Best pocket point and shoot for under £1500?

[Helen Barber]

Decided to separate from my phone. Just something to take out for special events. Would like to fit in coat pocket.

I will run camera on auto mode.

I could go £2000 if needed

Thanks

 

[robj20]

£2000 and auto mode. Stick with your phone.

 

[Smeghead]

Getting a £2000 camera (even £1000) and leaving it on auto is like getting a Ferrari to drive in a 20mph area.

I noticed you also posted in the Photography board. Honestly, the advice to stick with a phone and/or some kind of iPhone is probably your best option. They've been specifically engineered to squeeze out the maximum quality and convenience in the space given. Is it going to beat a dedicated camera? No. It's a do-everything device that's like 12mm thick. Where exactly is it going to fit actual high quality components that compete with DSLRs and the like? Will it give you decent results with the least hassle and taking into consideration the size? Sure.

The way you keep mentioning "auto auto auto", auto camera settings, auto RAW processing magically make beautiful with 1 click; photography processing and video processing doesn't work like that. People wouldn't be able to make careers out of it if it were that easy.

The Sony Pro-I you mentioned I would not recommend for you. Sony phones are a bit weird, in that they're almost designed with an expectation that you'll do some kind of post-processing to get the most of them, be it with the videos or their photos. Their auto modes are said to be quite poor compared to the competition.

 

[dave28]

Get a used Sony RX100 for a few hundred quid, they are the best pocket cameras in the world.

£2K is not for pocket cameras, that is for semi pro interchangable fast action cameras and that kind of thing.

 

[Helen Barber]

Thanks all

Would a Sony RX100 5 beat any mobile phone for pictures?

 

[LiE]

Thanks all

Would a Sony RX100 5 beat any mobile phone for pictures?

Depends on what aspects of a photo you feel are lacking from a phone. Convenience, portability, easy of use, image sharing, the phone will win. You can get better pictures from a dedicated camera but I feel like to get the most you should be investing some time in understanding how to use it. This is why point and shoot cameras are on the decline, people just use their phone.

If you want to get an appreciably better photo you'll need to learn about how to take those photos.

 

[Smeghead]

Thanks all

Would a Sony RX100 5 beat any mobile phone for pictures?

For the most part yes, but again, it doesn't matter how incredible the camera is - if all you're doing is putting it on auto mode, it will limit what you can truly get out of a camera. I think you need to get out of this mindset of "more expensive = better. I paid more for it therefore the pictures will be better quality". If you don't know how to use it, a bad photo will be a bad photo regardless. You can look up on youtube challenges where professionals are given rubbish/basic equipment, yet they're able to come up with something half decent, because they know how to take good photos, not just how to press the shutter of an expensive camera.

Mind if I ask what your intention for the photos/videos will be? Because if it's just typical saving family moments, sticking onto social media Facebook and the like, printing a few photos at Boots, then a phone will really be more than sufficient.

 

[grudas]

Thanks all

Would a Sony RX100 5 beat any mobile phone for pictures?

Yes if you know how to use it and what the settings do. If you leave it in auto I highly doubt that it'll perform better than say a pixel 6 or iPhone 13

 

[mrgubby]

I've got a Samsung S20FE, Sony RX100 & a Canon R5 based kit.

I think I last used the RX100 two years ago...

 

[Spleen Sauce]

Auto mode? Get a Google Pixel or the latest iPhone. It’s ‘AI’ based auto modes with auto HDR etc are going to be far better than an expensive camera.

If you absolutely must have a camera, either a Fujifilm X100V or a Ricoh GR3 will fit in a coat pocket (well, a large one in the case of the X100V).

 

[Buddy]

Fuji x100v. You've got the choice of various film simulations , eye tracking in a compact size.

Also looks super sexy. I love mine. Use it regularly for life / family.

 

[ethan]

Fuji x100v. You've got the choice of various film simulations , eye tracking in a compact size.

Also looks super sexy. I love mine. Use it regularly for life / family.

As above and I'm a Sony shooter. Most cameras have a dedicated program mode in addition to auto that you might find useful. You could then progress to manual after. If you don't decide on the Fuji get the Sony RX100. Quite an accomplished point and shoot in all scenarios.