Compact every day camera recommendations

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Ado Wolf

Ado Wolf

Well-known member
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I love my 45 megapixel full frame cameras, however I sometimes don’t want to drag these big and heavy cameras along. Even the Z 50 can sometimes be too big for certain days.

I had a Sony RX 100 iii back in the days, which I sold a few years ago due to bad skin tones. . So I wondered if anyone has good suggestions regarding a compact camera, that fits in the jeans pocket, that takes good photos. Video is of no interest to me, so the main focus is photography .

Thank you in advance for your recommendations and suggestions.

PS I prefer one with a zoom lens (so X100 and Ricoh fixed primes are of no interest to me).
 
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Ado Wolf said:
I love my 45 megapixel full frame cameras, however I sometimes don’t want to drag these big and heavy cameras along. Even the Z 50 can sometimes be too big for certain days.

I had a Sony RX 100 iii back in the days, which I sold a few years ago due to bad skin tones. . So I wondered if anyone has good suggestions regarding a compact camera, that fits in the jeans pocket, that takes good photos. Video is of no interest to me, so the main focus is photography .

Thank you in advance for your recommendations and suggestions.

PS I prefer one with a zoom lens (so X100 and Ricoh fixed primes are of no interest to me).
Click to expand...

The newish A6700 is highly regarded.
 
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Ado Wolf said:
I love my 45 megapixel full frame cameras, however I sometimes don’t want to drag these big and heavy cameras along. Even the Z 50 can sometimes be too big for certain days.

I had a Sony RX 100 iii back in the days, which I sold a few years ago due to bad skin tones. . So I wondered if anyone has good suggestions regarding a compact camera, that fits in the jeans pocket, that takes good photos. Video is of no interest to me, so the main focus is photography .

Thank you in advance for your recommendations and suggestions.

PS I prefer one with a zoom lens (so X100 and Ricoh fixed primes are of no interest to me).
Click to expand...
Tough one if you want to fit it into your jeans pocket. The RX 100 series is probably what everyone will say but if it’s just the color science and not the 1” sensor that is an issue maybe the Canon G7x will fit your needs.

One step up in size are mostly in the used space, like the Panasonic GM1/GM5 or GX850 with the 12-32 lens.
 
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Ordinarily I would have dittoed the Sony RX100 option (I love my Ver VII), but my wife just got the newest iPhone and having played with it, I’m about to put my Sony up for sale. And I’m told some Android phones are even better.

Incidentally, if you weren’t happy with colors using the Sony, did you try shooting in raw and making desired adjustments?
 
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+1 on the RX100… I have the VA which I brought with me this past week to Paris (and Portugal, tomorrow). Easily fits in a pocket for walking about when I don’t want to lug my Z8 kit around which I’ve been doing most days. Great for heading out for dinner, or a quick morning trip into the neighborhood for pastries and coffee. With this little gem, I’m not so concerned about finding an interesting subject and not having a ‘real’ camera with me. The super-zoom goes well beyond my 125mm telephoto, too.
 
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Ado Wolf said:
I love my 45 megapixel full frame cameras, however I sometimes don’t want to drag these big and heavy cameras along. Even the Z 50 can sometimes be too big for certain days.

I had a Sony RX 100 iii back in the days, which I sold a few years ago due to bad skin tones. . So I wondered if anyone has good suggestions regarding a compact camera, that fits in the jeans pocket, that takes good photos. Video is of no interest to me, so the main focus is photography .

Thank you in advance for your recommendations and suggestions.

PS I prefer one with a zoom lens (so X100 and Ricoh fixed primes are of no interest to me).
Click to expand...
As far as color, my new Sonys have decidedly better (ie not green-ish) skin colors than my old ones.
 
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Palmor said:
Tough one if you want to fit it into your jeans pocket. The RX 100 series is probably what everyone will say but if it’s just the color science and not the 1” sensor that is an issue maybe the Canon G7x will fit your needs.

One step up in size are mostly in the used space, like the Panasonic GM1/GM5 or GX850 with the 12-32 lens.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your feedback. That is so far my top choice: G7x iii but it is not sold anymore, and is not available on 2nd market either.
The weakness of that camera is apparently inkonsistent AF (only contrast detection).

The gx850 look interesting, if I manage to find a slim lens.
 
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Palmor said:
One step up in size are mostly in the used space, like the Panasonic GM1/GM5 or GX850 with the 12-32 lens.
Click to expand...

Another vote for the diminutive panasonics and the 12-32 lenses.

Very good image quality, decent features.

It is not a jeans pocket camera though, more of a jacket/cargo pants pocket but it comes with the advantage you can fit some diminutive prime lenses to go with it if you get bored with the zoom.

Also, a used Panasonic LX100 (I or II) could make sense (big sensor, good bright zoom lens). Again, more of a jacket/cargo pant pocket camera...
 
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nmerc_photos said:
X100V or X100VI are the top picks for me. Since you said they are not the top picks for you, I'd look at:

Coolpix P1000 - ultra zoom
Sony RX10IV - less zoom, better fps, better for action
Click to expand...
Thank you for your feedback. Unfortunately these are Bridge cameras, not pocketable and almost as big as my other equipment.
 
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Ado Wolf said:
Thank you for your feedback. That is so far my top choice: G7x iii but it is not sold anymore, and is not available on 2nd market either.
The weakness of that camera is apparently inkonsistent AF (only contrast detection).

The gx850 look interesting, if I manage to find a slim lens.
Click to expand...
The 12-32 is a pancake zoom. There is also a 20f1.7 and a 14f2.5 that are also pancake.
 
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RickW said:
Ordinarily I would have dittoed the Sony RX100 option (I love my Ver VII), but my wife just got the newest iPhone and having played with it, I’m about to put my Sony up for sale. And I’m told some Android phones are even better.

Incidentally, if you weren’t happy with colors using the Sony, did you try shooting in raw and making desired adjustments?
Click to expand...
I did consider upgrading my phone, but the only thing standing in my way is the Sensor size. 1 inch is as small as I would go.. so Phone don't even come close to that.

The main advantage of having a point and shoot compact camera is not having to edit photos.. and be able to share them quickly. So shooting Raw is something I prefer avoiding.
 
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MMoretti said:
+1 on the RX100… I have the VA which I brought with me this past week to Paris (and Portugal, tomorrow). Easily fits in a pocket for walking about when I don’t want to lug my Z8 kit around which I’ve been doing most days. Great for heading out for dinner, or a quick morning trip into the neighborhood for pastries and coffee. With this little gem, I’m not so concerned about finding an interesting subject and not having a ‘real’ camera with me. The super-zoom goes well beyond my 125mm telephoto, too.
Click to expand...

It seems sony is the only company still investing in compact cameras.. if I have no other choice left, I am considered the ZV1, which offers everything I would need from an RX100 vi for half the price.
 
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Ado Wolf said:
I did consider upgrading my phone, but the only thing standing in my way is the Sensor size. 1 inch is as small as I would go.. so Phone don't even come close to that.

The main advantage of having a point and shoot compact camera is not having to edit photos.. and be able to share them quickly. So shooting Raw is something I prefer avoiding.
Click to expand...
If no or limited editing and ability to share quickly are goals for a walk-about camera, get one of the new iPhone 15 or Android phones and call it a day. Yes, sensor is smaller but photo quality is excellent. My wife has one a couple generations old and we've printed 11X14 and there is no way someone looking at the print could tell if it had been shot on a phone or on my Canon mirrorless. Maybe if cropping in tight on a tiny spider on a flower or something but for general walk around, phone all the way. My iPhone XR isn't great for images but the newer ones are fantastic.
 
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Ado Wolf said:
I did consider upgrading my phone, but the only thing standing in my way is the Sensor size. 1 inch is as small as I would go.. so Phone don't even come close to that.

The main advantage of having a point and shoot compact camera is not having to edit photos.. and be able to share them quickly. So shooting Raw is something I prefer avoiding.
Click to expand...
“Phones don’t come close?” Have you actually shot with a latest gen phone? Sensor size arguments fail to impress me after I actually used my wife’s phone. I don’t care what the sensor size is - all I care about is the quality of the photos. Incidentally, one of my more popular photos was taken many years ago with an iPhone 6 printed at 11x14.
 

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Ado Wolf said:
Thank you for your feedback. Unfortunately these are Bridge cameras, not pocketable and almost as big as my other equipment.
Click to expand...
based on your replies, you'd be the perfect candidate for the X100 series cameras, so maybe give them a try against your displeasure. you might find zooming with your feet to be fun or require you to be more creative.

to my knowledge, just about any point and shoot camera with a zoom lens is going to be bridge camera size, if not a bridge camera itself. I generally don't think of any type of zoom as "pocketable". even the fixed length cameras are too big to "pocket" unless you go everywhere in a trench coat 😉

you don't really leave yourself with many choices - G7X III, ZV-1 II, RX100 VII

you may want to revisit the phone option as well. if I had to choose between most of the cameras suggested in this thread, and my phone (S23 Ultra) I'd pick the phone the majority of the time.

without being willing to edit photos, I suspect few of your pictures on any of these cameras would look as good as SOOC jpegs from Fuji, or whatever behind the scenes editing stuff phones do nowadays.
 
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RickW said:
“Phones don’t come close?” Have you actually shot with a latest gen phone? Sensor size arguments fail to impress me after I actually used my wife’s phone. I don’t care what the sensor size is - all I care about is the quality of the photos. Incidentally, one of my more popular photos was taken many years ago with an iPhone 6 printed at 11x14.
Click to expand...
I am not denying that mobile phones don't take good photos.. but the more I think about it, the more I desire a dedicated camera, because:
1. I don't want to carry my phone with me all the time (disconnect from work)
2. losing a phone (theft or otherwise) will cause me big problems, but losing a 500$ camera will be easier on my health
3. this camera will be used on vacation, with harsh sun, sand, sea water.. so not ideal for a 2000 $ high end mobile phone
4. mobile phone is not ideal for making selfies with 2 kids, since front lenses have usually poor quality compared to the ones on the back of the phone.

I have an iPhone 11.. Photos are decent, but not as good as my previously owned Sony RX100 iii. I wish I could take my Z50 all the time, but it is bulky at times.. It's a luxury problem I admit.. but I am shoked to see how few compact cameras exist on the market theses days (probably because this market was killed by the phone).
 
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nmerc_photos said:
based on your replies, you'd be the perfect candidate for the X100 series cameras, so maybe give them a try against your displeasure. you might find zooming with your feet to be fun or require you to be more creative.

to my knowledge, just about any point and shoot camera with a zoom lens is going to be bridge camera size, if not a bridge camera itself. I generally don't think of any type of zoom as "pocketable". even the fixed length cameras are too big to "pocket" unless you go everywhere in a trench coat 😉

you don't really leave yourself with many choices - G7X III, ZV-1 II, RX100 VII

you may want to revisit the phone option as well. if I had to choose between most of the cameras suggested in this thread, and my phone (S23 Ultra) I'd pick the phone the majority of the time.

without being willing to edit photos, I suspect few of your pictures on any of these cameras would look as good as SOOC jpegs from Fuji, or whatever behind the scenes editing stuff phones do nowadays.
Click to expand...
Yes, it seems the option is going to be among the cameras you have mentioned: G7X III, ZV-1 II, RX100 VII plus the panasonic ones suggested above (be it with interchangeable lenses, but still enough to put in a pocket)..

I don't mind zooming with my feet, but with kids this is less of an option, as they are running around all the time and are not so patient LOL.
 
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I own a Sony ZV-1 and a Panasonic GF7 (w/12-32 & 20). Both are great options for a small camera. But for a true pocket camera, I think my Ricoh GR is probably the smallest, and with the largest sensor of the bunch. Yes, it is not everyone's cup of tea, and AF is not fully state of the art, but the lens/sensor combo is amazing, and the ergonomics are designed for fast and easy operation. Best of all, it will fit into most shirt pockets. I would give it consideration before making a final decision.

--Ken
 
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Ado Wolf said:
Yes, it seems the option is going to be among the cameras you have mentioned: G7X III, ZV-1 II, RX100 VII plus the panasonic ones suggested above (be it with interchangeable lenses, but still enough to put in a pocket)..

I don't mind zooming with my feet, but with kids this is less of an option, as they are running around all the time and are not so patient LOL.
Click to expand...
Why the need to zoom with your feet? The RX100ver vii has a 200mm zoom length.
 
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