Thinking aloud about a go-everywhere pocket camera

Shirt pockets sag & need a button down for when you bend forward
trouserpockets look a bit bulky with a camera in them
coat pocket for winter wear

I personally favour a decent belt pouch for easy access which also frees up the size question of the camera

The Casio I mentioned in my original post was always in a belt pouch. Over time I came to use a very light shoulder bag, then a bigger one, and now a dedicated Thinktank camera bag which goes with me everywhere. It would be nice to get back to carrying a small, high quality camera that I can use almost in lieu of bigger gear.

I'm not averse to a belt pouch, but the camera needs to be small enough to have very little footprint. The largest camera I could carry in a belt pouch was the Canon S70: the G7 and G10 became simply too big to wear with everyday clothes or a suit for work. The Fuji F30 was small enough, as was the S90, of course. But by then, I was carrying the GRD III in my pocket.

I'm giving more thought to the Sony RX-100, but of course the new Ricoh GR looks incredibly exciting. For the price of a Panasonic GH3 (which I think I may need to buy for work), I could get the RX-100 and the GR, hahaha!

Thank you to everyone for your input, it's giving me a lot to think about!

@Ray - what I'd love is a tiny black camera that slips into a pocket, produces DSLR quality stills and video, maybe a bit of zoom, and superb handling and stealth factor. Everything else is a compromise after that. The Ricoh GR lacks image stabilization and I doubt the video performance will be like the RX-100 or OM-D. But the RX-100 lacks the ability to turn off the LCD and it's like a bar of wet soap to hold. So while the perfect camera is unlikely to materialize just yet, I can perhaps learn to live with what's available.
 
I've been very happy with the S100, which I used 100% in RAW. Truly pocketable, good heft and great handling with a Flipbac rubber grip on the front, nice max F2.0 aperture on the wide 24mm end. Also loved the customizable lens control ring--I had mine set on the zoom selection mode. I found it great for street shooting, very discreet. I use the past tense because, unfortunately, I left it at a big birthday bash for my wife's uncle last Sunday; we returned to the restaurant when I remembered and it was no longer there. :( Need to wait for another Amazon super sale.
 
I carry the RX100 everywhere with a cute little case logic belt pouch. Most of the time I forget it is there, but when I want it the quality of output is excellent for a small camera.
 
Another vote for the RX100. I've had a few of the cameras OP mentioned. I've found the RX100 is the best of the bunch. It is super slippery. It is the only camera I have ever used with a wrist strap. I've ordered that exact same "pimp" kit that OP posted a link to. Still waiting for it to arrive.
 
I pretty much gave up on "pocketable". I need an eye-level finder and am willing to sacrifice pocketability to get it. I do wear a multi-pocketed vest that allows me to slip just about any small camera (including any of the Pens) in one of the large pockets, but find I enjoy more carrying my X20 in a small belt-worn case, hardly bigger than the camera itself, that is convenient and never feels, "in the way".

I guess if something you can slip in a pants pocket is important to you, the RX100 is an excellent choice, but two things turn me off: It has no eye level finder -- not a deal breaker for some, but a definite deal breaker for me -- and its lens is slow on the long end. Great camera, but it does not meet my needs. In the end, I need full manual controls, easy, one-touch exposure compensation for when I'm using A priority, and a viewfinder. For me right now the X20 is a perfect solution to my "small camera" needs. Though I find its jpeg wanting, I shoot raw anyway, so it's not that important to me.
 
I had tried my Fuji F series for this, sadly none of the F5XX or F6XX's were without lens issues.
My GRD 3 comes closest for me...tho the Nokia 808 really does go with me every where there are time I want a bit more control...the new GR...ahhhhh there's the rub
 
When I posted my Ode to the Canon G7 a little while ago, it was with memories of going into the City at night a few days after purchase, to put the G7 through its paces and see what I could make of it. The City trip is something I do with every new camera, revisiting old places and seeing what the new acquisition does with familiar sights and scenes. As my cameras became larger, my enjoyment reduced slightly, and as I look back, I realize that some of my most enjoyable photographic times were with a pocket sized camera.

Before larger sensors, all I knew was the image quality of a small sensor, and DSLR's were a world and a half out of reach back then. But since I've been spoiled by large sensor cameras, the small cams don't quite do it for me like they used to. The new GR is hopefully the best blend of large sensor and small camera that I can get; if I find myself slipping through the City at night, emerging to capture what I see and then disappearing into the background, I'll be very happy, indeed!
 
Yeah really the only thing the GR is missing in comparison to most little compacts is zoom capabilities and really since I can accept my film cameras having fixed lenses [my Lomo LCA+ with the wide lens and shoe mount ovf looks a LOT like the Ricoh with those options] then I think, in this instance [because face it this GR sounds kick-ar$e] it'll all be good. If it's not glitchy anyway.
 
For me, the "one came" has always been a Ricoh GRD. And now it's the GR. But I have the Nikon A and using that camera has confirmed my love for the 28mm larger sensor serious compact. Throw in macro and I'm set. So, for me the Ricoh GR will be my main camera going forward.

That said, in the interest of being informative, the Nikon A impressed me so much that I bought a Nikon P330 for a family trip to Disneyland. The P330 really impressed me and it's super light and small. Very pocketable.
 
A couple of months since my initial posts in this thread, and the Ricoh GR is my new carry-everywhere pocket camera.

The GR absolutely delivers when it comes to image quality, speed, handling and pocketability. It easily goes into jackets and even loose jeans, and feels great in the hand. It's a camera that can come out of a pocket, start up and shoot, and be back in my pocket before anyone knows. The lack of VF doesn't bother me, and if I really want one, I can use a tiny Voigtlander 28/35 optical viewfinder.

There have been days when I've gone out with the GR and another camera, only to just use the GR. Even going to the shops involved taking three cameras out of habit, but now I'm happy with just the GR.

As far as carrying it, the GR happily rides in a jacket pocket, and I've bought the original leather GR belt case from Japan. It fit the GR perfectly, of course, and the flap is attached by metal snaps, so you can take the flap off if you want rapid access to the camera. The flap is secured with a magnetic strip, which I am careful to keep away from credit cards and my watch, but I've still had no trouble with that. The magnetic flap makes opening and closing the case totally silent, although I prefer to stash the camera in a pocket, as digging into a belt pouch is comparatively cumbersome and conspicuous.

For four years, I've carried the GRD III everywhere, and now the GR has stepped up. Not only as a back up or secondary camera, but as a primary. And given the crazy gear I've accumulated over the years, that's saying a lot.
 
Does the belt case sit horizontally or vertically? I find the former more comfortable and more discreet under a jacket, which is why I use the Leica belt cases for the Minilux etc.

Sent from another Galaxy
 
I currently have a pre-order in for a Panasonic LF1. Yes, I know the RX100 has a bigger sensor. But the LF1 is about the same width and height - and noticeably narrower and lighter. The LF1 zooms from 28-200mm and offers an EVF. Aperture steps aren't bad, either. It starts at f/2.0 and you're still at f/2.6 at 48mm, still at f/3.2 at 77mm and still at f/4.4 at 117mm. As a truly pocketable, take-everywhere camera that offers more than a phone camera, can, I think it is a solid option. For those who don't mind the higher price and no viewfinder, the RX100 would be the choice.
 
I currently have a pre-order in for a Panasonic LF1.
When this was first written about in the announcement thread, I was really unimpressed... and then I thought about it some more. I may well join you in ownership of this one. I am still looking for a long zoom compact, having returned the little Fuji I bought... and the LF1 might just be the ticket. Its that, or I will have to go back to a smaller sensor and I don't really want to.
 
Does the belt case sit horizontally or vertically? I find the former more comfortable and more discreet under a jacket, which is why I use the Leica belt cases for the Minilux etc.

Sent from another Galaxy

The belt case for the GR is vertical. The leather is firm and of good quality, although it does add an amount of bulk due to the thick back. My first digital camera rode in a vertical zippered clamshell case, and the next was in a velcro sleeve case. Both were thicker than the GR in its case. Over the winter and colder months, the GR will go into a pocket, and in the summer it will sit on the belt.

I'll look into horizontal cases, now that you mention it. I bought a horizontal zippered clamshell case for my Contax T3 a few years ago, but haven't used it much. If I can find it, I'll see how it goes with the GR.
 
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