Need help??????

[the dane]

Hi all, looking at a new camera! Sick of taking my big slr with us on 3 day interstate holiday trips! want some thing that can live in the wifes handbag or small daypack! I have been to the 3 big camera shops, and i have gone home with no new camera and even more confused!
i liked the look and feel of the NIKON coolpix A, Nikon 1, panasonic Luminx GX7!
but then they started talking extra lenses etc!
i told the sales people i want to spend up to $1100!
any help or susgestions?
thanks SEAN

[I @ M]

i told the sales people i want to spend up to $1100!
any help or susgestions?


Yep, suggestions I have.

It won't break your budget.
It will take excellent images.
You won't need to rely on a handbag or a day pack.
You won't have to fret over additional lenses because you simply can't change them unless you want to venture into the wide angle or short tele adaptors.

Fuji X100-S

[swifty]

Along the same vein as the Coolpix A is what Andrew suggested, a Fuji X100s and the Ricoh GR. All 3 are fixed lens (no need to worry about changing lens) and fixed focal length (no zoom).
The Coolpix A and Ricoh GR are 28mm equiv and a bit wider in perspective than the Fuji X100s which is 35mm equiv. To put that into context, if you own a smartphone, most of the smartphone cameras are around 30mm equiv so you can imagine the Nikon and Ricoh as a little bit more zoomed out and the Fuji as a bit zoomed in.
I have personally tried both the Ricoh and Fuji and both are very good IMO. I don't know the current pricing but at least to begin with, the Nikon Coolpix A was a fair bit dearer than the Ricoh so you get less bang for your buck IMO if you went with the Coolpix A.
There's also the Sigma DP series but I hesitate to mention this cos it might confuse you more with too many options.

Anyways.. those are the non-interchangeable lens, large sensor options. The others you've mentioned are interchangeable lens cameras. Before I launch into those, I guess I'll let you decide whether that's something you want or would you prefer not worrying about changing lenses.

If you're happy with fixed lens, then you also have to choice of a zoom or fixed focal length camera (like the options I listed above).

[the dane]

Cheers guys and a great write up swifty! That was my first preference a camera with no changing lens! But as the guy from Teds said you can allwas get the other 2 cameras with a small lens, think he said a pancake!?! So would a small lens on a nikon 1 or lumix GX7 be better then the ones u talked about? Or would that lead me to carring another camera bag around! Once again thanks for your help

[swifty]

Pancake lenses are great. But IMO it won't offer more advantage than a fixed lens camera if you only buy and use 1 lens. The point of interchangeable camera systems is the versatility of having different lens for different purposes.

Consider the following:
1. Interchangeable or fixed lens (versatility vs simplicity)
2. Zoom or prime
3. Pick a sensor size. FF > APS-C > 43 (or micro 43) > 1"

The Coolpix A, GR and X100s are all APS-C sized sensor cameras
GX7 is micro 4/3 (m43)
Nikon 1 is 1"

Broadly speaking
- Interchangeable lens cameras are bigger than fixed lens.
- Zooms are larger than primes (this statement needs more explanation though)
- The larger the sensor, the larger the overall camera/lens combo

So it would be logical that an interchangeable lens camera with a FF sensor and zoom lens will be the biggest overall package whilst a 1" sensor fixed lens, fixed focal length camera (none exists) will be the smallest and this generally holds true in the real world.
Choosing the various options above will either add or take away a bit from the overall bulk/weight.

I've targeted the questions above this way really because your original complaint was the size and bulk of a DSLR. I'll take a stab and guess it was an APS-C sensor DSLR with a zoom lens.

So back to your choices, the Coolpix A (and similar) are also APS-C sensor cameras but is much more compact because its now a fixed lens, and fixed focal length.
A GX7 with pancake prime will be 'similar' in size to the Coolpix A because even though the sensor is smaller, the fact it is an interchangeable lens camera increases bulk a little.

IMO it comes down to how keen you are at exploring photography as a hobby. If you are keen and am willing to explore the possibility of future lens, then you can take a punt on one of the interchangeable lens models. Otherwise stick with a fixed lens camera if you're never going to change the lens on it.

Some models you can research:
Sony RX 100 series
Canon G1X Mark II
Ricoh GR
Fuji X100s

All will fit in your wife's purse or a daypack.
If you're not in a hurry, just wait a month or so until Photokina 2014, a photography trade show. There could be a few models that fit your criteria getting announced but this is just a guess based on internet gossip.

- - - Updated - - -

Budget wise, just cross out FF sensor and all the other sensor sizes will have options within your budget.

Again broadly speaking, the larger the sensor the better the image quality. But as sensors have gotten very good, the range where you normally use them usually fall within the capabilities of even the smaller sensor sizes such as the 1" sensors found in both the Nikon 1 and Sony RX100 series. So whether this image quality equation really matter depends on what you shoot.
Note that even the 1" sensors can be considered relatively large, depending on who you talk to and what you compare it to. They are larger than the sensors in what's often called P&S (point and shoot) cameras.

I'll add one more model for you to consider.
The Nikon AW1. It falls within the Nikon 1 series but has an important distinction. It's waterproof to 15M and is shockproof. I'm not sure of the latest pricing though, could be slightly outside your budget.

[the dane]

Cheers swifty! Will read about those other cameras you put down! Our camera is a nokia 3200 with a 18-270mm lens! Wife brought it last year to replace my 10 year old pentax! Think she paid $1700 with a bundle of other stuff we will never use! Might even put it on gumtree!
Think I will go the GX7, with the pancake and another lens to take on longer holidays!
But will wait to see who has the best deal on that model camerahouse has a free 32gig card and spare battery!
Will write back after the purchase, thanks once again

[teylward]

Swifty has done a pretty great job of covering you here, but I thought I would chuck my 2 cents in anyway. I had this problem a couple of years ago. The missus kept buying Sony Cybershot cameras and they kept on failing in the picture department. I had enough of buying a camera every 1-2years, so decided to get one for both of us, as sometimes you don't want to lug around the SLR. We ended up getting an Olympus Tough TG-1. It is impact resistant to 2m and waterproof to 12m. I went this camera due to it's toughness, being waterproof was a bonus and it has goes to F/2.8, so good for low light as well. They have an update model out now, but it is still going strong, even after our 8mth trip around the world.

Goodluck in your hunt.

[swifty]

Nokia 3200?? :)
I think you mean Nikon D3200 haha.

Anyways, I'll let you do some research yourself but if you do end up choosing the GX7 and the m43 system, I can give you a hand with the lens choices since I'm a m43 user myself.

Cheers

[the dane]

Haha I did write nokia! Ment Nikon! Ohhhhhahhh

[Allann]

Here is another vote for the Fuji X100s. But honestly, if it's a convenience shot more than a full on DSLR photoshoot, is there anything wrong with a smart phone? In all seriousness, if used right, the shots can be amazing. Example, i was recently told by a reliable photographer friend, the guy that placed 4th in the world in wedding photography did the whole shoot on an iphone! Whether that is true or not, I'm not 100%, but there is some truth to the fact it might be possible. I did the last Kelby photo walk with just a phone (Nokia Lumia something) and when I checked out the final edits I was more than happy. Just a thought.

[Solstafir]

Just as a side note, if size is a real factor, the lumix gm1 might be worth looking at. It's micro 4/3 (same sensor as the gx7 I think?) but in a form factor similar to a traditional compact. I use one as my everyday take everywhere camera. Image quality is tops, and the ability to change lenses is just a bonus if you want to down the line ( I keep a little telephoto around, they're tiny, and has come in handy on several occasions so far). Only downside is a loss of some features and no viewfinder, only he back screen (compromises made to keep it tiny). Anyway, just am option :)

[arthurking83]

On the face of it, the Sony RX100 series is about the most versatile 'little' camera to be currently had.

Requires no 'extra lenses' whatsoever, which is another way of saying it's a compact .. but it's better than a P&S.

It's sensor is properly sized and it has a variable focal length lens. Shoots raw if you ever think you could do with the extra quality .. etc, etc.
Well within your budget too.

A point I'll note that I observe a lot with most people, is that if you're not really 'into' photography as a keen amateur(like a lot of us here are) .. a fixed focal length will eventually see you buying another camera, with a variable focal length lens pretty soon. Seen it too many times from people, not believe that it will also affect you too(in the future).

Another option that you won't get many recommendations of(for many reasons) is something like a Samsung Galaxy Camera (< $500).
It's in effect a smart phone, but a camera instead. Has no phone ability (well it's limited in it's ability to make calls), but all the other features most smart/cam phone have.
Give it to the kids and at the least .... they'll love to play with it too
A major downside is its ability to go through batteries tho, but batteries are regular Samsung Galaxy II phone types, so cheap and readily available from many sources.

[calloyd]

I moved from a Canon DSLR to a Sony NEX6. I absolutely love the light weight and the fact that I can still change lenses if I want to get extra reach with the Sony 55-210mm. It takes really great photos too - when I get eye/hand coordination right.

For true portability I also have the Sony RX100. Great camera and image quality, perhaps not quite up to the NEX 6 and when I don't have the NEX 6 I often find myself wishing it had longer focal lens.

If I was buying today I'd go for the Sony A6000 - a decision made after researching quite a few cameras, including the latest Fuji (X-T1).

[ameerat42]

AP members.

Please note that there are three threads on this same topic. Please address your remarks to the the last of these threads:
http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?134261-Last-question&p=1251567#post1251567

Thanks, Am.

[ricktas]

Please refer to this thread for future posts: http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?134261-Last-question