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I've been thinking of getting a new camera, I've currently got a Canon Sx210is (I think) and I would like 'better' images. I know the obvious answer in an SLR, but I used to have 35mm SLRs years ago and I don't want the hassle of big bags and lens changing etc. Some of the latest compacts get good reviews but they are silly money and have little or no zoom. I've seen good reviews of the Olympus Stylus (a wee bit like a bridge camera, but smaller) and the Sony HX90V. I definitely like the idea of a proper viewfinder.
Any thoughts?
Canon G9x - like a mini SLR.
Handles really nicely.
Everyone on STW seems to be on a Sony RX100 love-in though. Looks nice but a bit slippery to hold and the dials and lens ring seems a bit insubstantial/loose for the price they want. It seems people either love it or don't because of the handling.
One review summarized it as being a camera for geeks, whereas the canons are more for photographers, based on their handling.
No viewfinder on that one and only 3 zooms. Do I want the moon on a stick?
sorry, meant G5X - viewfinder and 4x zoom.
Probably. A big zoom on a small lens will kill image quality. Pretty sure all the compacts that take good images come with small levels of zoom. Just move nearer to the thing you are taking a picture of.No viewfinder on that one and only 3 zooms. Do I want the moon on a stick?
New Panasonic TZ100 has a 1 inch sensor and 10x zoom and a viewfinder, but the lens starts at 2.8 and drops as the zoom increases. The cheaper RX100s are 4 time but no viewfinder and also get dark.
but the lens starts at 2.8 and drops as the zoom increases.
That's standard on pretty much all but the pro level SLR lenses.
That's standard on pretty much all but the pro level SLR lenses.
that's why I said but! The Canon G5x and G7x look like the biggest zoom you can get in a small camera that goes up to 2.8.
The Olympus Stylus I mentioned has f2.8 through all the zoom range (10X)
New Panasonic TZ100 has a 1 inch sensor and 10x zoom and a viewfinder, but the lens starts at 2.8 and drops as the zoom increases. The cheaper RX100s are 4 time but no viewfinder and also get dark.
That was what I was going to say
Or with less zoom but a bigger sensor
LX100
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Same size sensor and huge zoom. But the viewfinder is an extra. Oh and like all the canons slow in RAW (Canon G3x)
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Big but do it all in one package FZ1000
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I thought you wanted small - the Olympus is quite a bit bigger than that Sony - saw the Sony and thought you were after small...
I went from dslr to sony hx9v a few yrs back (which was a great camera) then had the same dilemma on all the faff of dslr lenses and opted for the panasonic fz1000 as pictured above. Great camera, plenty of features, excellent android app for remote control and transferring pics by wifi to phone but a little on the big sid ecompared to the sony compact for carrying easily on the bike. Still enjoy using it. Take a look at the samsung cameras also for an alternative to the major brands.
Haven't you seen the thread on the Sony RX100?
The mk3 has a viewfinder.
I've recently bought an Olympus OMD M5 MK2 after getting rid of my DSLR stuff.
The M5 is very much a mini DSLR, although with a prime lens fitted it is literally pocketable.
I bought it with the 12-40mm f2.8 pro lens which is fantastic, as sharp as a prime throughout the range. I could literally go without any other lens, I do have primes though which are faster but use them mainly due to size.
Camera has some great features too, like the awesome live composition mode.
Just move nearer to the thing you are taking a picture of.
For the sake of clarity I'd like to point out that moving closer isn't the same thing as zooming in.
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have little or no zoom
Bear in mind that mega zoominess compromises quality. So the fact it's 3x zoom probably means the lens is optically better, and the more zoom you go for the more quality you'll lose.
That's why they make them with no zoom at all - very high optical quality.
You used to be able to get extra lens elements that screwed onto the front of compacts. Don't know if you still can.