What compacts are good please?

LouiseTopp

LouiseTopp

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Hi I have a Fuji Finepix F60 and it's a nice camera and has good colours on the shots, but I notice it's not so good at close up etc. I was at the new Forest Wildlife park the other day and when I try to zoom in the picture blur's. :(

can you please recommend an upgrade. I have an SLR bridge, but I am looking for a compact that I can put into my pocket without the bulkiness. Is Fugi still the best model to go for to do landscape and close up?
 
The Canon S100 is probably the one most people would recommend. It's very small, so easily fits in the pocket. Battery life is terrible and it's not the fastest to focus is low light though. Image quality is very good for a compact IMO. The S100 goes into Macro mode automatically so it's easy to do close ups.

I was tempted to upgrade my S100 to the Sony DSC-RX100 because of the larger sensor but i'm still debating if it would be a worthwhile upgrade. It's only slightly bigger than the S100, so may be worth thinking about (it's quite expensive though).
 
DizMatt said:
I went with the LX5
there are some great canon options too which always jump out at me first
Click to expand...

The LX5 does look great - but with the GF3 CSC available at the same or lower price i struggle with buying the fixed lens option.

with regard to the OP any mainstream manfucturer (by which i mean canon, nikon, pentax, fuji, panasonic, leica,sony, olympus etc ) will be fine - just stay away from the cheap crap like kyocera and such.

Personally i like the fuji and the panasonics, but you will find someonev else with a diffeent recomdation who will be equally valid - best bet is to go to a big camera shop and handle a few

Incidentally the fuji compacts usually have a macro mode (usually accessed by pressing the left hand side of the selector on the back - the one with the little flower. ) this will enable you to focus as close as you are nlikely to with any compact - and reviews indicate that the F60 does have this, so i'd read the manual and have play before laying out any folding stuff if you are otherwise happy with the camera
 
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Look at the sensor size bigger the better. The s100 and the s95 has a larger sensor which made them popular but there are compacts with larger and there for better cameras on the market now like sonys amazing rx100 which is out performing some older m4/3 cameras.
 
fatmarley said:
The Canon S100 is probably the one most people would recommend. It's very small, so easily fits in the pocket. Battery life is terrible and it's not the fastest to focus is low light though. Image quality is very good for a compact IMO. The S100 goes into Macro mode automatically so it's easy to do close ups.

I was tempted to upgrade my S100 to the Sony DSC-RX100 because of the larger sensor but i'm still debating if it would be a worthwhile upgrade. It's only slightly bigger than the S100, so may be worth thinking about (it's quite expensive though).
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Its in a different league if you can justify £550 on a compact. Probably out performing you 450d with its iso performance, its astonishing!

Both shot at iso 3200!
Sony-RX100-ISO-3200.jpg

7645363880_d112d29f2e_c.jpg
 
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rjbell said:
Its in a different league if you can justify £550 on a compact. Probably out performing you 450d with its iso performance, its astonishing!

Both shot at iso 3200!
Click to expand...


The 450d can be pretty grainy at iso 1600.

Do you own the RX100? If so, just wondered what the low-light AF speed is like?

For the price of the RX100 I could get that nice 100mm f2.8L IS USM lens - Hmmm...
 
rjbell said:
Its in a different league if you can justify £550 on a compact. Probably out performing you 450d with its iso performance, its astonishing!

Both shot at iso 3200!
Sony-RX100-ISO-3200.jpg

7645363880_d112d29f2e_c.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for your replies. That's a lot of money for a compact at £500. I have looked at two models:

Panasonic DMC-FS40EB 14mp and the

Canon PowerShot A3300 16MP with metal body

Which do you think is the best one to go for? Would use it for landscapes and taking pictures of things to sell on E bay.
 
Purchased S100 two months ago to replace a S90 from DigitalRev. A good price and brilliant upgrade. Pics are wonderful and easily a lot faster than S90. Great shirt-pocket-compact.
Battery not too bad. Certainly worse than S90, Ricoh GRD II was the best I had. Keep spare battery in my pocket, just in case. Close up works very well.
 
fatmarley said:
The 450d can be pretty grainy at iso 1600.

Do you own the RX100? If so, just wondered what the low-light AF speed is like?

For the price of the RX100 I could get that nice 100mm f2.8L IS USM lens - Hmmm...
Click to expand...

No i haven't got it it. I have the cash here ready to buy it i sold my NEX last week. £550 for a compact is hard to swallow, i'm hoping it will drop a bit in the next month or so.
 
williams359 said:
canon sx240 at £220 is a nice all rounder
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Bit expensive for me as I am looking to spend only up to £100, would you say the Canon compacts are good? On saying that I am looking at that model now, the Canon Powershot SX240 HS which looks good, but it's now £269.00 on www.very.co.uk am going to research this one also and see how much it is on other sites like Park Cameras and Amazon. Anyone had experience with this model please?
 
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Canon ixus models are always good for the money. They tend to be quite well built and good image quality.

My wife has the Canon 220HS and it's a very easy to use camera and incredibly small. Decent picture quality.

If it were me though id spent a little more and go for either the Canon SX220 HS (or equivalent) or the Panasonic TZ series, such as a TZ20.

The cheaper Panasonic range don't seem as good as the Canon cheaper range in image quality or build. My mum and a Panasonic FS something and it's not a patch on my wife's Canon.
 
I don't know the models your talking about but canon do make good compacts as do Panasonic. I really like fuji's too which can be better value. The problem with spending just £100 is they are usually point and shoot and have no manual controls, if you want to get into photography this is a must. If you can squeeze to £250 i would go for the Olympus XZ-1 over the Canon SX240 in a heart beat. A fast f1.8 sharp Zuiko lens manual controls, larger sensor, shoots raw, gives you lots of create opportunity.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-SX240-vs-Olympus-XZ-1
http://www.red-onions.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=150547
 
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rjbell said:
Again its just a point and shoot they can not develop there skills if the camera makes all the decisions.
Click to expand...

You are making a bit of an assumption that manual controls and raw files and the like are required here. All that seems to be required is a good macro option.
Not everybody wants to have full manual control of their point and shoot...
 
My girlfriend has the Panasonic TZ30. It is well featured and in AI Auto mode does a really good job of sorting things out, even slipping into macro mode or HDR mode automatically if you enable those options. If I wanted a compact travel superzoom this would be high on the list for the most part. Unfortunately battery life is a bit poor, even without GPS enabled, and I struggle to be excited by the IQ, used as I am to DSLR cameras.

I did take it on a TP London meet a few months back. Results are in an album here - https://picasaweb.google.com/106744949286510089237/201204_TP_Camden?authkey=Gv1sRgCMHXrL2s6e28Ww

If I was forced to buy a pocket compact today it would have to be the Sony RX100. I love big sensors and fast glass. No idea about macro performance though. I don't shoot much of that.
 
I may be wrong but I got the impression that they want something that is sharp on the zoom end of things rather than macro.

I know it sounds like macro at first with the 'close up' comment but when I read further I thought they meant zoomed in ie making it look closer.

I may be wrong though.
 
I am going to buy the Canon Powershot SX240 HS Digital Camera and see what that's like. Anyone had experience of this model please?
 
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Matt, great advice I would say S100, G12 or RX 100. Ian.

fatmarley said:
The Canon S100 is probably the one most people would recommend. It's very small, so easily fits in the pocket. Battery life is terrible and it's not the fastest to focus is low light though. Image quality is very good for a compact IMO. The S100 goes into Macro mode automatically so it's easy to do close ups.

I was tempted to upgrade my S100 to the Sony DSC-RX100 because of the larger sensor but i'm still debating if it would be a worthwhile upgrade. It's only slightly bigger than the S100, so may be worth thinking about (it's quite expensive though).
Click to expand...
 
Would you say the Canon Powershot SX240 is a good camera please? I am now confused because castle cameras say forget those and go for the Sony range, what do you think?
 
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LouiseTopp said:
Would you say the Canon Powershot SX240 is a good camera please?
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I'm a Canon man and particularly love their compacts over others in general (and I mean real compacts that go in jeans pocket), however, at this price point I'd go for the Lumix TZ30 rather than the SX240HS.

I've had a play with then both and compared sample images online, but the feel of the Lumix is so much better in my opinion... but it is just that... My opinion.
 
Phall82 said:
I'm a Canon man and particularly love their compacts over others in general (and I mean real compacts that go in jeans pocket), however, at this price point I'd go for the Lumix TZ30 rather than the SX240HS.

I've had a play with then both and compared sample images online, but the feel of the Lumix is so much better in my opinion... but it is just that... My opinion.
Click to expand...

Hi is that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30EB?
 
LouiseTopp said:
Hi is that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30EB?
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Yes.

Here's a rough and ready "macro" from the TZ30, using the builtin flash, shown as a 50% crop....

20120816_211522_000.jpg


50% crop of a shot using only ambient light from the kitchen strip light. The camera has not chosen the settings I would choose, but as it's not my camera I'm not going to faff about trying to set it up properly, so this was in auto mode with flash disabled. My choice would have been 100 ISO and a longer shutter speed.

20120816_213245_000.jpg



It's the camera I mentioned in POST #25.
 
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It's a bit more expensive then the Canon, will compare them at Castle cameras tomorrow.
 
LouiseTopp said:
It's a bit more expensive then the Canon, will compare them at Castle cameras tomorrow.
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£183 at http://panamoz.com/index.php/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs20-digital-camera.html less 5% discount for bank transfer. You might want to check whether the charger is UK spec or if there is an adapter supplied if necessary.

£170 from http://www.digitalrev.com/product/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs20/MTAwMTA5OQ_A_A?googlebase=1&country=GB

The ZS20 is the US (or at least non UK/EU) version of the TZ30. Camera specs should be identical as far as I know. Do not confuse the ZS20 with the TZ20. The TZ20 is a lower spec model.

Here is a review for the TZ30/ZS20 - http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_ZS20_TZ30/
 
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tdodd said:
£183 at http://panamoz.com/index.php/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs20-digital-camera.html less 5% discount for bank transfer. You might want to check whether the charger is UK spec or if there is an adapter supplied if necessary.

£170 from http://www.digitalrev.com/product/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs20/MTAwMTA5OQ_A_A?googlebase=1&country=GB

The ZS20 is the US (or at least non UK/EU) version of the TZ30. Camera specs should be identical as far as I know. Do not confuse the ZS20 with the TZ20. The TZ20 is a lower spec model.
Click to expand...

What is this website like, have you bought anything from them? :)
 
I've bought a fair bit of stuff from DigitalRev over the years including big lenses and a DSLR body. No problems with any of it. I did have an issue with an order for a filter around Chinese New Year in 2011, which took a while to sort out, but eventually everything turned out OK. I don't think Chinese New Year does the Hong Kong suppliers any favours if they are relying on the standard postal service for delivery. Big items with courier service move swiftly and efficiently.

I haven't bought from Panamoz, but for the right deal I would be mighty tempted.

Both companies have a presence on Talk Photography and you will find plenty of other feedback, mostly positive, about both.
 
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I would like to handle them both first to see how they feel. I like the Canon as apparently it has scratch resistant glass on the lens.
 
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