Compact camera recommendations

X200 coming soon, then?

So over the holidays i traveled to visit family and didn't even bother to bring my big camera. I did miss it a few times but I just dont ever want to travel with it again so I resolved to slim down. I found an excellent original X100 on eBay (for cheap) which is arriving soon and will report back on whether it can at least partially fill the Canon's shoes.

So far, I think I'm really digging the X100S. Haven't Flickred anything from it yet but just from some preliminary poking in Lightroom I'm really impressed. The biggest thing is just how well that sensor performs - I can shoot at ISO 2000 and the images look good. I can shoot at 4000 and if I got a good exposure the images look good. If I have to boost overall brightness or shadows, I do start seeing some noise, but compared to where I would start on my previous camera, I mean, ISO 4000 looks like ISO 400 or something.

I do wish it were a little quicker on the draw, or maybe I just don't have my technique down yet. Need to read the manual through again and see what other kinds of shortcut/customization options I have. There's this very slight delay between pressing the topside function button and the associated menu popping up which is maybe part of my issue. Would love an actual physical dial for ISO just for maximum speed of being able to set that, but obviously there are strong reasons not to go that route. Overall though I'm feeling good about this camera and these images.

it's not you it's slow on the draw

http://www.shutterbug.com/content/old-becomes-new-olympus-unveils-pen-f-mirrorless-digital-camera-based-analog-classic

drooling uncontrollably

Nice but I still think Fuji have the edge in aesthetics.

I'm thinking of getting a new camera - I have a LUMIX FZ38 which is good but bulky and about eight years old.

Has anyone used the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II?

I've been using an E-M1 for the past couple of years, and Micro Four Thirds as far back as the GF1.

The E-M10 Mk. II is pretty hard to beat as an entry-level mirrorless camera, especially if you are interested in picking up additional lenses down the line. All it really lacks vs. the higher-end bodies is weather sealing, but you still get twin control dials, touchscreen, and a nice OLED viewfinder.

The new Lumix GX85 seems to be getting great reviews and has much better video quality, but it's a bit more expensive. Maybe Fuji X-E2 or XT-10?

Size comparison between the likely contenders: http://j.mp/2dQQHCn

Fuji a bit misleading since they lack a compact kit zoom, but most of their prime lenses are quite small.

I have a mk1 and love it

That's great, thanks all.

a sad end to a happy thanksgiving: dropped my X100S and it is a dead duck. on powering up, i get only a fixed display of white static in the viewfinder (whose shutter is incidentally stuck closed) and no response from any other part of the unit. :( last time i needed something fixed (purple static viewfinder glitching), it cost $300 which was half what i paid for the camera. now the price for a refurbished one is down to $300-500 so is it even worth trying to fix/sell?

confession, a dumb part of me is like, "wellp, guess that's the excuse to finally shell out for the X100F!" but that's a pretty big purchase! and i don't want to just get caught up in the holiday madness. and yet and yet.... that is a two-generations improvement. seems like biggest things are more megapixels, more customizable dials (freeing up one from being ISO, which should have been a dial to begin with), and most intriguing of all, the focus-point selector joystick... should i do this???

i guess i never really came back here to really report on the X100S but i really loved it, thanks again to those who chimed in with advice on this thread. kept in my backpack at all times and i got some great, great shots, not just "great for a compact" but great (imho!). in particular the dynamic range and performance in low light/high ISO are real winners. when i go out with my DSLR i still pack it and use it for tough "sunlight but also deep shadows" situations since my 5Dii just can't match that performance (might eventually have to make an upgrade there too - but, $$$).

the majority of what i snapped with it over the past two years (!) isn't online, but here's a few samples to show off its capabilities:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4418/37034677435_c51e9c3188_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4396/36893841121_970c7c7158_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4390/36199487274_a7959e5241_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4410/36987133876_7352962473_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4415/37004913472_b8a74b56b1_c.jpg

(all shot raw and then fiddled in lightroom)

Get the F. And report back. :) I have the T and I love it, but I’d like the F just for the ability to crop.

I’m thinking of getting an XT20 maybe. Replaceable lenses would be nice.

i would just get a new one

Sorry to hear about the X100S! Maybe by now there are X100Ts out there now for less than what you paid for the S two years ago?

(I know this is the *compact* camera thread, but talking of holiday deals, B&H and Adorama torture me every year with their Black Friday bundle emails. B&H were doing 6D2 + pro-grade printer + paper + spare battery + bag + battery grip + 64GB SD card for the dollar equivalent of £1070. That camera retails for about £1700 over here, body only. Of course, I don't *need* a 6D2 or anything else).

I got the F and the joystick is a PITA (it bumps around when I wear the cam around my neck) but overall it's the same experience/pleasure to use

also MJ the f*ing 5DIV deal is staring me in the face as my 5DIII is literally falling apart in places so I'm w/ you on the TORTCHA

http://78.media.tumblr.com/58cd0b2b77e342ab565bf97b2453e1b8/tumblr_owllpfGgrl1qb3bjyo1_1280.jpg

^ that's w the F. not that it really shows anything!

I have an X-T2, which is the same sensor as the X100F, it's really good (though 99.9% of photos I take are for my store's social media or Ebay now). Fuji's made big improvements in the autofocus speed in the last two generations.

Those rooftop babes appear very life like

er... is that supposed to be a reference to my friends?

fwiw anybody who is thinking about shelling out for the X100F, I can say that I am a million percent satisfied with mine. haven't gotten anything shot with it online yet but it is everything i liked about the X100S, but better. the focus point joystick thing is REALLY REALLY REALLY helpful, very fast and beats focus-and-recompose by miles. plus pretty easy to explain to people if you need to hand over the camera. the increased number of programmable buttons and dials is very helpful too and having the front dial to dedicate to ISO saves a ton of button-massing to change this very basic thing. i also think there's a real leap in high ISO performance, which was already excellent on my X100S. if you have a working S or T, it's not an urgent must-do upgrade, but if you're just in the market for a great camera to keep in your bag, and the price works for you, i really think it's phenomenal.

Was thinking abut the x100 for awhile but now the Sony a7s has my attention because of its reputation working with low light

X100 4 LYFE
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3798/12351945543_afc3631df0_o.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/711/22545069306_3c853e5d05_k.jpg
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3903/14355250525_0edb973750_k.jpg
All straight from the camera, no tweaking needed.

yeah, this line can do amazing things.

X100. Oh dear wish I'd not clicked on this thread now...

some discussion here

The camera thread.

Why did you do that the late great when I had pretended to have not bookmarked the thread? I have already been salivating on eBay.

doooo it

Soooooo I did it. X100 as early Xmas present to me. Looking forward to testing. Any tips for best results for an x100 beginner? Should I stick with the auto settings for best results?

Works for me! I pretty much leave it on Auto most of the time.

If you notice the lens hunting a lot to focus, make sure you didn't turn on macro mode (by hitting the up arrow - at least on my X100T).

Still in love with my x70, the way it picks up light is striking.

Re X100,
(a) make sure the firmware is updated, it fixes a lot of focus issues
(b) have the focus setting switch on the middle position (it has a box in the middle not crosshairs) - it tends to focus quicker and with less fuss at the expense of occasional errors
(c) straight JPEG out of the camera usually looks pretty phenomenal
(d) http://fujix-forum.com is a good support community for beginners to pros

Thanks for all the tips re X100. Getting more used to its idiosyncrasies now.

can anyone recommend me a point-and-shoot I can find for less than ≈$50 on eBay? I like the specs on the Canon PowerShot S95 (1/1.7" sensor, f/2.0–f/4.9 lens, 10MP, manual focusing and exposure, shoots RAW, seems to work well in low light) although the 3.8x zoom is a slight drawback. I just want a solid carry-around camera and I don't really care if it's 5+ years out of date as long as the image quality is decent.

I’ve had good experiences with the old Sonys, still have an old 10x Optical zoom model that works great.