Small P&S Recommendations

Hey Everyone,
So I'm in the market for a small point and shoot again. My Canon G9 is acting up (needs repair) and I think I want something with comparable capability but a smaller form factor.

I was watching Scott Bacon use his Canon S95 on our last trip together and it seemed like a great size. I'm not familiar with it's quality. I've also hear some of you talk about the Lumix series I think.

I'm headed to LA for the next couple of days on a business trip and I thought it would be a good opportunity to hit a Fry's or some other big electronics store and pick something up.

So in addition to dpreview.com, etc. I'd really like to hear what you are carrying to augment your DSLR kit on the trail.

Thanks!

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 that is a couple of years old. I think the current version is a ZS8 and for ~$250, is tough to beat. Lecia lens, 16x optical zoom, image stabilization, excellent LCD. Super compact, and fits in my back pocket. For business travel and casual photography it's a perfect solution. The 12x optical zoom that I have is the best feature, imo. And teamed up with the Leica lens, image quality is excellent.

NEX5!! OK, it's not quite a P&S and with the lenses it's larger...but I'll throw a shout out for it since you broadened the topic by asking what you carry to augment your DSLR kit.

14 MPX, the kit lens is pretty nice.

PRO: Great image quality with DX0 ranking it ahead of the 7D sensor (if you're into that kind of thang)
Customizable buttons
Fairly small, discreet, nice LCD, Manual Assist feature with "Peaking" coming on June 20th
Sweet AUTO pano feature
Compatible with many older manual lenses...via adapter (the adapter support is insane)
Nice video

CON: Battery HOG
Menu driven system not for everyone (but I like mine!!)
Not many Sony Lenses yet...but a Zeiss 1.7 24mm is rumored to be released this year

I'm still using and will always recommend the Canon G11 for two reasons.
It has RAW capabilities and an optical viewfinder. I simply cannot deal with using the rear LCD screen of any camera to compose an image, esp. in bright daylight.

I'll echo John's endorsement of the G11. It's not that much larger than the S95, but it does shoot RAW and it does have the optical viewfinder. I'll also mention that it's image quality is quite respectable. This enlarged image is about ONE-THIRD of the original camera image (next post, and handheld, to boot), yet it's sharp and clear. By the way, never forget that the only way to get longer wide-to-tele ratios without increasing camera size is by using smaller sensors, and that never helps image quality.

Here's the original camera image.

I chose the Canon s95 because it fits in my front pocket, shoots in (Canon) RAW format, and has good image quality. Personally, if a P&S doesn't fit in my pocket, I don't take it along. If the P&S must go in some kind of case, I'd rather just take my 5D2. I won't be making 20x30 prints from its files, but 11x14s look quite nice. I did consider the Panasonic Lumix series for its wide(er) angle lens. In some situations, that would be nice.

FWIW, I also use the s95 for most of our family snapshots. The color balance and exposure, with and without flash, using the default settings on full program are spot-on perfect.

For me, the s95 is the perfect P&S. When it breaks or dies, I'll buy another - or the latest version.

I stuck with the G10 for the same reason as Mr. Mumaw. While I use the LCD when possible, in bright sunlight it's impossible for me to work without an optical viewfinder. Size wise, I wish it was a little smaller like the S95 but hey, you can't have everything. As far as performance, it's done everything I've asked it to do flawlessly.

Thanks guys! I appreciate the input. I did some additional research and my choices came down to the Canon S95 and the Lumix LX5 or ZS10. I'm giving the ZS10 a try since Costco had a good deal on a kit and they have a 100% satisfaction guaruntee. The main question I have for myself is whether I can live without RAW.

Like Scott, one of the overriding criteria was size. I've had the G9 for a few years and I don't carry it a lot of the time because it's just a little too big. I love the features and the new G11/12 seem to have addressed some of the noise issues I have, but I wanted something smaller. The ZS10 is a 14mpx sensor vice 10 on the LX5/S95. Other features and image quality seem to be good too (according to reviews), so if not having RAW isn't a hinderence, this may work well for me. I was also really interested in the waterproof models, but they seems to lack a lot of the nicer features.

Thanks again for taking the time to tell me about what you use.
Kalin

Nice! The value of RAW, imo, comes down to how you're planning to use it. I have a G10 for when I want DSLR-like features/quality in a smaller package that is more easily accessible on the trail. My Lumix is for more casual shooting where pocket-size is more important than post-processing flexibility. I took my G10 on a 3-week business trip through Europe and the UAE; really wish I had taken the Lumix instead (for its size and zoom reach).

The ZS10 also has integrated GPS which I'd love to play with. I imagine it could be a battery hog, but I'd be willing to carry a spare for that feature. Let us know how it works out.

I've been happy with the image quality of the s90. The f/2 lens is nice, but the aperture drops off quickly when you begin zooming out. I like the ring-around-the-lens which I set to be the zoom.

I don't like the missing viewfinder, but the real problem is lack of immediacy: i.e. the delay between turning on, pressing the shutter and executing the shot.

If you want to go micro 4/3 and use all your Leica lenses (ahem!), the Olympus E-PL1 is at $400 on BHphotovideo.

For P+S there are roughly 4 to choose from if you want RAW. Panny LX-5, Canon G-12 or S-95, and the Oly XZ1

If you can live without RAW the Panny ZX zooms are nice, I got the ZX3 for my wife and it does nice results.

I did an article here on this very topic.

http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles0510/dh0510-1.html

My nutshell take is the images I get from my LX-3 look great at 12x18 (personally as good as anything I ever did at 12x18 from 35mm) and from RAW looks pretty good at 16x24.

A P+S will NOT replace a DSLR but do supplement one very well.

All of these were taken with the LX-3 and look great as 16x24 prints.

http://www.wildernessphotographer.net/SpecialLandscapes/Small-Format-Landscapes-1/15446418_dfHMi#949785900_rC8MB

Hope that helps.

Art makes some good points about the NEX-5. It is something I will consider as a future travel camera. Not quite as pocketable as my LX-3 but very small body. That and two small lenses might work.

I still would love to see a G-12 type camera with an APS-C sensor too.

I have the S90 and have successfully made 20x24 from three of my images before. I like it since I have raw .CR2 files to work with.

RichieV

This image was taken with the S90 and I have printed at 20x24.

Shanghai China
Canon S90

I've been using the LX-3 for a couple years and still really like it. The LX-5 keeps all the good parts and adds to the focal length range so far as I can tell. Has pretty good dynamic range, has a good range of focal lengths and is compact for the capabilities.

Mel-