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Pug

Pug

Soldato
Joined
20 Oct 2002
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5,184
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I am having real difficulty making a decision on which camera to buy for when i don't want to lug my DSLR around.

I have narrowed it down to:

Sony RX100 (this is too expensive, and the mk II is even more, but it seems the best compromise between image quality, ISO performance and size)

As i don't want to buy the RX100 (due to the price of the mki and the fact the mkii is better but more cash) i have been looking for the next best, and think i have narrowed it down to the Panasonic LX7, Panasonic LF1 and maybe the Canon S120 (or S110 depending on price).

The way i see it:
LX7
+ 1/1.7" sensor
+ Super fast f1.4-f2.3 4x zoom (is 4x enough?)
+ Good image quality
- No wifi/nfc or touchscreen
- non-integrated lens cap is a PITAh

Summary: smaller sensor than the RX100/ii, but the faster lens will mean more light gets captured than other 1/1.7" sensors (7x more light at the telephoto end). Half the price to the Mkii RX100.

LF1
+ 28-200mm zoom, may be useful
+ Wifi/Touchscreen
+ Smaller than LX7
+ Good IQ
- Lens not as bright as LX7 (but equivalent to S110/120 when zoomed) problematic at the long end?

Summary: likely to have more noise due to the slower lens, but it is smaller & has more features

S120
+ fast lens @ short end (but not at zoom end), and slower than LX7
+ Very small
+ wifi (but limited in it's functionality)
- battery life a bit short
- Slightly inferior image quality (from reviews)

Summary: almost as good, but a LOT smaller

Help me decide!
 
Thanks Alex!

In the end I plumped for the RX100.

Terrific IQ, and well worth the money. FWIW my DSLR is a Sony too, and very similar in use!
 
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Had horrible experiences with a Fuji exr camera in the past, so much so I'd struggle to trust it again.

That said on paper it does look a good spec.
 
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