Pocket Compact Zoom Wanted.

Kustom48

Regular
Location
Wimbotsham, Norfolk, UK.
Name
ian drury
Hi everyone,
I'm considering buying either new or pre-owned, pocket-able compact zoom camera for use on holidays & also at concerts now that CSCs or ILCs have been 'banned' here in the UK at gigs, by the promoters and as an 'everyday' camera to take with me all the time.

What do people recommend ?

Any 'left-field' ideas welcome as well.

I'm on a budget of £250, maybe £300 at a push. I'd like the camera to have some manual controls and shoot RAW if possible, produce good results plus a decent 'zoom' range, WiFi does not matter to me & video performance is not a decider either or favourite brands.

Thanks in anticipation of your input.

Kustom48...........in rural Norfolk, UK.
 
I don't know the prices outside of the U.S., but I've been a fan of the Canon S90 and the cameras that came after it in the series (I owned the S95). It's truly pocketable unlike its competitors (e.g. Panasonic LX7). Another truly pocketable camera is the Sony RX100, but it's priced well above the stated budget. You won't get the "big camera" look to the photos with the Canon, especially in the difficult lighting typical of concerts, but it is miles ahead of a smartphone camera.
 
Big Zoom compacts: there are always tradeoffs. I think the nicest compromise is probably the Panasonic TZ40. Theres also the Sony HX50 and the Fuji F900EXR. At night, rear screen wont matter that much (as in, no sunshine to make it terribly difficult to see) and the Sony has a 30x zoom, the other two have 20x. Bear in mind that as the lens extends for the zoom, you are more likely to get the shakes... so a good stabilising system is needed as well. I think if it were me, it would be the TZ40, even though the zoom is not as great.
 
Thanks for your input so far.
My possible list is : Sony HX50, Fuji F900EXR, Panasonic TZ 35/ TZ40, Samsung WB800F..............so far as each of these has its' own merits

I'd like to test the Sony RX100 as reports & owner feedback is very positive for this camera, its' zoom reach is the compromise, now at a affordable price ( for me ).
 
If zoom reach is a compromise, remember that the RX100 not only has a much larger sensor (providing great image quality) but also produces massive 20.2 megapixel photos. That combination should be able to provide some latitude with cropping. I haven't seen a formal test, but I suspect the result will be close in quality from a big zoom.
 
Tell me about CSC's being banned at gigs, I haven't heard about that. I rarely take mine as it feels too intrusive, unless I am friends with the performers and have their explicit permission. But I'm a sensitive soul disguised as a ruffian.
 
Hi HeatherThevet,
I found this out when I went to a recent open air Blondie concert @ Thetford Forest. The prompters had printed on our tickets & also on their website that no ILC type cameras would be allowed into the gig, with big warning notices prominent on the entrance approaches as a reminder.
My belongings were searched upon entry & the security guys obviously knew what they were looking for (in camera types ) as I had to return my borrowed Oly Pen EL-P1 & medium zoom lens to my car accompanied by a security guy, just to make sure I did !

Seems that some promoters/organisers have effectively 'banned' amateur photogs, like me from taking photos @ these gigs for my own use, not for commercial gain, unless I use a super zoom compact or bridge with a non-removable lens.
 
Hi HeatherThevet,
I found this out when I went to a recent open air Blondie concert @ Thetford Forest. The prompters had printed on our tickets & also on their website that no ILC type cameras would be allowed into the gig, with big warning notices prominent on the entrance approaches as a reminder.
My belongings were searched upon entry & the security guys obviously knew what they were looking for (in camera types ) as I had to return my borrowed Oly Pen EL-P1 & medium zoom lens to my car accompanied by a security guy, just to make sure I did !

Seems that some promoters/organisers have effectively 'banned' amateur photogs, like me from taking photos @ these gigs for my own use, not for commercial gain, unless I use a super zoom compact or bridge with a non-removable lens.

There's a lot of that here in the U.S. but it varies by venue. There are simply too many people who have been selling images that they shot at concerts, sporting events, etc. So organizers are cracking down. They don't mind you bringing in a camera to shoot for your own pleasure - but they want to make sure the image quality won't meet professional standards that a publication or website would pay for.
 
Its the same here in Oz. I was going to a Fleetwood Mac concert in November and had pretty much settled on getting MFT + long zoom but found out from the organisers that this would not be allowed either, and in fact compacts with long zooms are also in their sights (not going to the concert now anyway... )
 
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