Good travel compact camera

Daymouse

Daymouse

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Currently in Portugal and it was a right pain dragging my 60D and tripod down to the beach!


I think it's about time I invest in a good compact that's has strong SLR features I can take everywhere with me!

So personally would want a decent zoom with IS and must shoot raw.

Not fussed about brand

Is there anything on the market for £300-£400

Either new or used!
 
Sony RX100 without a doubt, I love my newly acquired mk1!
 
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Daymouse said:
Yeah really want to compactness so it's very easy to stick in my pocket and carry round with me.

So main things I need are

Decent zoom
Raw
Aperture priority
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For pocketable I have ordered a Canon S120 because I wanted a take any when camera I could carry when out & about be it leisure or business. Has decent zoom, raw and the usual priority settings. But if for holidays and lighter load it may be a tad limited???

Oh, it is slightly older spec but at £209 now compared to when new kid on the block at >£400 it is a snip :)
 
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Mostly just bells and whistles, such as GPS near field communication etc and a couple of extra shooting modes. They also have a hotshoe which I think you can also attach an EVF to. Iirc the mk3 has a shorter lens though do t quote me on that!

However, the output is pretty much identical across the 3 and imo the mk1 offers by far the best value as its nearly half its original RRP!
 
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you may also want to look at the fuji x10/20/30 cameras, and the panasonic lx100. they are larger than the sony (but still much smaller than a dslr). They have gorgeous viewfinders, and in the case of the lx100 a larger sensor. But for its size, the rx100 can't be beat.

3 other cameras that are highly regarded if you don't mind a fixed lens - the ricoh gr, fuji x100 and the nikon coolpix a. they all have apsc sensors and have really good sensor / lens combinations. As they have fast lenses and larger sensors, this somewhat mitigates the need for IS, which none have.
 
Great as the X10/20/30 Fujis are (I have or have had them all!), they're not really pocketable in what the OP would probably be wearing on holiday in Portugal! The XF-1 is but reliability might concern him (although both of mine still work fine.) None of the baby Xs have wmuch real zoom power either, with he X-10 etc. only racking out to 112mm (EFL). Tempted by an RX100 - will have to find one to play with!
 
Yeah I defo want pocketable so it's got to be a fixed lens that collapses back into the body.

Does no one else have anything similar to the Sony RX100?

Looking at them I need to weigh up the mark 1 & 2 I think as I could prob afford to go to the mark 2. Just depends if the benefits outweigh extra price.

Does anyone have any comparisons on the zoom from min to max to see how far it reaches?
 
Daymouse said:
Yeah I defo want pocketable so it's got to be a fixed lens that collapses back into the body.

Does no one else have anything similar to the Sony RX100?

Looking at them I need to weigh up the mark 1 & 2 I think as I could prob afford to go to the mark 2. Just depends if the benefits outweigh extra price.

Does anyone have any comparisons on the zoom from min to max to see how far it reaches?
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It's the 35mm equivalent of 28-100mm (mk1 and 2). I think the mk3 might be 24-80 ish?
 
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You'd be looking at the Canon G7x and G1x. Not sure about the rest.
 
si019 said:
Would be interested in direct rivals to the RX100 range of cameras?
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There aren't any!

I would get the mk3 it has a better lens, sharper into the corners and a pop up evf.

Even the mk1 will produce exhibition quality prints mind!
 
I think I'm going to look at the MK2 but not sure of price for one of them compared to the Mk1. Only got mobile on me at until I get home from Portugal so pain in the ass to do some decent searching!
 
Nod said:
Great as the X10/20/30 Fujis are (I have or have had them all!), they're not really pocketable in what the OP would probably be wearing on holiday in Portugal! The XF-1 is but reliability might concern him (although both of mine still work fine.) None of the baby Xs have wmuch real zoom power either, with he X-10 etc. only racking out to 112mm (EFL). Tempted by an RX100 - will have to find one to play with!
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All a great choice, my X10 is my pocket camera, but only in a winter jacket. I also have a small pouch that I can drop it into and where it on a belt on cargo shorts in the Summer. There's not much out there that can slip into a summer shirt pocket other than a camera phone.
 
The RX100 mk 1 or 11 with the larger sensor has a lot of appeal but price point of the S120 was what made sense for me and as for prints, well elsewhere it was noted the Canon is good for up to 13x10 inch.

But maybe of note my old Fuji F700 a 6Mp camera I have had successfully had upscaled prints produced of 10inches on longest side and though on the small side this was for exhibition purposes.

So unless there is some outstanding in use and images produced oddity I am expecting the Canon to do just fine......though if they were closer on price and I could justify that higher figure I would have had more pause for thought having in dSLR gone from APS-C to full frame so do fully appreciate the real terms value of larger sensors :)
 
Box Brownie said:
The RX100 mk 1 or 11 with the larger sensor has a lot of appeal but price point of the S120 was what made sense for me and as for prints, well elsewhere it was noted the Canon is good for up to 13x10 inch.

But maybe of note my old Fuji F700 a 6Mp camera I have had successfully had upscaled prints produced of 10inches on longest side and though on the small side this was for exhibition purposes.

So unless there is some outstanding in use and images produced oddity I am expecting the Canon to do just fine......though if they were closer on price and I could justify that higher figure I would have had more pause for thought having in dSLR gone from APS-C to full frame so do fully appreciate the real terms value of larger sensors :)
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All three RX100s have the same sized 1" sensor.

I found the mk1 outclassed even the Canon g7x (which I had actually set out to buy) in IQ, I was quite surprised and had my heart set on the newer, more expensive Canon (being a firm Canon man as well) but the mk1 RX100 I found gave far more pleasing images. At half the price.

It's not about print sizes for me, that's simply relative to pixel count. For me its overall IQ. The RX100 is sharp across the entire frame no matter what aperture (dof aside) and what focal range.

It also produces lovely images with great dof at 28mm set to f1.8, it's almost like having a little fast prime in your pocket.
 
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Canon G7X for me if I want to fit camera with zoom in my pocket

I used an S95 as travel camera for a long time which is eminently pocketable. G7X is a tad larger all round but still squeezes into jeans/shorts pocket and IQ is defo superior. It's very usable with lens ring and the flip up touch screen is a wonder. I often use it as if a wlf, touching screen where I want focus point to be. Very neat. The images are a little more 'artistic' than Sony IMO. Sony users say Sony is sharper.

If I don't need zoom then I still can't match Ricoh GR as pocket/travel camera.
 
jamiewednesday said:
Canon G7X for me if I want to fit camera with zoom in my pocket

I used an S95 as travel camera for a long time which is eminently pocketable. G7X is a tad larger all round but still squeezes into jeans/shorts pocket and IQ is defo superior. It's very usable with lens ring and the flip up touch screen is a wonder. I often use it as if a wlf, touching screen where I want focus point to be. Very neat. The images are a little more 'artistic' than Sony IMO. Sony users say Sony is sharper.

If I don't need zoom then I still can't match Ricoh GR as pocket/travel camera.
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Why are the images "more artistic" from one manufacturer to the other, that's down to the photographer (and possibly, the processing treatment)!
 
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Blank_Canvas said:
All a great choice, my X10 is my pocket camera, but only in a winter jacket. I also have a small pouch that I can drop it into and where it on a belt on cargo shorts in the Summer. There's not much out there that can slip into a summer shirt pocket other than a camera phone.
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That's why I ended up with the xF-1! I usually have my 'phone in the shirt pocket but on holiday, I leave the phone at home and the XF-1 slips into the pocket instead. It even fits when it's cased. If/when the XFs die, I'll see what's about that fits the same pocket.
 
I had my mind set on the RX100 as my travel camera due to its tiny size

However after holding one it was too small and I found it fiddly to hold let alone use. It was also, due to its finish, very slippy

There was also an LX100 in the same store and the feel, handling and grip was enough of a trade off for the slightly larger size (mainly due to the lens). It won't slip in your jeans pocket but happily sits in cargo pants/ shorts pocket

I've had it a few months and loving it :)

The RX100 is still a cracking camera and phenomenal for its size but I strongly suggest you have a play with it, and others, before pulling the trigger
 
Just to demonstrate / compare

Rvz2ioN.jpg

Rvz2ioN.jpg


And from a thread of mine on another forum

So, just popped into JL in the Trafford Centre and had a play with both. Both are lovely cameras and not a hugely massive size difference in the flesh, but the Lumix is definitely not pocket material (the flash is, thankfully, detachable):

ZYGxGUf.jpg


So, first up the Sony, definitely small

5kIQqBQ.jpg


But also slightly awkward for my sized hands

15wp3Zn.jpg


To get to the back buttons on the right hand side moved the camera away from my palm and therefore had the camera in my finger tips almost, which really affected by grip

The Lumix is a bit bigger

IY2df8L.jpg


but felt a lot more sturdy in my hand and generally more comfortable maneuvering round the dials and buttons

kf32IoW.jpg


There were a few other niggles with the Sony such as the EVF having to be pulled up and away from the body and not sitting "right" when I took the camera to my eye (although, admittedly, that could be my face rather than the camera's fault :p)

After having a play, even with the higher cost of the Lumix and larger size it just felt "better" in my hands so I think we may have a winner, so now its just a case of black or silver !

zw2JSZK.jpg


Thanks all again for your input :) cheers
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I think my next port of call is either Manchester or Trafford Centre when I get back to have a play.

I'm personally thinking smaller the better for me. I'm fed up of not taking pics and not having a camera with me! So to have a small camera I have full control of would be brilliant.

Hmmm wonder if Faro Airport has a decent shops! ;)
 
Jon.P.73 said:
I had my mind set on the RX100 as my travel camera due to its tiny size

However after holding one it was too small and I found it fiddly to hold let alone use. It was also, due to its finish, very slippy

There was also an LX100 in the same store and the feel, handling and grip was enough of a trade off for the slightly larger size (mainly due to the lens). It won't slip in your jeans pocket but happily sits in cargo pants/ shorts pocket

I've had it a few months and loving it :)

The RX100 is still a cracking camera and phenomenal for its size but I strongly suggest you have a play with it, and others, before pulling the trigger
Click to expand...

I had the similar feeling when playing with the x100 and lx100. They just didn't feel right, although admittedly I only played worth them for a couple of minutes. The one camera that did appeal to me was the x30, an very nice camera to handle and an unbelievable EVF. Just a shame it has a smaller sensor than the rx100 in a larger form.

One other small camera to consider is the Panasonic GM1 with the 12-32 lens. Get a 17mm or 20mm 1.8 for low light and that is a very small package with brilliant image quality, arguably even better than the sony, though a tad larger when you include the lens.
 
Rapscallion said:
I had the similar feeling when playing with the x100 and lx100. They just didn't feel right, although admittedly I only played worth them for a couple of minutes. The one camera that did appeal to me was the x30, an very nice camera to handle and an unbelievable EVF. Just a shame it has a smaller sensor than the rx100 in a larger form.

One other small camera to consider is the Panasonic GM1 with the 12-32 lens. Get a 17mm or 20mm 1.8 for low light and that is a very small package with brilliant image quality, arguably even better than the sony, though a tad larger when you include the lens.
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If you are after sow thing bigger then go for the a5100 or a6000, both are amazing cameras, and a good range of lenes to choose from.
 
si019 said:
If you are after sow thing bigger then go for the a5100 or a6000, both are amazing cameras, and a good range of lenes to choose from.
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OP wants to be able to put it in a pocket.
 
Whilst the rx100 definitely has the advantage of the larger size sensor, I didn't choose one.

Ok it's not for me, I would have done with a fixed lens, but for my wife I've ordered the Panasonic TZ90 in silver/black. Got an excellent optical zoom range, can shoot in raw as well, is only 12mp on a small sensor, and truly pocketable. Most importantly, looking at the Flickr images for that camera I didn't mind them straight out of camera.

Oh and important for my wife, it looks good as well :)
 
Rapscallion said:
you may also want to look at the fuji x10/20/30 cameras, and the panasonic lx100. they are larger than the sony (but still much smaller than a dslr). They have gorgeous viewfinders, and in the case of the lx100 a larger sensor. But for its size, the rx100 can't be beat.

3 other cameras that are highly regarded if you don't mind a fixed lens - the ricoh gr, fuji x100 and the nikon coolpix a. they all have apsc sensors and have really good sensor / lens combinations. As they have fast lenses and larger sensors, this somewhat mitigates the need for IS, which none have.
Click to expand...


Nod said:
Great as the X10/20/30 Fujis are (I have or have had them all!), they're not really pocketable in what the OP would probably be wearing on holiday in Portugal! The XF-1 is but reliability might concern him (although both of mine still work fine.) None of the baby Xs have wmuch real zoom power either, with he X-10 etc. only racking out to 112mm (EFL). Tempted by an RX100 - will have to find one to play with!
Click to expand...

Took my X10 for a bit of an outing yesterday, good fun it was. But deffo not pocketable, so I tend to leave it behind at times..
 
Box Brownie said:
For pocketable I have ordered a Canon S120 because I wanted a take any when camera I could carry when out & about be it leisure or business. Has decent zoom, raw and the usual priority settings. But if for holidays and lighter load it may be a tad limited???

Oh, it is slightly older spec but at £209 now compared to when new kid on the block at >£400 it is a snip :)
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I have got my eye on the Canon S120 also, as I don't have anything pocketable with a reasonable sensor. As you said it is £209 at the moment, but will it drop more as they are end of line now?
 
Daymouse said:
That does look like a good price indeed and don't see why I shouldn't consider that over the rx100!
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I really do want the Canon S120 as it's so neat and small, still toying with using the £200 odd on an old DSLR body ..
 
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