[Closed] Compact camera with EVF

I'm sure Lumix TZ range have this, need to check if you think it's compact, some 2nd hand around too. As people say phones getting more use these days, I still like a proper camera but not always on the bike.

I went through this a while back...compacts with an evf - Lumix TZ range, lumix dz-ft7 (which is waterproof but small sensor), sony rx100 mk3, think that's about it for new evf models. There's a few options in the small mirrorless ranges and second hand but waterproof and evf is very difficult in a compact. I think Pentax slrs are water proof but heavy. Some Fuji mirrorless are water resistant and have an evf but are in the 450g range and about £700 new.

I ended up ditching the evf requirement and going for a larger sensor compact. The rx100 mk3 was my second choice but I got a killer deal on a Fuji that was hard to overlook. Tend to use a waterproof phone on the boat, the fuji on land/calm days and skiing when the phone/transceiver issue is a problem

Thanks Guys, that info is really useful.

I use a Sony RX100 Mk3 and the main reason for getting that was due to the EVF (I'm older and having the diopter adjustment with theEVF which it saves me having to stick my reading glasses on - that plus screens are crap in bright sunlight). It also has a larger sensor than most compacts and is a very capable camera. They're quite expensive new but the mk3's (which were the first ones with the pop-up EVF) aren't that expensive 2nd hand.

I've got an RX100 iv - decent little camera, but be aware it's not waterproof or robust in the slightest

Epicsteve, thats exactly the reason I would like the evf. The Sony look great but would it last long on mtb duties ? I did see John Lewis will cover it for £45 for 2 years which doesn't seem too bad.

The Sony look great but would it last long on mtb duties ?

No - unless you keep it in a case and are very careful with it

Also consider the Panasonic LX100. Great little camera, but not waterproof. Bargain price compared to Sony, easier to use, much less fiddly.

Sony RX100. Have had two, brilliant little cameras

I can’t add to the chorus for an RX100 as mine suffered death fairly quickly with an unrecoverable lens error. Seems a common fault. Figured from either dust or being shaken/bumped never got to the bottom of it. Great sensor for such a small thing, but a fiddly little pain of a camera. Annoyed the hell out of me.

Image quality: 8
User experience/UI/ergonomics: 2

If you want great image quality, can live without a zoom and your definition of ‘compact‘ is flexible then the Fuji X100f is sometimes still available. Newer models are spendy.

Or get the best cameraphone you can afford?

For something that will survive mountain biking, I like the Sony RX0. It is small, tough, waterproof. It is the same sort of sensor as the RX100, so pretty decent image quality. Though no EVF, and maybe a bit too small and fiddly, the Sony interface is confusing.

I’ve had success with Lumix TZ-range compact zooms in the past. The TZ100 might be worth a look, but it’s evf isn’t the best of the bunch iirc.

Canon G5X MKII? Popup evf on that.

Also if you haven’t already, check out DPreview’s side-by-side image-comparison tool? Choose up to four cameras to compare from the dropdown menu, then move the viewfinder around on the studio scene to compare in real time. You can also download full size samples of the shots you choose. It’s amazing. Hours of fun 😎 Contrary to expectation/fears it also didn’t make me itch for a new camera as my old Pentax MX-1 seems to stand up to (and in some ways better) other models costing 3x as much.

Link:
DPReview sidebyside image comparison tool

A camera that is water, dust ,shock proof and can be used underwater and takes decent pics look at an Olympus TG-4 5 or 6.

Thanks all, that Fuji X100f produces some super quality images. I like the Olympus but no EVF 🙁

I can't really comment on the camera side of things; although Panasonic and Sony are generally a good shout. Nikon seem to have disappeared a bit with their compact range.

What I would say is perhaps it's worth getting a small camera pouch that you can fit to a backpack. There's a Lowepro range that comes with built in waterproof cover and easily attaches to a strap.
The camera will be a lot less jostled about mounted on a pack, than in a saddle bag or similar...

I have a TZ-90, which I like, but it's not waterproof and so I wouldn't use it on the bike.

My rx100 has survived lots of adventure with some care and a case. An rx100 iii seems a good bet. The rx100 iv adds better auto focus but for money.

IQ quality is great on these cameras

That rx100 iii is starting to look good.

OP, what do you want the camera for? It would help to recommend if your shooting bias/desired end results/file destination were known

Quick snaps?

Action?

Landscapes?

For large print/pixel-peeping?

Artistic shots?

Macro?

Ergonomic/ease of use?

Low light?

I took this with my RX100 iv - it's a bit compressed, as I had to grab it off Facebook

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50259050696_d4b05d2ba0_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50259050696_d4b05d2ba0_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2jzdLLQ ]36904501_1715825751786837_5980075320626118656_o[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

I have the original RX100 and it's taken a beating and got full of sand in the desert in Namibia, it still works fine, just about (makes some funny noises sometimes). The image quality is ridiculously good for a compact.

Ergonomically and software wise it's clunky as hell but worth putting up with IMO. I assume later versions are much improved but I think similar stuff applies.

I assume later versions are much improved

I'm not sure they are (I had the i and the iv(much better evf than the iii)) but they are still amazing cameras for such a small size. The Fuji X100 series are great for e.g. street photography but I don't think I'd use one as my "cycling" camera - fixed 35mm lens and twice as big as the Sony.

Whatever you choose, here is a handy price-tracking website:

https://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/Fujifilm/Fujifilm-Compact-Cameras/Fujifilm-X100V-Camera

Here is an album of photos from my MK1 RX100

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ampthill, thanks for the link, some great pics there. I really like the "noise" in some of them, it seems to enhance the pic particularly the B&W. Malvern Rider, I would like a camera that can sit in a pouch on my waist belt that I can pull out and grab a pic of my fellow riders, it has to have EVF as I dont have time to also put on a pair of reading glasses to see a screen. Quality has to be good otherwise its not worth taking a pic, but, I wont be enlarging to A3 exhibition prints 🙂

Small pond with few fish

Obviously excellent cameras with nothing between them really but eyewatering prices for a point and shoot despite the superb image quality.

Not a lot between them in IQ. But that’s just a small part of a camera if you want to use it a lot.

From experience, I'd probably go with something like the RX100 and take care of it rather than something you can abuse more. Simple reason being that I don't think the tough cameras are good enough in low light for MTBing.
You have to run pretty high ISO to get fast enough shots due to the relatively slow lenses in them and this introduces heaps of noise on most of the sensors.
I got a WP camera for the same reasons as you and have barely taken it out because I wasn't getting the results I wanted.

I won't be replacing mine with an RX or similar as I'll just use a decent phone camera in the future until I can justify buying another camera.

Despite discounting the RX100 for biking, it's definitely an infinitely better (IQ) camera than the Olympus TG4 that I have. I mainly use the TG4 for going in the sea

My RX100 Mk3 has survived a lot of mountain biking trips as well as getting used on hillwalk and dogwalks (which in my case are pretty much the same thing) etc. - in all sorts of conditions. For mountain biking mine doesn't live in a case but instead gets wrapped in a freezer bag and goes into one of the side pockets on the waist belt of my hydration pack. I'm a wuss so don't crash a lot but it has survived a few offs including one quite heavy one.

If I broke it I'd definitely get another one.

I bought a Pentax k5 as it is dust and waterproof with the right lenses. After a summer of hoofing it about with the 18-55 lense biking I gave up. It was ~ a kilo plus the back pack to carry it. It sucked the joy out of riding. I felt I had to take it about and take photos just to justify the effort of having brought it out.

Since I’ve bought a pancake 40mm lense with it much lighter. I still don’t carry it riding.

I’ve a cannon g9 which is much lighter, I can’t be bothered carrying that riding.

The camera on my phones have been fine for everything except low light for 5 years plus.

They won’t take super speed low light photos. They do everything else perfectly.

One of my mates had a Olympus tough waterproof camera. She had it in a top tube bag where it could be whipped out at any opportunity. She takes a load of photos and collects loads of ace memories for the whole riding group.

Get the camera you can use loads without it getting in the way 😀