Another which compact thread - help please

[midgeman]

Hi guys,

Ok so here goes, in 5 weeks my little sister is off to Italy for a week, she's been on at me for months to help her find a camera, her end of year bonus they all got was vouchers, one of which included, you guessed it, Jessops. Great I thought I'v been putting it off for a bit waiting until we both had a day off or weekend free, I'll take her into town and help her out, look at a few in the flesh.

But truth be told I'v done some looking up online, comparisons on said defunct company site last year and they all look 'ok' these days, the only way I felt we could tell was for her to physically go and see what she preferred but I also can't stand the salesman 'buy this because I get a better commission' gumpf. I like to know what I want.

Personally I have an EOS60D, she needs nothing like this but does know a good photograph to a bad or grainy one, phone quality etc.

She would like as best she can afford and considered bridge type camera's but I don't feel she really needs a top spec compact with manual setting abilities and so on as she will never use it. It's a handbag thing really.
There are some bland looking ones and some with nicer aesthetics/colours now (obviously these mean nothing to the internals other than trying to appeal to the lady's)
I do at times find my Canon a tad grainy compared to some Nikons although this relates more to DSLR models/lens quality and I honestly havn't used a compact myself for about 10 years to know how they have advanced..

With only a very small scale camera shop (that I'v not been into to be honest) and the likes of Currys/Tesco/PCWorld left locally now, the choice for holding, trying out etc. is very very limited other than buying blind online based on spec and reviews - so here I am putting it to you. What would anyone recommend looking at? Budget depends on advice really..
This is so difficult for a bloke, easy choice for me (S95 or 100) done. But hey she's not me so here we are.

I throw it open, thanks in advance.

[Ben Magoo]

Do you have a John Lewis locally? Never knowingly undersold and awesome on warranty issues! (in my experience)

Three options in my mind:

Fuji FX1 or X10 for retro style
Sony RX100 for spec
Canon S110 for size ('handbag-ability')

?

[RobDickinson]

TBh hard to look past the RX100

[Ben Magoo]

RobDickinson said:

TBh hard to look past the RX100

It is, even for a die hard Canon fan!

[midgeman]

Great start, thanks. No John Lewis here unfortunately.

[midgeman]

S110 is looking good at the moment, price has affected it, RX100 looks great but £400+

[baz7175]

Another thumbs up for the RX100, awesome little bit of kit even if more expensive than it's competitors.

Looking forward to taking it over to the Isle of Lewis in May to test it beside the Canon 60D and Sony R1 that have done me good for the past few years...

[Gad-Westy]

The RX100 is a seriously impressive bit of kit. Hard to argue against on anything but price.

In second place, the Canon S90/95/100/110 have enough owners on here to highly recommend them. A bit cheaper as well.

[PJ S]

Fuji X10 is being superseded in a few weeks time with the X20, and similarly the X100 with the X100S - there'll be plenty to choose from now/soon from the usual place(s), with IQ sufficient to print A3 size without batting an eyelid.

[Mr Will]

midgeman said:

S110 is looking good at the moment, price has affected it, RX100 looks great but £400+

Add the LX7 to the list, it's a decent S110 competitor. Slightly larger and hence less pocket-able, but this doesn't matter so much if it's main home will be a handbag.

[midgeman]

Thanks for comments. I'v found plenty I'd like to buy but she seems to have settled on the S110.

Now - any ideas where to buy please? Nowhere locally has got any so having to go online but again seems few stores that are stocking it, would like a reasonable price but also a UK model (no grey imports)
John Lewis seems to be the only one at the moment but at £370 with no memory card included..

[Colin RedGriff]

This is a useful site to give you a pointer on best prices

http://camerapricebuster.com/Canon_PowerShot_S110_...

I can recommend WEX (Warehouse Express) for price and service