would like a small compact camera to take around places. She has her phone but would like something a little better.

Any recommendations for a compact camera that's half decent and doesn't cost the earth. Obviously, I want it to have all the bells and whistles so I can play with it but she won't spend £1000s on it.

I looked at some of the Lumix ones but they appear to have some reviews about dust getting in ?

Any help appreciated. She has an old canon ixus 127hs currently that cost me £200 back in 2012 but it's seen better days.

 

[Sangoma]

TZ 100.

 

[ancient_mariner]

My wife uses to use a Lumix TZ7 or similar, but image quality wasn't great, so I bought her an Olympus E-M10+ pancake zoom, and that goes in her handbag when we travel.

 

[Brazo]

My wife uses to use a Lumix TZ7 or similar, but image quality wasn't great, so I bought her an Olympus E-M10+ pancake zoom, and that goes in her handbag when we travel.

A small micro four thirds camera and lens is a very good shout and even an old, cheap one represents a significant step up in image quality over an iPhone 14 pro.

 

[mstphoto]

Any of the Sony RX100 series may suit.
Small enough to slip in a pocket and good IQ

 

[Adamcski]

Any of the Sony RX100 series may suit.
Small enough to slip in a pocket and good IQ

Think that may be a tad more than she wants to spend

 

[mstphoto]

Think that may be a tad more than she wants to spend

You may manage to pick up a really good pre-loved model.
There has been some really good deals in the Classified Section lately

 

[realspeed]

I have the Panasonic DC TZ-95--£399 and even has 4K and up to MP4 video format

 

[garryknight]

The TZ100 would be a great choice or, if you want extra reach, the TZ70 can still be bought for around £240 from Amazon, and a bit less from elsewhere.

 

[Nikon photographer]

TZ 100.

I'll second that, my Godson and his wife went to New York just before Christmas, and wasn't happy with the results from their smartphones, I recommended the same camera, there more than happy with the results.

 

[woof woof]

I have a TZ100 but there's a TZ200 now and the Sony RX100 range do have their fans but I'm not one as I don't like the pop up and down evf. The TZ100/200 have a fixed in the corner evf. The TZ100/200 and Sony RX100 are 1" sensor compacts capable of shooting raw and all have all the usual modes and controls including auto, shutter and aperture priority and manual etc.

Good luck choosing.

 

[stickytape]

I’ve got the ZS200 and it’s a fine little thing for what it is.

 

[Adamcski]

Local JL has this in reduced to £400 https://www.johnlewis.com/sony-cybe...screen-with-case-attachment-grip-kit/p3265168

 

[woof woof]

Local JL has this in reduced to £400 https://www.johnlewis.com/sony-cybe...screen-with-case-attachment-grip-kit/p3265168

The problem with those for me is the pop up evf but if you're happy with that the camera deserves to be on the list of possibles.

 

[Adamcski]

Well I picked up a bargain for the wife. New Lumix gx880 with Panasonic and jL warranty for £239 with the 12-32 lens. She is happy as it's tiny and she can use my lenses

 

[Adamcski]

Well it got even better, they reduced it to £219 for us and we had a £15 voucher, so I got the camera, new in box with all the bits for a total of £204.

 

[realspeed]

The problem with those for me is the pop up evf but if you're happy with that the camera deserves to be on the list of possibles.

the TZ95 does not have a popup EVA it is built into the camera body and a flip up screen at the back

 

[MrRichAllen1976]

I bought a Fujifilm Finepix S1580 from CEX the other week, £25 and it's a nice little camera, also does 720P HD movies.

 

[MrRichAllen1976]

I also bought a Nikon CoolPix L340 from CEX towards the end of last year for £65, nice little camera.

It was second hand though being from CEX, works perfectly though.

 

[robj20]

Definitely one of the Sony Rx100 cameras, such great pocket cameras.

 

[Adamcski]

Cheers for the additional responses but all sorted. Got a silver and black Lumix GX880 new from John Lewis in Solihull for the total price of £204. Full warranty and stuff. They are closing their camera section down it appears, so there were a fair few cameras marked down. This was up for £279, they discounted it to £219 (I have purchased a fair bit from them so I know the mgr) and then we had a voucher...so wife is happy as she has a nice little camera with the 12-32 lens. I've just installed a screen saver on it today and have a pouch coming Thursday for her. Probably get her the 35-100 also and the that's her sorted. Just wanted to get a spare battery for it, but they are £49/£50 and I'm loathed to pay it.