Small(ish) camera ideas?

[macgyver]

Recently I've begun to grow weary of lugging my dslr set up everywhere. It's heavy and, frankly, it's a bit too much like "work" for me (given that most of the time I am using it for business purposes). I'd love to be able to find a small(ish) camera (film or digital is fine) that I can carry around fairly easily and enjoy taking photos with. I think, though I don't know because I've never really gotten to use one much, that a rangefinder of some kind would be great. However the limiting factor for me is money. I just can't justify spending too much (probably sub-500 USD) on something right now.

Last year I picked up a used and partially operable olympus 35-rc for $5 or so at a used camera shop near me. I love the little sucker, something along those lines would be great. It doesn't have to be an amazing work horse or top end unit, just something that produces good pictures, is small and isn't too costly (film costs aside).

Does the LL community have any ideas I could pursue?

Thanks guys,

-mac

[nexus6]

im planning on buying a canon G9. its small and powerful. also you can get a underwater housing for it quite cheaply

[sojournerphoto]

Recently I've begun to grow weary of lugging my dslr set up everywhere. It's heavy and, frankly, it's a bit too much like "work" for me (given that most of the time I am using it for business purposes). I'd love to be able to find a small(ish) camera (film or digital is fine) that I can carry around fairly easily and enjoy taking photos with. I think, though I don't know because I've never really gotten to use one much, that a rangefinder of some kind would be great. However the limiting factor for me is money. I just can't justify spending too much (probably sub-500 USD) on something right now.

Last year I picked up a used and partially operable olympus 35-rc for $5 or so at a used camera shop near me. I love the little sucker, something along those lines would be great. It doesn't have to be an amazing work horse or top end unit, just something that produces good pictures, is small and isn't too costly (film costs aside).

Does the LL community have any ideas I could pursue?

Thanks guys,


-mac
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=181211\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I just bought a ricoh gx100 and am very pleased with it. I preferred the controls to the Canon G9 that was the obvious competitor, though the zoom ranges are very different. I also like the step zoom on the ricoh and he two custom settings and other customisability (is that a word). It's a very practical little tool.

Oh, and at iso100 with good exposure I've done a few 15 by 10 inch prints.

Mike

[Jimmy Kirkland]

I have a Canon G9 that is about 3 weeks old, haven't printed anything yet, but the images on my photoshop computer(THE ONE THAT MATCHES MY LAB)..look as good or better than the 20D I have been using! Heck of lot lighter and smaller too. I too got tried of lugging the studio camera around..so I bought the G9.  I will print some images soon ..that will be the pudding proof!

Jimmy Kirkland

[DarkPenguin]

I have a Canon G9 that is about 3 weeks old, haven't printed anything yet, but the images on my photoshop computer(THE ONE THAT MATCHES MY LAB)..look as good or better than the 20D I have been using! Heck of lot lighter and smaller too. I too got tried of lugging the studio camera around..so I bought the G9.  I will print some images soon ..that will be the pudding proof!

Jimmy Kirkland
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=181236\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I don't think the G9 at ISO 80 is as good as the 20D at ISO 800.

I like mine but that is the real issue.  This is why I want to buy the Oly E-420 when it is available.

[sojournerphoto]

I don't think the G9 at ISO 80 is as good as the 20D at ISO 800.

I like mine but that is the real issue.  This is why I want to buy the Oly E-420 when it is available.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=181261\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I don't know about the G9, but certainly the Ricoh at iso100 is far short of the 5D at iso 800 in terms of noise, and by iso400 it is very noisy indeed. My daughter has a G7 that I bought for her secondhand and I am (so far) astounded by the clean appearance of it's jpgs - but I've not printed any yet, so I supect there is a lot of NR going on in camera.

Mike

[DarkPenguin]

The upshot of the G9 is that you have a ton of pixels.  So you can afford to destroy a lot of them when you clean things up.  Makes a nice 6mp camera.

[Jimmy Kirkland]

DarkPenguin
Like I said ..I have not printed any yet.  I was using mine in manual mode and the exposure was dead on, I have not tried any other mode so that may be why they appear to be so good.  By getting the exposure as close perfect as I could and getting the focus as close as I could, I was giving the camera a chance to show how will it could shoot. Good enough for a point and shoot!

Jimmy Kirkland

[witz]

for a cheap non digi.... my fav is the oly XA.... sharp as a tack images and fits in a shirt pocket!

http://www.cameraquest.com/xa4.htm

I have not used mine in at least 10 years... but i won't part with it.... I had a rollie35 as well, but the oly took better shots (sharper).

I wish they made a FF35 digi out of these!

[macgyver]

Thanks for the responses guy, infact the XA and G9 are two of the ones I've been looking at.  Any others?

-mac

[Er1kksen]

I can add another to the XA vote, be sure to check out the XA2 as well... less control and slower lens, but still a great camera. Honestly a little better for fast shots due to the greater simplicity. My XA2's residence in my pocket has allowed me to never miss a good shot.

[sojournerphoto]

I can add another to the XA vote, be sure to check out the XA2 as well... less control and slower lens, but still a great camera. Honestly a little better for fast shots due to the greater simplicity. My XA2's residence in my pocket has allowed me to never miss a good shot.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=181586\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Axtually, I always fancied a Yashica T4:)

Mike

[mfunnell]

I always have a little Canon digital IXUS 40 (aka SD300) in my pocket as a "notebook camera".  But, if not carrying something larger I usually carry an O|ympus mju:II (aka Stylus Epic - the one with the 35mm f2.8 lens), an Olympus XA or Contax T2 - in roughly that order of preference.  I find the lighter weight, faster shutter (1/1000th) and, yes, autofocus of the little mju quite convenient. The lens is as good as the XA (not the T2), it takes a good photo - and it's cheap as chips.  (Having to switch the flash off manually is a pain, though.)

   ...Mike

[Sangio]

Hi Mac:

I agree with Mike, if you don't mind using film, take a look at the Olympus SytusEpic 35 mm camera.  It's small, drizzle-proof, has an outstanding 35 mm F2.8 lens,; and... it  can still be purchased new for around $80.

cheers
Santo

[mrleonard]

If it's fil your looking at ..don't overlook the Rollie 35 camera. I had mine for years...the German made one. SUper sharp 35mm lens and FULL manual control. They used to be rater costly compared to Olypus XA etc...but they are cheap now.

[Ken Bennett]

I have an XA and a couple of XA2's. I'd still like to find an XA4 sometime. Get the XA -- having control over focus and aperture are priceless. (And don't forget that you have complete control over exposure compensation by moving the ISO dial.)

The XA has a decent sharp lens, gets the exposure right most of the time, and closes up into a robust package the size of a pack of cigarettes. And the tiny batteries last for years. If you can handle the film workflow, and find a decent copy, it's not a bad choice.