Small compact with good IQ

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Thanks for all the suggestions, it's tricky because there are so many models out there and my budget is very small. Smile

I just wish there was a tiny lens for the NEX like the 15mm 'bodycap' for the Oly M4/3 cameras, then I could use my NEX-3, which I'm going to replace later this year.

I do have the Pentax 110 lenses, which are tiny, and work okay on the NEX, but no AF and no aperture control, so they are only able to be shot wide open at f2.8.

buerokratiehasser · Joined: 12 Jun 2011 Posts: 470

Well you could use small baubles like 55/1.8 or Domiplan and assemble in the field. Would still suck I guess.

kuuan · Expire: 2014-12-26

someone at dpreview just asked about comparison of the Ricoh GRDI through GRDIV, the answers make the differences very clear:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3676519
however someone also compares it to the Panasonic LX7, another recommendation I already had mentioned, and though the Ricoh will feel more nice in use and the Panasonic is bigger, in IQ the LX7, a later camera with a newer sensor, wins hands down.

enzodm · Joined: 11 Sep 2010 Posts: 350 Location: Italy

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

I ended up buying a pair of Fujifilm Finepix z70s, one silver one black. 99p each with 4.99 postage for the pair. They are in nice shape, fully working, only fault being a black pressure mark on their screens. I can live with that for this price.

16gb class10 cheapo sd cards were 4.67 each, a pair of np50 batteries was 4.45.

Total investment for the two cameras with new batteries and 16gb cards was a whopping 20.76ukp!

For a tenner each, these should serve me well, the idea is to keep one in a trouser pocket at all times, they are certainly small and light enough for that. We shall see how the IQ is after some testing, but a 12mp 1/2.7" sensor shouldn't be any great shakes and the lens isn't wide, the widest being 38mm.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/Fujifilm-FinePix-Z70_Digital-Camera_review

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Some z70 samples from yesterday, light was very good.

Widest setting, oh dear, what a lot of barrel distortion, and this is a 38mm equivalent fov! Why oh why haven't they made cheap tiny compacts with a good prime lens?

Fully zoomed in, not bad actually. Nothing to complain about in sharpness at either setting, dynamic range isn't too bad and the colours are typically fuji and nice. It only works on Auto ISO and I'm assuming this is with the lowest setting - certainly there is very little noise.

At the widest setting again, not bad at all but the distortion is unpleasant to me.

Corrected the distortion and sharpened, looks pretty decent to me.

The only other issue that bothers me besides the distortion is the dynamic range - the meter being fooled by the sky here:

Bringing up the shadows in Photoshop revels it just hasn't recorded any info in the darkest areas:

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Not bad from a small compact camera

mzsupa5 · Joined: 11 Nov 2014 Posts: 11

Late to the party but Panasonic's LF1 is being discounted new. My sister was looking for a replacement for her Canon G12 and got a black one for just under �150. Just looking, white only at that price at the mo. She says the EVF is better than the reviews would lead you to believe. (She can't see back screens outdoors)

Tony

Paulius · Joined: 25 Nov 2014 Posts: 321 Location: Connecticut

Last year I pick up a Canon Elph SD 1100 IS (8MP) on flea market for $5.-, battered, in pink, with yellow spot in monitor.
Performs wonderfully!
Also Nikon Coolpix 1.22 (12MP) for $10.- in good shape, purchased at the same place, produced soapy awful pictures.
$3.- Sony Ciber Shot (5,1 MP) makes much better images.