Best Point and Shoot camera.

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Al

Al

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Looking at $500 to $800 I wish it didn't have video but that seems to be the norm. Looking at Nikon A900, Canon G7X, Panasonic LX100 Nikon 870 Is only $170 and has a 38x zoom. I am really leaning toward the Canon only 4.2 x zoom but best picture quality. I guess at this point I would need to be talked out of the Canon you need a tripo for greater than 4 to one anyways.
 
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From all I have read the Sony RX100 is the best in terms of picture quality, but I have never used one. In the past I have found that the default Sony color palette is too cool for my taste and I don't want to be fiddling with adjustments all the time. Canons have the color palette just about nailed. However, for point and shoot you might be better off with a quality smartphone. I recently compared the quality of a point and shoot camera's shots with my lowly Lumia 640, and I was surprised that on extreme blowups the smartphone won out in terms of sharpness, detail, and lack of noise in moderate and bright light. The camera was better at low light, but the smartphone was surprisingly good. Get something like a Samsung S6 or a Lumia 950 and you will find the camera quality is superior to many point and shoots.
 
Same question as the last "what camera" post - what is your requirement? Generally speaking with a fixed lens camera you can pick two of the following: - zoom range - sensor size - lens speed That 38x zoom on the Nikon 870 is great if you need it. The smaller sensor and slow lens are bad if you'll be using it to take indoor pictures of people. Aforementioned Sony RX100 is a good camera but I think the current model is above your price range. Not sure what you mean about needing a tripod for 4x+ zoom - all of these things have stabilized lenses nowadays. Certain applications may call for a tripod but don't assume it's necessary just due to the long zoom. jeff
 
Do you have a monitor and printer to reveal " best photo quality"? that can also process RAW files? I don't and I have a sandybridge quad core Pentium with SS hd and tons of fast RAM cache available I prefer good handling and ergos. I did like way back in the day the semipro Nikon Coolpix I used for company technical photography. I just keep a somewhat compromised 16MP A2500 cannon (under 100 bucks) in the car in case I see something interesting on the road.
 
iPhone practically speaking... Or the Samsung equivalent, are probably the most convenient and usable cameras. I'd honestly get a small dslr. Nikon d3300. If I were buying a p&s, I'd get a Fuji x100, which I suspect is about $750-900 over the intended price point. We have an Olympus tg-4, which is hardened and waterproof. The battery life is the only thing I have against it. We've always had good luck with canon elph p&s cameras.
 
4x telephot is good enough, best picture quality, no iphone, no raw. Good picture, good sensor,must be point and shoot. Really looks like the Cannon @ $420. 32 GB + case..new. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-PowerShot-G7-X-Digital-Camera-32GB-Case-/191692861892?hash=item2ca1c8f1c4:g:49YAAOSw9N1VtVg2 Nikon d3300e I think is out: "Live View performance remains terrible, taking almost 2 seconds to focus and shoot thanks to slow everything -- slow autofocus, slow mirror movement -- and two consecutive JPEG shots takes 3.7 seconds. The annoying small, dim viewfinder hasn't changed, unsurprising since that's typical for these entry-level models. I really dislike the tiny focus points which only illuminate (and briefly) when you half-press the shutter. They're impossible to see in moderate to dim light" But thanks it was worth looking at!!
 
Go to this site and get accurate reviews with blow-ups to compare side x side images. http://www.dpreview.com If picture quality is your goal (color, clarity, enlargements) the best bet in a point and shoot is to go with basically three main things. Lens quality, sensor size, and THEN megapixels. One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking that the more megapixels...the better the clarity. This is not true. Digital photography is like a computer. All components must work together in terms of equal input and output. You can have a 20MP camera with a poor lens or sensor....and get better results with an 8MP camera with a large sensor and great leans. I've done it many times. For the money, I would prefer the Panasonic-Lumix LX100. I own a Panasonic mega-zoom camera. It's been exceptional in image quality.....even after three years. Why? Because of the combined package of the three elements I mentioned. Most Panasonics have a Leica made lens. Leica is generally known for very good quality lenses for probably at least 80 years. The one you have highlighted also has a four-thirds sensor and 13mp. Just offhand I would choose that model from my experiences with the brand. Great simplicity and use of features and typically superior image quality. By the way....iPhones are a poor choice if zoom and enlargements are a goal. They suck for that. But of course, if a quick, generally basic photo...they are perfectly fine. You can review hundreds of cameras at the site link I provided.
 
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Originally Posted By: KrisZ
If you want an excellent, compact digital camera I would look at Leica models. Pricey, but extremely good quality and specs.
That's good advice, but look at the Panasonic LX7. Same camera and keeps the fast Leica 1.4 lens.
 
Love the non-sequiter answers you get to a question like this. Al, since you're OK with a short zoom, you can obviously rule out all of the small sensor "travel" zoom type cameras like that Nikon you mentioned, or stuff like the Panasonic ZS series. andrewg linked to dpreview, here is that site's 2015 "advanced zoom compacts" summary: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/2015-roundup-advanced-zoom-compacts They like the Sony RX100 and Panasonic LX100 best. An important feature you should think about is a viewfinder - the G7X does not have one, the LX100 and RX100s do. Looks like the Canon G5X has one and is otherwise the same as the G7X. FYI that ebay listing is for a grey market import from a semi-shady non-authorized dealer and does not include a OEM warranty. Buyer beware. Amazon prices are more representative of legit deals: G7X - $600 G5X - $750 RX100 v3 - $800 RX100 v4 - $950 LX100 - $700 FYI recent Leica compact cameras are rebadged Panasonics. They've had their own versions of the LX7, LX100, and FZ1000. Also FWIW SD cards are nearly free so don't put too much stock in a bundled card. You can get a top-notch 16GB Sandisk from Amazon for $8. 32GB is overkill unless you're going on a multi-week trip during which you'll never be able to download the pictures. jeff
 
Look at the NIKON COOLPIC cameras. I find them very reliable and easy to use. The model depends on the requirements you want as to Zoom ratio, view screen size, number of Pixels and I like to use AA batteries. Ed
 
Originally Posted By: Cadenza
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
If you want an excellent, compact digital camera I would look at Leica models. Pricey, but extremely good quality and specs.
That's good advice, but look at the Panasonic LX7. Same camera and keeps the fast Leica 1.4 lens.
Yes, I forgot the Panasonic models. However they do not get the Leica picture post processing software, like the classic Leica B&W film look. Pretty much identical cameras otherwise and an excellent choice as well.
 
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