Cheap Compact Camera Recommendations

Ysarex · Dec 22, 2015

nerwin said:
I guess now I just need to figure out if I REALLY need it or if it would be worth to wait and just save the money and buy the Panasonic LX100 or Sony RX100III instead rather.

Yep, those are bigger sensor and newer tech; bigger sensors come with a bigger price tag.

Joe

nerwin · Dec 22, 2015

Its really unacceptable what Adobe does to the raw files from x-trans sensors. I've been going through the raw files from my X20 and putting some of them through the SilkyPix raw converter and I'm amazed how different it is. Like a picture I took of my cousin at a Christmas Eve party was just completed washed out, you couldn't even make out what color her eyes were, there was so much smearing. I processed it through SilkyPix and could make out the color of her eyes and even her eyelashes. Amazing.

Adobe really needs to come up with a better way of processing the raw files from x-trans sensors....

Ysarex · Dec 22, 2015

nerwin said:
Its really unacceptable what Adobe does to the raw files from x-trans sensors. I've been going through the raw files from my X20 and putting some of them through the SilkyPix raw converter and I'm amazed how different it is. Like a picture I took of my cousin at a Christmas Eve party was just completed washed out, you couldn't even make out what color her eyes were, there was so much smearing. I processed it through SilkyPix and could make out the color of her eyes and even her eyelashes. Amazing.

Adobe really needs to come up with a better way of processing the raw files from x-trans sensors....

It's been an ongoing issue for quite some time now. X-Trans is unique. DX0 won't process it at all and there is much more variation one raw converter to the next compared with Bayer array cameras. Adobe has acknowledged the problem and claims to be working on it. There's always the bottom line that Fuji remains a niche player and as long as Adobe has the processing "good enough" for most, which they do, then it drops pretty low on the priority list. A lot of Fuji users would like them to abandon X-Trans and rejoin the mainstream which would solve a lot of headaches. LR is certainly the dominant raw processor out there so this is a bigger issue for Fuji. It costs them some camera sales to photographers who won't give up their Lightroom or compromise by adding an additional converter into the work flow.

Joe

Derrel · Dec 22, 2015

Fuji has a 15-year or so history of using unusual or different sensor types. By my count, the X-trans would be their third major type of "maverick" sensor type. You know, one summer, I think 2006 or 2007 it was, I took a whole batch of files from two different cameras, Canon 5D and Nikon D2x, and then ran them as batches through automated processing using MacBibble, SilkyPix, DPP, and Nikon Capture I want to say 4.0, as well as the Adobe Camera Raw module, of I think it was, Photoshop CS using the Automate Batch process.

It was really,really interesting to see how the different raw conversions created different moods, or feelings, to the same images. On most images, the average look was fine; but out of the 50 or so test files, there were always five or six that would be simply OUTSTANDING in the way one of the pieces of software would decode and interpret the data.

beagle100 · Dec 23, 2015

nerwin said:
I'm looking to buy a second camera for when I just can't bring my DSLR with me, but I want something that is better than my phone and not overly large, maybe something that can fit into a coat pocket.
.

the Sony RX100 could work

For the upcoming holidays I'm going to use a little pocket mirrorless and 22mm f2 pancake lens
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

jaomul · Dec 23, 2015

I saw a nikon j1 s2 going for small money in a local shop over last few days. Its very tidy with its kit lens, maybe thats an option

nerwin · Dec 23, 2015

I thought about getting the Nikon 1 V1. It has a 1" sensor and its like $130 for the body only and a used 10mm 2.8 pancake lens is like around the same price. Pretty cheap and lightweight setup if you ask me. It's only 10mp, but that's all you really need...

jaomul · Dec 23, 2015

nerwin said:
I thought about getting the Nikon 1 V1. It has a 1" sensor and its like $130 for the body only and a used 10mm 2.8 pancake lens is like around the same price. Pretty cheap and lightweight setup if you ask me. It's only 10mp, but that's all you really need...

If I was to buy into the Nikon 1 system as a second or light weight system, I'd probably go for a mid tier model, rather than the most entry level. I don't know much about it (except its very small and tidy looking), but I do believe the entry models have very little user control options

nerwin · Dec 23, 2015

jaomul said:
nerwin said:

I thought about getting the Nikon 1 V1. It has a 1" sensor and its like $130 for the body only and a used 10mm 2.8 pancake lens is like around the same price. Pretty cheap and lightweight setup if you ask me. It's only 10mp, but that's all you really need...

Click to expand...

If I was to buy into the Nikon 1 system as a second or light weight system, I'd probably go for a mid tier model, rather than the most entry level. I don't know much about it (except its very small and tidy looking), but I do believe the entry models have very little user control options

Its has pretty much full control from what I was reading. The V2 is like $500 (at this point, I'd get the RX100III) and a lot larger. The V1 is so small and cheap....sure it doesn't have exposure bracketing, but when I need to do that I use my D610 lol.

The thing is that I don't want a really expensive camera because I probably won't use it all that much.

whoisplaid · Dec 23, 2015

If you're going for the RX100III I'd say go for the a6000 instead. For less money you get more pixels, bigger sensor, faster shutter, and the capability for more lenses (which is pretty huge).

Great little camera in my opinion. I'm sure you could pick one up used easily these days.

nerwin · Dec 23, 2015

whoisplaid said:
If you're going for the RX100III I'd say go for the a6000 instead. For less money you get more pixels, bigger sensor, faster shutter, and the capability for more lenses (which is pretty huge).

Great little camera in my opinion. I'm sure you could pick one up used easily these days.

I thought about it, but its still pretty big. I want something rather small and compact like the RX100. Fuji X20 is a little larger than I want but I didn't mind it when I had it. I loved the X100 because it produced really sharp and clean files. But there so many moments I wish I had wider lens or tele. The Nikon V1 with the 10mm 2.8 is 35mm equivalent of a 27mm which I don't mind. I find that more versatile than 35mm equivalent.

I'm not exactly sure which way to go. I don't want to spend $600 on a camera that I may not use all the time.

Light Guru · Dec 23, 2015

chuasam said:
Just use your cellphone

That is what i would recommend. There are some apps that I use that let you capture as a tiff so you dont have the jpg compression. You can also get some lenses like the Moment lenses which are high quality add on lenses for cell phones.

nerwin · Dec 23, 2015

Light Guru said:
chuasam said:

Just use your cellphone

Click to expand...

That is what i would recommend. There are some apps that I use that let you capture as a tiff so you dont have the jpg compression. You can also get some lenses like the Moment lenses which are high quality add on lenses for cell phones.

Yeah...try to find one of those apps on a Windows Phone. I've looked. The 8mp sensor of the Lumia 640 is fine in good lighting, but once it gets dim, it's useless. I'm sorry, but I HATE phone photography, I like having a physical button and holding the camera up to my eye. It's too much of a PITA to touch the screen to take the picture or adjust settings. Maybe I'm just being picky. Phones are okay for when it's the only thing you have on you.

whoisplaid · Dec 23, 2015

Tough call! Let us know what you end up with!

nerwin · Dec 23, 2015

whoisplaid said:
Tough call! Let us know what you end up with!

Oh it will probably end up being the Fuji X20...if the price is right. I bought it once new for $600 and turned around sold it for $400 less than a year later because photos looked smeared but now that I just found out that you need to run the raw photos through the raw converter and then into Lightroom is making me reconsider the X20.