Sold my DSLR set up. Not sure this is for me

[minicoop1985]

My wife has an a55. With the old kit 18-55 SAM, focus was quite slow. You're right there. With the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 or a 50mm f2.8 Macro, it seems to do pretty well, actually. Slow for me, but I'm used to my 7D. I'm sure there's a faster mode, if I was allowed to play with it (I'm serious here-I'm not allowed to play with it) I'd tell you. But you sold it, so that really doesn't matter anyway.

 

[sashbar]

I do much better experimenting so that wouldn't be a bad idea. I went to best buy today to play with some point and shoot cameras but like always, only a couple of them were working, and they didn't have an rx100 which is what I really wanted to try out. I did play with another Sony. It was a wx350. 20x zoom or something like that. On regular auto mode, the images were pretty soft, even without zooming in.

Anybody have any experience with decent point and shoots? Preferably reasonably priced ones. I'd rather avoid the ones that are $700, unless I can find them used for much much less.

Quite honestly I have yet to pick up a P&S that is equal or even close to any of my DSLR's (or film cameras for that matter). I have a Canon powershot; 16MP, about as big as a pack of cigs and it has a nice live view screen. Virtually no control IMO of aperture, shutter or anything. It takes pictures when you press the button. When it needs a flash it does it and those are usually over or under exposed. It has poor focus points and the autofocus sucks compared to even my D50 BUT...when I need a camera to stick in a pocket and ALL I need are pictures and don't care if they're 'good' that's what I use. At my local store I played with the new-hottest Fuji XT-1. Has kind of a retro look that appealed to me but it took about zero point two seconds for that to wear off once I held it. Way too small. Controls poorly placed for me and I absolutely HATED the 'video screen viewfinder'. How anybody can compose properly in such a murky little tunnel is beyond me. I'm sure it takes technically wonderful photos but it is definitely not for me. Like I said, I haven't found ANY P&S that even comes close to even my 1970's vintage Mamiya DTL 1000.....

I have a P&S camera that consistently gives me better results than my DSLR. Strictly speaking it is not really a P&S, just a P&S size little camera one can carry in his pocket. I would not recommend it to OP though as it is not a beginners camera. It is Ricoh GR.
As for TX-1 I was a bit surprised by your "murky little tunnel" description. I tried this camera - it's viewfinder was really impressive, it was huge, larger than any DSLR including Canon 5d mk3 etc. And with its magnification option manual focus was a bliss.

 

[sonicbuffalo]

Sony makes great cameras...but is lens starved....and the RX 100 is not a great camera. I've seen lots of pictures from it and they weren't that good from someone who has had several Sony NEX's. I do, however, recommend the SONY A600(0). It takes real good pictures with awesome clarity and vibrancy. For a mirrorless camera, I would invest in that camera. Of course, I have a deal for you.....lol

 

[jtyson]

Sony makes great cameras...but is lens starved....and the RX 100 is not a great camera. I've seen lots of pictures from it and they weren't that good from someone who has had several Sony NEX's. I do, however, recommend the SONY A600(0). It takes real good pictures with awesome clarity and vibrancy. For a mirrorless camera, I would invest in that camera. Of course, I have a deal for you.....lol

I had an NEX-5 before my first DSLR purchase and I was less than impressed with the camera functions. It was difficult to use. The menu mostly. And it was painfully slow. Made focusing my iphone seem so fast. Isn't the a6000 just an NEX-6 pretty much?

 

[thereyougo!]

I think that the RX100 you had in mind is a good idea. I had the mk2 which has an articulating screen. It was a very good camera and only changed it to upgrade to the RX10.

The advantage of the more compact premium cameras is that you can take photos in RAW and shoot in other modes rather than the Green Auto mode, but the camera is very compact. The RX100 is very pocketable, and takes great shots. You won't have the same range as your old set up, but it is a much less heavy way of discovering what you like and you can then decide whether you want to carry a lot of heavy gear around (I often carry 1 x d800, 1 x D800e and a Pentax 645D plus 6/7 lenses with me, and there are days when I will carry just the RX10 with me when I just want to amble around, and the RAW capable RX10 with 24 - 200mm equiv range gives me good quality with no weight) in the future while you learn the skills and the editing.

As others have said, as you learn to shoot and learn more processing skills you will become more fussy and some shots which you would have been happy with at the start you will be pressing the delete button on later. All part of the process. Your shots are fine, but shooting in RAW and/or in a semi automatic mode will give you more freedom, and will result in better final results. RAW files can look a little lifeless until you process them.

Don't give up, as you do have ability, start small and work up. I won't buy a camera now that doesn't shoot RAW.

 

[Derrel]

"Rome was not built in one day."

 

[sonicbuffalo]

Sony makes great cameras...but is lens starved....and the RX 100 is not a great camera. I've seen lots of pictures from it and they weren't that good from someone who has had several Sony NEX's. I do, however, recommend the SONY A600(0). It takes real good pictures with awesome clarity and vibrancy. For a mirrorless camera, I would invest in that camera. Of course, I have a deal for you.....lol

I had an NEX-5 before my first DSLR purchase and I was less than impressed with the camera functions. It was difficult to use. The menu mostly. And it was painfully slow. Made focusing my iphone seem so fast. Isn't the a6000 just an NEX-6 pretty much?

Yes.....it is a NEX in disguise!

 

[jtyson]

I've been perusing classifieds to find a good deal on something. Nothing as of yet, BUT I'm sure I will be able to get something eventually. I will continue reading when I can on technique. If anyone has any camera suggestions for me, please do throw them my way.