Low budget compact?

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M_alice

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Hello
I need cheap (but reliable) digital compact. It will be "photo notebook", mostly street phtoto snaps. If it can save raw files it'll be great. Any suggestions?
 
I'm sure you'll get a lot of different opinions:

Criteria: brand new, price, compact, RAW capture and SD card.

Under $300 (B&H)

- Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50

$301-$500

- Olympus Tough TG-4 - For a go-anywhere, do-anything (even snorkeling) fun digi compact.
- Canon PowerShot G9 X - Currently on sale for $399. Great images, 1-inch sensor.
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-Zs60
- Sony RX100 - Great images, 1-inch sensor. I have the mV version.

If you plan to stay on dry land, I'd seriously compare the Canon and the Sony.

If you want to go cheaper (under $200) and don't mind used cameras, go to KEH.com. For a compact digi, I'd stay with EX or better ratings.
 
So, you want to take street snaps and deeply edit them in PS? Interesting requirements.
I'm using cheap digital compacts for street snapshots to have them as is. For this I'm satisfied with cheap 8MP Lumix P&S and very nice Leica zoom in it. CCD sensor gives interesting colors and bw mode is great.
Couple of camera and pictures examples:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/rffgallery/showphoto.php?photoid=259945
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/rffgallery/showphoto.php?photoid=257733

If you want it where RAW makes sense, I recommend Canon Rebel 500D or newer. They are available around $200, very, very reliable and compact with 24 Canon AF pancake lens or old Olymus.Zuiko wide MF primes.
 
You'll get many answers to this question but I'm a fan of the Olympus XZ-1. It has a cracking little zoom with the following specs: f1.8-2.5 6.0-24mm (28-112mm in 35 mm) So its range is very useful and it's fast throughout the range. This is the only small sensor camera I've ever used where you can actually coax a little bokeh out of. Olympus does not bestow their Zuiko designation lightly. This is the first compact they ever made with this designation. It's 10 megapixels, plenty and I really like the colors that come out of its CCD (not CMOS) sensor. Only downside is it's not a world beater in low light. Good up to 800, which is fine imo. Used they go for around $100 (Amazon has one for $112 right now). Great camera -- especially the lens, for reasonable used dollars because it's a little long of tooth (but great lenses never are "long of tooth" are they? And 10 megapixels is plenty of resolution).
 
The Ricoh GR II is excellent, if you can afford the $600 price and cope with a 28mm-e f/2.8 prime lens.

Otherwise the Sony RX100 series is your best bet. They still sell the original mark I version, as well as all the ensuing versions so you have options at prices going from $440 to $1000.

The cheapest 1" or larger sensor compact is the Canon G9X mk I. Very sluggish and mediocre lens, but very compact. Under 1", there is really no point, you might as well use your phone's camera.
 
stompyq said:
I suppose it might help if you define cheap? how much are you willing to spend?
Click to expand...

I didn't mention the price. I suppose there are not many people here familiar with Polish currency. Anyway 1000 USD it's more than average month salary and cameras in Poland are more expensive than in other countries (high taxes and domestic policy). I'll never say that Ricoh GR or Sony RX are budget cameras, actually I think their prices are crazy... For me budget camera it's something auround 300 USD, new one. I have some bad experience with second hand electronics (ask me about my PS3). But maybe my expectations are too high and there are no cheap RAW compacts on the market. Nothing like Samsung EX-1? I know it can save RAW. But I have heard some strange/bad opinions about RAW format in Samsung cameras. That some CG programs have problem to edit them.
Thank you for all the answers.
M_alice
PS. With 1000 USD I'll buy mysef Leica :)
 
M_alice said:
I didn't mention the price. I suppose there are not many people here familiar with Polish currency. Anyway 1000 USD it's more than average month salary and cameras in Poland are more expensive than in other countries (high taxes and domestic policy). I'll never say that Ricoh GR or Sony RX are budget cameras, actually I think their prices are crazy... For me budget camera it's something auround 300 USD, new one. I have some bad experience with second hand electronics (ask me about my PS3). But maybe my expectations are too high and there are no cheap RAW compacts on the market. Nothing like Samsung EX-1? I know it can save RAW. But I have heard some strange/bad opinions about RAW format in Samsung cameras. That some CG programs have problem to edit them.
Thank you for all the answers.
M_alice
PS. With 1000 USD I'll buy mysef Leica :)
Click to expand...

Buy second hand from an approved retailer that has checked the lens and general condition for you. I don't think you'll get a 'count' as such with a compact, as you would a shutter count with a slr type or similar , but you should be able to tell from the condition of the body how well it has been looked after. You'll usually also get a year's guarantee with them.

You can pick up a second hand lumix lx100 for £300 now. Not sure about dollars, and for an all round pocket camera with a zoom I don't think it can be beaten.

I had the original GRD ten years ago - it's still a brilliant camera and probably sells for about a hundred pounds now it’s so old. I felt like I could do anything with that camera and it’s the only time I’d have said my photos of a three week trip that I took blew everyone else’s out of the water.

I wouldn’t bother with non-GR ricohs, never got on with them, but there are plenty of in-between versions and the Ricoh GR (newest but one and as far as I can make out the only distinction between the GR and the GR II is the addition of wifi??!) I’ve seen go second hand for £350. As someone above said if you can cope with the fixed lens –which I would argue once you are used to it is a boon and makes your photography better – then a ricoh gr, any well looked after second hand version, for budget street photography can hardly be beaten.

If you want a zoom, if only a slight one, the lx100 gets my vote.


I wouldn't opt for something you're not sure about because buying two cheap cameras is going to be more expensive than buying one, slightly more expensive, better camera.
 
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