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Best compact camera for available light indoor portraits

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DavidC

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I'd be grateful for a steer on which compact camera - preferably with a modest zoom capability - will give best results in low light, indoor people photography. This seems to be overlooked in most of the camera reviews in favour of the usual pictures of flowers and hills, and my interest is people.

Thanks for any advice.
 
Few compact cameras are suitable for low light due to their small sensors, high pixel count and dark lenses,

A few were designed to overcome these problem, but very few.

The Canon S110 is worth looking at.

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www.usa.canon.com

Joe
 
Canon S110 is probably the best at a low price point. Be aware the lens captures less light the more you zoom in. (f# increases) $249.

Consider also Olympus XZ2, a little bigger, but capturing more light than the S110 as you zoom in. (f/# increases but not by as much.) currently runs $299 as it as been out for a while.

Sony RX100 series is the the next step up, but pricier. The latest one, the RX100III being the best.
 
Thank you. I have an RX100II and it is fine in good light but nothing special in low indoor light with animated people. I was wondering about the Panasonic LX100 which has yet to be fully tested and reviewed but the IQ I have seen looks underwhelming. I guess that I'm after something that does not yet exist - though for many people, interior people shots are one of the main uses to which they put their cameras. Thanks for your advice.
 
The Canons are so good in this area, that I still use the amazing s95 for my low-light backup. And, I use it in a Canon UW case for underwater, low-light photography. There is little difference in the "s" versions that followed; and there are pleanty of mint condition s95"s out there.
 
DavidC said:
I'd be grateful for a steer on which compact camera - preferably with a modest zoom capability - will give best results in low light, indoor people photography. This seems to be overlooked in most of the camera reviews in favour of the usual pictures of flowers and hills, and my interest is people.

Thanks for any advice.
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Not sure if its the best per se, but try the Panasonic Lumix LX7.
 
DavidC said:
I'd be grateful for a steer on which compact camera - preferably with a modest zoom capability - will give best results in low light, indoor people photography. This seems to be overlooked in most of the camera reviews in favour of the usual pictures of flowers and hills, and my interest is people.

Thanks for any advice.
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Back in 2006, I have had awesome experience with the Canon A410

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www.dpreview.com
 
DavidC said:
I'd be grateful for a steer on which compact camera - preferably with a modest zoom capability - will give best results in low light, indoor people photography. This seems to be overlooked in most of the camera reviews in favour of the usual pictures of flowers and hills, and my interest is people.

Thanks for any advice.
Click to expand...
I'd take a good look at the new Canon G7X. Not exactly cheap, but with a fairly large sensor and a bright lens with a very useful focal length range.
 
Thanks. The G7X has had rather a lukewarm first impressions welcome from DPR but I'll wait for a review and more real life image samples. I have always liked Canon and Olympus image quality so I'm quite open to a camera from one of them - I have a 5DII which I enjoy using.
 
You got that right, my bad. I have just sold mine, for a Sony RX!, but that was a great Camera, most shots I take are personal and close family, do not post them much. Try it out if you can. Good Luck.
 
I'm surprised noone has mentioned the Sony NEX line... bought a Nex3N for my GF, the handling is a bit awkward, but the results I get indoors on people are nice... I would only consider compact that can write RAW, not just jpg (not sure of the capabilities of some of the other mentioned cameras to output RAW files)

$.02 :)
 
DavidC said:
I'd be grateful for a steer on which compact camera - preferably with a modest zoom capability - will give best results in low light, indoor people photography. This seems to be overlooked in most of the camera reviews in favour of the usual pictures of flowers and hills, and my interest is people.

Thanks for any advice.
Click to expand...
Fuji X-E1 (cheap) with the 35/1.4 ... fantastic sharpness and subject isolation - and expandable.

Deed
 
DavidC said:
Thanks. I will look into this.
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Sorry forgot to put up an example for low light and the Fuji cameras. The X-E2 used in the shot has the same sensor and high ISO capability of the X-E1 but the E1 being older appears to be much, much cheaper:

Some focus issues here (my fault!) since I didn't want to stand in front of the stall and take the shot in my own time but shot "from the hip", still it illustrates the colour fidelity and capability of the Fujis in low light.

73be909306774e98b046a84e0f1e9c9c.jpg

Deed
 
How compact do you want the camera? Do you want interchangeable lenses? How much do you want to spend?

There are several really good compact cameras out there right now that have fast lenses and relatively large sensors (for compact cameras) which makes for good low light ability:

Panasonic LX100 $899 - 4/3 sensor and fast lens f1.7-2.8 24-75mm zoom - getting great reviews but no built in flash

Canon G7-X $699 1" sensor and fast lens f1.8-2.8 24mm-100mm zoom

Sony RX-100mIII $799 1" sensor and fast lens f1.8-2.8 24-70mm zoom - I own this one - great little camera.

Of the three above, I would imagine on paper, the LX100 would have the best low light performance with the larger sensor and fewer megapixel sensor.
 
Thanks. Budget about £700. I don't want interchangeable lenses. LX100 looks like a good bet but I'm waiting for good evidence on interior, available light portrait capability. From what I have seen so far, its 800 and 1600iso look pretty good.
 
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