Going on a trip later this year through the alps and whilst I love my iphone camera it just doesn’t give me the picture quality I see in some of the shots on the ‘Nice Photos’ thread.
So I’m seeking some ideas as to what I should be looking at. I really do like the look of the Fujifilm X100F which has great reviews but may be updated in early 2020 (we all know that game from waiting on a new Naim product whilst life goes on in the meantime).
Budget,I guess could be up to £1,000 given that I am going to capture some pictures of a lifetime. Thanks Andy.
Have a look at the Sony RX10 iii. It’s a bridge camera but with a fantastic zoom. There are several groups on Facebook showing what’s possible with this camera.
Well I now use an iPhone XS for my compact camera, it’s that good. With right app you can shoot in RAW.
I went on a recent trip and left my Nikon SLR and lenses at home… I was not disappointed at all.
My only criticism is the iPhone XS can be sensitive to glare, so sometimes need to use your hand as a lens hood in certain conditions.
I’ve long been a fan of Panasonic compact cameras, having used several in all climates and situations.
If I was after something right now, I’d be having a close look at this one, which has had some very good trade and customer reviews, and is under budget.
I have used a Panasonic Lumix FZ200 for several years and it is really excellent, albeit a bridge camera. Looking on their website just now the current model equivalent is the FZ330. They have several more expensive bridge cameras if you want to spend more. The Leica lenses that Lumix cameras use are excellent of course.
Like Simon I also have an iPhone XS which is great for landscape etc and portraits but not so good for anything further away that you want to fill the frame. I wouldn’t take it on a safari for example but I do take the FZ200 on such trips.
Best
With a budget of £1,000 do you want a smart phone that is capable of taking good pictures but is limited or do you want a camera that will give you lots of options for your picture taking, will have a much bigger sensor and much better optics, for starters.
I wouldn’t swap my Fujifilm X-T1 for any smart phone. And I’ve owned DSLRs in the past.
My advice would be to go to a good camera shop where you can get unbaised advice on what your needs are.
I have an X100F and it’s a super camera and takes really good pictures. It’s hard to go wrong with it really. If it’s superseded next year it makes no difference to its abilities in the here and now.
OK, I use Fuji much of the time (the XT3) and still have x100s.
However, my own choice of compact travel camera is my Ricoh GR (2). It’s more compact, fits easily in my hand , has wider angle which I find more useful for travel pics and is infinitely customisable. As it’s more compact it has no viewfinder which may or may not be a concern.
The new model (3) is more compact still but still has the same size sensor as the above two, though no flash now.
I’ve used Ricohs for years and rate them highly. Lots of past owners wary of new model as there are some slight changes from past models but current users seem very happy.
Nothing wrong at all with Fuji’s though🙂. Make sure you’re happy with rendition of X trans sensor, I and many like it, some don’t.
Hi @AndyP - I have the Fujifilm X100F and absolutely love it - it takes great photos, is easy to use and looks fantastic (like a retro film camera). You can also simulate different film types for your photos - films like Velvia or Acros.
It’s my ‘go to’ camera if I want something small and portable for holidays or street photography, whilst my Nikon D850 is my main camera.
Suggest you try the Fuji and make your own mind up.
I did a lot of research into this a while ago and ended up with a Sony RX100iii. https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/sony-rx100-iii. It has a fast f1.8 - 2.8 Zeiss lens, can shoot in Raw format and has a reasonable 24mm to 70mm zoom range for everyday use. It literally fits in your pocket. The later models do 4k video and have a much longer zoom but at the expense of the fast lens. They are more expensive as well. I have no regrets and it takes superb images. It’s great if I don’t want to take the Nikon D750 and lenses.
AndyP, I’m on the same journey. I consider to go either the Fuji x100F, the Panasonic LX100M or the Leica DLux 7 (typ109). As an outsider, I have a weird option to get a s/h Leica X1. This is a pretty old camera, but it has a very good lens and shoots very high image quality (if used by the right person). Besides IQ, it does no video, no wifi and has a slow AF. If you get a camera for shooting alpine landscapes, this might be a good option for you.
When I go on a trip and my DSLR is too big to carry I use a Canon EOS M mirrorless camera. I bought Canon because I’m used to that brand from my DSLR but if I hadn’t been a Canon user I’d maybe have considered another brand.
For mirrorless the Fuji X-T20 with an 18-55mm lens gets good reviews and is well within your budget. For a trip to the Alps you probably want wide lenses so an 18-55mm fits the bill.
