Quality compact camera with proper viewfinder?

[55palfers]

I'm after a decent quality compact with a traditional viewfinder arrangement - as opposed to holding the camera at arms length and peering into the screen.

Does such an animal exist I wonder...

[Rosscow]

Budget?

Sony RX100 MK3 has a pop up viewfinder, it'll set you back over £500 though.

http://www.digitalrev.com/product/sony-cyber-shot-...

Panny TZ60 is cheap now, as the TZ70 is due out soon:

http://www.digitalrev.com/product/panasonic-lumix-...

[55palfers]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I have just stumbled on this

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fujifilm-X100S-Digital-Cam...

Stretching budget a bit but hey, no pockets in shrouds.

Anyone got one?

[Rosscow]

Depends what you class as 'compact' I suppose:

http://j.mp/1jdODyW#sthash.qq7Bcxwk.dpuf

Much cheaper here: http://www.digitalrev.com/product/fujifilm-x100s/M...

Edited by Rosscow on Wednesday 4th March 16:08

[Banana Boy]

I bought the Canon G16 late last year and love it for it's comparative compactness, it's versatility and the proper viewfinder! (the price I fairly compact too)

http://www.johnlewis.com/canon-powershot-g16-digit...

[55palfers]

Rosscow said:

Depends what you class as 'compact' I suppose:

http://j.mp/1jdODyW#sthash.qq7Bcxwk.dpuf

Much cheaper here: http://www.digitalrev.com/product/fujifilm-x100s/M...

Edited by Rosscow on Wednesday 4th March 16:08

I have a bagful of Canon DSLR and lenses and sometimes want a smaller (and lighter) camera to be a bit less obtrusive.

[wombleh]

55palfers said:

Anyone got one?

I have and very happy with it, would think of it more as a small DSLR+prime rather than a posh compact. It doesn't have many auto features, e.g. no face recognition although the new X100t does have that. It's not all that compact either, especially if you stick a lens filter on. Image quality is great, viewfinder works well especially in hybrid where the liveview works until you put your eye to the finder then it swaps over, video is also good on it.

WEX have the Fuji X-pro with 2 free lens on offer at the moment, if you're keen to reduce kit size but keep control then worth a look. I know a few pros who have binned their DSLRs and just use Fuji X system now.

[anonymous-user]

55palfers said:

Anyone got one?

I've had one for a while and wouldn't use anything else now, superb camera.

Edited by swiveleyedgit on Thursday 5th March 14:38

[tog]

55palfers said:

Anyone got one?

I'd wanted one for ages, but could never quite justify it. So I was exited to find a cheap, mint condition, used X100S locally a few months ago. Sadly however, I find it quite disappointing. Image quality is lovely, lens is sharp, noise is low, but in reality there are very few occasions when I wouldn't rather have my 5D3 with a 35mm f2 lens instead. Coming from 25 years of using EOS SLRs, I find the focussing is slow, the hybrid viewfinder that works well in small doses in the shop is a bit fiddly in real life, there is no proper back button focus, and it's not quite small enough to offset all the downsides. Maybe if I made more of an effort it might click for me, as clearly many people love them, but I find missing shots while I learn frustrating so I end up not using it.

[anonymous-user]

tog said:

I'd wanted one for ages, but could never quite justify it. So I was exited to find a cheap, mint condition, used X100S locally a few months ago. Sadly however, I find it quite disappointing. Image quality is lovely, lens is sharp, noise is low, but in reality there are very few occasions when I wouldn't rather have my 5D3 with a 35mm f2 lens instead. Coming from 25 years of using EOS SLRs, I find the focussing is slow, the hybrid viewfinder that works well in small doses in the shop is a bit fiddly in real life, there is no proper back button focus, and it's not quite small enough to offset all the downsides. Maybe if I made more of an effort it might click for me, as clearly many people love them, but I find missing shots while I learn frustrating so I end up not using it.

Curiously I found it very easy to use from the minute it arrived, this may be because I'm an old fart who's spent decades with film cameras and the x100 lends itself to being set up like a film camera, something Fuji were conscious of when they designed it I would imagine.

[GetCarter]

Good choice O/P, but it ain't a compact!

[Ydnaroo]

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ60 is a reasonable compact camera with a viewfinder as well as the normal screen on the back. Note that the viewfinder is electronic (EVF) rather than optical. My FiL has one gets good results, also seems to get quite good reviews.

Notice that the TZ70 is now available. This probably supersedes the TZ60.

[55palfers]

Thanks to all who replied.

I need to fondle a few cameras I think.

Back in the late 70's I had a splendid (and very cheap) Russian Leica-look-alike for unobtrusive work. Wish they did a digital version of that one still.

I see Leica do a lovely "compact" but WOW - the price!

[LastLight]

55palfers said:

Thanks to all who replied.

I need to fondle a few cameras I think.

Back in the late 70's I had a splendid (and very cheap) Russian Leica-look-alike for unobtrusive work. Wish they did a digital version of that one still.

I see Leica do a lovely "compact" but WOW - the price!

A Zorki 4? That was what got me started on photography as a 14 year old. Still lust after a Leica M.

Fwiw, I tried the Sony RXIII but had two fail as described on the RX thread so gave up. I'm now using the Sony A6000. The RX was definitely pocketable, but I found it a bit too small and fiddly and didn't get on with the viewfinder (and don't like using rear screens).

The A6000 is much better, for me. Still small and easy to carry, though probably not pocketable )without odd pockets!?) feels pretty well made (excepting the cheap feeling standard zoom it came with) and the viewfinder is fine. I don't even notice it is an EVF and that's coming from a Leica R9 which spoiled me.

The menus and settings are a doddle too - easy to control from screen or viewfinder and with ISO, Exposure Compensation and focus settings all a pre-set button push/dial turn away.

I have to say that I don't regret buying it and really look forward to trying different lenses on it - another big plus for me.

[Rosscow]

Yeah, I think I've made my mind up and have chosen the A6000.

Probably get a Zeiss lens though (the Touit 32 1.8 prime) and try and get some sexy bokeh!

[LastLight]

Rosscow said:

Yeah, I think I've made my mind up and have chosen the A6000.

Probably get a Zeiss lens though (the Touit 32 1.8 prime) and try and get some sexy bokeh!

I managed to get out with it for half an hour this afternoon. The light wasn't too helpful, sunny but pale, bright and washed out yet it handled it pretty well. The standard zoom gets some criticism but doesn't seem too bad and I finally worked out how to get Raw files onto the iPad. They handled the contrasting brightness, with no ND filter, well and there was a surprising amount recoverable in the shadows.

I find the zebra display in the EVF really helpful and use the exposure compensation a lot. I really am enjoying using it. I've just bought an adapter to be able to use Canon lenses on it and intend getting the PC shift tilt and a macro next.

There are some positive owner comments on this thread:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/55411380[url]


I posted this one to show the detail the standard zoom can get - it's a tightish crop showing c.50% of the original and yet the names can be read quite easily if you open it in thumbsnap, yet even that is way less clear than I see when I open the file on my iPad.

Edited by LastLight on Saturday 7th March 00:15