NEW! Recommend: Canon S100, G12 or Fuji X10?

R

Rebeckki

Messages
3
Edit My Images
No
Hello!

I'm new to photography and looking to upgrade from my outdated Panasonic Lumix FX37 which has huge problems with noise.

I want more than a simple point-and-shoot although that's what I tend to do day-to-day with friends. I really love landscape/street photography when travelling and hoping to get more into that as well as portraits of family/friends.

My family used to have a really old Canon camera. It was huge so I assume it was a SLR. It took beautiful portraits with bright vivid colours and detail. That's what I'm looking for. I saw someone post photos of a Nikon J1 with 35mm/1.8 lens. They were stunning but I can't afford the lens!

I've been thinking about the Canon S100, G12 and possibly the Fujifilm X10. I've considered the Panasonic G3 or GF5 (bit too much) and also Olympus EPL3.

I would love the Canon EOS 1100D but it's too big and heavy for me. I do prefer something small and compact to fit in my bag (which I presume everyone will say S100) but I also don't mind something slightly bulkier for better images.

I really want the vivid colours and detail for portraits and street photography. I'm new to photography so my knowledge is very poor.

I'm happy for other recommendations and would love it if you could post sample photos of said camera.

Mu budget is £400 max. I'm looking to spend around £300, cheaper would be better but I'm willing to pay more for excellent images.

Thank you!

UPDATE 15/8/12:

So I popped to Jessops today...

Canon S100 - What is with the horrible plasticky feel? Eck.

G12 - It really is a tank! I never really knew what you meant until I saw it.

Sony NEX 5N - I was seriously contemplating this one before until I handled it - the lens is just too big and makes the whole camera tip. I can't get a good grip with it at all.

Fuji X10 - definitely topped everything! I loved the manual zoom. Viewfinder - I tested it out though I see the 15% difference. I'm not used to using one but it'd be fun to see how I get on with it.

Although I was very interested in the Nikon J1 when I saw it in person which felt very nice.

So Fuji X10 or Nikon J1? I'm leaning more towards X10 but would still be interested in people's opinions on the J1.

Thank you all for your help!
 
Last edited:
There was a thread on another forum with almost exactly the same question and the conclusion was a Sony Nex 5n. I'd go to a shop and have a look at one first though - the body is small but the standard zoom lens is quite big.
If it's too big the Canon S100 is quite good (battery life is terrible though) or if you shop around, you may find a Sony DSC-RX100 within budget.
 
Last edited:
From those 3 the X10 would get my vote too. The S100 is too much like using a camera phone (too small and no viewfinder) and the G12 looks like a tank.
I would actually get an RX100 though.

If you are after sample photos the best way of getting them is to look for a Flickr group specifically for that camera model. You will then see a very wide variety of images taken with that model of camera.
 
Definitely the x10. If you don't mind getting refurbished you can pick them up for about £330 using a discount code from fuji. Check out the fujifilm x10 thread for more info on that.
 
Thank you, everyone!

The Sony NEX-5n has some impressive pictures! I'm really tempted. It doesn't have a viewfinder though, does it? You have to buy it externally?

The Sony RX100 isn't bad either.

If I wanted a camera with a viewfinder, then I guess you'd also say to go for the X10?

Does having a viewfinder make a huge difference?

Thank you!
 
Rebeckki said:
Thank you, everyone!

The Sony NEX-5n has some impressive pictures! I'm really tempted. It doesn't have a viewfinder though, does it? You have to buy it externally?

The Sony RX100 isn't bad either.

If I wanted a camera with a viewfinder, then I guess you'd also say to go for the X10?

Does having a viewfinder make a huge difference?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

It does for me, I really like using the viewfinder. A lot of people really don't like it thought. It only has 85% coverage of the image so you have to put the image a bit tighter in than you think to get the right composition. It also has no information on focus or exposure settings which I am fine with (I used film cameras before this camera which had no information either.
I suggest you try and get into jessops and try each camera out but perhaps with emphasis on looking at the x10 ;) have a look through the viewfinder and line something up (line one of the cabinets up to the corners of the viewfinder and take a picture, then have a look at the picture and you can see where the cabinet ends up being on the photograph. You get used to it after a while and I rarely have to crop my photographs taken through the viewfinder.
 
Rebeckki said:
Thank you, everyone!

The Sony NEX-5n has some impressive pictures! I'm really tempted. It doesn't have a viewfinder though, does it? You have to buy it externally?

The Sony RX100 isn't bad either.

If I wanted a camera with a viewfinder, then I guess you'd also say to go for the X10?

Does having a viewfinder make a huge difference?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

Having read that the Sony rx100 closes down to F3.2 by 50mm I would already be swayed to the X10.

And yes I would go for the VF over no VF.....
 
AESamuel said:
It does for me, I really like using the viewfinder. A lot of people really don't like it thought. It only has 85% coverage of the image so you have to put the image a bit tighter in than you think to get the right composition. It also has no information on focus or exposure settings which I am fine with (I used film cameras before this camera which had no information either.
I suggest you try and get into jessops and try each camera out but perhaps with emphasis on looking at the x10 ;) have a look through the viewfinder and line something up (line one of the cabinets up to the corners of the viewfinder and take a picture, then have a look at the picture and you can see where the cabinet ends up being on the photograph. You get used to it after a while and I rarely have to crop my photographs taken through the viewfinder.
Click to expand...

I currently have an x100 but popped in today to Currys to try an X10 again as I'm half tempted to sell the X100 and go X10 instead.

It did annoy me that the viewfinder seemed to cover so little, but then again compared to all other VF's on other 'compact' cameras it is heaven.
 
travellingcello said:
I currently have an x100 but popped in today to Currys to try an X10 again as I'm half tempted to sell the X100 and go X10 instead.

It did annoy me that the viewfinder seemed to cover so little, but then again compared to all other VF's on other 'compact' cameras it is heaven.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of people who have done just that, the x10 is certainly more flexible than the x100.
 
Rebeckki said:
Does having a viewfinder make a huge difference?
Click to expand...

Yes, for many people it does (I use one for 100% of the time, I have live view on my camera and have never even pressed the button!)

However, we can't say whether it matters to you. It doesn't seem to matter to the majority of people buying the high end compacts and CSCs that don't have one and nothing wrong with that.

The X10 view finder is better than nothing for those that have to have a viewfinder but it has to be understood that it is the most simple viewfinder that has weaknesses;
- it is small and doesn't cover the area you are photographing
- it has no info contained within it (no focus points, no shutter, aperture, ISO or exposure bar - nothing)

I used the viewfinder on an X10 for 3 months but in the end got fed up with the limitations and when back to a camera with a 'real' viewfinder
 
So I popped to Jessops today...

Canon S100 - What is with the horrible plasticky feel? Eck.

G12 - It really is a tank! I never really knew what you meant until I saw it.

Sony NEX 5N - I was seriously contemplating this one before until I handled it - the lens is just too big and makes the whole camera tip. I can't get a good grip with it at all.

Fuji X10 - definitely topped everything! Although I was very interested in the Nikon J1 when I saw it in person which felt very nice.

So Fuji X10 or Nikon J1? I'm leaning more towards X10 but would still be interested in people's opinions on the J1.

Thank you all for your help!
 
How were you holding the Nex? I you're holding it like a compact with 2 hands on the body it will feel unbalanced with the kit lens. However, if you hold it like a small SLR with one hand on the body and the other under the lens it will be much better balanced.

Just my thoughts!

Cheers
Steve
 
Going to mix it up Xz-1 Olympus?
 
StuartH said:
Yeah quite fancy getting one of these for the other half..looks a cracking little camera and the images I have seen from it look superb
Click to expand...

And you can fit a evf, low light performance isn't so good though. It does however have a lovely lens on it.
 
Rebeckki said:
So I popped to Jessops today...

Canon S100 - What is with the horrible plasticky feel? Eck.

G12 - It really is a tank! I never really knew what you meant until I saw it.

Sony NEX 5N - I was seriously contemplating this one before until I handled it - the lens is just too big and makes the whole camera tip. I can't get a good grip with it at all.

Fuji X10 - definitely topped everything! Although I was very interested in the Nikon J1 when I saw it in person which felt very nice.

So Fuji X10 or Nikon J1? I'm leaning more towards X10 but would still be interested in people's opinions on the J1.

Thank you all for your help!
Click to expand...

If size is important, it's a no brainer - s100!
There's a lot of competition when you up the size a bit.
When the X10 came out this time last year, it was a revolution; and the other manufacturers have been playing catch up.
The X10 is still the benchmark camera, and now the price has dropped, the competition can't touch it for value...

Please go and have a read of the X10 thread (it started off as a review) and see if it floats your boat!
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=365827
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top