Your favorite compact camera as of the holidays 2013?

[CarlTN]

I've been impressed with the m4/3 cameras. I bought a Panasonic g5 for $299 and it worked great. The only thing I didn't like was that it didn't have real time exposure preview in M mode, so I returned it. I am currently saving up for an OM-D instead. I use a 5d3 for my main camera and for professional work, but it's so big and heavy to carry around all of the time. I found that the m4/3 has extremely small and light cameras and lenses, and the image quality isn't much behind aps-c. And for non-tracking AF, the focusing is magnificent. But you will have the tracking problem with any of the other mirror less cameras you are considering.

Oh, and almost all of the m4/3 cameras have real hot shoes to mount flashes and radio triggers if needed.

Good advice. However, I noticed just today that Olympus is rumored to be pulling out of the camera business, or at least is not going to sell cameras in the USA starting in 2014. Maybe this only applies to their compact camera line, I don't know.

 

[CarlTN]

Ok, the EOS M Pro - when it gets released, if ever.


I'll be all over it, and the M->EF adaptor.

+1

I currently own a G10, with a 270EX flash mounted on it constantly, that I'd like to replace with Canon's answer to the Fuji X-E2, Panasonic GF7 and Sony NEX-6. The G10 still takes great pictures though, if there's enough light.

And what is Canon's answer to the Fuji X-E2?

 

[CarlTN]

Love my Fuji X10. Versatile, great quality, cool retro looks. Have it all pimped out with a leather half-case and a soft release. Fun camera; nice for traveling light and/or very unobtrusive street photography.
Kinda big for a pocket, but rides well in my Think Tank Retrospective5, which I use as a purse.

Interesting looking camera. I've been vaguely aware of these. Did it use the same sensor as the XF1? Amazon no longer has any new units, and the used ones are around $300. The zoom range is limited but the aperture is faster than average. How well do you like the viewfinder?

 

[fugu82]

The viewfinder is an old-school optical one, which I have used before. If you compensate for the parallax it is fine. The only issue I had was mounting a filter to the lens, which is about a 49.5mm thread.
Small sensor, but enough image-enhancing technology that the output is great. It also has a silent mode, with no shutter noise or lights at all.

 

[sanj]

Ok, the EOS M Pro - when it gets released, if ever.


I'll be all over it, and the M->EF adaptor.

+1

I currently own a G10, with a 270EX flash mounted on it constantly, that I'd like to replace with Canon's answer to the Fuji X-E2, Panasonic GF7 and Sony NEX-6. The G10 still takes great pictures though, if there's enough light.

And what is Canon's answer to the Fuji X-E2?

Nada. Zilch. Nothing remotely close.

 

[CarlTN]

Thanks again to all who replied, and I hope you are having nice holidays!

I'm still on the fence about what I should get next. Ideally I want something that can record in RAW, but that has more than 12MP.

My SX150IS does quite well, until you compare it to "real cameras". At ISO 200 and slightly under-exposed compensation (to keep from blowing out brightly lit daytime subjects)...at the pixel level it is just very coarse. It's fine for 11x14 or especially 8x10 and smaller at either 240 or 300 ppi...but if I ever wanted to print larger than that, it would be marginal quality. I've done 16x20 images in the past at 240 ppi, but that is absolutely as large as it can go, and the quality of the noise and artifacts (even after much processing) is less than I would like.

Do any of you have an opinion on the M-4/3 Panasonic DMC-GX1? I notice it's been replaced by newer models that cost a lot more, with rangefinder style EVF's for like $750 and up (apparently jumping on the Fuji/old school rangefinder form-factor bandwagon...)

It seems to me that if a GX1 could be purchased for $250 body only, or $350 with a lens...that would be ideally what I'm looking for.

 

[Lichtgestalt]

sony rx100.

for me there is/was no alternative.
all the system cameras (m43, fuji etc.) are not really pocketable.

i thought about the GM1. that one has a small body.. but with lens it´s still to big.

 

[Don Haines]

My favorite compact camera is an Olympus TG-830. For me, submersible is a major requirement.... If you are going for a compact camera, why not get something really different from a DSLR?

 

[mackguyver]

The EOS-M - for two reasons - superior IQ, and even more because it has a real user interface. It's an EOS - you can pull it out of the box and be familiar with 99% of it's functions without reading the manual. After years of digging through insanely crappy menu systems (Sony and Panasonic ), and looking for advanced features (1/60-1/200s flash sync) that didn't exist (Canon compacts), it's perfect.

You can quibble about a million things with it (all compacts suck in one way or another), but it's cheap right now and for Canon users, it's just like picking up your SLR.

 

[alexturton]

Id go with the rx100. I use one as backup to my 5d3. For still landscapes sometimes I can barely tell the difference. Rx100 is the best compact I've ever used. Plus it's a "compact" ie you can still fit it in your pocket; unlike many compact system cameras.

Now the rx100 mk ii is out the mk i is going cheaper.

 

[unfocused]

Fuji X20. Small, light, has a viewfinder, a 28-112 equivalent zoom, shoots raw.

 

[slclick]

Leica D-Lux 6. Fantastic travel compact. Battery life kinda stunted but everything else about it is a joy to use.

 

[Hillsilly]

I've been lucky enough to use my sister's SX50HS a few times in recent weeks. I was pleasantly surprised by the snappyness of its AF and the effectiveness of the IS when taking video at the longer end of the zoom range. The image quality at lower ISO's isn't bad, it works well with Canon flashes and it has an EVF.

 

[rpt]

My regular camera is the 5D3 with either the 24-105 or the 100-400 depending on what I am shooting. My favourite compact is the 5D3 with the 40mm pancake! Seriously! There are two compacts languishing in the cupboard. I have not used them since I got the 5D3. And yes, it does not fit in the pocket, but the clarity is so much better, I don't use the other compacts at all!

 

[surapon]

The EOS-M - for two reasons - superior IQ, and even more because it has a real user interface. It's an EOS - you can pull it out of the box and be familiar with 99% of it's functions without reading the manual. After years of digging through insanely crappy menu systems (Sony and Panasonic ), and looking for advanced features (1/60-1/200s flash sync) that didn't exist (Canon compacts), it's perfect.

You can quibble about a million things with it (all compacts suck in one way or another), but it's cheap right now and for Canon users, it's just like picking up your SLR.

+ 1,000 For me too, Dear CarlTN and mackguyver.
After I have 1 week, I fell in love with this Tiny EOS-M----Yes, Now I can do with out 20D, 7D, 5D MK II, and 1DS,Yes--I can do 80% of the Big Brothers functions from EOS-M and plus I can put This EOS-M in my Jacket's Pocket too.
Surapon

PS, Yes, I have Olympus FE 300, Canon SX 160 IS too, Both of them are great companion, before my new toy EOS-M come.
PS-2 = The Cheap Belt bag( from Office Max = $ 19 US Dollars) for 1 day trip

 

[drmikeinpdx]

S-100

I just ordered a Canon S100 as an upgrade from my S-90 that I've had for a few years. B&H had refurbished models for $175. The S110 and 120 don't add any features that I need.

I've enjoyed the image quality of the S90, but I'm hoping the S100 will have a shorter delay between button press and shutter release. The longer zoom range will be nice too.

I love my 5D3, but sometimes a pocket camera is what you need.

 

[Lichtgestalt]

the eos-m is not a pocketable camera.
and most other cameras mentioned are not pocketable either.

i guess the OT has to make clear what size is acceptable for him.

 

[mackguyver]

the eos-m is not a pocketable camera.

Assembled, yes, but with the body in one pocket, and lens (and 90EX sometimes) in another, it's reasonably pocketable for me. It's no S120 though

 

[Cory]

For a Canon person who likes to keep things easy and simple would there be a familiarity with an S120 that might not be the case with an RX100? Thanks.

 

[jp121]

Since i got my 5DM3 the G12 hasn't seen the light of day. My compact would therefore be my iphone 5s.