Which Compact Camera?

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Have you looked at the sony rx-100? They are up to the mk 3 at the moment.

I have the mk1 myself and its a very nifty compact camera!
 
I swear by my Sony DSC-HX50V; a much lower price bracket than what you are talking about (abt $500) but for a fits-in-your-pocket camera, with lots of zoom and great resolution, I wouldn't swap it for anything.

I went away with some friends, he with a 'fancy' SLR digital with interchangeable lenses and of course we took a lot of identical pictures. When we swapped, I honestly couldn't split them on quality etc except when he swapped out for a big zoom lens.
 
Timely thread. I've been looking at the mk1 around $400 mark thst is new and not a Grey import!
 
I have a Canon S95 from a few years back and it is a great little camera. Its newer sibling is the S120 which is a very solid option when looking at its lower price compared to the Sony RX100.
 
I have a Canon S95 from a few years back and it is a great little camera. Its newer sibling is the S120 which is a very solid option when looking at its lower price compared to the Sony RX100.

I'm personally looking at going slightly less compact with a Sony Alpha A6000 or Panasonic LUMIX GX7, seems to combine he best of a compact with SLR capabilities.
 
I'm personally looking at going slightly less compact with a Panasonic LUMIX GX7, seems to combine he best of a compact with SLR capabilities.

If you appreciate exemplar quality, even something that will appreciate in value in this day and age of plastic disposable land fill, go with anything that takes a Leica lens. The GX7 will do this. Leica lenses are unsurpassed for build and image quality. They are German build, and produce a smoother luxurious image and much less saturated look to Japanese lenses. I'll be taking one to the USA soon for b&w and colour film photography. If quality doesn't bother you, the Sony have a decent reputation.
 
Always go for the best optics you can afford, the sensor comes second but not all are sensors are created equal.

Leica use Panasonic, Nikon use Sony and Canon use Canon. Remember Canon have been in the image business both with film photography and copiers/printers for many years with the other two partnering up with good Jap brands. And Minolta, oh they went bust.......

Matt
 
I forgot to add I also have a Lumix LX5 compact digital camera, not the latest model but very good and affordable. The latest version of it is the LX8. Priced at somewhere around $800 you will get change from your $1500 to splash on yourself and it is a very good quality camera that fits neatly into your pants pocket, and yes it has a Leica lens.
 
I'm personally looking at going slightly less compact with a Sony Alpha A6000 or Panasonic LUMIX GX7, seems to combine he best of a compact with SLR capabilities.
So I went to a couple of camera shops today, because have seen both of these two reviewed well, but then Wirecutter and a few others also recommend Olympus OM-D E-M10 as the best mirrorless under $1000. Both places actually suggested the Olympus OM-D E-M10 was best (one had the Sony second, one the Lumix), any views on this? Certainly has a very good form-factor, not much bigger than a point and shoot with the 14-42 lens on and seems to be a very nice camera. And can be got for around $100 with the two lens kit!
 
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So I went to a couple of camera shops today, because have seen both of these two reviewed well, but then Wirecutter and a few others also recommend Olympus OM-D E-M10 as the best mirrorless under $1000. Both places actually suggested the Olympus OM-D E-M10 was best (one had the Sony second, one the Lumix), any views on this? Certainly has a very good form-factor, not much bigger than a point and shoot with the 14-42 lens on and seems to be a very nice camera. And can be got for around $100 with the two lens kit!

Yes the Olympus OM-D E-M10 is a very good camera no questions about that, but the OP was looking for a compact camera and the Olympus is an SLR without the mirror. It is a slightly smaller version of a true SLR. If portability is an issue the OM-D E-M10 might be too hefty and problematic to put in your pocket. It's smaller compact cousin is the XZ-1, quite a nice compact camera.

I should point out that it looks like the Lumix LX8 is not yet released, expected anytime soon though. The alternative Lumix model is the LX7, no slouch mind you and will be going cheap if the LX8 is just around the corner.

With compact digitals it is really splitting hairs to choose, but Olympus XZ-1, Sony Cybershot DCS RX100 and Lumix LX7 would be my top three in no particular order. Each has small differences, like shutter speeds, f stops, and mega pixels. You wouldn't go wrong with any of those cameras.
 
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Always go for the best optics you can afford, the sensor comes second but not all are sensors are created equal.

Leica use Panasonic, Nikon use Sony and Canon use Canon. Remember Canon have been in the image business both with film photography and copiers/printers for many years with the other two partnering up with good Jap brands. And Minolta, oh they went bust.......

Matt

Not all Nikons use Sony sensors. The D800 does, the D4 does not. I'm not sure about others in the range.
 
Yes the Olympus OM-D E-M10 is a very good camera no questions about that, but the OP was looking for a compact camera and the Olympus is an SLR without the mirror. It is a slightly smaller version of a true SLR. If portability is an issue the OM-D E-M10 might be too hefty and problematic to put in your pocket. It's smaller compact cousin is the XZ-1, quite a nice compact camera.

Sure I recognise the OP was looking for a point and shoot, but surely CSC does stand for Compact System Camera. I was personally impressed enough with the pocketability of the Olympus with the 14-42 lens for it to be a genuine alternative to a point and shoot. Slightly bigger, yes but only slightly.
 
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