Compact with viewfinder

Phil V

Phil V

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Have a friend who has just worn out both her compact cameras. She wants to replace them with a single product and I'm stumped.

She hates using rear LCD panels and needs a compact with an eyepiece. But then it gets complicated, because she also wants it to be compact (not a bridge) and to have a good zoom range like her last bridge camera had.

I've looked around but I'm stumped.

Any advice?
 
The ones that come to mine the Nikon P7100, Canon G12 are both compacts with viewfinder.

The other way is say the Nikon V1 or Sony Nex 7,both have build in viewfinder.

:)
 
Don't think such a beast exists.

The X10 or canon G are OK... but the viewfinder being optical only has absolutely no shooting information. And tbh having used an X10 I was disappointed by the lens obscuring the view in some positions. Plus, they don't really have a good zoom range either. I can't see any compact with a viewfinder having a large zoom range because that same zoom can never be reflected in a separate viewfinder.

Choices are either a small bridge such as the Fuji S2900 with it's EVF or just live with the screen.
 
RichardtheSane said:
Don't think such a beast exists.

The X10 or canon G are OK... but the viewfinder being optical only has absolutely no shooting information. And tbh having used an X10 I was disappointed by the lens obscuring the view in some positions. Plus, they don't really have a good zoom range either. I can't see any compact with a viewfinder having a large zoom range because that same zoom can never be reflected in a separate viewfinder.

Choices are either a small bridge such as the Fuji S2900 with it's EVF or just live with the screen.
Click to expand...

I understand the zoom range vs viewfinder quandary, so I was thinking there'd be an EF model?
 
What cameras are being replaced? :shrug:

And how compact does it need to be? There's a big difference in size between a Canon G12 and a Canon A1300. They can both be said to be 'compact' cameras. :shrug:

And when you say 'eyepiece', is it optical or electronic? :shrug:
 
redhed17 said:
What cameras are being replaced? :shrug:

And how compact does it need to be? There's a big difference in size between a Canon G12 and a Canon A1300. They can both be said to be 'compact' cameras. :shrug:

And when you say 'eyepiece', is it optical or electronic? :shrug:
Click to expand...

They were a digital ixus and a small bridge camera, maybe Fuji?

I was unspecific about the 'eyepiece' on purpose, because it doesn't matter to her, common sense says it'd have to be an Evf if the zoom range is what she wants.

And I think she wants something closer in size to her ixus. The more I think about it, the more I think it'll be impossible to please her.
 
I the Nikon P7100 has the best zoom range for non bridge (28 - 200 eqv) but that is still probably not close to many bridge cameras. It also costs a fair bit and is not exactly tiny.
 
If she gets pretty much any compact with a rear lcd screen and adds a LCDVF she has a compact with an eyepiece EVF. Easiest to use with a cheap handle screwed into the tripod socket. It looks odd at first, but I've shown this to several people with similar compacts and as soon as they use it they realise just how huge a difference it makes.

I used this set-up with a Sony HX9V and I'll be doing the same with the HX20V I now have. Either of these is a very nice compact, the HX20V has a zoom that covers 25-500mm (35mm eq), 1080p 50p video and Sony has always had the best SteadyShot of any compact. I can recommend either of these compacts, when I lost the HX9V I managed to last three weeks before I had to replace it.
 
Just had a look on the DPReview Camera Feature Search, and for a Compact sized camera there doesn't seem to be anything with viewfinder with above 5x zoom.

Anything above 5x zoom and it seems to be a Bridge type camera. :shrug:

If it definitely has to have a viewfinder, then it depends what's important, zoom or size. :shrug:
 
um, isn't 28 - 200 above 5x zoom? Or is the Nikon P7100 not a compact?
 
ernesto said:
um, isn't 28 - 200 above 5x zoom? Or is the Nikon P7100 not a compact?
Click to expand...

I stand corrected, the Nikon is 7.1x zoom. (that .1 may make all the difference ;) :lol:)

Thanks for pointing out my mistake. :thumbs:

I wouldn't want to give anyone incorrect information.
 
I had a similar quandary a couple of years ago when searching for a decent compact with an optical viewfinder, at that time there was only one, the canon G11, but as here, the zoom range wasn't great enough.

I think your friend is going to have to accept that even with an EVF such a camera as she is seeking doesn't exist, she will have to move up in camera size.
If she doesn't like the DSLR shape and bulk of the bridge camera's then maybe its worth looking at the CSC camera's, something like the panasonic GF series with its more compact shape and couple it with the standard zoom (14-42mm/28-84mm with crop factor taken into account) and the 45-200mm/90-400mm with crop factor taken into account) as well as add the EVF attachment you can get for it.
 
I think the P7100 may be the best of the bunch but when I report back she'll probably go for another bridge camera,

Thanks all.
 
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