Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Favorite compact camera?

Gentlemen,
I apologize for this being bit off topic, however, I was curious what your favorite point and shoot pocket camera is for taking unexpected and close shots in the field for later publication? For the purposes of this discussion I am setting a camera price limit of $1000 akin to the Sony RX100 iV...

Much obliged, Matt.

Canon G series, they are now up to the G16. If my G12 croaked I'd replace it with a G16.

I use an Olympus Stylus series camera. It takes the best pictures of any point/shoot I've seen. The only down side it doesn't take batteries. It will hold a charge for over a week during cold weather hunting so it hasn't been an issue. I have an extra charged battery in the camera case.

This. My G12 has been an awesome little camera.

I'm perfectly happy with the Gen I for a lot less money than the IV... with stuff like cameras I prefer to buy behind the technology curve and save money. These things are upgraded yearly and the differences can be managed with gnat tweezers.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/869238-REG/Sony_DSC_RX100_Digital_Camera.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/28/t...ographers-can-love-state-of-the-art.html

Matt,

The two point-and-shoots I have aren't anywhere near $1000, mostly because taking photos for most hunting and shooting magazines doesn't require all that much, due to the limitations of printing relatively small photos on paper which isn't always top-notch, though there's one exception among the magazines I work for.

Save yourself $500 and get a G16.

I use a Pentax Optio WG1 for my fly fishing articles. Nice pocket size point and shoot, great for candid pictures.
Even in Canada it only cost around $300.00. 14mp, waterproof, I have used it take underwater shots. I have had it for a few years now, works great.

Another option would be the Canon S120 or older s110. Same sensor as G16, wider angle lens(24-120)than the G16(28-140) but smaller camera overall. Only downside is having to deal with more menus than the G12's exterior knobs.

Have not used or owned one but have read great reviews of the Ricoh GRII. For a little more than half your budget it uses an APS-C sensor like many pro crop sensor cameras and has a great lens albeit fixed at 28mm equivalent.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/searc...earch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

Gentlemen,
You truly don't know how much I appreciate your input and it could not have come at a better time... I had just placed a $1300 plus order with Amazon and when I happened to check back here and read through your individual thoughts on the matter... In short I likely set a record canceling an order and dealing with their Customer Service. Time for some more research. Thanks to each and every one of you again...

Merry Christmas!

Best Regards, Matt Garrett
757-581-6270

Btw, I did keep the Thule Covert Camera Bag... I've read they are well put together.

I won't rebut any other brand mentioned; but, as an "advanced amateur" I concur with the recommendations of the Canon G series, G10 through G16 and the Canon S series, S100 through S120. The earlier numbers in both those series (G9, G10, G11, G12, S100, S110) can now be found at very reasonable prices and are excellent cameras.

Matt, I compared the Canon G's extensively with the Sony RX's and opted for the Sony. For my needs I found it the better camera, but I doubt you could go wrong either way...

My favorite is the Lumix (Panasonic) DMC-ZS50. In size, it will fit any loose pocket in a shirt or jacket. It turns on within just a few seconds, there is no wait time between shots as the camera records the image, the zoom is incredible (nice for pictures of a dog on point without having to get right up to it and disturb things), and it has sufficient pixels for magazine quality photos without having so many pixels that the low light shots (think about when the deer are active)have sparkles in them. Too, it has a view finder so that when the sun is bright and at my back, I don't have to deal with a washed out screen.

The drawback is that it does not come with an external battery charger, so that has to be bought separately.

Matt--whatever camera you are about to choose, look at dpreview for their take on it. Also Ken Rockwell's reviews are extremely well done.

One thing to beware--avoid those cameras with high lag times between pressing the shutter release and actual shutter function. Also avoid cameras with extremely large zoom ranges, like 25 or 50 to 1. Best lenses are typically only 3 or 4 to 1. Look for the largest sensor.

Gentlemen,
Again I greatly appreciate the input... Thank you.

Brad,
I've been looking at this for two months rather hard and I'm kind of sold on the RX100s for better or worse. Having handled, shot, and otherwise felt the rest and I came away much impressed with them again fwiw. That said I think I was getting in a bit over my head with the extra option on the RX100IV. Going back to take a look at which "retro" model to go with...

Regards, Matt.

fwiw, I should have learned something about buying the newest, latest, and greatest by the manufacturer's PR machine. I traded a superb BA & BN 8x42 Leica for the Ultravid BL which were being delivered by the hand of god or so I was told. Have never been that disappointed in optical performance. My BA & BN were Shot Show Samples and hence hand picked. My Ultraved BL were picked off a shelf, thrown in a box, and sent off to my soon to be disgusted hands... Been a Missouri boy ever since then...

fwiw,
I could have spec's three custom rifles in the time it has taken me to go through the details on these cameras. I have read and appreciate what everyone has said but I'll damned if choice can't be over whelming on occasion...

Tis a G16 or an RX100 of a little more modest flavor... We'll see.

Brad,
Do you shoot any Video with yours? That was one reason I was looking at the IV. It has 1080 AND 4K...

Regards, Matt.

Best thing you can do Matt regarding cameras is after you buy one, never read another thing about cameras ever again. Well till it breaks anyway. Every 3 months, 50 new models come out and they are all vastly superior to the previous.

Yes and yes.....

Yes Sir, I can see hard won wisdom in that recommendation...(laughing and planning to heed that advice)

Actually own a book titled The Paradox of Choice that kind of sums up how having unlimited choices is really not all that we think it is.. Turns out to be a hell of a chore in the end...imho & fwiw.

Regards, Matt Garrett
757-581-6270