Need alternatives to RX100 II

kenghusted

New Member
Hi
Greetings from Denmark.
I just sold my canon 550D and now I am looking for a compact, but not any compact can satisfy my needs...:)
Been looking closly at the rx100 ii but their must be other competetors. And also been looking at Leica - not their top model. Just need a few more possibilities before making my final decision. Price limit around 1800 us dollars. Keep in mind that cameras are way more expensive in Denmark. This land is build on taxes!!! 1000 US for RX100 ii (!)
Love taking pictures with great bokeh and IQ. I do mainly portraits of my children. Like action shots as well, but guess I am buying a Gopro Hero 3 for that purpose.
Fantastic site by the way.

Kent
 
Hi Kent

Some thoughts:

There are no direct competitors to the RX100 ii except the RX100 i.

The RX100 combines high quality sensor, fast lens (on the wide angle) and pocket size. You can go bigger and get a better sensor and/or faster lens. You can keep the size and get a fast lens, but smaller sensor, or you can go cheaper and get a lesser lens and sensor.

There is no Leica (whichever one you are looking at!) that is a direct competitor to the RX100. The only things that come close to the RX100 are the Panasonic LX7 (smaller sensor, but better controls and brighter lens), Canon G1X or G15 (larger and heavier cameras), and I think Nikon makes something in that range, too. The Fuji X20, too, but it's kind of big (at least, the lens sticks out quite a bit), and has a slightly smaller sensor, though I think a brighter lens.

Having said all that, the RX100 is NOT a bokeh machine (nor is the LX7, G15, X20, etc.). If you want what most people mean by "great bokeh and IQ" for children's portraits, then you need a larger sensor, fast aperture and longer lens. I'm assuming because you sold your 550D that it was too big for you? So, I'd recommend the Fuji XM1 w/35mm lens, Olympus OMD or Panasonic GX7 with the Olympus 45mm 1.8, or NEX with their 35/1.8 or 50/1.8. You are welcome to buy a Leica, but if you mean the X1 or X2, then that will not make good bokeh portraits of your kids. If you mean an m-series, then you are at the wrong price point.
 
Hi Kent, welcome to Serious Compacts!
Are you looking for a camera with a zoom lens? If you're looking at Leica compacts, any camera cheaper than the X1 or X2 (that is, the Digilux series), keep in mind that those cameras are exactly the same as their (considerably cheaper) Panasonic counterparts, except they sometimes have a somewhat different color profile in their jpeg files, and they come with better software. If a zooming compact is what you're after, the Fuji X20 offers the most bokeh at longer focal lengths, with the RX100(II) offering the most at wide angle. The Canon G1X might be worth considering too - very extensive controls, rotating screen, large sensor which means even a relatively slow lens has pretty shallow DOF for a compact (although it's considerably larger than the RX100). Otherwise, Olympus XZ2, Panasonic LX7 and Samsung EX2 are good cameras as well, offering pretty shallow DOF at longer focal lengths.

For non-zooming compacts, the Fuji X100S (35mm equivalent lens) has fairly shallow DOF, as does the quirky Sigma DP2M (45mm equivalent lens). Ricoh GR and Nikon A are pretty wide angle and not super fast, but will still give loads more bokeh than small-sensor compacts at 28mm equivalent.
 
Yes, I am looking for a compact wih a fixed zoom lens. Don't think I can live with a fixed 35mm equivalent lens, but did love shooting with my canon 50mm 1.4. And yes I sold my 550D because I left it at home to often.
But I think this a very tough decision. But You have both given me something to think about. I'll check out all of Your fine proposals. Thanks Again. And very quick answers.

Kent
 
Perhaps a 2 camera strategy. RX100 for travel and general use, and something bigger/better (like keeping your 550D!) for portraits. It's very hard (impossible?) to have 1 camera for both uses. micro four thirds is the best "in between" solution and there are some great lens choices.
 
Welcome to SC. Here is a good summary review of compacts and the dof chart from dpreview:

Roundup: Enthusiast Zoom Compact Cameras: Digital Photography Review

Graph.jpg


Based on these and the conversation above, I can recommend a nex 3n/5n/6n with 16-50mm pancake zoom lens & 35mm 1.8 OSS and/or 50mm 1.8 OSS (optical stabilized). That should give you the pancake w/ zoom range and a fast lens w/ dof similar to your 550D. You can also easily use cheap fast manual lenses eg 50mm 1.4/1.8 with focus peaking. If you are looking for longer reach af prime, then Olympus E-PL5 with 14-42mm zoom and 45mm 1.8 portrait lens might work. Sony nex and Oly pen combo's are similar size to these compacts except Canon S110/ Sony RX100 which are the only pocketable cameras for me, but they have slower apertures at the zoom ends, which kills you dof requirements. On the wide side RX100 is not bad as long as you are close to your subject.

You can also check the camera compare site for the size comparisons:
Compare camera dimensions side by side
 
I agree with serhan: Sony NEX-6 with the pancake 16-50mm powerzoom lens. You still have the option to add really fast primes later if you decided you needed them. And NEX-5N or 3N is also an option (and less money) but they don't have built-in viewfinders.
 
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